The Holy Spirit our Helper

John 14:15–18 NKJV

“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

Called to the Impossible

The Christian life is a spiritual life.

The Christian life is an impossible life.

We are called to keep the commands of Jesus.

John 14:15 NKJV

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.

John 15:10 NKJV

If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

1 John 2:3 NKJV

Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.

1 John 3:24 NKJV

Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

We are called to be like Jesus.

Luke 6:40 NKJV

A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.

Acts 4:13 NKJV

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.

We are called to do the works of Jesus.

Matthew 28:18–20 NKJV

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

John 14:12 NKJV

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

Jesus Promised to Send Help

Jesus was ascending to the Father but would not leave them like helpless orphans.

Jesus told His disciples that He was going away.

John 14:1–3 NKJV

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

Until now, Jesus had been their Helper, but now they would need “another” Helper.

Jesus promised to send “another” Helper

Jesus would “send” the Helper.

The world cannot receive the Helper

It cannot see Him (He is Spirit rather than flesh).

It cannot know Him. (Because it does not know the Father and the Son).

This Helper would be “another” (“allos”) of the same kind. (distinct in person but same in nature).

John 14:16 NKJV

And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—

Jesus identified this Helper as the Spirit of Truth (Holy Spirit).

John 14:17 NKJV

the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

He will abide with them forever (verse 16).

He dwells with them (“He dwells with us”).

He will be in them (“He dwells in us”).

Jesus commanded His disciples to tarry in Jerusalem until they received the Helper, the Holy Spirit.

They could not do what He called them to do without receiving the power, i.e., the Holy Spirit, to do it.

Luke 24:46–49 NKJV

Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

Jesus kept His promise.

Acts 2:1–4 NKJV

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 2:33 NKJV

Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.

Response to the Word

Receive the Helper in receiving Jesus, the One who sends Him

Acts 2:38–39 NKJV

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

Realize you are not an orphan. You are not alone.

Acknowledge the Holy Spirit’s presence and work in and through your life. Stop trying to do what only the Holy Spirit within you can do.