The Counselor
Posted by Dion Todd August 18th, 2022 3,572 Views 0 Comments
I have said these things to you while still living with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you. Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, I give to you. Don't let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful. John 14:25-27 WEB.
Soon after Jesus completed His time on Earth and ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples gathered in the upper room on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:2). He has never left and will be here with us until the end.
The Holy Spirit is our contact on Earth and an intricate part of every meaningful thing we do. When you pray and feel a warmth come over you, that is His presence. He is right here with us right now. The Holy Spirit is the One that shares that sudden inspiration with us. He is the One that causes us to be in the right place at the right time. He gives us the right words to speak and brings things back to our remembrance.
When the angel spoke to Zechariah about the uncompleted temple, he told him, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit" (Zechariah 4:6). The Holy Spirit was not an afterthought or plan B, but God's plan all along. The Lord works here on Earth today through the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that it was to our advantage that He went away so that the Holy Spirit would come:
"Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I don't go away, the Counselor won't come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you." John 16:7 WEB.
"I still have many things to tell you, but you can't bear them now. However, when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak from himself; but whatever he hears, he will speak. He will declare to you things that are coming. John 16:12-13 WEB.
The Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, the Counselor, and the Spirit of Truth are just different translations of the same Person. I will simply call Him the Holy Spirit from here on for consistency. Jesus promised that He would send the Holy Spirit to us, and He came to Earth on the day of Pentecost shortly after Jesus ascended. Jesus went to heaven, and the Holy Spirit came down to Earth like a mighty rushing wind. In Acts chapter 2, He blew into the upper room where 120 disciples were gathered, including the Apostle Peter and Mother Mary. The Holy Spirit rested on all of them like tongues of fire.
He brought them spiritual gifts like unknown tongues, prophesy, interpretation, discernment, and others, which He distributed among the believers. Even Mother Mary spoke in tongues. The church was changed forever. Where Jesus could only minister in one area at a time, the gospel now began spreading like wildfire through all the believers.
The Holy Spirit is still on Earth today. He is alive and well and will remain here until Jesus Christ returns. The word spirit means breeze, breath, wind. He is invisible as the wind, but you can feel His presence. He can affect the natural world as surely as a tornado can affect a trailer park. We can see where He has been.
When the Lord calls us to do something, it's the Holy Spirit who whispers the command to us. He is involved in everything the Lord is doing, and learning to recognize His voice is one of the most important things you can do in your spiritual life.
I can honestly tell you that when you have no one but Him to look to, you will find that He is more than enough. He is ever-present. There have been so many times when He has beautifully pulled me through hopeless-looking situations. He would tend to put me in things far over my head yet cause me to come out on top. So don't put your trust in your resources and strength. Learn to live in the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I want to know Your Holy Spirit. I want more of You in my life. Please fill me with Your presence. Teach me to be spiritually sensitive and open my ears to hear what You are saying today. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!
Note: Ladies, today is Thankful Thursday at the "Ladies in Distress" group (our RHM women's group)! You are welcome to join in our weekly sharing of thankfulness for the Lord's presence and any blessings you may have experienced, big or small! "Ladies in Distress" is a private group, so if you have any problems joining, just post anywhere and we will help you :). Here is the link: Ladies in Distress
> You can subscribe to our daily devotional here <