Come Holy Spirit: “Advocate” (John 14:16-18)

As we continued (or at least attempted to continue) our series “Come Holy Spirit,” Pastor Jenn talked about the Holy Spirit as our Advocate. In John 14:16-18, Jesus said, “16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”

What is an advocate? And advocate is someone who publicly supports, defends, helps or comforts another. We often advocate on behalf others: parents for their children, children for their aging parents, teachers for their students. It’s an honor to stand up for others.

Have you ever needed someone to advocate on your behalf? Perhaps you were bullied on the playground (or online), when you lost a loved one, when you received an unexpected diagnosis, or when you were accused.

There is good news. As followers of Jesus, we have an Advocate with us at all times. The Holy Spirit stands beside us as our helper, bringing comfort and defending us. And we need this, because we also have an accuser, the name given to our spiritual enemy.

In the Bible, the devil, or Satan, is called “the Accuser,” who accuses us day and night in God’s presence of all of our sins (Rev. 12:10). He constantly harasses us with lies that chip away at our trust in God. His voice condemns, deceives, and seeks to steal, kill and destroy. Sometimes the voice of the accuser is loud. Sometimes it can be alluring or even seductive.

But as we draw close to Jesus, we become more and more aware of his voice, and simultaneously more and more aware of the lies from the enemy. We know that the God of the Israelites, of whom Moses declared, “Do not be afraid…The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still.” (Exodus 14:13-14) is the same God standing with us today.

One of the best examples we have of Jesus as an Advocate is John 8:2-11, where a woman caught in adultery is brought before Jesus by the Pharisees. While the experts of the law were simultaneously wanting to trap and accuse Jesus and accuse and shame the woman, Jesus advocates on her behalf by saying, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” As the stones were dropped one by one and the crowd dissipated, Jesus turned to the woman and said, “…neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.”

This is what the love of Jesus does. Fear brings oppression. Love brings freedom. In Christ, we find a perfect love that casts out fear, forgives sin, and gives new life. In the Holy Spirit, we have an Advocate who continually reveals this love of God, reminding us that we can trust him in the midst of everything.

So whatever you face this week, know that you have an Advocate on your side, reminding you,

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still.”