LIFE PRINCIplES NOTES

Practical Lessons for Understanding the Word of God

Our Constant Companion

KEY PASSAGE: John 14:16-20 | SuppORTINg SCRIpTuRe: Mark 16:19 | Luke 24:49 | John 16:5-7 Galatians 1:6; 5:22-23 | Ephesians 4:30 | Hebrews 10:12; 13:5

SUMMARY:
We all need a companionsomeone who helps when were in trouble, laughs with us in good times, and weeps with us through pain.
Jesus understood companionship was important. Thats why He called twelve men to follow Him during the last three years of His life. They traveled throughout Israeleating, ministering, laughing, and even fishing together. Though the disciples didnt always understand the lessons Jesus wanted to teach them, they forged such a close bond that they couldnt imagine life without Him. All their hopes and dreams were wrapped up in their Messiah. Thats why His last words during the Passover Feast left them confused and anxious. Christ told them He was leaving, but they expected the Messiah to usher in Gods Kingdom. Despite their perception, Jesus was not abandoning them. He promised to send a Helper who would be with them forever. In fact, He said it was to their advantage that He was leaving so the Helper could come (John 16:7).

the New Testament that can be translated as another. One means of a different kind, but thats not the word used in this passage. The apostle John chose the word that means of the same kind. This Helper was going to be like Jesus in character. The Trinity is composed of three divine personalities. God the Father is the Creator and sovereign Ruler of all things; His Son Jesus is our Savior and Lord; and the Holy Spirit is our Helper, Comforter, and Guide. Together they make up the Godheadone divine Being in three distinct Persons. The Father resides in heaven, but the Son left His heavenly home and came to earth to redeem mankind. After His death and resurrection, Jesus returned and sat down at the right hand of God (Heb. 10:12). A few days later during Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon the church in Jerusalem, filling each man with His presence. From that moment forward, all believers have been indwelt by the Spirit at the moment of salvation. Despite His constant presence, many believers have never given the Holy Spirit a serious thought, but a deeper understanding of His role in our lives can transform us. Hes ready and able to help us become the people God wants us to be. Furthermore, we need His powerful anointing to accomplish whatever the Lord has called us to do. We cant even understand the Bible without His guiding interpretation. Whether we realize it or not, the Holy Spirit is a vital part of our lives.

SCrIPTuraL PrINCIPLEs:
Who is the constant companion Jesus promised to send?
Jesus described Him as another Helper (John 14:16). There are two Greek words in

LIFEPRINCIPLESNOTES | LP121021

When and why did the Holy Spirit come into our lives?
The Spirit began His work in us even before we were saved. Hes the one who convicted us of sin, revealed the truth of Scripture, and gave us faith to believe. At the moment of salvation, we were born of His Spirit and sealed as children of God (Eph. 4:30). Then He started His transforming work in us. Jesus knew that, without divine assistance, His followers could never carry out the assignment He had given themto make disciples of all nations. Thats why He told them to stay in Jerusalem until they were clothed with power from on high (Luke 24:49). Once the Spirit filled them, three thousand people were saved in one day. That was the beginning of the Spirit-filled church in the world. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter. No matter what were going through, Hes right there beside us, giving strength and encouragement along the way. As believers, we will never have to walk alone.

ourselves to His leadership. We are most Christlike in character when were totally surrendered to the Spirit, allowing Him to live, speak, and work through us.
n

Enable us to become the people God wants us to be. When we trusted Christ as our Savior, every sin was forgiven, but that wasnt the end. The Father wants us to live godly lives, but none of us are adequate for the task. Thats why He gave us His Spirit. The Christian life becomes a tremendous burden when we carry the responsibility of trying to be better people, but thats not our duty. Our job is simply to submit to the Spirit and obey His voice. Empower us to accomplish what God wants us to do. An individuals lack of talent or ability never hinders His purposes; He specializes in using the weak. Thats why a believer should never say, I cant possibly do that! If the Lord has called us to a particular task or service, Hes already preparing us to accomplish it. The Spirit gives each of us spiritual giftsdivine capabilities chosen by Him to enable us to fulfill our callings. When we exercise these gifts in the fullness of His power, He accomplishes His work through us.

Why did the Father send the Holy Spirit?

If Christs disciples needed the Helper, how much more do we? Because God knows that living the Christian life is beyond our abilities, His Spirit works in and through us to:
n

REsPONsE:
n

Fulfill the inner man. God wants to produce qualities in us that we cannot manufacture in ourselves. When we let the Holy Spirit exercise Himself both in and through us, He brings about good things known as the fruit of the Spirit such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Gal. 5:22-23). To illustrate how the Christian life operates, Jesus likened Himself to a vine and His followers to the branches. A branch cannot produce any fruit unless the sap of the vine flows through it. In the same way, the fruit of the Spirit is not produced by trying harder, but by yielding

Do you often feel that youre living the Christian life completely alone? Why do we forget about the Holy Spirit when His work is so vital in our daily living? Has there been a time when you were keenly aware of the Holy Spirits presence? Have you ever totally yielded to the Spirits leadership? What was the result?

REsPONsE:
To purchase this message on CD or DVD, please visit store.intouch.org or call 800-789-1473.

intouch.org
Copyright 2013 by In Touch Ministries, Inc. All rights reserved. In Touch grants permission to print for personal use only. LIFEPRINCIPLESNOTES | LP121021