Jesus knew exactly what he was doing when he was executing his earthly ministry. He was spending time with his Father and because of that he knew the mission. His disciples are clueless and are surprised by every big move Jesus made. The disciples were looking for a triumphant messiah that would run the Roman occupiers out of Jerusalem. But Jesus had bigger plans to send the Holy Spirit. Below are 5 ways that the Holy Spirit helps us.

1 Confused

First of the 5 reasons we need the Holy Spirit to help us is the reason why Judas betrayed Jesus. It was because Jesus had not lived up to the triumphant messiah expectation. It was only after Jesus was resurrected and after the day of Pentecost that the disciples moved from bewildered and broken followers of Christ to leaders and founders of the Church. The Gospel of John in chapters 14-16. Jesus lays out everything that is about to happen to the disciples. He tells them what they were about to see with their own eyes.

But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. John 16:5-15 ESV

2 Preparations

Second of the 5 reasons we need the Holy Spirit is so that Jesus can prepare Heaven for us. Jesus is telling the disciples that he is going to leave them. He is going to prepare a place with the Father for them (John 14:3).

3 Helper

Third of the 5 reasons we need the Holy Spirit is that we need help. I know this might be redundant or obvious, but we need help. I need help. This is where the Holy Spirit comes to support us. The prospect of Jesus leaving is confusing. So Jesus responds to tell them that he will send a “Helper” to be with them forever. So has this helper fulfilled what Jesus predicted, how does the helper operate?

4 Transformation

Fourth of the 5 reasons we need the Holy Spirit help is action.

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. Acts 4:13-14 ESV

One of the markers of this helper that Jesus predicted was that the world would not see or know him (John 14:17). Peter and John astonished the community by healing people and preaching a resurrected Jesus. Peter and John are not graduates, wealthy, or men of recognized social status. Yet here they are gaining the attention of educated and wealthy leaders of the community. Those leaders of the world could not see the work of this helper. They could not understand how Peter and John were transformed to have the impact in the community. This is not the same Peter and John that followed Jesus around, but a Peter and John who act and speak as if Jesus himself was with them guiding and giving direction to their actions. Because this is exactly the plan where Jesus being the head of the body is directing just as he told them he would.

5 New Heart

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. Ezekiel 36:26-27 ESV

Fifth of the 5 helps of the Holy Spirit is that we get a new heart. The Holy Spirit makes our dead hearts beat again. This is the answer to the problem that the people of God have always had from the beginning. That problem is rebellion and lack of understanding God’s ways and God’s plans for his creation. Through the prophets God promised to put his sprit into his people. His spirit to replace a heart of stone with a heart that will understand and want to walk with God. Jesus while telling is the disciples about the helper he is also telling them that if they loved God they would follow his commands (John 14:15, 23). Jesus was telling the disciples that the helper would change their hearts and help them love Jesus in obedience.

The Perfect Helper

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:13-14 ESV

The helper that Jesus promised is the Holy Spirit. We see his hand at work all through the Biblical Narrative and believers see him at work in their own lives. Jesus told the disciples that the world would not see him or understand him. Salvation is a miraculous event where transformation happens to a person. The heart is new. Those that are saved see the Holy Spirit at work in their life. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to do the work that Jesus wrapped up in the body of a man could not accomplish.

Holy Spirit Arrived

Jesus knew the plan and just as he planned the Holy Spirit arrived. The Helper’s arrival transformed the disciples and everyone who has believed in the name of Jesus since that time. The Holy Spirit has communicated God’s wisdom and direction to us all who hear His voice. Please make sure of your place in God’s plan. Believe in Jesus to receive the Holy Spirit. He is our lifeline and deposit guaranteeing our assurance of an inheritance that only God can provide.