Forever Friend: The Holy Spirit

Introduction

Jesus is preparing His disciples for His departure

Rather than leaving them alone, He promises another Helper

Big Idea: The Holy Spirit is not a temporary solution but God’s permanent presence;A Friend empowering us so we never face life alone.

The truth is: You and I need help! The good news is, God the Helper is here.

John 14:15 NIV

15 “If you love me, keep my commands.

John 14:16 NIV

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—

John 14:17 NIV

17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

John 14:18 NIV

18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

The disciples are beginning to feel nervous I’m sure. Jesus has, on multiple times, told them that he is leaving— and like not just on a little trip away for a while— they are most likely feeling help-less. Jesus knows this— and he is making several references to SOMEONE who is coming to help them. Jesus is about to give them an extremely difficult task. He has given you and me an extremely difficult task— represent Him in the world— but He is also giving us His Spirit— to equip and empower us to carry out His will.

If you look back at verse 16- that word is “advocate”. It’s a greek work that John uses-

Parakleton (greek)

One called alongside to help -

Advocate/Counselor -

Comforter/Consoler -

Helper/Assistant -

Intercessor -

The word derives from "para" (beside) and "kaleo" (to call), literally meaning "one called to come alongside."

In ancient Greek legal contexts, a paraklētos was similar to a legal advocate who would plead someone's case or stand in their defense.

It carries the sense of one who provides comfort, encouragement, and consolation in times of distress.

The term implies practical assistance and support in times of need.

One who mediates or intervenes on behalf of another.

The word is so multifaceted that no single English word fully captures its meaning, which is why different Bible translations render it variously as "Comforter," "Advocate," "Helper," "Counselor," or my favorite— "Friend."

John 15:15 NIV

15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

1. The Friend stays with us. (v. 16)

He is an active helper. Jesus often refers to the Holy Spirit as “helper”. There are many different ways to describe Him through out the bible. Jesus keeps it simple— we need a friend that stays with us— because we need help. WE need all the help we can get. Jesus knows that.

The Holy Spirit is God's answer to our deepest loneliness.

"I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you." (John 14:18)

There are times when we feel that if the world throws us one more curve ball, or the stress of your job gets even more, we struggle with sin, temptations, frustrations with what we see in the world everyday— its overwhelming. This is where the Helper— our Friend stays with us.

There is a subtle little word in verse 16— its right before Parakletos— do you spot it? It’s another.

“Another helper” and that greek word is “allos”— which means another exactly like one.

Jesus has been their helper— and there is coming another helper, just like Him— actually it’s deeper than that, it’s a helper exactly of the same essence.

Everything that I have been to you— the Holy Spirit will now be to you.

The Spirit comes through Jesus’ prayer.

The helper will help us pray.

Romans 8:26 NIV

26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

The helper can be a Friend for our internal life. The life inside our head and hearts.

God the Father gives us external life— creation, systems, bodies, etc.

Jesus the Son gives us eternal life— by exchanging his life for ours, giving us reconciliation with a Holy God.

God the Spirit gives us internal life— he is a friend who stays with us. But he is also

2. The Friend stands beside us. (v. 17)

The Spirit's presence is not temporary but eternal.

"I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)

He will be with us forever— back to verse 16: He will be with us forever— he is an advocate— back to that court room image, He is our defense attorney. He stands beside us as a counselor. Sure we can resist the Holy Spirit’s prompting, we can even grieve the Holy Spirit— but he stands beside us, committed to the process of growing and guiding us. Permanent.

The Spirit of Truth guides us in a world of deception.

Thanks goodness the Holy Spirit is with us. He is reliable. There are three different images within bible texts:

Holy Spirit is with us. He pursues us- to make us saved.

Holy Spirit is IN us. He dwells and abides in us, to make us sanctified

Holy Spirit comes upon us, to make us supernatural.

1 Corinthians 3:16 NIV

16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?

Sometimes I feel like— “God, how can I get more of the Holy Spirit in me?” I should ask “How can The Holy Spirit get more of me!?”

3. The Friend settles within us. (v. 17)

The world cannot recognize what it does not know.

"The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him." (1 Corinthians 2:14)

The Spirit is actually exclusive to those who are believers, those who are the children of God.

Those who have rejected God— probably don’t see Him. Those who are not tuned in, cannot experience Him.

Think about a radio, or Television. If we brought a small radio in here today— we can tune into a particular station and hear music or the news, or whatever. Bring a TV or get your device connected to the WiFi— those are all receivers. But they need to be tuned to the signal.

The Holy Spirit is the connection.

Perhaps you’ve been in a situation where you’re trying to explain your faith— the gospel to them. And they just don’t understand, they can’t grasp what is so real and clear to you.

The Spirit doesn't just visit; He takes residence.

The spirit is a permanent help to us.

"Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you?" (1 Corinthians 6:19)

4. The Friend shapes us. (v. 26)

John 14:25–26 NIV

25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

The Spirit continues Jesus' teaching ministry.

"He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." (John 14:26)

We need to learn from the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit gives us personal application of eternal truth.

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." (Romans 8:14)

Example: The disciplines of Scripture reading and silent prayer allows space for the Spirit to apply God's Word uniquely to each person's circumstances and needs.

Conclusion

The Holy Spirit is not an abstract theological concept but a divine Person who walks with us daily

Through His presence, we are never truly alone, even in our most isolated moments

His guidance ensures we can live faithfully in complicated times

He stands with us, stays with us, settles within us, and shapes us continually— [FILL THE GLASS jar with water}

We have been given instructions to interact with the Spirit: check this powerful statement out from Paul to the Ephesians:

Ephesians 5:17–18 NIV

17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,

Why compare being drunk with wine or alcohol with the Holy Spirit? It’s simple— control. What’s controlling a person? [ADD THE RED FOOD COLORING TO WATER]

The Spirit empowers us to obey God, and glorify Him—

But we get infected— we get distracted— things seep into the heart, and mind. WE leak— and the world creeps into our lives.

The phrase from Ephesians is actually really hard to translate into English— It’s written in a PRESENT, PASSIVE, IMPERATIVE. Can’t explain all that right now, but it technically is translated better to say “be always being filled with the Holy Spirit” It’s a continuous filling—

Some may ask “why?” Because we have one baptism, but many washings— we have one filling, but we leak, and the world leaks into us. Flush it out Lord.

5798 The Holy Spirit does not obliterate a man’s personality; he lifts it to its highest use.

Oswald Chambers (Lecturer and Missionary)

You and I are the Jar— we are the vessel.

Question for reflection: Are we living with an awareness of the Spirit's presence, open to His filling on a regular basis? Following His leading every moment, every day.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

We come before You with grateful hearts for Your promise that we would never be left alone. Thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit, our Helper, Comforter, and Guide.

Lord, we confess that too often we live as if we were spiritual orphans, relying on our own strength and wisdom rather than the Helper You have given us. Open our hearts to feel the Holy Spirit's presence more deeply in our daily lives.

May the fruit of Your Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—grow abundantly in us, transforming our character to reflect Christ more clearly to our community.

Equip us to serve one another with the gifts Your Spirit has given each of us, not for our own glory, but for the building up of Your church and the advancement of Your kingdom.

And Father, we pray for a fresh outpouring of Your Spirit's power in our lives—not for our comfort, but for Your purpose. Make us bold witnesses of Your truth. Give us discernment to recognize Your voice. Empower us to live lives that demonstrate the reality of Your presence to a watching world.

As we leave this place, may we go with the constant awareness that we are never alone, for Your Spirit goes with us and dwells within us.

In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.