2 Powerful Ways the Holy Spirit Helps with Life
Some churches focus their attention on the power of the Holy Spirit, and others barely mention Him at all. It’s easy for most of us to talk about God the Father and Jesus, the Son and our Savior, but it can be harder for us to express what we understand about the Holy Spirit.
God’s Word describes Him as the Comforter, Helper, Counselor, and Advocate. He is the Spirit of Truth and Spirit of Life.
Those titles are precious and powerful, as each one assures us of all that the Spirit’s presence provides. But two of His names fill me with peace and contentment.
- The Spirit is our Advocate
Jesus said…
“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth”
John 14:16–17a
The Bible says that Jesus is our Advocate to the Father, and the Spirit is the Advocate who guides us with God’s TRUTH.
An advocate is…
- a person who speaks or writes in support or defense of a person, cause, etc., often an advocate of peace.
- a person who pleads for or on behalf of another; intercessor.
God gives us the Spirit to teach and guide us in the truth about Jesus.
Jesus added…
“When the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.”
John 14:26
2. The Spirit is our Helper
Paul wrote…
And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.
Romans 8:26–28
When I pause to think about my weaknesses, I am deeply thankful to know that the Spirit, who knows me inside and out, prays for me. I’ve had times when my weaknesses prevented me from praying and times when they overwhelmed me, leaving me unable to find the words I needed to express myself.
I imagine you, too, have had times when you’ve been crippled by grief or paralyzed by fear?
Praise God! Those are times when the Spirit who is with and within us turns to the Father on our behalf and pleads for us in agreement with God’s perfect will.
Other translations of Romans 8:27 say:
- The Holy Spirit prays for those who belong to Christ the way God wants Him to pray. (NLV)
- The Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. (NIV)
- He [the Spirit] keeps us present before God. (MSG)
- The Spirit speaks for His people in the way that agrees with what God wants. (ERV)
It’s powerful knowing we have the perfect Advocate to help us KNOW and TRUST the TRUTH about the Lord’s will for us. And it’s comforting to know we have the Helper who Advocates for us through prayer.
What is your greatest spiritual need?
Do you need wisdom and knowledge about God’s TRUTH and His will? God gave the Spirit—Advocate.
Do your prayers feel weak and inadequate? God provided the Spirit—Helper.
The Holy Spirit gives us everything we need spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. He is God’s divine presence with and within us. The One who teaches, counsels, comforts, guides, and prays for us.
We don’t have to have all the answers when we KNOW, LOVE, and TRUST God, our Creator, Savior, and Advocate. He is the answer to every question and everything else we need forever.
Peter, who spent three years as a disciple walking with Jesus, wrote…
By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the One who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence.
2 Peter 1:3
Let’s pray…
A Prayer of Thanks for the Holy Spirit
Our Helper and Advocate
Lord, who can define and describe You? You are awesome and beyond our comprehension. Yet, You want us to KNOW and LOVE You, and model Jesus in the way we love one another.
None of the things You want for us come naturally to our sinful natures. We are prone to pride and stubborn selfishness. But You are gracious, merciful, and loving. You sent Jesus to save us and show us the TRUTH about You.
We may not be able to understand the glory and majesty of a Triune God, but by Your grace, Jesus showed us Your loving, holy character. And the Spirit, Helper, Advocates for us with Your TRUTH.
I thank and praise You for knowing what we need. You created and provided everything we will ever need. You saved us from all our sin and gifted us the blessing of faith. Jesus saved us from all our past, present, and future sins. And the Spirit helps us, guiding us with the TRUTH of Your will and the hope we have in Jesus.
Thank you for the Spirit, who advocates Jesus’ loving truth to us and our needs to You. You are so very gracious and good. You heal our past, help us thrive in our present, and live with hope for our future. Your promises and the Spirit within give us everything we need today, tomorrow, and always.
I love You, Lord. I surrender myself to You in faith, trusting that You, Father, Son, and Spirit, are everything I need for all my life. Amen.
Verses and quotes of the Holy Spirit’s help for life…
“The work of the Spirit is to impart life, to implant hope, to give liberty, to testify of Christ, to guide us into all truth, to teach us all things, to comfort the believer, and to convict the world of sin.” ~ Dwight L. Moody
When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.
1 Corinthians 2:!3
“Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Spirit, for such things as God has promised.” ~ John Bunyan
Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
Galatians 5:25
By God’s grace, we don’t have to have all the answers or lift powerful prayers. When we pray in the name of Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, we have the Helper and Advocate we need for every moment and circumstance in our lives.
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I’m so grateful for the Holy Spirit working daily in my life, Deb. Through Him, we can be comforted in knowing that even when we don’t know how to pray, He is there as our Guide and Intercessor who can help our petitions reach God’s ears. Blessings, my friend, and thank you for the inspiration you’ve given us here today!