He Will Show You Things To Come — Carter Conlon

The Holy Spirit Reveals What Is To Come

Want to talk to you this morning about the Holy Spirit and in particular something Jesus said about the Holy Spirit. That he will show you things to come. John chapter 16, please if you'll turn there.

John chapter 16. The father I thank you for the strength of your Holy Spirit. I thank you for the vision. You said in the temple that day I've come the Spirit of the Lord is upon me to give sight to those that are blind.

And so God for whatever part of our spiritual eyes that we can't see would you open them? Would you help us Lord? Would you give us heaven's perspective on life? Time and eternity. Would you deliver us from the smallness of our own vision and show us things to come?

God I'm asking you for a quickening in my physical body. I'm asking Lord for a quickening and Everyone who's gathered here so that we can hear these words today. Give us great grace God. We're going to need it now.

Give us great Grace for the hour in which we now live and give us spiritual sight in Jesus name. Amen. John 16 beginning at verse 12. Jesus said these words to his disciples. I still have Many things to say to you.

But you cannot bear them now. In other words, you're not in a condition to hear them. At this point his disciples were they all had their own focus. They all had a sense. James and John are probably still Marginally at least thinking about sitting at his right hand and his left.

John the Beloved has a sense of his own dedication and love which is not really complete. Peter's making boasts of loyalty and love that he's not going to be able to fulfill. He says I have a lot. I want to tell you of a lot.

I want to speak to you, but you're not ready to hear it yet. Your ears are not open your eyes are not open because you're still focused on the immediate. You're focused on what's what's right before you in the in the natural so you can't bear them however.

Verse 13 when he the spirit of truth has come he will guide you into all truth. For he will not speak on his own authority. But whatever he hears he will speak and he will tell you things to come. He will glorify me for he will take of what is mine and declare it to you.

All things that the father has are mine. Therefore I said that he will take of mine and will declare it to you. I'm going to win a victory for you. Christ was telling his disciples. I'm going to return to the right hand of God and Everything will be under my authority.

There will be a tremendous inheritance given to me of the father when he raises me from the dead. I will return to sit at his right hand and everything everything that he gives me is now going to belong to my people my church my body and The Spirit of God that I'm sending to you.

Will show you some of these things to come. You and I of course can't see them all. There's just no way we could ever understand. I heard a message one time of a Man that said these words. He said take somebody who's never seen.

He's completely blind never heard never tasted. Never smelt. His entire Senses are shut down and stand them on the top of the tallest building in New York City. For example, then snap your fingers and open all of his senses at one time.

It would be a sensory explosion like you and I can't even imagine. And he said now multiply that by a hundred billion and that's about what it will be like. The moment we leave this earth and appear in the presence of God.

The scripture says we will know in that day as we are known. Mysteries will be Resolved questions will be answered. There be an explosion of knowledge in our minds and we we will realize. I think at that point how how small in a sense our Thinking has been in comparison to what God is going to release and what God is going to reveal To us in us and through us what a day that is going to be praise be to God for that day.

The Spirit Shows Believers Their Calling and Freedom

Now when the Spirit of God comes into a person's life He starts to show us things to come. He starts to tell us that old things in our life will pass away and all things will become new. He starts to show us that prison doors that once held us will have to let us go.

Wounds that once bruised us don't have the power to do that in our lives anymore. He starts to show us a plan and a purpose that God has For each life and the abundance of supply. That God has already given us in Christ Jesus to achieve to the fullest everything He's called us to do whatever God's called you to do.

You will be able to do that by the Spirit of God Upon you and within you and the promise of God given to you. There's nothing can stop you. Just like he says to the Church of Philadelphia. You have a little strength, but I've opened a door before you and no one can close that door.

And I will do something so profound in your life That those who do not worship God will bow at your feet and have to acknowledge that I have loved you. That is something to come in everyone's life. Thank God for that with all of our hearts today He will reveal to you power to accomplish.

Behold I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions. There's a revelation of the power of God Available in Jesus Christ to stand up against the darkness and by the grace of God inside of our hearts to see it pushed back.

One more time into the sea He will give you an eye endurance and the Holy Spirit will show us that endurance that ability that God gives called long Suffering, you know what it means in the Greek long suffering.

You know what it means in the Hebrew long suffering. That's what it means. That means the ability to endure. Things that others around you without the Spirit of God could not endure gives the ability to bear even with one another in the body of Christ and to believe and to hope and to endure when you Would have in the natural have written somebody off in the kingdom of God.

Nobody gets written off. There's something of God that puts a vision in our heart not just for ourselves, but for others around us. He'll give us an understanding of the endless supply of provision. He'll unlock to us the scriptures and we'll even in the Old Testament We'll see the oil pouring into the lamps and pouring in this inexhaustible supply of oil.

Symbolic of the presence of the Holy Spirit the more we give out the more God gives in. The more we let go the more he puts in our hands to let go. It's truly truly an amazing journey to walk with God.

He will show us strength in the midst of our battle. I love that song. It may look like I'm surrounded, but I'm surrounded by you. David the King saw it when he said in Psalm 23 verse 5 He prepares a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.

I can be surrounded and they can all have their swords drawn and wish me harm. But all they can do is butter the biscuit in my hand with their sword. Because he has prepared the table before me and there's nothing they can do because no weapon formed against Us shall prosper and every tongue that rises against us in judgment We shall condemn.

This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord because their righteousness is of me says God. I have cleansed them. And so the Holy Spirit when we come to Christ when he becomes our Lord and Savior the Spirit of God Comes into our earthen vessel unlocks the treasure of this book and we begin to see Things to come.

Eternal Things Are Greater Than Temporary Things

Now he will also tell you about things to come that are beyond this present world. 2nd Corinthians 4 18. Paul says why we did we do not look at the things which are seen. But things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporary.

But the things which are not seen are eternal in the book of Revelation. There was a church called Laodicea that was a problematic church in one sense. Because what had happened to this church is that their eyes were fixed on the abundance of this world only.

They came to the understanding that in Christ You will have a supply in in Christ. You will be provided for in in Christ. There will be this this constant measure of Everything you need is you seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness all the things that you need will be added Unto you, but the problem with this particular churches.

Their eyes were fixed on this world only. They weren't looking above this world. You remember Abraham the father of faith is given a promise of God I'm gonna bless you. I'm gonna multiply you. I'm gonna do something so profound in your life.

That you're gonna be a blessing to the whole world and you and I of course know that we are because of Christ Through his lineage. We are the fulfillment of that promise. He took him one day and Caused him to go outside and says look up and as many stars as you see in heaven.

Your descendants are going to be like that. It was something not of this world was something above this world. It was something beyond this world. The Holy Spirit was showing him things to come. Now traveling with him out of his home place of dwelling into this place of promise as he saw it was his nephew lot and Lot was part of the family and lot would have been told there's going to be a blessing come upon us.

And the blessing is going to be so profound. It's going to touch the whole known world. Lot would have known that he was invited. He was a partaker of this journey. And it came to the point where physically speaking they had so much cattle.

And such like that they couldn't dwell in one place. There was an insufficient supply of grass. And so Abraham said to lot. He said well lift up your eyes and look and choose where you want to go and lot lifted up his eyes.

But his eyes only lifted up so far. He had this doctrinal perspective that all the blessing of this life was to be found in this world. And he chose a city and he went to a place called Sodom and Gomorrah and raised his family there and you know folks if We only lift our eyes so high and if it's only this world that becomes our source of supply and provision.

One day an enemy came in and captivated that place and took him and his family away and if all you can see is of this world if your happiness is only because you you have a Car or you think you're gonna get one and you have a house and you have this and you have money in the bank and you Have a retirement plan.

I'm telling you there's a day that might come and take all of that away. It can happen it can happen if that's where your eyes are Focused that can all be gone in an hour. In an hour of time. What do you think it mattered when the towers were struck on?

9 -11 2001 what do you think the people on the upper floor who had about an hour left to live? What do you think it mattered anymore? How high they had gotten on the financial chain? What do you think it mattered how many colleges their kids were in or how many cars they had or how many countries they could?

Visit. Do you think any of it mattered at that point any longer? No, it can all be taken away. The matter of fact the Prophet Isaiah says in one hour in one hour Babylon is going to be judged in one hour.

Such great wealth is going to all be taken away in one hour in one hour in one hour. It's going to all be Gone. The Laodicean Church thought that they had it all made because they were rich. Increased in goods and they said to themselves we have need of nothing.

But they had no idea how weak their doctrinal position was. Because of their focus Christ himself knew that if their worldly security was taken away So would their confidence be taken away as well? And I'm telling you the Bible declares a day is coming when everything that can be shaken is going to be Shaken that only that which cannot be shaken might remain.

Proverbs chapter 23 verse 5 says. Will you set your eyes on that which is not for riches. Certainly make themselves wings they fly away like an eagle towards heaven. In 1st Corinthians 3 13 says the fire will test each one's work of what sort it is.

Losing Earthly Possessions and Finding Lasting Confidence

I Remember pastor Teresa and I coming home from we're in full-time ministry now. We were preaching in Eastern Canada, and we had worked for 12 years to build a home a physical house. We had renovated this old farmhouse.

We had added on to it. We had Modified it we took 12 years to get it where it was finally finished. It was it was a nice home. It was a and we came home from traveling To find it burnt to the ground. Everything God in his mercy spared our children praise his name.

But everything we had worked for was gone in one moment of time looking at and even the fire department said they'd never seen such a total consuming fire. Their history it was a windy night and the whole house caved inward and it just there was nothing nothing left.

Everything was gone. Just the foundation was left everything of the house was gone and the fire will test your work to see you of what sort it Is. Where's your confidence now I? Remember we had to stay with another pastor and his wife.

With our three children, and I remember coming out and going for a jog because I used to run back then and I said well Lord I don't even have a toothbrush. But I tell you one thing I have sought first your kingdom and your righteousness and you tell me that all things Will be added unto me that I need so I'm putting it all in your hands.

I'm not going to try to figure this thing out and I'm telling you I have seen the Lord take it away and I've seen the Lord give it back and I've seen it taken away and I've seen It given back and I've seen it taken away and I've seen it given back.

But I've also through these experiences seen something a little more than what this world has got to offer. Oh, thank God. We still have a nice house, but that I know that can be gone. I've lived it already I know twice as a matter of fact two and a half times.

We finally we lost our second house to mold toxic mold if you can believe that gone house condemned. Then we move across the river to Weehawken said finally we're settled then hurricane Sandy came and wiped out the whole first floor.

Now we live on a lake and a house is the bottom of our house about five feet above the water level and I said to Pastor treason one day what possibly could go wrong now? It's all stuff folks. And if that's where your focus is, it can be taken away.

Do you understand if that's where your focus is if your happiness in God is just because of your job because of that relationship. Because you feel healthy and strong because you you see something on the horizon for your future.

You've got a great career ahead of you that can all be taken away in a moment of time. Sorrow comes to every door eventually. Do you know that sickness comes to everybody? Unless you get raptured and you're healthy.

You're probably going to get sick and die like every one of us in this room one day. Relationships are lost loved ones die jobs are lost. And if our security is in any of these things. Even though many of them do come from God if our eyes are not lifted higher than that.

Our confidence can be taken away and it can be shaken. That's why Jesus said to the church at Laodicea I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire by buy of me truth that has been proven by of me.

Something that's of eternal value not just temporary value in this world by of me. Something deeper and anoint your eyes with I salve that you may see God. You said in the temple that day that you had come to give sight to the blind.

So Lord if my vision is limited, would you touch my eyes with that? I said. Would you help me to see something beyond this life? Would you take me to a place where the storms may come the waves may rise?

But would you found my life upon that rock that cannot be taken down by the storms of this life? What would you do something in my life? So that I'm not riding this wave of Circumstance dependent Christianity take me farther than this for there are eternal things in the heavens that are promised to each one of us and Though things can be lost in this world. They cannot be lost in that one.

God help me to lift my eyes higher than lot. Help me God to lift my eyes up the way Abraham did and to see something of the heavens. Something of you God something that is promised. Paul said in 1st Corinthians 15 19 if in this life only we have hope in Christ We are of all men most pitiable.

In other words, if our hope is only in the things we see around us then when it's all shaken We're going to be shaken with us. Paul moves always to those things which are eternal which can never be taken away.

The Promise of Resurrection and Christ's Return

He starts this way Romans 8 18. He says for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory That shall be revealed in us. Paul had this vision. He saw something coming in the future.

He saw that you can read about it in Corinthians that this this earthly body is going to give way to a heavenly body. We're gonna be sown in corruption raised and in corruption. He saw things that he tells us in his own testimony that he was lifted to the third Heavens and he said I saw things that are not lawful to speak about.

I can't write about them. There are no words in the human Vocabulary to describe them. That's why it's not lawful to write about it or speak about. He saw something God in his mercy. Gave him an eternal vision so that he could endure the sufferings.

He had to endure on this life. He was stoned. He was beaten. He was shipwrecked and he finished the end of his life in a sense Imprisoned with only a pen and some parchment to write to his friends. But he says the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory That shall be revealed in us while in captivity.

He wrote words to others for example to the Thessalonian church that he knew Was going to go in. They were beginning to go into persecution and he knew the persecution was going to become Severe for these people of God at this time and then he says these words in first Thessalonians 4 verses 16 to 18 for the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout and With the voice of an archangel with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first.

Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in The air and thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

He knew they were going to suffer but he was saying to the Thessalonian church suffering is only temporary and There's a day coming When God's going to look down and say that's enough son. Go get your church.

Go get your bride. The angel is going to rise up and with a shout a shout like you and I. I think it's a shout of victory. I think it's a hallelujah like you've never heard in your lifetime with a shout and with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God and The dead in Christ shall rise everyone who went into the ground.

Maybe they went in in sorrow. Maybe maybe they had questions in their heart. Maybe it was a hard finish. It can be hard if you die of certain diseases. It can be a long season of suffering and you might find yourself in the ground that way one day.

But one day one day there's going to be a shout in heaven one day. The Archangel is going to shout one day the trumpet of God is going to sound. And you are going to come out of the ground and rise up into the air.

Praise me to God. One day there's going to be a group of people meeting in a church just like this in New York City one day. Unexpectedly the trumpet is going to sound the archangel is going to shout one day.

We're going to rise up with the dead in Christ and meet Christ in the air and so Shall we always be with the Lord wherefore? Comfort one another with these words. Hallelujah. In other words weeping may endure for a night, but joy joy joy comes again in the morning.

Hallelujah heaven is our home and eternity with God is our future. Come what may in this life. Come what may come what would famine or disease or darkness or war or social disorder? Whatever it is that comes come what may?

It's all temporary and none of it is worthy to be compared with the glory. The glory that shall be revealed in us. Hallelujah to the Lamb of God. Paul says in 1st Corinthians chapter 2 verses 9 and 10 as it is written.

I is not seen nor ear heard nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has Prepared for those who love him, but God has revealed them to us through his spirit. For the Spirit searches all things.

Yea, the deep things of God. In other words. We who have the Holy Spirit of God know something that those who don't have the Spirit of God Don't know. They have no idea. What awaits them? And they have no idea what awaits us.

What an incredible day. That is going to be. Hallelujah. Listen to the words of Jesus in John chapter 14 verses 2 and 3 in my father's house are many mansions. If it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you.

The Father's House and the Believer's Future

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself where I am there. You may be also. Listen there's construction going on right now in heaven right now right now and For every one of you that comes to Christ.

Every one of you who's born again when your name is written in the book of life. God's book of life. The consternation. I don't know how they do it. Maybe there's a call made to the construction crew.

Start another mansion. Praise be to God there's a mansion and when God says a mansion he means a mansion a mansion a Mansion prepared for you in glory. I think it those mansions are so big. I don't think you can ever find all the rooms.

I Think there's food in every room. I think you can you can dig into that refrigerator right into the back and it always stays fresh. It never spoils up there. I Think our bodies are opaque. That's my opinion.

I think you can eat it tastes good. It just falls right through you onto the floor. Disappears, I don't think you gain weight up there. Praise be to God. There is no delight that God will withhold from his children.

In my father's house are many mansions. I Go to prepare a place for you. Oh, yeah to the Lamb of God. Glory to the name of Jesus. You don't have to cut the grass. There you don't have to you don't have to vacuum.

Nothing ever gets dirty up there. Praise be to God you walk out on streets and gold. What does it matter? You can't spend it anyway. Oh. When he says a mansion when he says a mansion. When he says a mansion, you know, the early church knew these things.

They did because they suffered people during different wars suffered people have had to go through times in history of suffering people have been Persecuted that's why they can they could write these songs.

I've got a mansion just over the hilltop in that bright land where I'll never grow old and someday Yonder will nevermore wander but walk on streets that are pure as gold. Hallelujah to the Lamb of God and lastly The Apostle John.

John’s Vision of the New Heaven and New Earth

Who leaned on Jesus? Chest at the Last Supper. John who who loved him and and he knew that Jesus loved him. He describes himself as the the Apostle that Jesus loved. He knew that in his heart. Now he served God all his life and he's 80 about 80 years old and he's exiled to a prison on an isle called Patmos and From what I read about that prison.

It was vile. It was cold. It was damp. It was dark. It was despairing it was uncomfortable in the extreme and John. John could have said God is this how you treat those who love you? Is this how it ends up?

I serve you all of my life and and this is where I end up imprisoned cold disregarded old. But the scripture says on the Lord's Day. That John was in the spirit. The Spirit of God remember that when they when he comes he will show you things to come and John even though he's in a prison.

He could write these words in Revelation 21. I Saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth had passed away and there was no more sea. In other words, there was there was nothing more because this is an island for him and it would be impossible to escape this place.

And John's saying in some measure at least anyway There's nothing more that separates us from God and from life and from freedom that he has for us for eternity. Then I John he says saw the holy city New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.

Prepared as a bride adorned for her husband and I heard a loud voice From heaven saying behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will be their God and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

There will be no more death nor sorrow no more crying. No more pain. For the former things have passed away. He will show you things to come. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy. Unspeakable joy is coming your way in the morning.

That's the Holy Spirit to show you a place soon and very soon. It's coming to all of us. Our life is just a little vapor on on the On the scale of eternity. It's just a little blip on the screen. That's all it is our life here on this earth.

And yes, there's sorrow here and there's trials here and there's difficulty here, but there's a day coming that's forever. It never ends and in that place. There's no more you can't cry there. You can't cry.

Think about that, you know, I know some of you cry every night. Some of you cry every morning. Some of you cry on the subway on the way to work. But when you get there, you can't cry. There's gonna be no capability there'd be nothing to cry about.

I Want you to think about that. He will show you remember he will show you things to come. There'll be no more death. No more death, you know, you don't go to a funeral ever. Ever all the undertakers would be out of business.

All the casket makers are gonna have to find new work. Flower people will go bankrupt because there's no more funerals up there. Matter of fact, there's no more weddings either. No sorrow. Nothing that can make your heart heavy.

No crying. No more pain, you know speak to those who are. You live with pain. You live with arthritis. You live with Various and varying degrees of pain whether it's internal pain or whether it's physical pain.

You live with pain. But that won't be forever. There's a day coming. There's no more pain. The absence of pain. I Don't fully understand that but I if I read it literally that means if I if I bang my head on the doorframe.

It doesn't hurt. There's no more pain. Then he was sat on the throne said behold. I make all things new. Right for these words are true and faithful. And he said to me it's done. I'm the Alpha and Omega the beginning of the end and I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him.

Who thirsts? He who needs strength. She who needs strength. The person who needs an eye seven. No, I didn't say God. I need to see something beyond this world. I need to see something beyond my present condition.

My struggles my trials and Oh God. Don't let me be captivated by the things of this world so that if they're shaken I'll be shaken along with them. God give me the ability to look higher help me to see this place that you talked to all of us about.

That you are preparing for us a place a place where your neighbors are all nice. Come on. There's no liars up there. Every lawyer will be out of work because nobody has any disputes. There's no boundary disputes.

No property disputes. No, no, nobody's suing anybody up there. All every police officer be out of work. There's no crime up there. Every judge will be out of work. There's nothing to judge. It's all been judged and forgiven.

Hallelujah, you just think of all the occupation. So what are we gonna do up there? I don't know. It just says we're gonna praise him day and night with the angels and we're gonna rule and reign with Christ forever.

That's what the Bible tells me and that is not fiction. That is a fact. That's what's coming your way. That's your future. That's forever. You may weep for a little while. Your heart might be broken for a season your body may struggle and suffer for a moment that dream job that dream.

Relationship might be lost but there's something coming not far down the road. And when you get there, you're going to say oh, thank God. I didn't give up. Thank God I Listened to the Word of God and lifted my eyes just a little bit higher Than the things of this world that can satisfy and I saw something of God.

Hallelujah to the Lamb of God. I'm starting to see it now more and more more and more and more. Thank God. Thank God turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face and the things of earth Will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.

Of times the day seems long Our trials hard to bear. We're tempted to complain To murmur and despair. But Christ will soon appear To catch his bride away all tears forever over in God's Eternal day. It will be worth it all When we see Jesus.

Life's trials will seem so small. When we see Christ One Glimpse of his dear face. All sorrowly raised So bravely run the race. Till we see life's day will soon be all. Our stones Will cross the great To glory safe at last.

We'll share the joys of heaven. Hallelujah. Bahama crown. The tempter will be banished. We lay our burdens down. When we'll seem so small when we see cry so. Till I want to give an altar call today for people who just need comfort.

Comfort for Those Facing Present Trials

You just you need a vision beyond your present circumstance or you're not gonna be able to make it. You need eyes to see some things that only the Holy Spirit can reveal to you. You need to be able to go to bed at night and say Oh God.

Oh God. What a what a future awaits me. What a day what a day an eternal day is coming my way. What a mansion God you prepared for me in glory. What an eternity Lord you've prepared for me. Comfort one another.

Paul said comfort one another with these words listen. Don't give up. Don't give up. Don't ever give up. Best advice I could ever give you. Some people seem to have it easy and others have it hard and some have a Kind of a half-and-half life.

But one day soon one day soon we'll be gathered together at the throne of God. We will remember this moment and we will thank God that we didn't give up. Thank God that life Remember the Bible says his sorrow may endure for a night.

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy. There's a guarantee of joy that's going to come again in the morning. Praise be to God father. I just pray for my brothers and sisters at this altar and in this church.

Lord God God. Open our eyes in this church. Lord open our eyes and show us heavenly things. Lord eternal things. Help us Lord not to just look at our our everyday circumstances any longer. Not that we ignore them, but let them not have the final word on everything Lord in our minds and in our hearts.

God I pray for comfort Lord that only you can give God to those at this altar who are struggling or suffering or Just living in a horrid place. God, I just pray God that you just comfort the way that only you can.

And we open our hearts to it Lord, and we we won't push you away when you want to comfort us. Lord God. Thank you for it in Jesus name Amen.