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Another Helper

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16 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 14:16-17 (ESV)

Over the centuries since Jesus walked the earth, was crucified, buried, resurrected and ascended to Heaven, there has been much discussion about the Holy Spirit and His role in the life of the believer and the world. In John 14, Jesus shares with His disciples some of the details about the Holy Spirit.

First, the Holy Spirit is referred to as ‘… another Helper, to be with you forever.’ We should first note that this Helper is to continue the role that Jesus has played in the life of the disciples. We should also note this Helper is a PERSON, not a force to be manipulated. The term ‘Helper’ is also translated ‘Advocate’ in some translations, and in the ancient Greek, the term referred to a ‘battle buddy,’ someone who would literally stand back to back with his partner, defending the other. Jesus implies here that He has been doing that for the disciples and that the Holy Spirit will continue to do so while Jesus is physically absent.

Jesus also refers to the Holy Spirit as ‘the Spirit of Truth.’ This reference becomes even more clear looking further ahead to verse 26:

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

One of the primary roles of the Holy Spirit is use the teachings of Jesus in our lives. The Holy Spirit works with the Word of God, which we are to have read, to bring it to remembrance at critical times. The Holy Spirit works with our conscience to identify and avoid temptation, to provide godly responses in situations beyond our abilities. In Luke 21, Jesus tells His disciples not to worry about how to answer in these situations, that He (through the Holy Spirit) will give wisdom and words which others cannot contradict.

Curiously, the Holy Spirit is only available to those who know and love Jesus as Lord and Savior. Jesus states “…the world cannot receive…” the Holy Spirit. In John 14:24, Jesus states that those who do not love him, do not obey him. It is only those who love, and obey, Jesus who receive the Holy Spirit.

While this is not all the Holy Spirit accomplishes in our lives, this is what Jesus emphasized in those hours prior to His crucifixion. The Holy Spirit, in the life of those who trust Jesus, points to Jesus and His Word, working in their lives to empower them to resist temptation, obey Jesus’ commands to love God and one another, and providing knowledge to always bring Jesus glory.

By Bill Emmerling

Pastor-Gallup Christian Church