The Comforter

by G. Jarvie, Glasgow | Category: General | Jun 1974

"The Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you" (John 14:26).

The Holy Spirit is a divine Person, equal with the Father and with the Son. He is "the Lord the Spirit" (2 Cor. 3:18). His personality is clearly seen in the Scriptures. It is possible for us to grieve Him (Eph. 4:30), and to quench Him (1 Thess. 5:19). We must be careful of both. He loves us (Rom. 15:30), and makes intercession for us. We know not how to pray as we ought, apart from Him. He also searches the things of God for us, and reveals the meaning of the Word (Rom. 8:26,27). It is He who makes the Bible precious to us, and He speaks to us of Christ (John 16:14).

When the Lord Jesus was with His disciples in the Upper Room on the evening of His betrayal, He kept the Passover with them. Then He spoke to them the wonderful words of John chapters 13 to 16, and gave them the promise of the Comforter who would come and fulfil His great work in them. Many things they could not understand while the Lord was with them but the Holy Spirit would make them all plain, and moreover He would tell them of the things to come. Then the Master prayed for them as in John 17.

How deeply He loved those men who had left all to follow Him! Others had turned away, but they had continued with Him. Very soon now He must be separated from them by death, but He would see them again before He ascended to the Father. But the Comforter when He came, would never leave them.

From the Upper Room they went out with Him to Gethsemane. Then the disciples forsook Him and fled. Although He had told them so plainly that He must suffer, yet they were unprepared for the shock of His crucifixion. "We hoped that it was He which should redeem Israel", they said (Luke 24:21).

But He arose, for "death could not keep its prey", and they were glad when they saw Him again. During forty precious days He communed with them and then He ascended to the Father. Before He left them He said, "Ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be My witnesses" (Acts 1:8). Then He lifted up His hands and blessed them, and as He did so He was taken up into heaven.

They returned to Jerusalem to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. On the day of Pentecost - a Lord's day - He came "in tongues of living flame". They were transformed. Their hearts were enlarged and their mouths were opened. The Paraclete (One called alongside to help) had come, as the Lord had promised. The Master had gone but the Comforter would remain with them.

They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance, so that all in Jerusalem heard in their own language the mighty works of God. It was overwhelming! In one day three thousand souls were saved, baptized and added to the Lord, and to the disciples: And day by day the Lord added to them those who were being saved.

For nearly two thousand years He has continued in the work for which He came, convicting of sin and turning men and women to Christ; comforting, teaching and strengthening in wondrous grace and power. When He fills the heart, there is love and peace and joy. When He leads us out in service, "burdens are lifted, blind eyes made to see".

"And every virtue we possess,

And every victory won,

And every thought of holiness,

Are His alone".

To know His fulness, to feel His power, to see His leading and to be taught of Him should be the desire of our souls.

G. Jarvie, Glasgow | Jun 1974
General