Seeking Jesus First June 18, 2025
The Holy Spirit is The Advocate as well as The Comforter and Helper
John 16:5-11 “But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper (parakletos) will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”
Parakletos - an intercessor, consoler:—advocate, comforter.
Look at how Holy Spirit helps and intercedes! He convicts the hearts of people to turn from sin. He teaches us the way of righteousness which is by faith. He assists us to walk in victory over a judged and defeated foe.
Romans 8:26-28 “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
Holy Spirit helps us to not lean on our own limited understanding by praying through us with words that only God knows. Holy Spirit in us prays according to the perfect will of God. When we pray with The Spirit, we know that all things will work out for our good.
Holy Spirit comforts us as He advocates and intercedes for us with words our natural mind does not comprehend. According to Jude, we actually strengthen our faith when we let Holy Spirit pray through us like this. According to Apostle Paul, we should ask Holy Spirit to interpret these prayers for our understanding, and we should alternate between praying with The Spirit and praying with the understanding. This puts us on another level of faith as we trust Him to pray through us, and trust Him for our understanding and for the outcome that is good for us.