THE COMFORTER HAS COME

John 14:16,17 – KJV – 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, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

This is the famous promise Jesus made to His disciples the last night He spent with them before the crucifixion. I love this passage in the classic King James Bible, this beautiful translation describes the Holy Spirit as the One who comforts us in all of our circumstances of life. What was Jesus telling His disciples? He knew what they would all face in the years to come, all but John died a martyr’s death. Jesus had tasted the bitter pain of adversity and betrayal throughout His ministry, He knew better than anyone the comfort and joy available from the anointing of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God just as much as the Father and Son are God. Just as Jesus reveals to us the wisdom and image of God through His life and teaching, the Holy Spirit is the love and joy of the Lord expressed in a distinct person. Being touched by the Holy Spirit is being saturated with the supernatural love and joy that Jesus Himself enjoys, no wonder Jesus called Him the Comforter. Here are some comments from Jonathan Edwards on today’s verse.

“The third and last office of the Holy Spirit is to comfort and delight the souls of God’s people. And thus one of his names is the Comforter, and thus we have the phrase of “joy in the Holy Ghost.” 1 Thess. 1:6, “Having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.” Rom. 14:17, “The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” Acts 9:31, “Walking in the fear of the Lord, and comfort of the Holy Ghost.” But how well doth this agree with the Holy Ghost being God’s joy and delight. Acts 13:52, “And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost,” meaning, as I suppose, that they were filled with spiritual joy.”

Jesus was telling His followers that the Holy Spirit would not only empower them for ministry, He would also gird them with unspeakable joy that would sustain them in the difficult days ahead. This world is dangerous and often filled with tragedy requiring us to have spiritual preparation in order to live a godly life and have an impact on this world. Be filled with the Spirit, drink Him in everyday. This is how we not only survive but overcome in this life.