Today, churches around the world are celebrating Pentecost, the 50th day after Resurrection Sunday. It commemorates the decent of the Gift of the Holy Spirit on the disciples and others believers who had gathered in the Upper Room as instructed by Christ (Acts 2: 1-2). Before His ascent into heaven, Jesus promised his followers a very special gift (Acts 1: 1-5).
Since Jesus, was God’s greatest gift to the world (John 3: 16), they must have wondered, what could possibly follow? But God wasn’t through giving! On the last night that Jesus was with His disciples, he revealed to them that God was planning to give them another gift…a very special gift of the Holy Spirit (John 14: 26-27 ). This unique gift would be one of the greatest gifts and most blessed salvation promises God would bestow on believers (Acts 2: 38-39). What is God’s purpose for this great gift? The Holy Spirit came to serve several purposes in the life of the Christian. To name just a few: Counselor, strength, comfort, knowledge, power, and the list goes on. Even the Bible is a gift of the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 1: 20 – 21).
One very special role of the Holy Spirit in our lives is to serve as Counselor (or “paraclete”). Jesus tells the disciples that the Holy Spirit will be “another” counselor (John 14:16b, 26). That is because Jesus also served as a counselor or Paraclete (1 John 2:1). A counselor is someone who stands beside another to help or aide him or her. It is someone who stands beside another in court and represents him or her. Jesus promised His disciples that when He leaves this earth, He will ask the Father to send another counselor to carry on with them…to stand beside them and help them, and if need be, defend them.
What a wonderful Counselor to have by your side!
Faithfully,
Pastor R. Mario Howell