THE PROMISED HOLY SPIRIT

At the final Passover celebration, Jesus forecast the coming of His Holy Spirit. “I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7).

The Christian Standard Bible translates the Greek word “paraclete” as “Councilor.” The English Standard Version, King James, New King James, and New American Standard translate the same word “Helper” while the New English Translation and the New Living Translation translate it “Advocate.”

Jesus explained that, because He would soon leave them via death on the cross, the “Councilor”, “Helper”, “Advocate”would soon come. He promised His disciples that He would send the “Counselor to be with you forever. He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive him because it doesn’t see him or know him. But you do know him, because he remains with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17).

The “Spirit of truth”, “Spirit of holiness” (Romans 1:4), “Spirit of life” (John 6:63), “Spirit of the living God” (2 Corinthians 3:3), “Spirit of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:19), “the eternal Spirit” (Hebrews 9:14), “Spirit of glory and of God” (1 Peter 4:14), indwells every believer. “He remains with you and will be in you!”

Paul asked the troubled church at Corinth, “Don’t you yourselves know that you are God’s temple and that the Spirit of God lives in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). Let me pose the same question… Do you acknowledge and appreciate the powerful presence of the Spirit of the Living God with you today?

“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).