“Nevertheless 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 depart, I will send Him to you.” (John 16:7)
Jesus was about to say goodbye to His disciples. He had many things that He wanted to tell them, including the promise that the Holy Spirit would come and dwell within them. Here, Jesus calls the Holy Spirit the Comforter. Why did the disciples and, by extension, the church, need a Comforter?
For the disciples, it wasn’t hard to understand. Jesus had to suffer and die, and would soon be taken from them. When the person we love most in the world dies, we desperately need comfort! Yet Jesus had promised them that He would remain with them always, even to the end of the age. And yet He died, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven about forty days later. How, then, could this promise of Jesus be fulfilled for them (and for us)? Through the presence of God in the form of the Holy Spirit.
When the disciples set out on their mission, they repeatedly noticed that the Holy Spirit was at work in a powerful way. What a comfort! Jesus continued to be present through His Spirit!
As the young church grew and rapidly multiplied, fierce opposition arose. Persecution of the Christians broke out, and they were driven out everywhere. Many were imprisoned and lost their lives. Who gave them comfort and support? It was the Holy Spirit. But not only that—He also gave them the strength to stand firm in the face of such fury from the enemy. Yes, they often had to flee and hide, but it was precisely in their greatest distress that the Holy Spirit worked, so that more and more souls sought God and joined them. What a comfort it is to know that even if we lose our homes and possessions—and perhaps even dear fellow pilgrims—Jesus still keeps His word and is with us in the midst of our greatest distress.
“He will lead you in all truth”
Jesus spoke these words to His disciples in His farewell discourses. Two kinds of comfort stand out. First, the Holy Spirit will enable God’s children to know the truth. Over the years, many different opinions about serving God have emerged. There are thousands of denominations and movements that believe and advocate different things. How is one to find one’s way through all this? What is truth as God sees it, and what is human opinion? “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13).
The second comfort Jesus offers in this verse is that the Holy Spirit will not only lead us into the truth, but will also guide us on our paths and in our decisions. What if we simply cannot discern what God’s will is? We face decisions and do not know what to do. How do we find the way, especially when it is our deep desire to walk in God’s way and please Him? “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). What a comfort it is to know that “The Holy Spirit will guide me rightly. He will show me the right way, the truth!”
Comfort in weakness
God’s children are constantly attacked, accused, and harassed by the enemy of our souls. In the midst of such struggles, we often feel alone, abandoned, and as if no one truly understands us. But Jesus understands us, our struggles, our weaknesses, and our needs. and He has promised that the burden will never exceed our capacity! He is there, standing by us in every situation and every struggle, even when the devil tries to convince us that we are nothing but failures.
Paul writes the following in Romans 8:26: “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” Once again, we see the comfort of the Holy Spirit. “The Spirit helps us in our weakness.” Do we see what lies behind these words? The Holy Spirit is on our side! He helps us, not because we are such good and strong warriors but because He has a very special heart for the weak.
Paul responded with the following words: “Yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities” (2 Corinthians 12:5). And further in verse 9: “And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” This comfort from the Holy Spirit applies to every child of God who recognizes their weakness on the spiritual battlefield.
Comfort in Prayer
In the passage from Romans 8:26 quoted above, Paul also speaks of the role of the Holy Spirit in our prayer: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
How often our prayers fall short. We ask for something we desire or think is best. We simply can’t see any other solution, yet God’s Word tells us here, “We do not know what we should pray for as we ought.” If God were to respond to our prayers literally, it would sometimes be a disaster! It would not be for our good, nor for the good of God’s cause. But here we have a wonderful comfort: “But the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
The Comforter presents our imperfect prayers before the Father’s throne in a way that we here on earth, using human terms, could never understand. And these feeble prayers reach God in their best form. What a comfort! When I consecrate myself to God and serve Him in complete devotion, my ignorant, clumsy prayers come before God like a delicious, consecrated, fragrant aroma… through the work of the Holy Spirit!
The Comforter of the church is always at work, influencing the lives of God’s children in countless ways. Thank God for such grace! Let us allow Him to complete His work in our lives according to His will and pleasure.
R. Taron
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