The Helper
John 16:6-7 (ESV) But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
In John 16, Jesus mentions a Helper that He will send to His disciples to help us in our ministry. Most of us know this Helper is the Holy Spirit (John 14:26), but how much do we really know about His work in us and in our ministry for the kingdom? This Helper is also called another Helper (John 14:16)
First, I’d like to look at the word another used in John 14:16. According to the Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (CWSDNT), the Greek word is allos and means another of the exact same kind, of equal quality; in this instance, it means the same kind as Jesus. If it were another of a different kind, there is also a Greek word for that: heteros. Jesus uses heteros in Matt. 6:24 when describing the fact we can’t serve two masters: God and money; he will hate the one and love the other (heteros). So, the Helper here is another of the same sort of person as Jesus.
Some believe the Holy is just God’s energy or His active force, but being of the same quality and sort as Jesus shows the Holy Spirit is a person. More on this later.
What sort of person is the Helper Jesus speaks of, and how will He work through us to accomplish God’s purpose in our lives? The CWSDNT says the Greek word translated as Helper in John 16:7 is parakletos which is translated as a helper, an advocate, or an intercessor but means even more than that. It also means a comforter, encourager, an exhorter, aid, a legal advisor, pleader, proxy, someone who comes forward in behalf of, and a representative. The Holy Spirit is all of these things to the believer. Parakletos appears only five times in the New Testament, and all five are in John’s writings (John 14:16, 26, 15:26, 16:7, and 1 John 2:1). In the First John verse, it is used to describe Jesus Himself: My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
Let’s look at some of the ways the Holy Spirit works in our lives:
Teacher – The Helper (the Holy Spirit) teaches believers and helps them understand God’s truth.
Jesus said he would teach believers and remind us of what He had said (John 14:26)
He enables us to understand the things freely given by God (1 Cor. 2:12-13)
Comforter – The Spirit strengthens and encourages believers.
The church walks in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit (Acts. 9:31)
We abound in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 15:13)
Advocate – The Spirit helps believers and intercedes for them
The Spirit intercedes for believers according to the will of God (Rom. 8:26-27)
The Spirit speaks through believers when we are brought before authorities (Matt. 19-20)
Truth Guide – The Spirit leads us into God’s truth.
He will guide us into all truth (John 16:13)
He reveals the deep things of God (1 Cor. 2:10-16)
Empowers Believers – The Spirit provides power for holy living and ministry.
We receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us (Acts. 1:8)
The Spirit produces His fruit in believers (Gal. 5:22-23)
And for those who would doubt the Holy Spirit is a person, does a force do/have these? Can you insult a force? Can you lie to a force? Can you blaspheme a force? To put it another way, can you insult electricity, lie to radar, blaspheme gravity?
The Holy Spirit:
- Has a mind (Romans 8:27)
- Knows (1 Corinthians 2:10-11)
- Wills (1 Corinthians 12:11)
- Loves (Romans 15:30)
- Can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30)
- Speaks (Acts 13:2)
- Teaches (John 14:26)
- Guides (John 16:13)
- Testifies (John 15:26)
- Commands (Acts 8:29)
- Intercedes (Romans 8:26)
- Can be lied to (Acts 5:3-4)
- Can be resisted (Acts 7:51)
- Can be insulted (Hebrews 10:29)
- Can be blasphemed (Matthew 12:31-32)
Believers Armed and Dangerous 