THE HELP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT - "ANOTHER COMFORTER"
The Help of the Holy Spirit – “Another Comforter”
Sunday Evening Service, February 23, 2014, the Year of Our Lord
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
John 14: 16; 26: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another comforter to be with you forever---The Holy Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him, but you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you….(Vs26) but the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
Jesus on the eve of his departure from his disciples, disclosed to them the precious truth, that after His ascension, they and every believer in Christ, who would receive the Holy Spirit, would have two comforters.
Jesus is still our faithful and unchangeable Comforter in heaven. He is ever pleading our cause, and presenting the merits of His precious Blood. The word clearly states, “The Father will give you another comforter”
The other Comforter came down from heaven to earth, and is carrying on the work of sanctification in the hearts of His people, until we have finished our course as the citizens and ambassadors of the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in Heaven.
The word of God informs us that “another comforter” means we have two intercessors. Christ is one intercessor in the presence of God. The Holy Spirit is another, dwelling in the spirit of believers. Christ intercedes that we may become sons. The Holy Spirit intercedes after we are sons. Christ’s intercession is perfect, and removes difficulties in the way of our salvation. By the Holy Spirit’s intercession, we obtain forgiveness of sin through the Blood of Jesus; the Holy Spirit gifts, power, and fruit; and all other benefits of Christ’s passion.
Jesus appears for us in the presence of God. The Holy Spirit makes know the longings, desires, anxieties and fears which fill the soul of the believer. He leads us from the realm of the soul to a life in the Spirit, where we are led by the Spirit.
Not only will the Spirit “help our infirmities”, dispel our ignorance, and teach us how to pray, He will make intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. When words are too weak, when thoughts arise too big for utterance, or we are under some crushing trial, the Holy Spirit interprets the thought and intercedes for us. God, who searches the heart, knows the mind of the Spirit, because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. For through him we both have access by One Spirit unto the Father.” “Praying always with prayer and supplication in the Spirit.” “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.” The Lord hears our deepest cry even when we do not have the words to utter.
Pride that trusts in self and neglects the guidance and teaching of the Holy Spirit will fail to realize the blessedness of heavenly communion. Without the Holy Spirit, a soul will remain in darkness and ignorance. The adoption as sons of God, power, and acceptance will be lost. The graces of faith, hope and humility will become enfeebled.
Jesus encouraged His disciples in preparation of their approaching persecutions, “It is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaks in you.” It is the person of the blessed Spirit to win souls for Christ. It is the person of the Holy Spirit to take of the things of Christ and bring them to us to reveal to us the glory of redemption, and the riches of Divine grace. It is the Holy Spirit through His precious gifts, who reveals Jesus’ active power on the earth through the saints.
The Holy Spirit is the comforter to the children of God. At the cross Jesus not only took our sins, but bore our grief and sorrow. The Holy Spirit is the Comforter who brings that grace to us in the midst of our deepest sorrow. It is the blessed Spirit, who abides in us as a dweller in the hearts, “bearing witness that we are the children of God; and if children, then heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.”
Jesus said, “He dwells with you and shall be in you.” The Holy Spirit is not a traveler to sojourn for a season, but He is a friend to abide and dwell with us. He is our mentor to be always near and our guide in all seasons. He strengths us in times of weakness or discouragement. When you are wandering, He will lead you back. When the spiritual battles rages around you, the Holy Spring brings more of the strength and grace of heaven.
We are to implore the aid of the Holy Spirit continually. “Cast me not away from your presence.” “Take not your Holy Spirit from me.”
Do we want a clearer vision, a truer faith, a deeper repentance, and a more intense zeal? These the Holy Ghost imparts. He teaches us to plead the atoning blood of Christ---to come boldly to the throne of Grace. He enlarges the range of spiritual sight, enabling us to look beyond the momentary light affliction to a far greater weight of Glory.
Prayer ascending from a heart inhabited by God’s Holy Spirit rises like the incense cloud, before the throne of the Eternal, blended with the fragrant incense of heaven. The answer to our prayer will assuredly return, freighted with the richest blessings of the everlasting covenant, “even the sure mercies of David.”
When the Holy Spirit descends upon our worship, we can be assured that our praise is like fragrant incense to the Throne of Grace. We know our praise arises from lips touched by heavenly fire. Lips that must indeed be full of fragrance to God, which is the breathing of His own divine Spirit in our hearts.
“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost”. If you desire “joy and peace,” pray to receive the Holy Spirit. If you would be more pure and holy, pray for the Spirit. If you would be strong for duty, for danger, and for trial, pray for the Spirit. He will enlighten your mind more and more in the knowledge of Christ. He will carry on His Holy work in our hearts, notwithstanding all the transitions of life. You will find in the day of sickness and in the hour of death the peace of God which passes all understanding and that joy unspeakable in the Holy Ghost which no man can take from you.
O Lord Jesus, pour out upon us more and more of your precious Holy Spirit that we may be led into all truth. May He enlighten, quicken, comfort, strengthen us; and mold us to your divine will.
O Lord Jesus, you have poured out your Spirit during the refreshing of the Charismatic renewal and Prophetic Revelation Movement. Many of the recipients of those great graces have usurped the glory for their own name and fame. Fill us again O Lord Jesus that we may reveal you to the world and save the souls of those who are lost. Grant that the Holy Spirit may abide with us continually, that amid the manifold changes, trials and sorrows of this life, we may be strengthened, according to Your glorious power.
Father God you have preciously promised to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask you. Grant us, we earnestly pray a greater grace of His indwelling presence. Let your Spirit be shed abroad on us abundantly. Let Him be unto us a Spirit of light and truth, to guide us to the clear understanding of your mind and will; a Spirit of power, to quicken and convert us, and to strengthen us with all needful might in the inner man; a Spirit of comfort to cheer us in our times of trouble; a Spirit of Holiness, to unify us more and more; and to make us fruitful in every good work. Grant that He may abide with us continually making us to grow in knowledge and in grace; and filling us with His blessed and holy fruits, which are in all goodness and righteousness and truth. Holy Spirit lead us into all truth that we may know and speak the truth that will set men free.
Grant, O God, that we may abound more and more in faith, and love; in holy desires; in all good purposes; in all kind and brotherly affections; in all meek, patient, humble, pure and peaceable dispositions; that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in us, and we in Him, according to the grace which through Christ we have received. May our whole spirit, soul and body, be established in holiness before you, and reserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord and Savior with all saints. We pray this in the name of your beloved Son, Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
“Nor prayer is made by man alone;
The Holy Spirit pleads;
And Jesus, on the eternal throne,
For mourners intercedes.
O Thou, by whom we come to God!
The Life, the Truth, the Way!
The path of prayer thyself has trod;
Lord teach us how to pray.”
Montgomery
I entered into the labors of The Throne of Grace by: John Ross MacDuff- published in 1865. As I discover the writings of Rev. MacDuff, I also discover that He had the baptism of the Holy Spirit and not only touched the Glory of God, but ministered from the realm of the Third Heaven. I am greatly blessed by the Glory he carried and wrote with an anointed, prolific gift from the writer’s inkhorn. His writings are in the public domain of the United States. However, I am honored to acknowledge that I have entered into his labors. I took the liberty to add to his words the Present Truth which has been revealed to me by the ministry and giftings of the Holy Spirit in the realm of the Glory of God.
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.
Scripture from K.J.V.