(Holy Spirit – Message by Leslie M John)

“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter,
that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the
world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him:
but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. (John
14:16, 17 KJV)
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be
with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot
receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for
he dwells with you and will be in you. (John 14:16, 17 ESV)
The moment we hear that there is another comforter it occurs to our
mind that there was already a comforter, who is referring to another
comforter.
KJV translation of Greek Strong’s Number 3875. “Parakleto” is
Comforter, while ESV translated “Parakleto” as the Helper.
Fundamentally the meaning and the purpose of “Parakleto” is to
intercede or advocate, or to be as comforter. Holy Spirit Is called not
only as “Comforter” but also as “Spirit of truth”.
Lord Jesus Christ, who was an interceder and an advocate for us, is the
only mediator between men and God. He is our High priest and there is
no mediator or High priest for us to plead on behalf of us with the
Father.
John 17:1-26 (entire chapter) is a great intercessory prayer of Lord
Jesus Christ. Hebrews chapters 2-13 show how the Lord has fulfilled the
conditions of High Priest and become our High Priest. Galatians
3:19,20; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 8:6; 9:15; 12:24 say that Jesus is the
mediator of the New Covenant. He is our High Priest, and the only
Mediator.
Jesus Christ died on behalf of all of us and was buried, and yet the
death had no power over Him. He conquered death and rose from the
dead on the third day and after staying on this earth for forty days, has
ascended into heaven and is seated on the right of the Father. Now, He
is constantly pleading on behalf of us in order that we are made perfect
and righteous before we step into our eternal abode.
Before Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven He comforted His
disciples that after He has gone to the Father He will ask Him to send
another comforter to be with His disciples, as also with us forever. His
followers will not be left out like orphans, but He will be with them
forever, He said.
Lord Jesus Christ, who was in the form of God, thought it not robbery to
be equal with God but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon
Him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of man (cf. Phil.
2:5-11). He had a physical body and Spirit of God lived in Him. He was
the “Son of God”, and was also called “Son of Man”. The Scriptures say
no one has ever seen God but the Son of God has revealed the Father.
After He had gone to the Father, Holy Spirit, who has no physical body,
was sent into this world by the Father.
Insofar as the function of Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit with
reference to intercession is similar Holy Spirit is another comforter of
the same kind, and not of different kind. While Lord Jesus Christ is
interceding on behalf of us in heaven, Holy Spirit is comforting and
interceding on behalf of us from within our hearts.
When Lord Jesus Christ said to His disciples that the “Comforter” would
take His place on this earth to comfort, console, and help His people,
and convict unbelievers of Sin, Righteousness, and Justice, He was
referring to John 14:26, where He identifies Comforter as the Holy
Spirit.
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,
he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I
have said to you” (John 14:26 ESV)
Jesus Christ also said that Holy Spirit, whom the Lord will send to them
from the Father, the Holy Spirit will proceed from the Father and He
will bear witness about Him. John 15:26 also says that He is the “Spirit
of the truth”. Holy Spirit is the Spirit and not visible. Holy Spirit is the
Spirit of Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
The Lord said that it is to their advantage that He goes away to the
Father, because if He does not return to the Father, from whom He
came into this world, His Spirit will not come to them, but if He goes,
He will send the Holy Spirit to them.
The role of Lord Jesus Christ then would be to plead to the Father on
our behalf being seated on the right hand of the Majesty. The role of
the Holy Spirit is to indwell believers’ hearts and help them glorify Lord
Jesus Christ, and the Father, and to teach His disciples the mysteries of
the Kingdom of God.
“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father,
the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness
about me” (John 15:26 ESV)
“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go
away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I
go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7 ESV)