ALLOS PARACLETOS: THE HOLY SPIRIT OUR COMFORTER
"And I will ask the Father, and He will give you Another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor, Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever." John 14:16 (Amplified Translation)
BIBLE READING: GENESIS 1:2; ISAIAH 32:15; LUKE 11:13; ROMANS 8:26-27
There is no single Christian believer who can live a Productive life without the Power of the Holy Spirit backing him (Zech. 4:6). Based upon the premise of our Key Scriptural Text above, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself encouraged His Disciples during the Last Supper regarding the Imminent Arrival of the Holy Spirit after His Departure. There was only so much the Lord Jesus could do while He was limited to His Body during His Incarnation (Acts 10:38). Hence, the importance of the Coming of the Holy Spirit in an attempt to multiply His Efforts on a much larger and wider scale.
As we carefully examine the phrase "Another Comforter," we can see that it is originally translated from the Greek term "Allos Paracletos." Using the term "Allos" rather "Heteros" is quite noteworthy. The former means "another of the SAME kind or essence (akin to an orange compared with another orange plucked from the same tree)" while the latter, i.e., "Heteros" means "another of a DIFFERENT kind (much like another fruit, say a mango, being totally different from an orange)." In other words, the Holy Spirit is the Very Essence or Exact Replica of both God the Father and God the Son (the Lord Jesus Christ Himself), therefore the Holy Scriptures declare "For in Him dwells THE FULLNESS OF THE GODHEAD BODILY" (Col. 2:9).
The word "Paracletos" has Seven Different Interpretations, pretty much like most Hebrew and Greek words, which all have compound meanings depending on the context in which they are used. On this basis, there are Seven Key Roles the Holy Spirit plays in the life of every Christian believer:
Helper: He is the One Who assists us. He helps only those who are actively involved in Ministry (Rom. 8:26a)
Comforter: This Role of the Holy Spirit has a Twofold Application:
(a.) He comforts and consoles us right in the middle of any crisis, giving us a sense of Serenity and Calm even in the eye of the storm (Jn. 14:27)
(b.) He makes us comfortable in the midst of chaos by lubricating our lives with the Oil of the Spirit in every area where we experience friction in our Families, Ministries, Relationships, etc (2Cor. 5:14a).
Advocate: He pleads our case before the Father in order to obtain a Favourable Ruling on our behalf (1Jn. 2:1).
Intercessor: He is our Go-Between, i.e.. a Link or Negotiator on our behalf before the Father (Rom. 8:26b). This is only possible because He is the Only Member of the Godhead Who interacts directly with our spirits on a regular basis, knowing exactly how we feel every time.
Counselor: He is our Guide and Teacher (1Jn. 2:20, 27). This Responsibility of the Holy Ghost is especially important when it comes to studying and understanding the Holy Scriptures as well as making vital life decisions (Isa. 11:3b).
Strengthener: He is the One Who supplies us with Divine Strength and Enabling Grace. This Strength is Multifaceted and depends on the area of weakness in focus (2Cor. 12:9a).
Standby: He is our Standby Generator Who supplies Power for us to do exploits (Isa. 61:1). The Implication here is that the Holy Ghost supplies Dunamis or Dynamic Ability to effect or cause change. The Greek term "Dunamis" is the etymological root of the words "Dynamite (an explosive)" and "Dynamo (a standby generator)." This explains the Self-Generating yet Explosive Power of the Holy Spirit in and through our lives (Acts 1:8)
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, we thank You for giving us Access to Your Precious Holy Spirit to be our Helper. O Lord, please enlighten our eyes to the Fullness of this Truth that we may have a Wholesome Fellowship with You in Jesus' Mighty Name. Amen.