The Helper

​If you are a true follower of Jesus, you don’t walk alone. You have one who shares the journey with you. As we learn and grow in the Lord, this helper recalls things you’ve heard, or read or maybe even sung that can encourage help you towards the better way.  If we were left to our own devices, we would never change or end up in another direction away from God’s best. But the helper is there even if we  do stray off

 course to set us back to the better way.
Why would God send us a helper? Jesus promised us this helper before He was to suffer on Calvary, and after His resurrection promised to send this helper. The interesting thing is it came with a warning. ‘Don’t leave Jerusalem until you have received the helper (Acts 1:4). We wouldn’t be able to live the better way if God hadn’t sent His helper. We cannot live the way God intended in our own effort; it was never designed to be done like that. Living life in our own strength produces in us, frustration, discouragement, disillusionment or even apathy, that’s not what following Jesus was ever meant to be.
Sending a helper, enables us to rest in Jesus. If we stay connected to Jesus as branches stay connected to the Vine (John 15) the power of the one who walks beside us enables us to live the better way, finding the path Jesus has for us and to produce the fragrant, tasty qualities God looks for in the life of His believers (Galatians 5:22-23).
When we walk closely with the Helper, looking for His directions, change of pace, we find ourselves in a place where God help us produce the things in our life that we can’t in our own capacity. Despite our circumstances we can continue to produce the character traits of our Heavenly Father, those good traits like peace, patience, goodness, kindness that stand out to people as different or surprising within the cultures we live in. Our Father delights when He sees himself reflecting in His children and them reflecting those traits into the world to show who He is really like.
On your own, would you know what path to take? Would you know if it was right or wrong to decide on a good thing, not knowing if it was best?
God doesn’t intend for us to stumble around in the dark not knowing His will for us. Trusting His helper of the Holy Spirit, remaining connected with Jesus in daily spending time with Him can draw us into a deeper, sweeter more satisfying relationship with the Father. Intimacy as it was always meant to be right from the garden.
So, staying connected? What does that mean?
To actively remain in Jesus, we must walk as Jesus walked, not in our own strength and wisdom but in dependence on the Holy Spirit- the helper, and in submission and obedience to the Father and His word. In this way we will walk closely with the helper, hearing from the father what is best for us.
 
Dave Maharey