The Holy Spirit

John 16:7 “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. (NKJ

The word Paraclete is a transliteration of the Greek word Parakletos, which means “one who speaks on behalf of or in favor of “as being an intercessor, advocate, counselor; a “helper”.

John 15:26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. (NKJV)

The Holy Spirit is part of the Trinity and has several functions in the life of a believer:

1. The Holy Spirit is a Paraclete (pair-uh-kleet) our helper who teaches and reminds.

John 14:26 “Jesus told his disciples, “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”

2. The Holy Spirit (lives) dwells in believers and fills them.

1st Corinthians 3:16 “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?”

3. The Holy Spirit is a (true) source of revelation, wisdom, and power.

1st Corinthians 2:10-11“These are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except for their own spirit within them? In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God”

 Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

4. The Holy Spirit (leads) guides to all truth, including knowledge of what is to come.

John 16:13 “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”

5. The Holy Spirit (freely) gives spiritual gifts to believers.

1st Corinthians 12:7-11 “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: ⁸ for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, ¹⁰ to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.”

6. The Holy Spirit, Paraclete (pair-uh-kleet) helps in a Christian’s weakness and intercedes for them.

Romans 8:26-27 “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. ²⁷ Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

Lord Jesus, thank you for sending a helper that is a constant source of what is needed in our lives as believers, in Jesus name…Amen!

Continuing in His service…Rev

Power of Prayer

Matthew 21:22″And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” (NKJV)

Prayer is one of the most powerful resources that a Christian has at their disposal. Because we serve the only one and true living God, that “neither slumbers nor sleeps”, we can go to Him at any time with prayer.

Psalm 121:4 “Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep”

Many have asked different questions about prayer:

How do I pray?

When should I pray?

How often should I pray?

Is it OK to have others pray for me, and can I pray for others?

Will God hear and answer me when I pray?

A basic definition for prayer is “talking to God.” Prayer is the primary way for a believer to communicate their feelings and desires to God, and can also serve the purpose of giving thanks or praising God.

Praying is also fellow-shipping and building a relationship with God. When we pray, we are demonstrating our faith, trust and dependence upon God. Praying can be done in private or public and can be done audibly or in silence.

Acts 16:25-26 “But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶ Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.” (NKJV)

The power that a person has when they are praying is not limited to just them. That power can have an effect on others also. God not only freed Paul and Silas but the other prisoners that were in the jail with them were freed also. As we read down further is this passage of scripture, salvation also took place. The jailer and his family were all saved.

Acts 16:30 “And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” ³¹ So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” ³² Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. (NKJV)

“The effective, fervent prayers of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). Moses was a righteous man and the leader of God’s people. On many occasions, the people would turn to Moses in a time of need.

Numbers 11:1 and 2 records one of those occasions;

“Now when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; for the Lord heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp. ² Then the people cried out to Moses, and when Moses prayed to the Lord, the fire was quenched.”

Prayer has the unlimited power to change things, I encourage you to not let that power go to waste.

Father in heaven, thank you for the awesome power of prayer in Jesus’ name…Amen!

Continuing in His service…Rev