The Comforter Has Come (June 8, 2025)

John 14:16–17 ESV ~ “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”

John 14:16-17 KJV ~ “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”

When most Pentecostal folks think about the Holy Spirit, most think about the Power, Anointing, the Outward expression. DO NOT get me wrong, I love ALL of that and more about the Holy Spirit. The way he makes you feel bold and powerful and invincible. I love the shout, the dance, all the outward expressions from a genuine move of the Holy Spirit. But there are aspects that many overlook and one of them is the most endearing terms that is used as a title for the Holy Spirit – The Comforter.

Comforter: The Most Endearing Title/Term

• The word “comforter” means one who strengthens or makes strong.
• Many think this word, comforter, means to ease grief or sorrow of another; one who cheers up a person who is sorrowful.
• In verse 16, Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as the Comforter (KJV) and our Helper (ESV). These words are interchangeable in this verse from the Greek word, where Jesus designates the Holy Spirit as our Paraclete – which means “one who walks alongside”.
• This shows us that the Holy Spirit is to be …
  • one who is summoned to the side of another
  • one who appears in another’s behalf
  • one who comes alongside a person to provide aid, help and assistance
  • a helper
• This shows us that the Holy Spirit is one who is coming alongside the believer to be with him and to minister to him in the time of trouble and need.

Three Things Are Implied in the Word Comforter

• The need for help

Mark 14:38 ~ “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Job 7:17 ~ “What is man, that you make so much of him, and that you set your heart on him,”

Romans 8:26 ~ “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”

• The Helper is capable of rendering the needed aid
  • The measure or degree of help to be expected and provided is determined by the ability of the one called in to render help.
  • Our Helper/Comforter is the Holy Spirit – the very essence and person of God
    • He prepared Gideon for his great victory – Judges 6:34 ~ “But the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon, and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him.”
    • He empowered Samson to slay the Philistines – Judges 15:14 ~ “When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting to meet him. Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and the ropes that were on his arms became as flax that has caught fire, and his bonds melted off his hands.”
    • He allowed Zechariah to know – Zechariah 4:6 ~ “Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.”
    • He gave the early believers power for service – Acts 1:8 ~ “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.””
    • He supplied Peter with boldness to face the Sanhedrin Court – Acts 4:4 ~ “But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.”
    • He gave Stephen grace to die with a forgiving spirit – Acts 7:60 ~ “And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”
    • He brought comfort the church in the time of peril – Acts 9:31 ~ “So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.”
    • He directed the decisions and affairs of the church – Acts 15:28 ~ “For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements:”
  • The same Holy Spirit is present today. He is the Almighty Helper. Whatever believers need help with, He is able to provide.
  • The available help is in direct proportion to the ability of the Helper. Since He is the Spirit of God, there is nothing He cannot do!

• What He Come to Do
  • The Holy Spirit always comes alongside a person to provide help – if we allow Him to provide.
  • As the Comforter, the divine Helper, the Holy Spirit, comes to minister to us and for us. He does this for our growth and enrichment.
  • Specific ways in which He helps us:
    • Power – Acts 1:8
    • Boldness – Acts 4:8
    • Direct our Footsteps – Romans 8:14

When Jesus ascended back to heaven, He was truly concerned about you and I. He promised to send and He sent the Holy Spirit to be a Comforter and Helper. The Holy Spirit came to be an indwelling Helper (John 14:17), a sufficient Helper (1 John 4:4), and an enduring Helper (John 14:16). We are weak, but He is strong! We need a Helper; We need a Comforter!