WHY YOU NEED JESUS IN YOUR LIFE (PART 6)
"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, ... ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you" - John 14:16-17 (KJV)
What actively differentiates the Old Testament from the New Testament is the ministry of the Holy Spirit. In the New Testament, we have more of the Spirit's activities than we had in the Old Testament. From time, the Holy Spirit had been promised (Joel 2:28-29). When the Lord Jesus came, and following God's Word in Joel 2:28-29, He variously referred to the Holy Spirit as the Promise of the Father.
"And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: ... " - Luke 24:49. See also Acts 1:4.
The ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Christian is highly indispensable. Truth is, God never thought of His child under the NT dispensation apart from the Holy Spirit. We are born of the Spirit (Jn 3:6) We are baptized into the body of Christ by the Spirit (1Cor 12:13). We are anointed with the Spirit (2 Cor 1:21). We are led by the Spirit (Rom 8:14). He bears witness with our spirits that we are God's children (Rom 8:16). By Him, we are sealed unto the day of redemption (2 Cor 1:21, Eph 1:13). God did deposit Him in us as the Earnest of our inheritance (Eph 1:14, 2 Cor 1:22,5:5). We are taught of the Spirit (Lk 12:12, Jn 14:26). By Him God gives us revelation knowledge (Jn 16:14, Eph 1:17) and He's our Guide (Jn 16:13). Besides, He is our Counselor, Advocate, Strengthener, Intercessor, Comforter, Helper and Standby (Jn 14:17, AMP). Time will fail me to explain the import and the significance of Who He is to the child of God. God never contemplated His child apart from the Holy Spirit. It's wonderful to know besides that the Holy Spirit abides with us forever (Jn 14:16).
Notwithstanding, let me emphasize that the Holy Spirit's ministry listed above, beside others that are not mentioned here, are attainable only in the life of one who has received Christ as Lord and Savior. Jesus said that the world cannot receive Him (Jn 14:17). While Jesus is God's Gift to the World (Jn 3:16), the Holy Spirit is God's Gift to His Children (Lk 11:13). No one has access to the ministry of the Holy Spirit, except such a one who has surrendered his life to Jesus. This is so because the Spirit was sent to us by the Father in Jesus' name (Jn 14:26).
As a Lawyer, permit me to highlight the beautiful function of the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus as our Advocates. According to Derek Prince, "Scripture unfolds the beautiful truth that we have two Advocates. On earth the Holy Spirit pleads our cause. The things we cannot say right, He says for us; the things we do not understand, He interprets for us. In heaven, Jesus is our Advocate with the Father; He pleads our cause. Just think, we have the two greatest Advocates in the universe. We have Jesus Christ, the Son, at the Father's right hand, and we have the Holy Spirit on earth. With two such Great Advocates or Attorneys, how could we ever lose the case?"
PRAYER:
Dearest Heavenly Father, I thank You for sending me the Holy Spirit to abide with me to comfort and help me in my walk with You. With Him in my life, I cannot fail.