Today’s Reading:
John 14:15-17
“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever” (v. 16)
In our Text today, Jesus talks about “another Helper”. This implies that there was a first “helper”. No doubt, Jesus qualifies to be named this first “helper”, because all the Gospels record the extensive help He offered physically, emotionally and spiritually to the people of his time ( by healing, deliverance, and so on). The “another Helper” Jesus mentioned is the Holy Spirit, the third in the “Trinity”. God the Father’s dispensation was in the Old Testament days, while that of Jesus was at the initial days of the New Testament era. That of the Holy Spirit came after Jesus had ascended to heaven. The Holy Spirit came at the Pentecost (Act 2:1).
A “helper” is one who helps, who gives assistance, provision, and so on, to others. While the human beings are able to do many things and even help others in the physical, they are usually helpless in offering spiritual help in general. No wonder Jesus Christ found it very imperative that another helper should be sent to the people, especially believers. This is in order for them to fulfil their purposes and destinies on earth. To drive home the importance of the Helper – the Holy Spirit, Jesus said in John 16:7 that it was to the people’s advantage that He went away, because if He did not go away, the Helper would not come to them, but if He departed, He would send him to them (the disciples, other followers, and by extension all believers who would come after.
What are the functions of the Holy Spirit as a helper? It is important to note that Jesus operated in the flesh (physical) and, therefore, was restricted to a place at a time during his earthly dispensation. But the Holy Spirit operates as a spirit and, therefore, can be in many places at the same time. He even lives in believers (John 14:17). As a helper, He abides with one forever, dwells with, lives in, teaches all things, brings all things Jesus had said to remembrance (John 14:16, 17, 26). Jesus further expanded the functions in John 16:13-15 to include; guiding into all truth; telling things to come (prophecies); glorifying Jesus and talking of what is his and declaring it to people; convicting the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment Due to the versatility of the Holy Spirit, He is called such names as: the Spirit of Truth, of Life, of God, of Wisdom, Spirit of Christ, Spirit of judgement. He is the helper in all areas of life. The New Testament believers, especially the Apostles like Peter, Paul, recorded examples of how the Holy Spirit helped them in their personal lives and their ministries (Acts 10, 12, 13).
To partake of the help of the “Helper” – The Holy Spirit, one must be born again, having accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, believing and confessing it, at which point, the Holy Spirit comes in to live in the new believer. For greater advantages, one needs to be further baptized by the Holy Spirit to receive power, like as at the Day of Pentecost (Acts 1:8, 2:1) and various spiritual gifts and ministries will be added (1 Cor. 12:4-11). The Holy Spirit will not only help us now, but forever.
CHRISTIE KUPOLUYI
Prayer:
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.
The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.
Lord Jesus, thank You for keeping Your promise to send the Helper, in Jesus name.
Father, thank You for releasing Your Holy Spirit as helper to us in every area of our lives.
Precious Holy Spirit, thank You for coming and doing all You do in my life and family, in Jesus name.
Holy Spirit, please take over the Church and do Your will in her, in Jesus name.
Holy Spirit have Your way in our nation and turn it around for good, in Jesus name.
Comments