The Counselor, the Holy Spirit John 14:25~26, NIV All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. This morning I would like to share the grace of God under the title, “The Counselor, the Holy Spirit”. Among the Trinity, the Holy Spirit is the least understood and recognized. Neglecting the Holy Spirit is like taking the air for granted, which is, although indispensable, not noticeable. The air is the most essential element for human life. It cannot be done away with. The Holy Spirit is just as vital in our lives because without Him there would be neither spiritual rebirth nor a life of faith. Jesus said that no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. A world famous American evangelist, D. L. Moody only graduated from elementary school but he served God as a Sunday school teacher. God called him as his servant and he became a great revivalist. He preached the Gospel in England and the States. One day just after one of his sermons a woman came to him and said, “Pastor! You did a good job; but for me it was boring. During your one hour sermon I fell asleep. I did not find any grace in your sermon. From now on I would like to pray for you so that you may receive the power of the Holy Spirit.” She turned away and left him. He was shocked. Actually he was hurt. He thought, “Why does she have to pray for me? She needs prayer! It is she who did not receive grace, not me. That’s not my fault.” But what the woman said to Moody troubled his mind, “You need to receive the power of the Holy Spirit.” So he began to pray fervently, “I do not understand what she is talking about. Oh, God, let me be filled with the Holy Spirit!” Then one November day, 34 year old Moody was walking down a street in New York, praying, “God, let me be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Suddenly he felt fire from heaven darting into his heart. Moody started to jump on the street. He could not stop it. People stopped to watch this tall man jumping around the street. He was so embarrassed. Moody went to visit his friend who lived nearby. He borrowed a room and knelt down before God and prayed continually. “Eventually I could not bear the fullness of the Holy Spirit any more.” He cried out, “Father God! Please stop it. I feel I am dying. Stop pouring on me.” The experience of the fullness of the Holy Spirit was the turning point in Moody’s ministry. He became a great revivalist. During his lifetime he preached the Gospel to more than two hundred million people and affected the whole nations of England and America. Before receiving the fullness of the Holy Spirit his sermons used to make people fall asleep; after receiving the fullness of the Holy Spirit Moody became a great servant of God who affected the entire world. Without the Holy Spirit, we cannot be born again, live a victorious life, nor do powerful ministry. We should first be filled with the Holy Spirit and then we can expect a great ministry of God in our prayers, sermons, evangelism, and revival meetings. 1. The Holy Spirit has a personality: We should know that the Holy Spirit is a God who has a personality. Having a personality means having an intellect, emotions, and a will. He possesses all components of personality. Romans 8:27 says, “And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit...” The Holy Spirit knows our hearts. When he talks to us, he speaks through our thoughts. When we pray he is talking to us through our mind and conscience. Therefore we must not ignore him when he speaks in us. Do not treat the Holy Spirit as a being without an intellect. 1 Corinthians 2:10 says, “But God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.” He searches all things, even the deep things of God. He is an omniscient God. He has an intellect. The Holy Spirit also has emotions. Romans 5:5 says: “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” God’s love is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit; therefore we can overcome all forms of hatred because we have his love in us. God’s love overflows in our hearts not by the effort of man; but by the power of the Holy Spirit. We can love because through the Holy Spirit we are promised fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Romans 8:26 says, “We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” The Holy Spirit prays for us with groans. Our minds often wander around because we do not know what to pray for. Often times we neglect God’s instructions we receive in prayer; rather choosing to follow our own ways. What we cannot express ourselves the Spirit intercedes for us with groans, “Stay there. I’ll pray for you.” He takes our tongue and lips and leads us to pray in other tongues. Remember when you could not pray but felt lost because your words could not express what was in your heart. It was those times the Holy Spirit helped you and led you to speak in other tongues. When you want to pray but do not know how to start it is better if you start by praying in tongues. Ephesians 4:30 says, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” We need to know that the Holy Spirit is a God who has emotions. He also grieves because of us. The Holy Spirit has a will. When the Holy Spirit has decided upon something, we cannot change his decision. Acts 16:6-7 says, “Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.” Paul wanted to preach the Gospel in Asia but the Holy Spirit did not allow him and he could not enter Bithynia. The Holy Spirit had his own will. He had his own plan. 1 Corinthians 12:11 says, “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.” When the Holy Spirit gives heavenly “gifts” to Christians, he gives them to each one according to his determination. What kind of spiritual gifts we receive is decided by the Holy Spirit not by us. He has his own will to perform. The one who is sent from God has an intellect, emotions, and a will. And this one is our Comforter. Jesus said in John 14:16, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever” He is sent by God to us as a comforter, the one who intercedes, or supports or acts as an advocate, particularly in times of trial. He is our heavenly comforter, helper, and strengthener. As a mediator he is there for us; most especially when we call for his help in times of trouble and oppression. He will come and give us heavenly counsel to help us out of our affliction. The Holy Spirit touches our heart bringing us into a place of rest. The Holy Spirit constantly counsels, encourages and directs us, “Be encouraged. Take heart. I am your comfort.” When we fight against our enemy, the devil; the Holy Spirit advocates for us and brings us into victory. He gives us power to overcome the enemy. He is our teacher, comforter, lawyer, and counselor. The Holy Spirit who has a personality comes to us as our counselor. You and I are with the Counselor of God. In the Bible he is called “another Counselor” because Jesus was the first Counselor. Jesus came to us as the first comforter. He taught us, consoled us, counseled us, and redeemed us. But after he returned to the Father, God sent us another counselor. In Greek the word “allos” means “another, one besides.” The Holy Spirit is the same as Jesus but different. Jesus came as the physical body but the Holy Spirit came as the spirit. He is another Counselor. When we accept the Holy Spirit then we accept the resurrected Jesus. The Holy Spirit works according to the will of Jesus. Apart from Jesus, the Holy Spirit will do nothing. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity and he has his own ministry. 2. The work of the Holy Spirit: The Trinity works as one in all things; yet each member has individual characteristics. God, the Father is the master planner; Jesus, His Son, followed the will of God, and redeemed mankind; the Holy Spirit sustains everything and teaches us about the Father and the Son Jesus. The Holy Spirit always stays with us. Jesus said in John 14:16, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever- the Spirit of truth.” I want to draw your special attention to this fact. He did not say, “The Spirit will be with you for one month or one year” He said “forever”. Without ending, the Holy Spirit will be there for us always. He is the Spirit of truth. The bible says, “The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” God’s Spirit lives with you. He is in you now. This Spirit of God opens our hearts and lets us understand the truth. Jesus said in John 14:25-26, "All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” We need the Holy Spirit because without him we cannot understand God’s work. He teaches us not only the truth of the bible but also the truth of this world. He guides us and instructs us. He reminds us what the Lord says to us. When people get old they worry about dementia. One of the early signs of dementia is forgetting names. When we rely on the Holy Spirit, he holds on to us; and lets us remember miracles which God has performed for us. We do not have to rely on our own brain cells but rather on the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit is within us, he does not allow the world to enter into us. He rebukes the world and the devil. Jesus said in John 16:7-8, “But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:” The Holy Spirit comes to convict the world. The guilt of this world in regard to sin is the fact that it does not believe in Jesus. There are many sins in the world but when we believe in Jesus all our sins will be washed away through his blood. He paid the penalty for our sins. People go to hell not because of their sins but because they do not believe in Jesus. Jesus has already paid all the debts of sins but people do not believe in him. Therefore the Holy Spirit will rebuke the world for the sin of unbelief. He will also convict the world of guilt in regard to righteousness, because Jesus went to the Father. We can visit the tombs of Buddha, Confucius, and Mencius. We can go to the tomb of Muhammad but it is no use visiting the tomb of Jesus. He is not there. He was resurrected and ascended into heaven. What is the tomb? It is the prison of death. Everyone who commits sin must enter into a tomb of death. He must stay in the state of death, imprisoned, not for a lifetime; but for eternity. But Jesus descended into hell and in three days paid all the debts of humankind. Then Jesus rose from the dead. He cannot be found in his tomb, and he would say to you, “It is no use visiting me in my tomb. You will not see me there because I am resurrected. I have gone to my Father.” The Holy Spirit gives us confirmation of this truth. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of guilt in regard to judgment, because Satan now stands condemned. The enemy who tempted Adam and Eve is now condemned before the cross! Jesus deprived Satan of power and authorities. Therefore we are already more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. This is how the Holy Spirit has convicted the world of sin, righteousness and God’s judgment. The Holy Spirit leads us through our entire live. How much are we grateful for his guidance? We are blind in this world because we do not know what will happen to us tomorrow. Just like a blind man needs a guide or a Seeing Eye dog, we need the help of the Holy Spirit who can open our eyes and lead us in the right way. Jesus said in John 16:12-14, “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.” When the Holy Spirit comes, he will guide us into all truth. He teaches us the truth of the bible and the truth of the world. If we believe in Jesus and are filled with the Holy Spirit we can be smart. God can make you brilliant. He will make you the head, not the tail. The Holy Spirit comes to us and guides us into the future, allowing the Glory of God to be shown through our lives. The one who is with us makes us holy. As children of Adam and Eve, all human beings are born corrupted. We were born physically and spiritually sinful. There isn’t any righteousness in us. But if we repent of our sins and believe in Jesus, the Holy Spirit will come into us as the Holy one. Romans 8:1-2 says, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” After the law of the Spirit of life came to our hearts he set us free from the law of sin and death. By the help of the Holy Spirit we can lead a life of sanctification. In our thinking, speaking, and doing we can live a holy life. Without the Holy Spirit we all live according to our sinful nature because we are corrupted and deserted from God. Therefore we should earnestly look for his help and always be filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. When we pray we do not know what we have to pray for. Evangelism and preaching the Gospel is not easy. Many times people have asked me how long I need to prepare for a sermon. I will tell them, “It takes a lifetime.” People think that I sit down and just write a sermon on a paper with a pencil; but preparing for a sermon is not easy. I have to reflect over my whole life and merge both my past and present into the Word of God and then melt everything into a sermon. Each time I ask for the help of the Holy Spirit. I prepare a sermon with my whole soul and might. I have to devote myself completely for the preparation of preaching the Gospel. Otherwise how are we supposed to lead the people of God if we only tell jokes without speaking from the bottom of our heart? Romans 8:26 says, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” 3. The presence of the Holy Spirit: How great is the consolation when we feel the presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts! Jesus said in John 14:16, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-” It is so lonely to live alone. After God formed Adam from the dust of the ground, He put him in the Garden of Eden. It was a beautiful Garden but Adam felt lonely because no suitable helper was found for him. The Garden was not small like Yoido but a grand place. It was famous for its indescribable beauty. Maybe Adam needed a car or a bicycle to tour the Garden. He would feel lonely when he walked the Garden of Eden. Even if a king lived in a huge royal palace, it would become a prison if he lived alone. A small shabby cottage could be fine for a man if he was with his beloved one. If the Holy Spirit did not comfort us, we would be lost in this world all alone. But the Holy Spirit says to us, “I am with you.” There is somebody who is with us. You are not alone. The Holy Spirit is within you. Acknowledge him, welcome him and rely on him. The Holy Spirit will come to you and raise you up. Many people commit suicide because they are tormented in this world. They say, “This life is meaningless for me. There is no use living without any hope. What can I expect tomorrow except agony and trouble? Let me end it.” The devil comes and forces those people to kill themselves. But on the contrary, when the Holy Spirit comes he says, “Be alive. There is joy in me. What about me? I am with you. Ask me then you will see a wonderful work of life.” 2 Corinthians 13:14 says, “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” The Holy Spirit wants to have constant fellowship with us. He is not just with us to do nothing. If we ate spoiled food we would be sick to our stomach from the food. Likewise if the devil comes to us, we take in negative thoughts into our minds; but when the Holy Spirit comes to us, he comes with righteousness, peace and joy for our minds. Hallelujah! Jesus said in John 14:17 of the Spirit of Truth “The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” The Holy Spirit dwells in you right now. Please repeat after me. “I am with the Holy Spirit now.” You are the temple of the Holy Spirit. It means whenever you pray the Holy Spirit will pour his grace on you. He is in you, by you and upon you. You are surrounded by the Holy Spirit. He is knocking at the door of the heart of an unbeliever. He makes a believer to be born again. When Christians are baptized by the Holy Spirit, he is upon them. Acts 1:8 says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” I really did my best to receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit. When I went to theological seminary many of my friends were baptized in the Holy Spirit and spoke in other tongues but I could not speak in tongues even though I longed for it. So I pretended to speak in tongues by praying in English rapidly since my fellow students could not understand it. They said, “Wow you too speak in tongues!” I had a troubled conscience about this. I could not concentrate on prayer because I lied. In my prayer I was always busy repenting of this fault. Then one day I said, “No way, I must make a decision.” I climbed to the top of the Sam-Gak Mountain with my friends and prayed there all night. When night came we could not go down the mountain because it was too dark. I got scared because I had heard that often tigers would show up. I could not pray because I kept my eyes wide open, gathering stones as I would look around. At the same time I prayed, “Pour your Spirit on me!” The purpose of my prayer was to be baptized in the Holy Spirit but I could not focus on my prayer. It was past midnight and I resolved to pray. “Do or die! Even though I die, I should receive the Holy Spirit before I die.” I opened my hand and dropped the stones which I gripped. I held onto a nearby tree and cried to God with all my might “Oh, God! Let me be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Before I realized it I was speaking in tongues. At the same time I experienced the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Since then I have been happy all the time because I can feel the presence of the Holy Spirit in me. When people are filled with the Holy Spirit they can experience how the Spirit works through their lives. They can feel the presence of the Holy Spirit in them. When the Holy Spirit abides in us, we have joy, peace and happiness in a supernatural way. When the devil comes, he brings with him an abnormal restlessness, a fear, frustration, and anger. When the Holy Spirit comes, the opposite circumstances occur ? supernatural joy, peace, faith, hope, love springs up. The devil brings us severe stress, rise of blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, mental and physical pain. There is no peace. James 3:14-16 says, “But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such ‘wisdom’ does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.” The devil brings us earthly envy and selfish ambition. But the Holy Spirit brings us wonderful joy, peace, faith, hope, and love. Romans 15:13 says “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Jesus said in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” The devil brings the pain of hell, and the Holy Spirit brings the happiness of heaven. 1 Peter 5:8-9 says, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” Romans 8:14 says, “(because) those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” Since you believed in Jesus and became children of God, you belong to God. God’s people obtain qualification of the guidance of the Holy Spirit. For sure he will guide you. The Holy Spirit is with us and leads us through our thinking. Sometimes we are wondering whether this thinking is from us or from the Holy Spirit. Since we became the temple of God, the Holy Spirit is working through our mind. We need to realize the will of the Holy Spirit in us. Therefore whenever we pray, we need to pay close attention to God’s will. We need to know what God’s way is. Conclusion: Brothers and sisters! Be filled with the Holy Spirit! Acknowledge the Holy Spirit, welcome him into your life, and rely on him every day. Live a life with the Holy Spirit. You are supernatural people because God is with you. He wants you to have an abundant life and through you He will do great things for the kingdom of heaven. I pray for you and bless you in Jesus’ name. Let’s pray. Our Father! You are a living and holy God. Thank you for your guidance today. You gathered your beloved people in church and are allowing us to worship you. We thank you for your grace. We are in your hand. Although we are incompetent and insignificant like a weak and dry stock on the ground, when the Holy Spirit comes we can be changed into a powerful stock like Moses’. Father God, change all of us. Help us. By worldly standards we may not be well educated, we may be unwise, unintelligent, without talents, and slow to understand; but when the Holy Spirit comes to us, he will change us into God’s stock. Let us be God’s stock through the fullness of the work of the Holy Spirit. Through the Holy Spirit, God’s miracle will happen to us. We believe that the work of Satan will fade away and God’s work will prevail more and more by the power of Another Counselor, the Holy Spirit! Help us to see the work of Jesus, our first Counselor among us. The kingdom of God has come into the heart of each one of us through the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen. 1