John 14:16-17 English Standard Version (ESV) And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, ¹⁷ even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

John 16:13 English Standard Version (ESV) When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

Isaiah 41:10 English Standard Version (ESV) fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

The natural instinct is to be afraid of having God take up residence in our bodies. Isaiah 41 points out that we have nothing to fear from God. He loves us so much that He sent the Holy Spirit to be our helper, counselor and the voice of truth. His indwelling is necessary for all of us to receive the help we so desperately need.

We were all born into Satan’s realm. He is the prince of the air.

Ephesians 2:1-3 English Standard Version (ESV)

¹ And you were dead in the trespasses and sins ² in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— ³ among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the bodyand the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

John 3:3 English Standard Version (ESV) Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again^[a] he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Footnotes: a. Or from above; the Greek is purposely ambiguous and can mean both again and from above;

John 3:5 English Standard Version (ESV) Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”

We do not want to scare off anyone who comes to a point of confession and acceptance of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yesterday we explored the necessity of telling the initiate the truth. In our zeal to witness salvation we might overlook some important issues about this individual.

An in depth interview should be held to understand the initiates desires and expectations. That tale will take us back to a life lived under Satan’s rule. Were they aware of Satan’s influence? Do they understand the captive nature of sin? Do they understand they are helpless to change those conditions? Do they want to change, not just their circumstances but their very identity?

2 Corinthians 5:17 English Standard Version (ESV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Is this passage understood properly? While it seems simple enough there is a human perspective that always gets attached that rarely becomes part of the initiate’s conversation. What do they expect to become as this new creation? Some version render creation as creature. False expectations lead to disappointment.

Matthew 13:23 tells us; “As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it.” The gospel, the good news, must be understood in order to develop this new creation.

What should they expect? Simply put the truth is all they should expect.