All that Jesus had said to the
disciples did not make much sense to them as yet. They were feeling a sense of
heaviness in their hearts despite all that He had assured them. Jesus was aware
that what He had said to them had not made as much impression as He had hoped.
He then assured them that everything would become clearer with the coming of
the Holy Spirit, who would be their Comforter. He would help them better
understand everything that Jesus had said.
Here we gather insight into the
divinity of the Holy Spirit. Firstly, the Holy Spirit would be a divine
teacher. Hence the Holy Spirit is not just an abstract force, but a person. This
is further supported by the use of the pronoun “He.” Secondly, this Comforter
would be sent by the Father in Jesus’ name. Thirdly, He would be around to assure
believers, and make clear what Jesus had taught them while He was with them. Fourthly,
His mission was to glorify Jesus. Fifthly, He would teach believers all that
Jesus had said. He would bring back to their memory everything that Jesus had
taught while on earth.
Jesus didn’t just promise that
believers would be clear about His teaching but that they would also receive a
peace that surpasses all human understanding. Peace is an experience. It refers
to the experience of a life reconciled with God. It also speaks of the state of
restfulness. We can only have a restful heart when we are reconciled with God. The peace Jesus would give could only come as
a result of His atonement for us at the cross. This peace would be experienced when
we know that God no longer hold us to our past. It would then liberate us from
guilt and condemnation that sin had brought. Besides, this peace that Jesus gives
is also a personal peace. Jesus was always at peace with God. There was no
strife in Him. He was always in accord and perfect union, and communion with
the Father. Jesus was always living in the center of the Father’s will. In the
same way, the Holy Spirit would help us to be aligned with God, and hence enjoy
the same peace that Jesus had with the Father. This peace that Jesus brought
would be a permanent experience and not just a temporary relief like that of
the world.
There is no greater assurance than
to know that the Holy Spirit indwells us and is here to help us in all
situations in life. He is certainly the surest security that we need. We must
realize that there won’t be any difficulty in life that He will not be able to
help us to unravel. Through the Holy Spirit, we have the same power that Jesus
exercised. We must know that the Holy Spirit is not just sent alongside us to
work with us, but that He is also dwelling in us. Thus we are enabled to
exercise the powerful truth of God in our life. Like Jesus, the Holy Spirit
will be in us and with us to comfort, to encourage, and to exhort. He becomes
our remedy in our troubled heart, generated by the difficulties we encounter in
life. Let’s remember what Jesus has said, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to
you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be
troubled, nor let it be fearful.”
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