John 16 – 18

Verse 16:2 is really difficult when you think about it:

The time will come when they will kick you out of the synagogue because some believe God desires them to execute you as an act of faithful service.

Honestly who would want to be part of something people will desire to execute you? Did we sign up to be true followers of Jesus or just get the goodies He has to offer? Think about all the sermons that talk about the good you can get from Jesus without mentioning that all but one of Jesus’ followers died holding on to His message. We need to cling onto the message Jesus has. I think the rift between Judaism and Christianity has stabilized out so the Church is safe but the rift between Islam and everyone else seems to be growing.

Today Christians who do spread the Gospel in the Muslim world face possible death, it actually still is happening. Now am I saying go spread the Gospel in Saudi Arabia? No, but with that said those who do need people at home not “chickening out” in safe environments.

Verse 16:11 caught my eye:

The Spirit will also carry My judgment because the one who rules in this world has already been defeated.

Satan “has already been defeated” according to Jesus yet he still runs amok in this world. I read this and wondered what it meant since today we see more evil than good in many places. One only needs to look at the world of porn to see how demented it has become. It’s no longer pictures of naked women, but rather horrific acts of violence and perversion for sexual release. Is this Satan’s Last Stand or are these words based on the future?

Verse 16:23 is what most pull from this chapter:

When all this transpires, you will finally have the answers you have been seeking. I tell you the truth, anything you ask of the Father in My name, He will give to you.

I am sure the disciples all prayed in Jesus’ name to save them from their fate, yet the all still died. I think this is one of the most misused verses in the Bible since we really need to tie this to the Garden and Jesus’ prayers to release Him from the fate He faced. He prefaced it with “Your will be done”. We tend to forget this and wonder why OUR dreams and desires are not fulfilled! Am I saying if you pray for a Mercedes in Jesus’ name it will never happen? No, quite the contrary God wants us happy and joyous. The key is in HIS time not OURS, often it may take decades for the car before we are in a spot where we are ready.

Verse 17:16 has some interesting wording:

Like Me, they are not products of the corrupt world order.

I read this and the words “world order” which are used quite often in this chapter, stand out. I immediately think of the “new world order” which conspiracy people have been watching out for in government. Is this wording just using the popular vernacular since it was written recently or is there something underlying? Since I understand the NWO is a Luciferian concept and predicted in Revelations my radar pops up seeing this. Are we being “set up” for a new system considering how corrupt the current one is? Is the NWO really Satanic or is it what God has in store for us? If so what becomes of those of us (me included) that are warning against this NWO? 

Note – Most other translations say “world” and not “world order” so the wording concerns me.