If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.
John 14:15-17 (NLT)
Have you ever had an “Ah Ha” moment while reading your Bible? What I mean is that as you are reading your Bible, suddenly you realize that the Word is speaking to you about a current situation in your life. It feels as if someone suddenly flipped on a light switch and flooded a dark room with brightness. Your heart has been flooded with truth from God’s Word, and the One who flipped on the light switch was the Holy Spirit.
Jesus promised that He would send the Holy Spirit. He said that if you would obey His commands than He would petition the Father to send you a Counselor. The Counselor (Holy Spirit) will guide and clean you up. His light of truth will illuminate all of the dark corners in your heart, exposing any sin that may be lurking in its deep recesses. Once He has exposed sin in your life, listen to Him and obey. He will teach you how to become pure and holy. “Make them pure and holy by teaching them your words of truth” (John 17:17, NLT).
But notice the “if” above. This means that in order to qualify for this promise, you have a responsibility. That responsibility is to obey. So does this mean that you have to earn the Holy Spirit? No! You are saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:7-9). However, when you are truly saved then you love God and want to obey Him (1 John 2:3-6).
So if you are saved, then you love God. And if you love God, then you obey Him. God then sends His Spirit to live within you, who begins teaching you how to live a holy life, a life that brings Him glory. “Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). Just as a potter molds a lump of clay, God’s Spirit molds you. He reminds you of Scriptures that can help you make good life choices (John 14:26).
The Holy Spirit is also the convicting voice that you hear when your flesh-man begins throwing worldly temptations at you. At those times, deep in your heart, you hear God’s whispers of instruction and whispers of rebuke. Be quick to respond. God’s Spirit will help you resist temptations if you will surrender to Him. When you surrender, His Spirit empowers you to overcome your flesh-man (Romans 8:13). He can deliver you from evil and, thus, bring you life
If you do make a wrong choice, the Holy Spirit is the Encourager who whispers, “Dust yourself off from the world, repent, surrender, and begin again.” Not only does God’s Spirit teach and encourage you, He also comforts you. He speaks peace into your heart when you are in the midst of life’s storms.
How precious it is to fellowship with God’s Spirit. Do you feel Him deep inside you, leading, guiding, and comforting you? If not, then let me introduce you to Him. God’s Holy Spirit will help you when you are down, He will teach you God’s love, and He will lead you to eternal life. Will you let Him be your friend and help you today?
Those who obey God's commandments live in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Holy Spirit lives in us” (1 John 3:24. NLT)
Three Key Concepts:
1. When you love and obey God, He sends His Spirit to live inside you.
2. The Holy Spirit teaches, counsels, comforts, and empowers you.
3. The Holy Spirit molds and remakes you into a pure vessel.
