Present Help I

Matt. 28:²⁰ “Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

I want us to start today’s devotion by worshipping God for a little while before we get into the word. Let’s sing this song together: Precious Holy Spirit. We’re in need of You, Come purify our passion. Lord, Come and make us new. We are Standing here before You oh God. Just the way we are. Please take our weakness and Let life flow again. You are brooding Over every darkness; You are causing Light to shine from darkness. I yield my heart, soul, spirit, and body to You.Amen! Father, we thank You for Your kindness. Holy Spirit of the Living God, we thank You for Your presence in our lives and homes. We ask that You do that which eyes have not seen, do that which ears have not heard, do that which has not begun to enter the hearts of men. Let the Name of Jesus and Jesus alone be glorified, in Jesus Mighty Name. Amen!

When Jesus was leaving the earth physically, He made us this promise in Jn.14:¹⁶ “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate (Comforter, Backup, Helper, Intercessor), who will never leave you.” (emphasis added). The Holy Spirit will never leave us. The root word for another could mean two things; it could be another of a different kind or another of the same kind. When Jesus said another in this scripture, He was saying another of the same kind. Jesus said in John 14:¹⁸ “No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you.” The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ.

Jesus wants us to understand that the same way the disciples had Him, we have the Holy Spirit. When Jesus was ascending, He said in Luke 24:⁴⁹ “And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” (NRSV). You will be cloth with power from on high, in Jesus Name. Luke 24:⁵¹ “While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven.” (NRSV).  Luke, the writer of the Book of Luke was a disciple but not one of the twelve. He was a medical doctor, a physician. He is also the writer of the Book of Acts of the Apostles; he elaborated on this a little bit more in Acts 1:9-11 [please read]. As people of God, a lot of times, we stand gazing, expecting Jesus to respond to us. When Jesus has already given us the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is to us what Jesus was to the Apostles. We should stop expecting from Jesus what only the Holy Spirit can deliver. It is not a contradiction, there is no conflict, it is a dispensation. Many people today stand gazing at Jesus and have ignored The One He sent to take His place. The Holy Spirit was sent by Jesus to take His place. The disciples depended on Jesus for so many things, for counsel and direction. When we need counsel and direction, Jesus expects us to turn to the Holy Spirit. But instead, we gaze at Jesus expecting a response from heaven. But God is saying, you have the Holy Spirit. Jesus is saying, I have come to you.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, please help me know You and depend on You, in Jesus Name. Amen!