ADVENT - “A Helper”
This week, our time together will focus on the promises of Jesus and how they provide us with enduring hope, unshakable security, and a peace that passes all understanding. So far, we’ve witnessed a compassionate Jesus promise rest for our weary souls and that because He cares for us, we need not worry. Fully embracing these promises is easier said than done - life happens and we hesitate, doubt, or forget His faithfulness to us, which is what makes today’s promise of a helper in the Holy Spirit such a gift. The Holy Spirit provides comfort and wisdom by reminding WHO we are and WHOSE we are. So, before we begin, I want to provide space for you to pray and ask that you sense the Holy Spirit’s presence, guidance, and encouragement during the quiet moments of this podcast.
John 14 opens with Jesus comforting His disciples and preparing them for the road ahead. Then, He shared the harrowing and unsettling news that He was going away to be with the Father. His words undoubtedly created concern and confusion, especially when Jesus said His absence was part of the plan. He desired for them to keep walking in the way of life He taught and showed them even when He was not around. Doing so without the guidance of Jesus felt like an impossible task. Yet, Jesus assures the disciples they need not worry and promises to send them a helper and Advocate. Let's read these promises starting in verse 15:
15 "If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
And then in verse 25, Jesus says:
25 "All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
The Holy Spirit's help is not just a supplement to our effort but a continuation of the life Jesus came to bring. He resides in us at all times, meaning that everywhere and in every moment, we have the Helper - the Spirit of Truth is with us; the availability of life in the Spirit exists for us. Later on, in John's gospel, Jesus speaks on again about the promise of the Holy Spirit's presence in our lives. Jesus says in John 16 this about the Advocate we can rely on:
7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
In this passage, Jesus explains to His disciples a critical role and purpose for the coming of the Holy Spirit. God cared about our freedom so much that He gave us the Holy Spirit to serve as our advocate and guide. The Holy Spirit prompts us to respond in ways we couldn't by relying on our strength. He opens our eyes to places where we resist obedience. He cuts to the heart of our motives not to condemn but to convict, always pointing us toward freedom.
His Presence convicts. However, conviction is not about judgment and shame but exposure and an invitation to walk in a way that leads to a vibrant and free life. The Holy Spirit shapes, forms, and molds - this is why we open the door of our hearts and ask Him to search us and reveal the depths of our doubts and fears. Why? So, we awaken to a deeper faith and fuller belief.
The Holy Spirit provides comfort and wisdom by reminding WHO we are and WHOSE we are. Only the Holy Spirit can whisper into the depths of a desperate soul, saying, "you are loved more than you can imagine." When we hear this whisper, all we can do is trust and surrender. When obedience is motivated by trust, the freedom of being loved replaces the pressure to earn grace.
REFLECT
Before we wrap up our time together, we want to provide you some space to respond to what we read and maybe to what God is trying to say to you. First, take a moment to process this question…Where do you sense the Holy Spirit’s presence convicting, encouraging, and challenging you
Another question to consider is this…How can you embrace the Spirit’s promptings by responding with faith, obedience, and trust in this circumstance?
PRAYER
Father God, thank you for the Holy Spirit's presence in my life. May my heart be receptive to its promptings. Open up my eyes to see the Holy Spirit's conviction as gracious and loving. Give me the courage to open myself up to you. Lord, show me the depths of my sin and the areas where I struggle to believe. Not because I want to feel guilty but because I want to walk in the freedom only You provide. Amen.