Focus: The Comforter (continued)

Text: Jh.14:26

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall TEACH you all things, and bring all things to your REMEMBRANCE, whatsoever I have said unto you."

Yesterday, we considered, Who do we have here? And the answer is obviously the Holy Spirit. He is here for us, sent by the Father and the Son.

Today we shall inquire as to what He is here for.

2. What is He doing here?

From our text, the Holy Spirit is here for our comfort. He is our Comforter. The word 'comforter' is Paraclete from the Greek. He is one who has come alongside to cast His lot with us. He is our advocate, counselor, helper, assistant, and intercessor. He has not come only to grace our lives with His sacred presence, but also to fulfill a divine role in our life.

Paul describes God as "the God of all comfort," and says, "Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God" - 2Cor.1:3,4.

In English, the word 'comfort' implies strength - comFORT. By the comfort of the Holy Spirit we are adequately fortified, encouraged and strengthened - and doubly so. By it we are inspired, motivated, stirred up and poised for action.

Get this, the Spirit gives us every comfort necessary, but without making us comfortable.

How does the Spirit comfort us? Again from our text, He does it by TEACHING us ALL THINGS, that is, the things of Christ, and by bringing to our memories everything Jesus once told His disciples. And one more thing, in John 16:13, the Lord tells us that the Spirit will GUIDE us into all truth and SHOW us things to come.

He teaches us the truths of the Epistles, reminds us the events and lessons of the Gospels, and shows us of things to come as documented in the book of Revelation. No wonder Paul talked about the "comfort of the scriptures" (Rom.15:4).

The Spirit's presence, power and operations give us comfort. We are helpless, powerless and hopeless without the presence and ministry of the Holy Spirit. We receive PARDON from the cross of Christ and obtain POWER from Pentecost.

Make room for God's Spirit in your life. He teaches, guides, reveals and reminds. With the Spirit dwelling in, and being with us, we will not suffer memory loss. Amen. 

To be continued.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter