“But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.”
John 16:7
Have you ever wished that you had lived in the time of Jesus? Have you ever thought that maybe if you had just gotten to witness his ministry yourself, watch the crucifixion, see him raised from the dead, that your faith would be better? It’s definitely tempting to think that way, but it neglects a very important gift that Jesus gave to us when he left the Earth – the Holy Spirit.
He told his disciples, who of course didn’t want him to leave them, that it was better for them if he left. He said that when he returned to heaven, he would send them an Advocate, another name for the Holy Spirit. He said unless he went away, we would not have the Spirit with us, and that it’s better for us to have him than Jesus himself. It makes you think twice about wishing that Jesus was still here.
So why is it that we are so much better off with the Holy Spirit rather than Jesus in the flesh? Well, for one thing, Jesus has already accomplished his mission. He came to save all of mankind, once and for all time. His work on earth was finished. As for us, we didn’t have the Holy Spirit until he ascended into heaven. Why does that matter for us? Well, for many reasons. The Holy Spirit is our helper and our guide. He is the very Spirit of God himself, the Spirit that lived in Jesus Christ, living in us. Having the Holy Spirit is the mark of our salvation. Paul says in his writings that the Holy Spirit himself testifies to God that we are indeed his children. The Holy Spirit is our advocate, our connection to God, our intercessor, and our justifier.
The Spirit living in us means that we are one with God. Think about that. We have been unified to God through Christ with the seal of his Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God himself lives inside of you if you have repented, believed, and been baptized in his name. That’s powerful.
Many of us have seen scary movies or heard scary stories or read parts of the bible that talk about the power of demons. We would be unsurprised to hear of a demon-possessed person’s supernaturally evil power. If that is the case, then how much more powerful is a Holy Spirit possessed person? Don’t underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit living in you. Jesus didn’t.
Prayer:
Father,
Thank you for your Holy Spirit. Thank you for sending us an Advocate, thank you for not leaving us alone. I pray that I will open my heart to the Spirit and embrace the power that comes with it. Let my life reflect your Spirit in my always.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen
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