Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Today the Holy Spirit reminds us that He is personal Helper.

In Today’s scripture, John 14:16-17 (NASB1995), Jesus said…
[16] I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; [17] that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.

Consider…
Cambridge dictionary defines a personal trainer as someone whose job is to help you become stronger and healthier by deciding which exercises you should do and showing you how to do them.

This definition seems applicable to the Holy Spirit too. Indeed it’s His job to…

• Help us become spiritually stronger

Romans 8:26 (NLT) explains…
[26] And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.

• Help us become spiritually healthier

Ephesians 4:23-24 (NLT) explains…
[23] Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. [24] Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

• Help us exercise self-control

Galatians 5:16 (NLT) explains…
[16] So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.

• Help us have life

Romans 8:11-13 (NLT) explains…
[11] The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. [12] Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. [13] For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.

As you can see the Holy Spirit is truly like a personal trainer who Helps become who God wants us to be.

As I thought about that, the Holy Spirit helped me see this His presence was planned from the beginning. Notice what Genesis 2:18 (NLT) says…
[18] Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”

I find it interesting that God said that man needed a helper.

It’s especially interesting because in the two verses that follow, God had man naming the animals. It’s after man started doing God’s work that God made his helper, the woman.

I find it equally interesting, that after man saw his beautiful helper, we stopped reading about him working. Could it be the created helper became more of a distraction than help-mate. Something for godly wives to monitor.

You see, back in Genesis 1:26-28 (NLT) we read…
[26] Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” [27] So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. [28] Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”

Notice, God created humans in His image to reign over the rest of creation.

The Holy Spirit just showed me that before kings were ever thought of, God purposed man to reign for Him!

The mistake isn’t us exercising God’s given authority, it misusing it for us rather than Him. I call this exercising authority without permission.

Appreciate in Genesis 1:29 (NLT) we read…
[29] Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food.

Yet in Genesis 2:15-17 (NLT) we read…
[15] The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. [16] But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— [17] except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”

Do you see it? God placed restrictions on man’s authority. It’s as if God was saying you have authority up to a limit.

When Adam and Eve disobediently ate from the forbidden tree, they abused their authority. To make it more plain, they could tend to the tree, but not eat it’s fruit.

Perhaps there’s something or someone that God has you tending to that He doesn’t want you taking from.

That’s because God wants us to serve others like, and for Him.

Galatians 5:13 (NLT) explains…
[13] For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.

And in Matthew 20:25-28 (NLT) we read…
[25] But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. [26] But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, [27] and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. [28] For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The Holy Spirit is emphasizing God never wants us to take from what He’s told us to only tend to.

This makes me hear Jesus’ command…
Luke 6:35-36 (NLT)…
[35] “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. [36] You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.

Which brings me back to the Holy Spirit, who is the only one who can help us do these impossible things God requires.

Yet, I find it interesting how Jesus said the Holy Spirit helps us do what God wants us to do. Jesus said in John 14:26 (NASB1995)…
[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 said to you.

The Holy Spirit teaches and reminds.

The Apostle Paul expounds on this in Ephesians 4:21-32 (NLT)…
[21] Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, [22] throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. [23] Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. [24] Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. [25] So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. [26] And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, [27] for anger gives a foothold to the devil. [28] If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. [29] Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. [30] And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. [31] Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. [32] Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

You see, the Holy Spirit gives us practical application to doing what Jesus said and showed.

Another example of this can be found in 1 John 3:16-18 (NLT) which says…
[16] We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. [17] If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? [18] Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.

I think sometimes we focus so much on what we hear God tell us not to do, that we forget to listen and obey doing what He says to do.

As I wrote that, the Holy Spirit just showed me, our temptations come from focusing on God’s don’t’s rather than His do’s.

Recall, God told Adam that he could eat from all of the trees in the garden except one, and it’s that one which Eve found herself fixated on. That’s just like us, we fixate on what God says we can’t have, or doesn’t belong to us (lust), which leads to temptation. (James 1:14-15)

He led me to 1 Peter 2:12 (NLT) for emphasis…
[12] Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.

The Holy Spirit is telling me, here’s the bottom line, God asks us to do unnatural things, which requires His supernatural help. Thus, why He gave the Helper He knew we needed from the beginning.

The Holy Spirit is here to help us understand what God desires and requires, and reminds us how Jesus did it and taught it. And what Jesus did and taught was how to be an sacrificially loving obedient Child of God!

So Today, resolve to let the Holy Spirit help you live like God’s child. But that requires you to follow the Holy Spirit’s lead in everything you do.

Today’s song is…
Spiritual

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)