School projects presented to Mom at 8 p.m after supper, never go down well! Usually, because Mom does not have everything she needs to meet the need. Equally doing life without the things you need does not go down well either. Consider the frustration of going camping without everything you need, baking a cake without all the ingredients, starting a building project without all you need. That frustration is familiar to anyone trying to do anything without all they need.
Not so in the Christian walk. 2 Peter 1:3 is one of my favorite verses and one I repeat to myself often when I do not have everything I need:
“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” (2 Peter 1:3)
Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ has given us everything we need for life!
Just stop and meditate on that thought for a while. Everything you would need for this life, everything you would need to persevere. To me this translates into courage, energy, keep-at-it-ness. It includes provision, protection, wisdom and power, it includes everything I would need.
With the help of the Holy Spirit is how you and I persevere.
Jesus made it clear that He was not going to leave us alone after He left, but would send the Holy Spirit to help us.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate (other translations say ‘Helper’) to help you and be with you forever… But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. (John 14:16-18)
It was Jesus intention that we rely on and live with the Holy Spirit. In Galatians, we see that Paul believed that the Spirit supplied everything we need and that life was to be lived with the help (enabling power) of the Holy Spirit.
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Gal 3:3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?
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Gal 5:7-8 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.
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Gal 5:16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
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Gal 5:25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Do not persevere in your own strength, but with the help of the Spirit.
I believe He helps us in two very specific ways when it comes to difficult times:
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Helps us to hear and understand what God is communicating to us
“But the Advocate, 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.” (John 14:26)
As we study the bible, our primary source of God’s communication to us, the Holy Spirit not only leads us through the word but causes us to understand too. He teaches us from the word, shows us how to apply it to our lives, and even reminds us of the word of God when we have forgotten. In this way, all the wisdom of Christ is available to us. If you have ever had a verse drop into your heart at just the right time, that is the Holy Spirit reminding you and giving you a word to help you through a season. God is continually communicating with us, and the Holy Spirit helps us to understand His mind, heart and hear His voice.
“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, “ (Col 1:9)
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Helps us as we communicate with God through prayer
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” (Romans 8:26-27)
Our prayers are enlivened with the help of the Holy Spirit, not only can we pray in the Spirit (Eph 6:18) and in tongues, but we can present our prayer and petitions to God (Phil 4:6). But when we are without words, the Spirit himself prays for us. In this way, the help of God is never far from us.
As we persevere with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can actively engage with the Spirit during times of difficulty and hard seasons. He is truly our helper.
Jesus, thank you for the Holy Spirit. It is good to know that You dwell in me and are always with me, my ever-present help in trouble. Help me to rely and depend on You as you guide me and remind me of the word of God, as you help me to pray even in times that I do not know what to pray for. Thank you that I am never abandoned or alone, but You are always with me.
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