THE HOLY SPIRIT AT HOME IN YOU

“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).

With Jesus’ impending departure, the disciples were naturally worried about being left alone. Who could blame them? But in Jesus’ great love and care for them, He promises to show up in a new way. This is one of the most encouraging verses in Scripture. God did not leave us alone to fend for ourselves. He provided an amazing Helper in the person of the Holy Spirit who will do for us what we cannot do for ourselves—if we let Him.

The Holy Spirit is God. There are three Persons in the Trinity–God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is all-powerful. We read in Micah 3:8, “…I am filled with power—with the Spirit of the Lord…” The Bible says that God is present everywhere. No matter where we go, He is there. “I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!” (Psalm 139:7). We need never be afraid again, or lonely, hopeless, sorrowful, or helplessly inadequate. For the Helper is always with us. The Holy Spirit can be at home in your heart.

There is always Someone standing by to assist us no matter what circumstances we are facing. God has provided every resource we need through His Spirit. When we can’t, He can. When we’re tired, He isn’t, When we’re weak, He’s strong. When we think, “I don’t have the wisdom for this situation, or I don’t know how to love my prodigal, or I can’t take one more round of hard medical news,” He says that’s why you have an in-home Helper. We house His Spirit in us, and if we allow His Spirit to operate in our lives, we’re going to be more than okay, no matter what comes our way.

John 14:26 says, “But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.” And we know from 2 Peter 1:20-21 that the Holy Spirit moved upon the authors of scripture to write the Bible. And it is He who inspired Scripture that helps us interpret it and apply it to our lives today.

Our shortcomings in living the Christian life are often due to our inattention to the Holy Spirit’s leading and prompting in our lives. We spend so much time looking outside of ourselves for answers when we have God at work inside of us. When we become more aware of His presence, we will change from the inside out.

As believers, we must let the Holy Spirit take the lead in our lives so that we will be empowered to do the work that God has given us and to live in humble obedience to the leading and the guidance of the Spirit.   

Discussion Questions:

1. When you think of the Holy Spirit, what comes to your mind? 
2. How familiar are you with the topic of the Holy Spirit? Is the Holy Spirit a confusing or encouraging topic of study for you? Why or why not?
3. As the Spirit works to refine us, the Spirit reminds us of our new identity as God’s children. How does the Spirit’s voice impact my relationship with God?