Like a continuous breeze off the ocean waves, so is the Holy Spirit to our souls. He constantly comforts, convicts and counsels us.
The Work of Comforting
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”
— John 14:18 (ESV)
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
— John 14:26–27 (NKJV)
…who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
— 2 Corinthians 1:4 (NIV)
In the same way that God provides comfort to us, we can allow the Holy Spirit to guide our ministry to those around us as they encounter trouble, pain and doubt. And, as Christians, we can have the bold confidence that the Spirit will never fail us or forsake us.
The Work of Convicting
“When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment.”
— John 16:8 (NIV)
“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”
— John 16:13 (NIV)
In the Old Testament, the Spirit came upon certain people for specific purposes. Since Pentecost, the Spirit indwells believers permanently. Part of his work is to guide believers toward all truth, and that truth includes the need to turn away from sinful acts and toward the grace of God for forgiveness and restoration.
The Work of Counseling
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.
— Romans 8:26 (NIV)
Similar to gravity, which is constantly at work but never seen, the Holy Spirit moves within us and through us to affect change, peace, growth, repentance and redemption. The Spirit guides our prayers to God, even when we do not know the words to express them. And through his work in our lives, the Holy Spirit bears witness to the presence of God in the world, and to the need that we all have for a meaningful relationship with him.