One Like Christ With You
John 14:15-19 (NIV)
“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.”
Reflection
Consider the general trajectory of your life. Are you pointed toward holiness and moving away from sin? Before you read this Reflection, breathe deeply, and sit in prayer over these questions for a moment.
These verses comprise Jesus’ final speech to His followers just before He was to be crucified. He dropped a heavy, beautiful, rich teaching of the Holy Spirit on them. As He explains, Jesus, God the King, and the Holy Spirit are intricately connected:
*Jesus is in God the Father
*Jesus is in His people
*Jesus asks God the Father to give His Holy Spirit to His people
*The Holy Spirit is given to His people by God the Father
*The Holy Spirit is with, alongside, and in His people
How deeply does God love us? Jesus said He would not leave us as orphans, abandoned, or comfortless. God promises to be in us, near us, and with us FOREVER! We are NEVER alone! We have what we need for anything we encounter. He sustains us and guides us through His Holy Spirit. The moment we confess our faith, the Spirit of the Living God takes up residence in our hearts. We are filled with the Spirit and He begins to teach us. This is not a vague force or a distant presence. He steers us away from poor choices, instructing and helping us discern our life choices. The Holy Spirit takes our prayers to the Father and intercedes for us. Even when we don’t know how to pray, He is always in our midst and available when we need Him. The Holy Spirit’s power and presence is God’s greatest gift to us!
Jesus promises to be with you if you’ll receive Him. Those who have truly received Him grow in their faith, hope, and trust in Him. We are called to follow His commands, but this does not make us Christians. Hope in the shed blood of Christ makes us Christians. We have been saved so that we can follow His commands. Our works are evidence of our relationship with God.
If the general trajectory of your life is a bit skewed, become a person of prayer, continually seeking the power of the Holy Spirit. Look up, breathe Him in, and bury His Word in your heart. He loves you and wants you to fully embrace His Spirit in your life!
Action Steps
Romans 8:14 says, “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” How does this verse relate to today’s Reflection? How does this verse make you feel about your forever status as a child of God?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank You for not abandoning me, for always being my Advocate and Intercessor. Thank You for loving me, even when my brokenness shows. I pray those who have not been able to accept You into their hearts do so now. Open their eyes and hearts to You. Give me the right words and guide my behaviors so that I may glorify You and point my brothers and sisters to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.”
Reflection
Consider the general trajectory of your life. Are you pointed toward holiness and moving away from sin? Before you read this Reflection, breathe deeply, and sit in prayer over these questions for a moment.
These verses comprise Jesus’ final speech to His followers just before He was to be crucified. He dropped a heavy, beautiful, rich teaching of the Holy Spirit on them. As He explains, Jesus, God the King, and the Holy Spirit are intricately connected:
*Jesus is in God the Father
*Jesus is in His people
*Jesus asks God the Father to give His Holy Spirit to His people
*The Holy Spirit is given to His people by God the Father
*The Holy Spirit is with, alongside, and in His people
How deeply does God love us? Jesus said He would not leave us as orphans, abandoned, or comfortless. God promises to be in us, near us, and with us FOREVER! We are NEVER alone! We have what we need for anything we encounter. He sustains us and guides us through His Holy Spirit. The moment we confess our faith, the Spirit of the Living God takes up residence in our hearts. We are filled with the Spirit and He begins to teach us. This is not a vague force or a distant presence. He steers us away from poor choices, instructing and helping us discern our life choices. The Holy Spirit takes our prayers to the Father and intercedes for us. Even when we don’t know how to pray, He is always in our midst and available when we need Him. The Holy Spirit’s power and presence is God’s greatest gift to us!
Jesus promises to be with you if you’ll receive Him. Those who have truly received Him grow in their faith, hope, and trust in Him. We are called to follow His commands, but this does not make us Christians. Hope in the shed blood of Christ makes us Christians. We have been saved so that we can follow His commands. Our works are evidence of our relationship with God.
If the general trajectory of your life is a bit skewed, become a person of prayer, continually seeking the power of the Holy Spirit. Look up, breathe Him in, and bury His Word in your heart. He loves you and wants you to fully embrace His Spirit in your life!
Action Steps
Romans 8:14 says, “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” How does this verse relate to today’s Reflection? How does this verse make you feel about your forever status as a child of God?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank You for not abandoning me, for always being my Advocate and Intercessor. Thank You for loving me, even when my brokenness shows. I pray those who have not been able to accept You into their hearts do so now. Open their eyes and hearts to You. Give me the right words and guide my behaviors so that I may glorify You and point my brothers and sisters to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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