But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 14:26 ESV
Have you ever been in a spot where you really needed a helper? I mean a HELPER. Not someone who simply had a position but someone who got you so completely they could sense what you needed and deliver it? I have. I was pastor of a large and growing church, and we had plenty of obstacles. I was a full-time wife and mother with a full-time plus job at my church and other needs. Of course, we always have an Enemy, and he makes sure to tangle up people in his work, so there were frequent exhausting and unexpected attacks from sources I would never have expected. Those were such demanding days – when I look back on them, the things I did and what we accomplished at church and in my home seems almost like a dream. But it was real. I did have a wonderful staff who all had their own areas or responsibility and a very capable associate pastor. But I needed something else. Someone else. God gave me an amazing and godly praying woman to be my Helper. I called her my assistant, but she was so much more than I could describe. She prayed for me and with me, had my back, made sure I didn’t forget, spoke to others on my behalf, protected me from people who were up to no good … she got me. She understood me without words. She was my eyes and ears and supported me with the deepest love and loyalty but also had the courage to confront me with love if she sensed anything out of order or off course in my life. What a Helper! Everything good that happened is those years is due in large degree to the Helper God gave me.
In an even greater way, that is who the Holy Spirit is. Jesus did not leave us alone to operate solo. He serves as our counselor, comforter, and strength in weakness. He guides believers into all truth and leads us into an always greater and more fulfilling life. Two areas are extremely significant but don’t always get the most notice. The first is that the Holy Spirit helps us effectively pray. And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know that for which God wants us to pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words (Romans 8:26 NLT). You know those times we are so burdened we don’t even know how and what to pray? The Holy Spirit has it. He takes over for us and talks directly to the Father.
The second is that He speaks to us with conviction about the most significant things in life. John 16:8 says that He will convict and convince me about sin (oh, how I need that!), about what is right and righteous, and about the judgment that is to come. Those are three eternity altering subjects, and I need help. The Holy Spirit is my reliable trustworthy Helper. He does all of this without condemnation but with dependable, unending love.
- Holy Spirit, thank You for being my Helper. I confess I often try to do things on my own. I welcome and ask You to guide my decisions, teach me truth, and empower me to live for Jesus today.