Christianity
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

Walk with God

by Dr. George Jacob, Ph D.

Do we know Him? There are only two ways: we either walk in rebellion, or we walk with Him. We must be careful that we are not presumptuous.

Will we presumptuously say we know the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ? What is implied by the comfort of the Holy Spirit? Sorrow is felt, there is a spirit of mourning over sin ("Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted," MAT 5:4), and mourning over having been separated from God, which comes from the Holy Spirit. Yes, we know Him, because He has revealed the precious things of Christ unto us and He has so blessedly applied God's Word, "for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you."

What is implied by the comfort of the Holy Spirit? Without sorrow and mourning a comforter would be a meaningless. I extended my sympathy to a man who had lost his brother, but he jerked his hand back and said, "Sympathy! What a blessing!" There is no comforting those who feel no sorrow. Our need for a Comforter implies that we mourn over sin and need comforting.

2CO 1:3-4 says, "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." It is a tremendous blessing when we can fellowship in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, when we can comfort each other in the tribulations that the Lord leads us through, because we have been there. We can be instruments in the hand of the Lord to get one another's eyes fixed on Christ.

The church of Christ receives the comfort of the Holy Spirit in three particular ways.

First, He testifies of Jesus Christ. JOH 16:14 says, "He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you." ACT 19:2 asks, "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" You may answer that question with another question: Has He ever come into your wounded, sin-sick, defiled soul to testify of the fountain that is open "for sin and uncleanness," ZEC 13:1?

Second, the Holy Spirit is a Teacher and Reminder. JOH 14:26 tells us, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." When David was in great straits at Ziklag, he could strengthen himself in the Lord because the Holy Spirit reminded him of former deliverances and promises.

The Holy Spirit made it possible for the psalmist to say in PSA 92:4-6, "For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this." A fool cannot look back and talk about the wonderful works of God; that is the work of the Spirit.

Third, the Holy Spirit is the grantor of prayer and supplication. How often we reach our wits' end, yet when our hearts are finally able to fall before the throne of grace, we immediately feel a sense of deliverance. ROM 8:26-27 says, "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." When we receive the help of the Spirit to pour out our hearts to the Lord over our grief, we have comfort.

See Also:

Why we suffer?
Afflictions are one thing, but consolations are another. Whether temporal or spiritual, afflictions can prepare our hearts for the consolation that the precious blood of Christ has washed away our sin.

God's Love
The greatest power in the world is not the Hydrogen bomb, but it is the redeeming love of God. The Hydrogen bomb may destroy the whole world but only the redeeming love of God can make it anew.

Peace in Christ
What is a more blessed subject than to read of the joy of the Lord Jesus Christ remaining in you that your joy might be full?

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