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The Great Restrainer

by Elizabeth Marks  
12/04/2006 / Devotionals

Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:5-12 NKJV

The Holy Spirit is around everywhere and not just inside a believer. He is present in our world around us. He holds things together. Without the Holy Spirit we would live in sheer chaos. But God is good and sent His Holy Spirit to convict people of their sins, convince people of His truth and to lead the believer in all truth.

Even Jesus reassured us of the Holy Spirits coming in John 16:7-15 NKJV: Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.12 I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, 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. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

Have you ever thought about how the Holy Spirit restrains? He will convict the world of sin, Jesus said. That conviction is a form of restraining evil. Every time youre convicted of sin in your life, praise God for the Holy Spirit is restraining evil!

When I look back at my past life before I came to Christ, I now see evidence of the Holy Spirit in my life. He was there convicting me of sinful things, which lead me not to do them. He was guiding me towards a better path. I was completely unaware of Him at the time, but now I know He was there. God is so good! If the Holy Spirit works like that in a non-believers life, just imagine the power He has in a believers life.

Lord Jesus, thank you for sending your Holy Spirit to convict the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. Thank you for working in our lives to restrain evil and lead us back to the right path. Teach us to depend on You with each breath we take. In Your name, Jesus we ask these things. Amen.

Do you recognize the Holy Spirits work in your life? What about around you? As you watch circumstances unfold in the world around, know the Holy Spirit is there doing His job restraining evil and praise God!

Copyright Elizabeth Marks, author of ThinkOnIt Devotions, has a heart for encouraging believers with God's Word. Please visit http://www.ThinkOnItDevotions.com for more devotions, bible studies, book reviews and more!

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