Reading the Word

John 14:15–26 (ESV)

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered 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. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.

25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 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 that I have said to you.

Understanding and Applying the Word

As Jesus prepared his disciples for his departure, he promised that they would not be left alone. A Helper, the Holy Spirit, would be with them. The Spirit would be a teacher and empower Jesus’ followers so that they could keep his commandments.

Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit was not just a promise for the believers in his day. Every believer has the indwelling presence and empowerment of the Holy Spirit, even today. The Spirit gives new life, gives gifts of ministry, and leads the people of God into the truth. We must not take the presence of the Spirit for granted. The Spirit even helps us when we pray (cf. Romans 8:26).

Jesus encouraged his disciples that they would not be left alone when he departed from this world. We must not think that we have been left alone either. We have God with us in the person of the Holy Spirit. He is with us at all times and gives us the gifts we need to do all that the Lord has called us to do. What a wonderful gift!

**If you enjoy reading Shaped by the Word, please consider sharing this post on social media. Doing so helps us reach a larger audience. Thanks for reading!

Follow Shaped by the Word on WordPress or Facebook.