The New Helper

John 14:15-1829 Mar 2015

Remember Last Week..We lined out for you some of the most well-known cults’ opinions about God

This week I want to do the same thing in reference to the Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit is, without a doubt, the most misun- derstood One in the God- head by many believers and unbelievers alike

Who is the Holy Spirit…?Jehovah’s Witnesses: Impersonal “holy spirit” is not God, but rather an invisible, active force from JehovahMormonism: The “holy spirit” is different from the “Holy Ghost.” The “holy spirit” is not God, but an influence or electricity-like emanation from God (or “light of Christ”)

Who is the Holy Spirit…?Unification Church: The Holy Spirit is a feminine spirit who works with Jesus in the spirit world to lead people to Moon, Sun MyungScientology: The Holy Spirit is not part of this belief systemIslam: Allah has or is a spirit. Muslims reject the biblical concept of the Trinity

Who is the Holy Spirit…?New-Ageism: sometimes a psychic force-- Man is divine and can experience psychicphenomena such as contacting unearthly beingsChristianity: doctrines for the gifts and works of the Holy Spirit can be separated by the two polar opposite viewssome of the gifts and works of the Holy Spirit are no longer available since we have the complete Bible

Who is the Holy Spirit…?Charismatic denominations tend to run wild with the doctrines of the gifts and works of the Holy Spirit away from what the Bible teachesBaptist polity leans towards the formerI think, however that the truth is more likely right up the middle

Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

Who is the Holy Spirit…?At the same time we must use them within the boundaries of Scripture as the Holy Spirit leadsAlso, believers should not use excuses for their weird behaviors as the work of the Holy Spirit—Because exercising a gift from the Holy Spirit is under the control of the individual believer

1 Corinthians 14:32-33 says, “And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.”

15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 16 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive,

because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.

John 14:15-18, NASB

1.) Loving God = Obeying GodV 15 is pretty straightforwardThis is a fair measure of our love for JesusNot just loving Him in senti- mental or emotional termsbut it must always be connected to obeying His commandments, or it isn’t love at allNo obedience but professing love = lip service

1.) Loving God = Obeying GodOur obedience to His Word is the outward expres-sion of our love for the LordGreek is the key for under- standingOpposites help hereBelief = Love = ObedienceUnbelief = disobedienceIf you truly love Him, you’ll obey Him

2.) Another Helper, V 16Check out this Greek– the word for ‘another’Heteros: means another of a different kindAllos: means another of exactly the same kindGuess which one is used here?What Jesus was saying to His disciples and us is that He was going to pray to the Father that He would dispatch the Holy Spirit who has the same divine nature as Himself

2.) Another HelperIf you’re in a NIV or NLT-- it says ‘Counselor’ instead of HelperThe King James says ‘Comforter’They’re all right– the Greek word is ‘Parakletos’It means; “called alongside to assist, to comfort, to advocate” The Holy Spirit NEVER works instead of us, or in spite of us, but always in us and through us

2.) Another HelperCap off v 16—1.) God the Father will give the Holy Spirit to all born-again believers as a guarantee

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 says, “Now He who establish-es us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”

2.) Another Helper2.) Jesus used a pronoun ‘He’ for ‘another Helper’ instead of ‘it’In other words, the Holy Spirit is NOT a mumbo jumbo force from somewhere in the cosmos like New Age people and the Jedi Knights believe3.) ‘Another Helper’ abides in the heart of believers FOREVER once He goes inside

1 Corinthians 6:19 says, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?”

3.) The Spirit of TruthV 17, The second name of the Holy Spirit Jesus mentioned is “the Spirit of truth”Apart from the Holy Spirit, no man, no woman can ever know the truth about their sinful condition and about the righteousness of God and what it takes to get to GodHis job is to draw the lost unto himself, convict of sin and the need for righteousness, and to give the Believer words when needed

Think of it like this…V 17 says this:

He’ll be with you, He’ll be in you, He’ll come upon you. Look at it this way. The Holy Spirit who is God Himself is with us because He is omni-present; then He comes after us to save us. When we obey His call and become born-again believers by receiving Jesus into our hearts, the Holy Spirit comes in us to sanctify us; and the Holy Spirit comes upon us to super-charge us, to get us ready and able to do God’s work in this world. Now that’s the relationship we want with God!

4.) “I won’t leave you orphans…”Another Greek word– ‘orphanos’It means “teacherless, without a guardian”Though He left us here physically, He did NOT leave us without help– HIMSELFHaving the presence of God in our hearts brings comfort and serious warning– conviction in secret

4.) “I won’t leave you orphans…”Are you now thinking, “Man, PD– you’ve taken all the fun out of life…”?My response is verse 15Also this– Matthew 6:33

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Take AwayOur obedience to His Word is the outward expression of our love for HimThe Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth. Without Him, people can’t know truth; can’t understand truth; can’t discover truthThe true measure of a godly man is what he does in secret