THE HOLY SPIRIT

As I got on the aeroplane to fly to a country over a thousand miles from my home and family, I felt nervous and alone. But during the flight, I remembered how Jesus promised His followers the comforting presence of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus’ friends must have felt confused when He told them, “It is for your good that I am going away” (JOHN 16:7). Having witnessed His miracles and learned from His teaching, how could they possibly be better off without Him? But Jesus told them that if He left, then the Helper—the Holy Spirit—would come.

Jesus, nearing His last hours on earth, talked with His disciples in John 14-17 (during their last meal together). He wanted to help them understand what was about to happen: His death, resurrection and return to heaven. Central in this conversation was the coming Holy Spirit (14:16-17) who would be with them (15:15), teach them (V.26), keep pointing them to Jesus as their Saviour and hope (V.26), and guide them (16:13).

If we have put our trust in Jesus, we have been given this gift of His Spirit living within us—that’s what it means to be “born again” into a brand new life (JOHN 3:3). From Him we get so much: He helps us see our sin so we can say sorry to God and change how we live. He brings us comfort when we are hurting, strength when temptation is attacking us, the eagerness to listen to (and understand) God’s teaching in the Bible, confidence in our future, and a new way of dealing with other people (SEE GALATIANS 5:22-23). We probably won’t see these changes overnight—the Holy Spirit will be working in us and transforming us the rest of our lives! But we can thank God that He always lives in us by His Spirit.