Focus: The Comforter

Text: Jh.14:26

"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."

The Holy Spirit is described by Christ as "the Comforter." Paul says that God is "the God of all comfort." Jesus Christ refers to the Holy Spirit as "another Comforter," making Himself as the 'other' Comforter. The word 'another' in the Greek means 'another of the same kind,' meaning that Christ and the Holy Spirit belong together. They are both from the same source. Simply put, the Trinity of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are the comforting Deity.

The word 'comforter' implies one who enables, soothes, helps, strengthens, encourages, or one who comes alongside someone in need to offer assistance or give a word of encouragement.

From the way the Lord Jesus Christ presented the Holy Spirit, we can see that the Holy Spirit is the enabler, the teacher, the reminder, the revealer, the helper, the guide, and so on and so forth.

The Holy Spirit shows the believer in Christ the things of Christ. He makes Christ known in our hearts. He is the revealer of the deep things of God.

The Spirit is the indwelling enabler and the empowering presence. He goes with the believer everywhere. He is the unction of God - the liberating anointing of God.

In the early days of the church, we read that "then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the COMFORT OF THE HOLY GHOST, were multiplied" (Act.9:31). The Holy Spirit brings joy and comfort into the space of the believer in Christ.

The Spirit revives, renews and reshapes us. He molds us into the image of Jesus Christ. He makes Christ's lookalikes. He instructs, directs and rebukes us. He makes us do what God wants and leads us in the way of truth, for He is the Spirit of truth.

Paul talks of "the comfort of the Scriptures," and that tells us that one way that the Spirit comforts us is through the Scriptures. The angel who came to Daniel describes the Scriptures as "the Scripture of truth," and the Spirit is "the Spirit of truth." The Spirit is indeed the author of the Scripture. He inspired or exhaled it - He breathed out the Scriptures. There would be no Bible without the Spirit of God.

Paul says, "I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation" (2Cor.7:4). 

By the comfort of the Spirit, the believer in Christ becomes exceedingly joyful even in the presence of great pressures and tough challenges.

Child of God, embrace the Holy Spirit. Welcome Him wholeheartedly into your space and let Him do what He knows best to do. Have faith in Him, obey His voice, and follow His leading. He gives us comfort without making us comfortable, and as another has said, God "comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable." 

Take the Spirit seriously, and always bear in mind that He is God. He shares equality with the Father and the Son. Regard the Holy Spirit as your personal Comforter, and He can use anyone to bring you the comfort of God. Paul says, "Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus" (2Cor.7:6). I pray that you will carry and command a comforting presence in the life of another. The Holy Spirit is the Divine Comforter.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter