Helper: June 6, 2013

TODAY’S WORD FOR THURSDAY JUNE 6, 2013

HELPER

DEFINITION:

One who gives assistance or support; a co-worker who gives aid.

SCRIPTURE:

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, nor know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17.

These things I have spoken to you while still with you. 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. John 14:25.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

As the time drew near for Jesus death, Jesus predicted His death and resurrection on three occasions (Matthew 16:21, 17:22-23, and 20:17-19). The disciples could not understand what Jesus was telling them. They could not comprehend the importance of Jesus dying. They had been with Jesus, seen His miracles and listened to His teaching, but they could not fully grasp it all. Jesus knew that after He was gone and no longer right with them, the disciples would need help. He promised them that His Father would send them another Helper, the Holy Spirit. Last Monday we discussed some thoughts on the Holy Spirit and the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives, but there is more.

The Holy Spirit has a significant role in the life of every believer. Jesus assured the bewildered disciples that the Holy Spirit would be their Helper. He would teach them all things and would help them remember all that Jesus had said to them. Through the work of the Holy Spirit the disciples came to a clear and accurate understanding of Jesus and all that He had taught them.

In John 16:13, Jesus told the disciples that the Holy Spirit would help them by guiding them into all truth. The Holy Spirit guides us to know the truth about Jesus and leads us to discern the difference between right and wrong.

When we do wrong the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin. In His teaching concerning the Holy Spirit, Jesus said, “When He comes, He will convict the world concerning sin.” John 16:8

Paul writes of other helps we receive from the Holy Spirit. If we have doubts about our salvation, the Holy Spirit gives us assurance we are truly a child of God and will spend an eternity with our Heavenly Father. Paul says, the Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God. Romans 8:16

In times of trouble our Helper, the Holy Spirit, prays for us. “The Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words.” Romans 8:26. How comforting it is to know that when we are at a loss to know how to pray, but most desperately in need of prayer, the Holy Spirit is interceding for us.

God’s goal for each of His children (all who believe in Him) is to make us like Christ. The process of becoming like Christ is called sanctification. Sanctification means to make holy as Christ is holy. Sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit. Paul states this in II Thessalonians 2:13, “God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit.” There is nothing we can do to make ourselves holy and worthy of salvation. It is only by the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit we can become like Christ.

We may not always be aware of the Holy Spirit but He is always within us to be our Helper. The Holy Spirit helps us by:

•    Teaching us all things
•    Guiding us into all truth
•    Convicting us of sin
•    Interceding for us
•    Sanctifying us

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 119:105:

Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

PRAYER:

Thank You, Lord, for sending the Holy Spirit to be my Helper. Thank You for the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit that makes me more Christ-like. Help me to be obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit.