The Greatest Helper, the Holy Spirit Guides, Strengthens and Comforts BelieversPrimjer

Jesus does not leave His followers alone.

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:18)

The Lord Jesus had been traveling the country of Israel with His disciples for about three years. But He had not come to earth to stay forever. The reason He came was to suffer and die, and then return to heaven. This was difficult for Jesus' disciples to understand because they had very different expectations of their Master: they hoped that He would bring peace and prosperity and that His Kingdom in all its glory would become a reality on earth. But Jesus' Kingdom was not of this world. He would return again to His heavenly Father until the time had come for a new heaven and earth.

Yet Jesus would not leave His followers alone. He promised beforehand, “I will come to you.” But this would be different from the way in which He had come previously. Together with God the Father, the Lord Jesus would dwell in them forever (see John 14:23), namely through the Holy Spirit.

This shows God's loving, paternal care. For without this divine presence, the disciples would indeed have been left helpless and orphaned. In the coming days, we will read how the presence of the Holy Spirit makes a huge difference in the life of a Christian. Do you have some specific examples?