The Great Comforter

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. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. (John 14:16-19)

In John 14:16-19, Jesus told His disciples He was leaving them, but He wouldn’t leave them comfortless. Can you imagine how those disciples felt? They had spent the last three years learning from, following, and serving Jesus. When they needed food, He multiplied bread and fish. When Peter needed money to pay his temple tax, Jesus sent him to catch a fish with the money in its mouth. They saw Jesus heal the sick, give sight to the blind, make the lame walk, and even raise the dead! How would they get along without Him? Jesus leaves no one alone; He didn’t then and doesn’t now! Jesus promised to send another Comforter because He was the original Comforter. Jesus knew we would all need another a Comforter because we would be put in very uncomfortable situations. When we know the Holy Ghost is with us and in us, we can be at peace in the middle of chaos.

Not only is the Holy Spirit our Comforter, but He is also the Spirit of Truth. When we seek Him, He reveals the truth about every situation. The Holy Spirit gives us a “God’s-eye-view” of what’s happening. However, the Comforter, Who is the Holy Ghost, is not for everyone.

Jesus said those stuck in the world’s system could not receive Him. Think about how unique you are as a believer in Christ. In the Old Testament, only the prophet or priest would hear from the Holy Ghost on special occasions. He didn’t dwell in them and upon them. People went to the prophet to get a Word or direction from God. But now, believers are empowered, equipped, and comforted moment by moment by the Holy Ghost who lives in them!

Practical Application

Pray in the Spirit and thank Him for His comfort, direction, support, and empowerment as you step out in bold faith this week.

John 15:26; John 16:13

Swinging the Sword

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:16-17)

The Apostle Paul discussed spiritual weaponry in Ephesians 6, and today, I want to highlight one specific weapon in the believer’s armory: the sword of the Spirit. Note that the S in Spirit is capitalized. That means it’s not talking about your spirit but the Holy Spirit. He gives you His sword to use.

How do we use it? The Scripture says, “The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Word is the Greek word rhema here, which means the spoken word. It is a timely, personalized, spoken word that comes from revelation.

The sword is both an offensive and a defensive weapon. Offensively, you must learn how to swing the sword with power and precision to see the will of God come to pass in your life.

As a defensive weapon, the Word protects us when the enemy fills our minds with negative thoughts or when others declare things over us that are not in accordance with the Word of God. When a thought full of darkness comes to your mind, cut it out by using the sword of the Spirit and speaking the Word right away.

As an offensive weapon, the sword of the Spirit empowers us to change the atmosphere through our words. When you speak in faith, empowered by the Holy Spirit, things change. God created the world with words of faith. Jesus stopped storms by them, and we are called to bind and loose with the spoken words of faith.

Practical Application

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what you should say about your workplace, family, church, and yourself. Search the Word for specific Scriptures to apply to your situations, and take time every morning to declare them with power and authority.

Hebrews 4:12; Isaiah 49:2

Don’t Quit Praying

And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:1-8)

Parables were stories that Jesus used to teach a kingdom principle or a biblical truth. He often told parables to the multitude, but later, usually away from the crowd, He explained the parable’s meaning to His inner circle. This parable tells us the point before it even begins. What is the point? Don’t quit praying.

The story in Luke 18:1-8 has two characters: an unjust judge and a persistent widow. Some who look on the surface conclude that the moral here is to bother God enough to force Him to do something for us. However, that wasn’t the point Jesus wanted to communicate. The unjust judge is evil and powerful. He didn’t care about God or man. So, the unjust judge does not represent God. Jesus was trying to get us to understand how much more our Heavenly Father, who is loving and just, would answer prayer.

Sometimes, answers don’t come immediately. God’s timing isn’t always our timing. But this parable teaches us to continue to stand in faith, knowing that God is far better than any unjust judge. He has a plan for your life and is making moves behind the scenes to fulfill what He has promised.

Practical Application

Pray until you sense movement in the spiritual realm. After you have prayed, thank God, knowing that He has heard you and is working behind the scenes to fulfill His promises to you.

Colossians 4:2; Romans 12:12