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HELP IS ON THE WAY

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“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear, even if earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!” (Psalm 46:1-3, NLT).

A MOTHER RECENTLY told us a story of her four-year-old son named Joey. Joey was an easygoing, sweet child who loved early mornings. His parents, not as fond of waking so early, made a rule that Joey could not leave his room to find them until the large digital clock by his bed read 7:00. After some trial and error and some unpleasant punishment, he learned the rule and eagerly waited every morning for those wonderful numbers to come up on the clock.

One morning, shortly after moving into a new house, Joey was bored waiting for the clock to read 7:00. He had some boxes in his room that had been emptied the night before, so he began to stack them by the window to look outside. He climbed on top of the boxes into the large window sill, and had become fascinated by the cords on the blinds. These were new to him, as his old house didn’t have blinds. As he played with the cords, he managed to get them tangled around his neck. Joey thought his parents would be angry if he woke them up, but nothing he tried was getting him free, and he began to panic. Soon, his parents heard the cries of their son as he yelled out “Help, please! Help, please!” His parents came running into the room to find their son in a very dangerous position and quickly freed him, grateful that he had cried out for help.

There are times when we, like Joey, find ourselves in situations that we cannot get freed from, no matter how hard we try. Every one of us has times when we need help – times when we are distressed. Distress means the seizure or detention of one’s goods or resources, a state of danger or desperation, to cause to worry or become traumatized, a pain or suffering that buffets the body. Every person knows the pain and helplessness of distress. But Psalm 118:5-9 says, “In my distress I prayed to the LORD, and the LORD answered me and rescued me. The LORD is for me, so I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? Yes, the LORD is for me; he will help me. I will look in triumph at those who hate me. It is better to trust the LORD than to put confidence in people. It is better to trust the LORD than to put confidence in princes” (NLT).

The Psalms Cried Out to God

The Psalms are beautiful to read when we are needing help from God. So many of the Psalms were written in times of suffering and desperation. They are honest with God, spelling out the nature and depth of the distress, and the agony of the soul. They ask questions such as why and how long – questions we often want to ask of God. Many times the Psalms cry out to God for urgent help, and then declare His faithfulness and His goodness, ending in great faith for the future. This is a wonderful pattern for us to follow in times of anguish. Reading the Psalms, and even praying through them, is one strategy we use to express our need for help to God.

God Sends Help!

And God does send help – through the Holy Spirit’s ministry to us. While on earth, Jesus often spoke of the Holy Spirit as our helper. We see it in passages such as John 14:16-17 where Jesus says, “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you” (NKJ).

The word Jesus uses to describe the Holy Spirit in this and similar passages is parakletos. In this Greek word, the prefix para means alongside, and the root word kletos means to call. Similarly, to help means to exchange or lay hold of a necessary support for life, or to render assistance, especially in a needy condition. Therefore, when we cry out to God for help, He calls the Holy Spirit alongside us to render the assistance we need. The Holy Spirit helps, comforts, counsels, and empowers us to move out of our place of distress and into the fullness of God’s plan for our lives.

Who is the Holy Spirit?

There may be many reading this who aren’t sure who the Holy Spirit or what His role is in the lives of Christians. Many people may view the Holy Spirit as a mystical presence they can’t understand or have never really experienced. Some people may shy away from the idea of the Holy Spirit because they may be unsure of certain terms some Christians may use when talking about the Holy Spirit. Those terms may seem edgy or fanatical to them and causes them to have a disinterest about studying the Holy Spirit any further.

But the truth is, if you have truly entered into salvation or have been born again, you have already experienced the most profound work of the Holy Spirit in your life. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts people of sin. It is the Holy Spirit who reveals the truth of the gospel. And it is the Holy Spirit who draws us into relationship with Jesus. He has already brought divine help into the deepest distress that you or any human being can experience, which is being a sinner separated from God for eternity.

But there are many other roles the Holy Spirit has as the Helper, the parakletos. In his book, The Names of the Holy Spirit, Elmer Towns offers great insight into understanding and drawing closer to the Holy Spirit. If you have not studied the Holy Spirit, we highly recommend this book as a starting point. In his book, Towns offers a list of his favorite names or functions of the Holy Spirit. I have included just a few of them here:

The Helper/Crossing Guard

Just as a crossing guard restrains children from running into the path of traffic, one of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to keep us from running into trouble through our actions. He restricts the persuasive influence of sin to us. In other words, the Holy Spirit is God’s conscience within our spirit. As we listen and obey His leading in our lives, we allow him to restrain us so we can avoid running out into oncoming traffic that would harm or even kill us.

The Helper/Interior Decorator

Titus 3:5 says, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit gives us new life, makes us part of God’s family, and gives us eternal life (regeneration). This is not just life unending; it is a new quality of life (renewing). The Holy Spirit is like an interior decorator who takes a shabby old house and renovates it, making it like new.

The Helper/Apartment Manager

The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is like the manager of an apartment building. He lives in the building to tend to problems, to make sure the building is not damaged and to help people enjoy the apartment complex. The Holy Spirit uses our body as a temple (see 1 Cor. 6:19). This indwelling is the basis on which He helps us in every other area of our lives.

The Helper/Administrative Assistant

The Holy Spirit comes every time we ask Him to fill us for service, just as an administrative assistant is available to perform a job until it is completed. Many people think that the filling of the Spirit is like taking an empty glass and filling it up. But, in one sense we already have the Holy Spirit in our lives because of our conversion experience and His indwelling within us, just an administrative assistant is always there taking care of the daily work. But there are times when we need more – something besides the typical daily work of the Holy Spirit, in order to accomplish a special task or so that we are able to have the grace and power for whatever is at hand. The Holy Spirit can fill us in a special way for what it is that we are needing, just as an administrative assistant often accomplishes special projects in the midst of regular assignments.

The Helper/Teacher

The Holy Spirit illuminates the believer to see spiritual truth. Those who are not followers of Christ cannot understand spiritual truth. Second Corinthians 4:4 says “The god of this age has blinded, [those] who do not believe.” But when a person is converted, the Holy Spirit becomes the Helper to teach or illuminate so the person can understand spiritual truth.

The Holy Spirit is described in so many wonderful ways in the Bible, including the Spirit of Grace, Supplication, Truth, Revelation, Knowledge, Sound Mind, Counsel, Understanding, Wisdom, Love, Peace, Justice, Life, Power, etc. He is described as a Brooding Dove, the Finger of God, the Voice of the Lord, the Breath of Life, and the Glory of the Lord, among other things. How amazing that He is our Helper and Encourager in times of distress!

We should never be too fearful, too ashamed, or too proud to ask for help from God. Joey knew that if he cried out, his parents would come. The cry of help is a cry of faith. It is because of our faith when we cry out to God that He will send His Holy Spirit to help us in our present situation. Just like Joey’s parents, He will come and untangle us from the cords that are binding us. If we will only cry out to God, we will find that help – The Helper – is on the way!

With many blessings,
Jack and Rebecca Sytsema

© 2008 Children of Destiny

(Portions of this article have been adapted from an article written by Chuck D. Pierce entitled “Help is on the Way” and from Elmer Town’s book, The Names of the Holy Spirit, Regal Books, 1994)

To receive each new topic via email as it becomes available, please send an email to us at prayer@childrenofdestiny.org. To view the Scripture Guide, please scroll down.

HELP IS ON THE WAY
SCRIPTURE GUIDE

Selected Scriptures on the Holy Spirit

Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
(Ps 51:11, NIV)

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
(Matt 28:19, NIV)

John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
(Luke 3:16, NIV)

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit , returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert
(Luke 4:1, NIV)

At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit,
(Luke 10:21, NIV)

If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
(Luke 11:13, NIV)

for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.
(Luke 12:12, NIV)

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit , whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you
(John 14:26, NIV)

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit , whom he has given us.
(Rom 5:5, NIV)

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,
(Rom 14:17, NIV)

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
(Rom 15:13, NIV)

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
(2 Cor 13:14, NIV)

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit , 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession — to the praise of his glory.
(Eph 1:13-14, NIV)

Selected Scriptures on the Help of God

But you, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me.
(Ps 22:19, NIV)

Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.
(Ps 28:2, NIV)

We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.
(Ps 33:20, NIV)

You are my help and my deliverer; O my God, do not delay.
(Ps 40:17, NIV)

Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.
(Ps 54:4, NIV)

Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
(Ps 63:7, NIV)

Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
(Ps 124:8, NIV)

O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help ! As soon as he hears, he will answer you.
(Isa 30:19, NIV)

Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help , and he will say: Here am I.
(Isa 58:9, NIV)

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
(Heb 4:15-16, NIV)

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