THE HOLY SPIRIT: Counselor, Comforter-Helper, and Revealer of Truth

Memorial Drive 10/28/18 THE HOLY SPIRIT: Counselor, Comforter-Helper, Revealer of Truth Various Texts TWO PRELIMINARY THOUGHTS CONCERNING THE SPIRIT OF GOD … … The Spirit of God Is God’s Current & Primary Expression of His PRESENCE With Us “The work of the Holy Spirit is to MANIFEST the ACTIVE PRESENCE OF GOD in the world, and especially in the church.” (Sys. Theo., 634) God’s ACTIVE PRESENCE in the Old Testament … THEOPHANIES and GLORY God’s ACTIVE PRESENCE in the New Testament … CHRIST God’s continuing ACTIVE PRESENCE … the HOLY SPIRIT … God’s Presence With Us THROUGH HIS SPIRIT Is the Result of Christ’s Painful Death “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree (Stop!) in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” (Gal. 3:13-14) God’s Sprit is the principal way in which God today shows Himself to us and to our world! Christ died not only so that we could be saved but also so we could receive the indwelling Spirit of God! GOD’S SPIRIT IS OUR CONSELOR … “… the spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of COUNSEL and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.” (Isa. 11:2) GOD’S SPIRIT IS OUR COMFORTER-HELPER … “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and GOD OF ALL COMFORT, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Cor. 1:3-4) “For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life …” (2 Cor. 1:8) Nine times the root word translated “comfort” is “paraklesis” or “parakaleo.” “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another HELPER, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.” (Jn. 14:16-17) “But the HELPER, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” (Jn. 14:26) “When the HELPER comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me …” (Jn. 15:26) “But 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 go, I will send Him to you.” (Jn. 16:7) Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as “the Helper” (parakletos)… Paul speaks of God’s COMFORT by using the same root word (parakletos) … Jesus’ “the Helper” is referred to as “the Spirit of TRUTH who TEACHES” … “So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, BEING BUILT UP; And GOING ON in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.” HOW does God, through His Spirit, COUNSEL and COMFORT and HELP us in the tough stuff of life? GOD’S SPIRIT IS THE REVEALER OF TRUTH … Four of Isaiah’s “Spirit” descriptors have to do with TRUTH! Jesus refers to the Spirit as “the Spirit of TRUTH who TEACHES! God’s preeminent means of counseling, comforting, and helping is through His Word. Old Testament Examples of Receiving Comfort or Help Through God’s Word … Psalm 119:76, 82, 18-19 Psalm 16:7-9 Psalm 32:8 Psalm 107:10-11 Psalm 119:147-148 Proverbs 1:23-25 New Testament Examples of Receiving Comfort or Help In Relative to God’s Word … Remember that Jesus’ “Helper” is Paul’s “conduit of comfort”, the “Spirit of truth” who will “bring to their remembrance all that Christ has said! “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free” (Jn. 8:32) “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” (Jn. 17:17) How is it then that we may richly experience the COMFORT and the COUNSEL and the HELP of the Holy Spirit that lives within us? By immersing ourselves in what God has spoken to us in His Word! “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you …” (Col. 3:16a) It is when the word of Christ, the word of God, RICHLY DWELLS within us that we are able to RICHLY EXPERIENCE the counsel and comfort and help of the Spirit that also INDWELLS us! We must take up “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God!” (Eph. 6:17) Do you want to experience the comfort and help and counsel of God? Be a man, be a woman, be a young person of the Book, God’s Word!