OUR COUNSELOR-ENEGIZER
John 14:16-17
“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—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 14:16-17
“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—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.”
Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as “Counselor.” He’s our energizer, too, because He empowers believers to do all things through Christ (Philippians 4:13). He also provides for our every need, (Philippians 4:19), and gives us peace, (Philippians 4:7). This supernatural power energizes believers to live victoriously in this fallen world.
The Holy Spirit also empowers us to follow our Shepherd, Jesus, triumphantly all the way across the finish line of our lives. As champions, we cannot misplace Him, or leave Him at home when we go out, because He lives inside us. (That’s what the word, indwelt, means: 1John 4:13, 15).
But we can turn the Holy Spirit off. We can ignore Him, muting His voice. When we disregard His warnings, His voice grows increasingly weak, until He’s silent. This grieves Him (Ephesians 4:30). Free will—that with which we were created—gives us choice to either obey or snub His counsel.
Without our Counselor, it’s too hard to say, “No” to the temptations of the world. To live the Lord’s way takes divine power, supernatural power. Believers rely on, and trust the Holy Spirit’s lead to achieve this. Ignoring the Holy Spirit’s counsel quiets the volume down to a whisper, where the conscience can’t hear it anymore. People have the power to turn the Holy Spirit off. At this point, the person cannot follow Jesus, repent of sins, or accomplish God’s work. The indwelt supernatural power departs—the person is left unprotected—fending for himself at the mercy of this fallen world alone.
When the Holy Spirit’s working perfectly, believers are empowered to live humbly, righteously, and obediently. When we’re too weak to resist temptation, or too afraid to pursue the Lord’s lead, prayer is the life line that rescues. Calling out to God draws us close enough to regain balance and peace.
Our Triune God, three persons, is all-sufficient. Sovereign (SOV-rin, means independent supreme ruler), has all power, is everywhere, knows everything. He equips His children with all that we need, abundantly exceeding our dreams.
Take Home Nugget
Our light is polished to brilliant radiance by cooperating with the Holy Spirit. Sin dulls our glow, as well as our understanding. Sin misleads us the same way a magnet makes a compass needle spin wildly, when too close. Our obedience magnifies God’s light throughout the world, bringing Him much glory.
The Holy Spirit is the compass that keeps us heading in the right direction.
J.D. Griffith
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My background is a life time of worship, but seriously following Jesus came with age. Spiritual maturity is a leap of faith. Sometimes we don’t know what we’re missing until living on the edge of God’s leading. My life of self sufficiency ended abruptly when losing my job as an analytical chemist after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Now living on the edge of God’s leading has become a way of life that I wouldn’t trade for anything else.
Surrendering one’s will to the Lord can be scary. Why did I wait so long to do it? Diving into an intimate relation with the sovereign God of creation is the most secure position in the universe. Will you share your experience with me? Will you let me give you my testimony? May I introduce you to the Jesus I know?