The Holy Spirit Empowering Us Through His Helping Presence

Life is full of challenges and hardships, and people are always looking for ways to navigate it better.  Many people seek guidance in making tough decisions, important plans and executing them. People long for a helping hand in setbacks, conflicts, crises, misfortunes, and unfavorable circumstances, but in the world that we live in, most people are so busy with their own struggles and worries that they rather not partake in another person’s struggles. However, Jesus tells us that He has overcome the world and has promised to be with us and help us in times of need. In this Blog, I want to discuss a gift Jesus promised us: an advocate who will help us and will always be with us.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus promised to give us a gift, an advocate: the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, is not just a distant concept. He is the living, active presence of God within us, guiding, helping and empowering us to live righteously. Let’s summarize a few points on how the Holy Spirit wants to help.

1. He is present

Jesus promised that His Spirit will always be with His disciples:

“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever.” (John 14:16 NKJ)

If you have been attending our services, you might know that our theme for this year is Abide. The meaning of abide is to remain, stay or continue. In this verse, we read that Jesus promises to send a helper that will abide with them. In other words, a helper that will always remain with them. Up until now, the Spirit of God has worked through the prophets, and once He had completed His task, He would leave, but now, the same Spirit that has also been working with Jesus is promised to stay with them forever. God is not somewhere far away where His presence cannot be encountered, His voice cannot be heard, or His love cannot be felt. He is so close that He gently whispers into your ear, “I am near.” God wants to reside in you, and He wants to be present in all of your sadness, hardship, brokenness, setbacks and the struggles you have faced in the past and the ones you’re currently going through. He wants to partake in your highs and lows He cares and wants to be available for you.

2. He wants to help

Jesus said I will send you a helper.

“So do not fear, for I am with you do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10 NIV)

In this verse, we can sense God’s desire and readiness to help. God is prophesying through the Prophet Isaiah to His people, the Israelites, offering reassurance and comfort that they need not worry because God will protect and deliver them from their enemies. God is interested and wants to help you in any way that you might need help. Nothing is too small or too big for him. We consistently seek companions who stand by us during good times and bad. People say that when you are going through a difficult period, you realize who your real friends are. God is that friend who, through His Holy Spirit, is ready to help you in any way, revealing His love and power to you. When I was studying at Bible university, my teacher said something very simple but profound: “The Holy Spirit is more interested in what He can do for you than through you.” This small sentence changed how I view the Holy Spirit and my relationship with Him. You are called to be His vessel, allow yourself to be used by Him to preach the gospel, perhaps to be a missionary or evangelist who shares the good news and care for the vulnerable. But that’s not the most important thing He wants from you; He wants you to know that you are loved, He is always available, He cares, He is near, He sees your heart, struggles, worries and troubles, and that’s why He said, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened” because He wants to help you. But we cannot go to Him and make this exchange on our own strength; we need Him.

3. He is the source

God is the source of everything.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17 NIV)

God is the source of our positive thinking, strength, wisdom, courage and He produces in us the fruits of the spirit. We can only love, care, and give unconditionally when we abide in Him. The only way to break the chain of addiction to pornography, gambling, lying, stealing, lust, and sexual immorality is to go to the source to exchange your weakness with His strength. When you can’t forgive the person who has betrayed you or cheated you and you exchange the hurt with the love of God that surpasses all knowledge, He can remove the root of bitterness. God plants a seed of that love that you never thought possible. God not only holds our hands and takes us to the destination but equips us for the journey. I walked away from church in 2004 because of some hurt but mostly because I was addicted to pornography from the age of 5 years old, and I wanted to go out in the world to experience the so-called fantasy that porn had created in my mind.

I told myself I was just going to try sex, and once I had actually tested and fulfilled this desire of mine, I would come back to the church. One thing led to another, and I found myself far from God and my family. I started partying a lot, drinking, smoking and doing drugs and hanging out with the wrong crowd, which led to more serious things. Fast forward to 2016, when I was fed up with my life and by the grace and mercy of God, He returned me to Himself. Back to Him but still dealing with a porn addiction, marijuana and smoking. At first, I tried to be a good person to return to Him, and that didn’t work. I kept going back to my old life. I tried quitting everything on my own, but that didn’t work. I kept on going back to the habits that I was so sick of. It wasn’t until I learned to acknowledge my need for the Holy Spirit in my life and that I was not designed to accomplish and fulfil anything apart from Him. It is when the Holy Spirit began His work in me, breaking the chains of addiction. I have been free from those addictions for nearly eight years.

Imagine being caught in a stormy ocean, overwhelmed by the waves. You struggle to stay afloat, feeling powerless. Suddenly, you see a person on the shore, extending a lifeline toward you. His hand is near, ready to pull you out of the water. As you grab the lifeline, you’re lifted up and brought to safety. The storm doesn’t immediately calm, but now you’re at peace because the source of your strength is right beside you. The lifeline, strong and unbreakable, is not only helping you survive but also giving you the power to endure.

This lifeline symbolizes how God, being close to you, is ready to help in every moment of need. He is the source of your strength, comfort, and life; by holding onto Him, you can navigate through the storms of life.

Life is full of surprises and challenges. From my experiences, I have learned that I was not created to face the goliath of the world with my wisdom and strength. Instead, I should trust in God and know that He is always near. He sees my struggles, hurts, and the worries in my thoughts. He wants to help and is the solution to all that is taking place in my life.

We can only win when we acknowledge our need for the divine God and exchange our limited strength for His unlimited power.