Saturday, September 23, 2017

I Am the Bread of Life, He Is The Helper


Jesus did exactly what he was sent to do and his job was not to be the Holy Spirit. Among other things, his job was to be the Bread of Life and the Lamb that was slain. Death and resurrection was the fulfillment of his earthly ministry. His heavenly ministry is to intercede for us and to baptize us in the Holy Spirit, while the Holy Spirit’s ministry is to continue Jesus’ earthly ministry through us.

As I was Saying….

When reading Paul’s writings, it is clear that Jesus left out a lot of details about being a believer. Minus some very concise instructions from Jesus, the task of revealing the will of God has fallen to the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus proclaimed:

“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 the 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.” (John 16:12-13 NIV) So, to hear the voice of Jesus, we must be dependent upon the person of the Holy Spirit. 

Three-In-One Oil

The Spirit has an equal place alongside the Father and the Son. He was the Breath that moved the Word of the Father as they spoke, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness…” (Genesis 1:26 NIV). In this partnership, the Spirit is the oil that keeps the parts moving together and the oil that soaks deep down and touches the heart of God.

“‘…The things God has prepared for those who love him— these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.” (I Corinthians 2:9-12 NIV)

He Speaketh Still

Reports of the Spirit’s death have been greatly exaggerated. The Reformation began a slow uptick towards a normalized Body of Christ after centuries of decline, but it wasn’t until about 100 years ago that God’s people rediscovered the Spirit’s voice in a vital way. Although some of the journey from there has been a bit rocky, we are again beginning to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Below are a few passages that remind us of the Spirit’s voice:

“It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements…” (Acts 15:28 NIV)

“So, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did.” (Hebrews 3:7-9 NIV)

“The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it.” (Acts 8:29 NIV)

“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith…” (I Timothy 4:1 NIV)

“I only know that in town after town the Holy Spirit warns me that chains and afflictions await me.” (Acts 20:23 NIV)

“But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.” (I Corinthians 2:10 NIV)

“Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life…” (Revelation 2:7 NIV)


The helper is there to help us walk with Jesus. He speaks the Word and as the Scriptures above testify, he translates Jesus in amazingly specific ways. Jesus says that if we are thirsty, the Spirit will flow through us (John 7:38). Let us thirst so that we may be filled.

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