THE ADVOCATE

John 14:15-21
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

15 “If you love me, obey my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. 18 No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. 19 Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. 20 When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”


I blow it sometimes. I mess things up and when I do, I need my Advocate … someone to speak on my behalf … someone to counsel me … someone to encourage me … someone to comfort me. That someone is the Holy Spirit.

I could hire a lawyer to speak for me, a psychiatrist to counsel me, find a pastor to encourage me or turn to my wife for comfort. There is nothing wrong with any of these options. In fact, they are gifted by God to perform their important roles.

Jesus promised something better. The Holy Spirit He promised has all the attributes of the Father and the Son. Most important, when you become a believer, the Holy Spirit comes to live in you. You don’t have to seek Him out. He is always there. In good times and in times of trouble the Holy Spirit is present.

Three in One … Father … Son … Holy Spirit … the Divine Trinity.