Holy Spirit's help

    "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you...... I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when  He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth for He will not speak of His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come." (John 16:7,12-13)

    In an earlier post we were able to read a story by Roberson McQuilken, missionary, college president, and author of "Life in the Spirit', A Promise Kept" and others. Today we will hear from him again as he relates a story about when he was a 10 year old boy:

  “Jim, the school bully, stalked me after school every day, week after terrifying week. Like some evil presence, he haunted my life by day and my dreams by night. Finally, I ran out of ways to evade him. I lingered in the school building long after everyone had gone home. Everyone but Jim, that is. From the second floor window I could see him by the front entrance. Suddenly, I saw something that had never happened before. Walking down the sidewalk was the most marvelous vision I had every seen—my father!

     Down the stairs and out the door I ran. My comforter had come. What a relief! Holding by father’s hand, I marched bravely past my nemesis and waved cheerily, ‘Hi Jim!’ What strength! What joy!

  We may not be 10 years old, but we too, are haunted by the evil presence of an enemy set on destroying us. We have experienced a lifestyle of worry—about a job we have or don’t have, about the children, about old age or health. We have been ambushed by greed or booby-trapped by an explosive tongue. The Bible and church are supposed to help, but the enemy just keeps stalking us.

  

     To cope with the enemy, we try one strategy after another, but nothing works for long. Then down the street comes help. The Comforter has come. (John 14:16) That name means ‘the one called along side,’ but He doesn’t just shepherd us through the crisis of the moment. Unlike my father, the Holy Spirit is with us forever. Better than that—the strong Comforter doesn’t just walk beside us; He resides inside us! The One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world’ (1 John 4:4).

  

“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees Him or knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with your and will be in you.’ (John 14:16-17)

    

The Spirit acts in me, however, only to the extent I respond. The connection is faith. He acts, but I must respond for the power to flow. So there are two parts to the ‘close connection’—His part and mine.” (Life in the Spirit, Robertson McQuilkin)

  “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.” (1 Cor. 6:19)

    If you are a born again believer in Jesus Christ, then you have this same Holy Spirit living inside you. He is your comforter, counselor, intercessor, and He is God Himself, the third member of the Trinity! You don’t have to look out the window to see if He is coming to rescue you from your crisis today. He is already present! He is working for you and “He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Do you have the faith to allow Him to help you? Are you talking to Him every day? He knows your needs already, but He wants you to spend time communicating with Him today.

Pray:

1.     For the desire to spend time with God’s Holy Spirit that resides in your body and to live your life for Him today.

2.     For the strength to keep your body, your temple, pure and clean for Him. To not allow drugs, alcohol, unhealthy food and drink, and illicit sex to defile your temple.

3.     For the strength to keep your mind free of impure thoughts and focused on those things that bring glory to our Lord.

4.     That you will not forget that “You are not your own” and that you have been bought and paid for by the precious blood of the Lamb. You are His and should  live to glorify His Name in your life every day.