John 14:16. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide in you for ever.
Another good-looking autumn day in my area! It’s so good when we wake up and see the sun shining along with the spiritual light that we get from Jesus. That just gives us a full house! (smile) So let’s hope that your house is also filled with light this Wednesday morning in the latter part of October, in this crazy year of 2021. And even if you don’t have physical sunlight, just remember that the light from Jesus is more than enough to quell all our darkness, all our fears and anxieties.
And if you don’t believe me, then listen to this overwhelming story from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin, which I believe proves our point. It is titled ‘It Happened to Me.’ Please read with me: ‘It may be a question you’d rather not face. You’ve struggled with it for so long. A resentment perhaps, or a seething rebellion…or an ugly jealousy that keeps churning. There may be someone you haven’t forgiven, despite a whole string of resolutions. Day after day, in fact week after week, you live with no sense of fulfillment, no recharge of joy, no happy expectations. You long for a deeper understanding of God’s will for your life.
Your heart feels empty, your soul feels weary. Do you wonder if there is a way out? If other Christians have found the secret? Oh yes! Assuredly YES! Let me tell you when! When they were desperate enough to trust the Holy Spirit to do what they could not do. When they were simple enough to trust God’s promise. “I will put my Spirit within you.” When they were willing enough to open their hearts and give it all over to God. Do you wonder why I am so joyfully sure? It happened to me!’
Oh friends, what a true and wonderful story! And I hope it soon happens to you if you are suffering from any of the frustrations and human limitations listed above. I can understand, because it also happened to me. But it’s oh so true that when you give it all up to the Holy Spirt, which is in you, if you are a Christian, then the load, whatever it is becomes bearable, because you don’t have to carry it all by yourself.
Remember, the Lord promised this way back in the Old Testament to the children of Israel through the prophet Ezekiel, saying: ‘A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh (take out your stony heart of sin, and give you a new, obedient heart). (Ezek. 36:26)
And we know that the Lord keeps ALL of His promises, and after Jesus came, He kept that one. We know that on the first Pentecost day after Jesus ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit descended upon the believers seated in the upper room in Jerusalem. The Good Book describes it thus: ‘And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ (Acts 2:2-4)
The scholars explain: 2:2-3. On the Day of Pentecost God provided two symbols of the Spirit’s presence, the wind, which was associated by the Jews with the Spirit (Ezek. 37:9-14; John 3:8) , and the fiery tongues which divided and rested upon each one, showing that the Spirit’s baptism included ALL. The purpose here for the sign gift of tongues was not to make possible the hearing of the gospel but to seize the attention of all, so they would listen.’ And from that time forth, all those who believe and place their trust in Christ Jesus are imbued with the Holy Spirit to lead, guide and comfort them.
Yes friends, those are some of the things the Holy Spirit of Christ is supposed to do in our lives, but as with everything else, we do have to LISTEN to Him, if we are to receive the benefits He has to offer. And that’s where so many believers fall down. We either don’t listen to the Spirit’s guidance, or we hear it and don’t follow it, then wonder why our lives are so miserable and muddled.
Let’s remember some of Jesus words re the Holy Spirit nuh. First, He promised it. ‘If you LOVE me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide in you for ever. Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive , because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth in you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless (as orphans): I will come to you.’ (John 14:15-18)
Yes my brethren, the Holy Spirit is another comforter, just like Jesus is and was. And unlike the Old Testament, where the Spirit occasionally fell on believers, after Jesus, He indwells ALL believers. He is a constant companion. That’s the Spirit of Jesus in us working on our behalf. And hear Jesus again on the Holy Spirit. ‘But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.’ (John 15:26-27)
And this note from the scholars follow those verses. ‘15:26-27. The Comforter refers to the Advocate beside us as we bear witness to Christ (cf. 14:15-16) (which we spoke of earlier). The action of the word translated “proceedeth” is “in the process” – “continually proceeds.” The eternal procession of the Spirit means that He continually proceeds from beside, not out of the Father. If the Holy Spirit came out God, He would be less than God. To be more specific, the Holy Spirit not only proceeds from the Father, but also from the Son.
This means the Father and the Son continually send the Holy Spirit. This in no way suggests the Spirit is less in deity than are the Father or Son. Instead it explains the relationship among the three eternal persons of the Trinity. Illustration: Just as Jesus came to do the will of the Father, so the Holy Spirit is sent to speak not of Himself, but of Christ (cf. 16:13) Application: In this sense the Holy Spirit is the Promise of the Father who has been given to every Christian (Acts 1:4: 2:39).’
In plain and simple everyday language, I like to say that the Holy Spirit is the work horse of the Holy Trinity! (smile) He actions the promises and intents of the Father and the Son. So friends, it’s ever important that we consider the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives, if we claim to be believers in Christ Jesus. You can’t be a true believer without engaging with Him. So hopefully from now on, since we have a better understanding of what He’s all about, we will embrace Him more faithfully and consistently.
Now, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our most wonderful position in Jesus Christ. Altogether now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And let’s not forget, that if we endure to the very end, that future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine. Much LOVE!
…to live a full Christian life…one must engage wholeheartedly and faithfully with the Holy Spirit…
P.S. Sorry the Bit’s so late, but you know…life happens. (smile) Much LOVE!
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