But the Helper

John 14:22-28

Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?” 

Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me. 

“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I."


Always with the questions! I know I have a lot of questions these days too. Sometimes God reveals the answers, sometimes not, sometimes they will come later.

Jesus was asked how would He manifest Himself to His disciples but not to the world. His answer, while lengthy, was concise...by the Helper, the Holy Spirit. But to receive the Holy Spirit we must meet a requirement: love Him, let Him reside in us, be in Christ and obey Him. He will, as other scriptures state, then open up His Word to the mysteries of God. Many in the world do not want God's manifestation.

The Holy Spirit teaches those things that once seemed too difficult to understand. Instead of picking up the Book and reading and losing interest, the Holy Spirit stirs and excites us to the Word of God. As we learn and take to heart what we've read, He also reminds us of what we read when we might be required to speak or as a confirmation of something, or encouragement to us, or help us discern if something we hear preached is false. The Holy Spirit...only comes upon our becoming born again, by the same Spirit.

Jesus was telling His disciples not to be worried about His leaving, that they would be covered. We can all have this assurance for anything in life. Despite that prognosis, that phone call in the middle of the night, whatever trial might suddenly occur, we CAN have peace in and through Christ. We CAN rejoice in our afflictions because we know He is by our side. But the first step we must take is what the disciples did...they dropped what they did and followed. Not that we quit jobs, marriages, family, physically sell all (but it is possible), but we turn our focus on what we have always thought important...and jobs, marriages, family, physical things make up those these...and look to Jesus. Place Him in the center of our lives.

In Christ is the fullness of joy. Even in difficult times. He went to the Father for our sins. If we want to go to the Father upon our death, we must go to and go through Christ. We can be filled with the Holy Spirit and be transformed, settled in our own spirit when things go wrong. He's worth it.

Psalm 16:7-11 - I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel; my heart also instructs me in the night seasons. I have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope. For 
You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.