Scripture to Read: John 14:16–17
Jesus knows He will be leaving the disciples soon. He knows His earthly ministry is going to end, and though He has told the disciples about this several times, He knows that they still do not fully understand. The beauty about our Lord, though, is that He continues to give the disciples words of encouragement along with His words of challenge. Jesus tells them in John 14:16–17, “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.” It’s so awesome how our Lord tells the disciples that He is going to ask the Father to send “another Helper.” The word for “Helper” can also be translated as Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor, Counselor, and Strengthener. God the Holy Spirit is all of these to us and much more. The only way to receive the Holy Spirit is through a surrendered life to Jesus as Lord and Savior. That is why Jesus told the disciples that there are those in this world who cannot receive the Holy Spirit—they can’t receive Him due to their unwillingness to humble themselves and surrender to Christ as King. God tells us in Ephesians 4:18 that the lost are “being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart.”
Challenge & Application
• Why did Jesus tell His disciples about His Holy Spirit, and why is this still encouraging for us today?
• How have you experienced the Holy Spirit as Helper, Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor, Counselor, and Strengthener?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!