In Us & With Us

John 16:⁷ “But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you.”

The Amplified Bible Translation of today’s scripture reference reads, “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him (the Holy Spirit) to you [to be in close fellowship with you]. The most important person in the life of every believer is the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, what I have observed over the years as a Pastor is that a lot of Christians try to do life by themselves. When we engage the Holy Spirit sometimes, it is just when we remember, or when our backs are against the wall. But God wants us to understand that the presence and the person of the Holy Spirit is indispensable. God is set to open our eyes afresh in the Name of Jesus. He is going to bring practically what it means to walk with the Holy Spirit to function in our lives in the Mighty Name of Jesus.

The Lord Jesus said in John.14:¹⁶ “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.” (emphasis added). The promise of the Holy Spirit is a perpetual promise; once you come into it, you do not come out of it. The word “another” in the Greek actually means another of the same kind, another of the same quality, another like Me. So, the same way Jesus was there with the disciples, the Holy Spirit is here with us. The same way Peter will have a question and he will say, “Lord’, is the same way if we have questions we can say, “Lord”. The same way Jesus will step into their boat and still the storm, the same way the Holy Spirit will still the storm in your life in the Name of Jesus.

The word Advocate in Greek is Parakletos. Parakletos means a comforter, a helper, an intercessor, an advocate, a strengthener, a standby, a backbone. If you look at your life and you are out of counsel, it shows there is a deficiency in your walk with the Holy Spirit. If you look at your life and you can see that you need a helper, you need a backbone, you need a standby. If you need to strengthen those areas, it is proof that you need to strengthen your walk with the Holy Spirit. Parakletos is from two words “Para” and “Kaleo”. “Para” means “alongside off”; like a parallel line. I am walking and someone that is walking with me – alongside. We are going in the same direction and that is important. The word “Kaleo” means “to call”. When you put the two words together, the Holy Spirit is someone called alongside the believer. The Holy Spirit is not just called alongside the believer; in John 14:¹⁷ (NIV) “…for he lives with you and will be in you.” The Holy Spirit is not just with us, the Holy Spirit is in us. The Holy Spirit is with us and in us and that is totally beautiful. Now I want you to say out loud, “The Holy Spirit is with me and the Holy Spirit is in me.”

Prayer: Father, Jesus, I thank You for the gift of The Holy Spirit. Spirit of God, I appreciate You, I appreciate Your presence with me and Your presence in me, in Jesus Name. Amen!