John 16 Round Two: Jesus Promises Trouble... Thanks

What if the promise of trouble is actually a doorway to peace? We walk through John 16—Jesus’ final long conversation before the cross—and hear Him tell the truth about sorrow, scattering, and fear. He doesn’t soften the edges. Instead, He promises something better: the Holy Spirit within us, guidance into truth, and joy no one can steal.

We unpack why Jesus’ departure is to our advantage. The Advocate convicts the world of unbelief, reveals true righteousness by pointing to the risen Christ, and announces judgment over the ruler of this world. That’s not theological trivia—it’s the backbone of everyday courage. We also draw a bright line between condemnation and conviction. Condemnation shames and isolates. Conviction invites us back to the Father for forgiveness and restoration. Knowing the difference changes how we respond after failure and how quickly we return to grace.

Prayer gets clearer too. Jesus teaches us to ask the Father directly in His name, by the Spirit’s power. That alignment shapes our desires and strengthens our confidence. And when Jesus says, “You will have trouble,” He pairs it with the banner we cling to: “Take heart; I have overcome the world.” This isn’t optimism. It’s a settled reality that reframes every valley—whether you’re just out of a storm, deep in one, or heading toward it.

Join us for a grounded, hope-filled walk through John 16. Learn to spot the Spirit’s voice, pray with clarity, and carry peace that holds under pressure. If this encourages you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. What promise are you holding onto today?

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The More We Dig. The More We Find.

Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT).
Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Chapters

• 0:00 Setting The Scene For John 16
• 2:27 Purpose Of John’s Gospel And “I Am”
• 3:46 On The Road To Gethsemane
• 5:00 Why The Spirit’s Arrival Matters
• 6:10 Conviction Versus Condemnation
• 9:35 Grief Turning Into Joy
• 11:05 How Jesus Teaches Us To Pray
• 12:22 Promise Of Trouble And Peace
• 14:10 Encouragement For Trials Today
• 15:20 Prayer And Closing Promise

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

Welcome to the Bible Breakdown Podcast. Every day, we take one chapter of the Bible, dig deeper, and discover that the more we dig, the more we find. You can find out more at the BibleBreakdown.com. Now let's grow in God's Word together. Well, hello, welcome back to the Bible Breakdown Podcast with your host, Pastor Brandon, and today, John chapter 16. And if I were to give today a title, it would be Jesus Promises Us Trouble. Gee, thanks, Jesus. But that's awesome because if we know what's coming, we know how to prepare for it. And he's there's actually a promise attached to the promise of trouble, and it's even better. So I'm looking forward to get into that. But as always, if you like what we're doing here, make sure you like the video, you subscribe, comment on this. Be sure that you give us a five-star review on podcast things. And also go to the Bible Breakdown Discussion Facebook group and let us know how you're interacting with this. I love to hear what God is doing in our lives together because, man, the more we dig, the more we find. And I love the idea of just learning the principles of God's word so that not only can we live in freedom every day, but we can share the freedom of God's word with others every single day. One of the things I've noticed in my life is that God speaks to so many areas and so many different aspects of our life, but we don't know it because we don't just purposely, just consistently read through God's Word. And so that's my hope. Because the principles are universal and they're good, and especially in one like today. So John chapter 16, you get your NLT Bible open. Let me set the context for you. Remember that this was written, inspired by the Holy Spirit, through the Apostle John, the best friend of Jesus, to focus on the message of Jesus. And the message of Jesus is he is God. He's not just a good teacher, he's not just a healer, he is God come in the flesh. Colossians says that he is the visible representation of the invisible God. And seven different times throughout the gospel of John, Jesus says, I am. He uses the holy name of God from the Old Testament to say, I am this, I am that. And he's teaching us about the nature and character of God as he is walking with the people all the time. And now, catch up with him in John chapter 16. What has happened is in John 14, he had the last supper, the last meal he's gonna have with his disciples. They get up and they start heading toward the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus is gonna be betrayed. And we are with them now as they are walking that direction. And as he's passing, you know, people walking through the street, and he's passing the vineyards on the way there, he's using these illustrations as ways to illustrate who he is. And it's almost as though, you know, and it's not almost, it this is the last full conversation Jesus is gonna have with his disciples before he is crucified. Now, afterward, he's gonna have other things to say. This is the last time beforehand. So it's almost like he is just piling everything into this final conversation with them. And so we pick back up the conversation. Chapter 15, he talked about what it looked like to him be the vineyard, the vine. We are the branches, and the goal of every Christian is to stay connected to him. And now in chapter 16, he is going to tell us about the Holy Spirit who is coming, and then he is gonna give us a warning, but also a promise. So let's dive into this together, because man, the more we dig, the more we find. So here we go. John chapter 16, verse 1 says this. I have told you these things so that you won't abandon your faith, for you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think that they are doing a holy service to God. This is because they have never known the Father or me. Yes, I'm telling you these things now, so that when they happen, you will remember my warning. I didn't tell you earlier because I was going to be with you for a while longer. But I am going away to the to the one who sent me, not to the one who is asking where I am going. Instead, you grieve because of what I have told you. But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I didn't, the advocate wouldn't come. That's another phrase for the Holy Spirit. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of its sin and of God's righteousness, and of coming judgment. The world's sin is that refuses to believe in me. Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged. There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can't bear it now. But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak of his own, but he will tell you what he has heard, and he will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that belongs to the Father is mine. This is why I said the Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me. Now pause. Now, the reason why the Holy Spirit was a better gift than Jesus, and it's not as in like there's like um like levels here, but it's more beneficial is because we think about it, when Jesus was on this earth, he was in human form. So all of that glory and all of that majesty, and it blows my mind, to be honest with you, to think that all of the glory of heaven and earth and and everything in it was compacted into one human form. But while Jesus was on this earth, he can only be in one place at one time. So he was either in Bethesda or he was in um Bethany or he was in Bethlehem, all the bees or Jerusalem, all these places. But when the Holy Spirit comes, he would come and he would dwell within us. So now everybody around the world, if you're in the United States, if you're in China, if you're in Australia, if for some reason you find yourself in Antarctica with all of your coats and stuff on, everybody can have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. That's why Jesus says it is more beneficial to you that I go, because now you're gonna have the Holy Spirit walking with you in every single way. And I think that's awesome. And notice one of the things he says that the Holy Spirit will do is the Holy Spirit will convict the world of his sin. And so I think it's a really good opportunity for us to take just a second and talk about what conviction is. Because many times we can feel bad about something, but it's not conviction. Conviction and condemnation are two very different things, even though they feel differently. Conviction comes from the Holy Spirit. Condemnation can either come from our own uh broken mental health situation or from the devil. So let's just say the devil or from the Holy Spirit. Condemnation comes from the devil, conviction comes from the Holy Spirit. Here's the difference both of them make you feel bad. Both of them give a sense of angst or uncomfortableness about what you have done. Condemnation says, how could you? and causes you to want to hide from God. Conviction says, that was wrong, let's run to God. So let me say this again. Condemnation says, let's run from God. Conviction says, let's run to God. Let me give you an example. Let's say that you're in a conversation and you lie. You lie to somebody. Happens to all of us, right? Condemnation says, look at you, how dare you! You call yourself a Christian. God would never want you that you should be ashamed of yourself. That's condemnation. Conviction says, oh, that was wrong. You shouldn't have done that. You compromised your integrity. But you know what? God still loves you. Let's take that back to Him so we can get forgiveness and healing and move forward. Do you get the difference? Condemnation is from the enemy that wants to separate you from God. Conviction is from Jesus, from the Holy Spirit, and wants to draw you closer to God. So I want to encourage you with this because the next time you feel you do something that is a sin and you feel a certain way, ask yourself the question is this causing me to draw back from the Lord or draw to the Lord? And then you know the author of it. And if it is drawing you away from God, you do the opposite. You come to the Lord, you make it right. And here's the other thing conviction goes away when you bring it to the Lord. Condemnation shows up many times when you bring it to the Lord. Conviction is not interested in punishing you beyond the idea of bringing you to the Lord. But if something lingers after you've brought it to the Lord, that is the enemy trying to separate you. So notice the difference and then move accordingly. Okay, here we go. Verse 16. The Bible says, In a little while you won't see me anymore, but a little while after that you will see me again. Some of the disciples asked each other, What does he mean when he says, In a little while you won't see me, but then you will see me, and I am going to the Father. What does it mean by a little while? We don't understand. Jesus realized they wanted to ask him about it, so he said, Are you asking yourselves what I meant? I said, In a little while you won't see me, but a little while after that you will see me again. I tell you the truth, you will weep and you will mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy. It will be like a woman suffering pains of labor. When the child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world. So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again. Then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy. And that time you won't need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask my father directly, and he will grant you your request because you use my name. You don't have you haven't done this before. Ask using my name, and you'll receive, and you will have abundant joy. I have spoken these things, uh these matters in figures of speech, but soon I will stop speaking figuratively and I will tell you plainly all about the Father. Then you will ask in my name. I'm not saying I will ask the Father on your behalf, for the Father Himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God. Yes, I came from the Father into the world, and now I leave the world and return to the Father. Now pause. Notice what Jesus is saying. Jesus is telling us how to pray. Because what he is saying is, is he is saying, What I want you to understand is that the Father, Son, and Spirit are connected in such a way that you don't understand. There's impossible to understand. We are finite, he is infinite. But there is this interesting dynamic where the Father and the Son are together but yet separate. The Spirit is together but separate. And he's saying, Up until now you have talked to me. But what I want you to do moving forward is I want you to talk to the Father in my name. So when we pray, we pray to our Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. Verse 29, he says, Then his disciples said, At last you are speaking plainly and not figuratively. Now we understand that you know everything, and there's no need to question you. From this we believe that you came from God. Jesus said, Do you finally believe? But the time is coming, indeed, it is here now, when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you all of this, so that you may have peace in me. Here it comes. Here on this earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. Thanks, Jesus. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. I'm gonna say that one more time. One of the greatest promises we have. Here on this earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. Pause. Do you know there is this heresy in the body of Christ that I want us to fix right now. There is this heresy that says, When you give your life to Christ, you will no longer have a problem. That he is gonna take care of all of your problems so that you don't have them anymore. Can I tell you? That's wrong and it's reckless, and it is downplaying the power of God because the Bible actually says, Jesus actually said, I'm gonna read it one last time, here on this earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. Can I tell you, you don't learn much from your successes, but you learn a lot from your failures. So a good father doesn't always let you win, he lets you learn because he knows that as you learn, you grow and you mature in your faith. And so many times on this earth, you can love Jesus as much as you want, and I hope you do, but loving Jesus does not stop trials and sorrows from coming. It is the natural state of life on this fallen earth. But here's the promise: take heart. I have overcome the world. In other words, I'm gonna go with you. The greatest promise that we have is not that we're gonna have troubles and trials, but we're never gonna go through them alone. He has already overcome them all for us, and so he's gonna walk with us through everything. And that's a wonderful promise for all of us. You know, I wonder if maybe you're listening to this and you're going through a dark season. I believe very strongly that everybody that's listening to this is going through one of three situations. You're either just now coming out of a trial, you're right in the middle of a trial, or you're getting ready to go into one. That is just the way life is, right? You know what's amazing though, is that no matter what we go through, we never go through it alone. And so if you're listening to this right now and you're going through a difficult trial or a sorrow, can I tell you something? You're not alone. If everybody else has turned their back on you, you're not alone. If it is one of those things where you feel like you're literally standing against the world, you're not alone. Because Jesus says, I have overcome everything you're gonna face. He is with us, he is for us, and he is actually working things out that we don't yet understand. So I hope you'll find encouragement from this. The Holy Spirit is in you, and Jesus is walking with you in every single thing you face. Let's read this, let's let's pray, rather, then we're gonna read our scripture and we'll be done for today. Father, thank you so much that we can pray to you in the name of Jesus. Thank you that you love us and you are for us and you walk with us. Holy Spirit, we just invite you to fill us fresh and new, to walk with us and help us to realize that trials and sorrows doesn't mean that you're not with us, but many times it's in the trials and sorrows that you are moving more than we can imagine. We embrace that promise and we hold on to it today. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. Listen, I love you. God's for you more than you realize. You're probably doing better than you realize because you haven't given up yet. Let's read our scripture and we'll be done for today. John chapter 20, verse 31 says, These things are written that you may continue to believe that Jesus is God, and that by believing in him, you'll have life by the power of his name. I love you. I'll see you next time for John chapter 17.