Could anything be better than spending your days walking
alongside the creator of the Universe? Think
about the questions you could ask. Imagine
looking into eyes of the one who flung the stars into place and gave life to
all creation. If someone came up to you
with a problem, you simply look over to Jesus and say, “He can handle this one.” How incredible!
Surprisingly though, just hours before His betrayal and
crucifixion, Jesus says to His disciples, “But
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 go, I will send Him to you” (John 16:7, NASB).
Can you imagine the look on their faces? “To our
advantage? How can anything be better
than having you here with us?” But
it really is to our advantage. You see,
when Jesus walked this earth,
He was with His disciples, He was beside them,
around them, close to them. That is
wonderful, however, when He ascended back to His heavenly throne, He sent the
Holy Spirit back to us. Now get this,
the Holy Spirit of God doesn’t walk beside us, He is not around us, or even
simply close to us, the very Spirit of the Living God is now IN US.
Jesus said, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He
may be with you forever; 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the
world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides
with you and will be in you” (John 14: 16-17, italics and underline mine).
How wonderful this is. The very moment you surrender your life to
Christ and receive His gift of forgiveness and eternal life by accepting Him as
Lord, you are spiritually reborn and the very Spirit of God moves into your
heart.
The Apostle Paul declared you are the Temple
of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). God doesn’t dwell in buildings made by
man’s hands, but in His most prized creation – you. What can be better than that? Nothing!
Jesus said that the Holy Spirit is our
helper.
·
He helps us Testify about
Jesus
“When
the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who
proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me,” (John 15: 26).
·
He convicts us sin so we
can live righteously
“And
He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and
judgment; 9 concerning sin, because they do
not believe in Me; 10
and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no
longer see Me;” (John 16:
8-10).
·
He guides us to truth and
to glorify Jesus
“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He
will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative,
but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to
come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will
disclose it to you.” (John 16: 13-14).
·
He gives us comfort and
assurance
“I
will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:
18).
What a precious gift the Holy Spirit is to
us who follow Christ. Several hundred
years before Jesus was born, God spoke through the Prophet Isaiah. He spoke of the day when the Holy Spirit
would come.
God said, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a
voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” 22 Then you will desecrate your idols overlaid with
silver and your images covered with gold; you will throw them away like a
menstrual cloth and say to them, “Away with you!” (Isaiah 30: 21-22 NIV).
The Holy Spirit is the voice behind us urging
us to walk in the ways of the Lord. He
guides us with His gentle voice. He encourages us with His voice. He corrects
us with His voice. Friend, when you realize how amazing it is
that God lives within His followers, how can we do anything but put away our
idols and live completely for Him?
Praise be to God for His grace, mercy,
wisdom and His everlasting presence.
