Another Counselor

Day 18 of Knowing Him: An Easter Devotional (view all days)

If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever–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…All this I have spoken while still with you. 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. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:14-17, 25-27)

There must have been sorrow, anxiety, and hope in the air as Jesus talked on and on with his disciples about his upcoming departure. This “upper room discourse” in the Gospel of John (chapters 13-17) was Jesus’ final word to his disciples on the night he was betrayed.

In it he spoke about “another counselor” who would come to them. This is a word that means advocate, comforter, one who comes alongside. Thinking of God the Holy Spirit as our advocate is indeed one of the most comforting thoughts a human being could have. Who else would you want with you when your go through life’s victories and life’s struggles? Who else could work in the innermost recesses of our thoughts and feelings, helping us to make good choices, have a proper disposition, giving us confidence when we need it?

When Jesus said “another Counselor”, he was also teaching his disciples that what he was doing among them and for them was to be that kind of advocate. He had filled them with truth and hope, with a vision of who God is and a humbling concept of who they were. Now he would leave them–a sorrowful prospect–but in all these ways God would still be with them.

None of us were in that upper room, yet if Jesus stood among us today, he would give the same assurance.

Ponder This: What kind of counsel or comfort or advocacy do you need from God at this time in your life?

[This daily devotional will appear through Easter. You may receive via email.]

27 thoughts on “Another Counselor”

  1. Donald L. Thompson

    I need one who be with me at all times, when I blow my blow my stacks and say the wrong thing
    when I am tempted to sin, etc. I am week and need some who be along side me to strength me.

  2. Thank God for the comforter. As i read this i so thankful that the Holy Spirit is by my side walking with me every step of the way. I can invision and feel Him when i waiting for the bus, when i get up early in the morning and even as i sit here typing. Sometimes we forget this when we need to make difficult decisions. If we totally rely on him decision will be easier than could every think. Being the Church Mother i really have to lean on Him for direction. Thank God for the Holy Spirit, the Comforter

  3. I need to know that He is here for every move in my life. I need to know that the Holy Spirit is here in every move in my life. In my heart of hearts I know He is with me I just need my mind to kick in more often and make that a priority thought. My life would be filled with the Peace that passes understanding if I would stop and think and put things into perspective before thinking negative and poor me. We are blessed to have Him in our lives.

  4. Claudio Albornoz

    The first thing that comes to my mind is how poor usually is my comunion with the HS. I kind of forget his vital role in my life, so I focus mainly in the Father.

  5. I thank God for giving me hope and security and that he will always be there when I struggle through life and never leave me.

  6. I thank God for being my Advocate and Counselor for all the decisions I make. He has always pointed me in the direction I should go. Many times I realize I made the wrong decision only after His intervention. I thank God that I have that relationship with Him that I am always aware that He is my Counselor and I should always go to Him for advice when I am troubled. As such I am always giving Him thanks and praise for His presence in my life.

  7. One of the things that I love when I am diligent about my relationship with Jesus is hearing reoccurring messages. Just last night in my Bible study we were talking about the Holy Spirit and trying to get an understanding of who He is and what He does. I learned that the Holy Spirit’s presence is assured. Jesus said I WILL receive the give of the Holy Spirit when I repent and ask for the forgiveness of my sins and ask Jesus into my heart and life. So the Holy Spirit is there and ready to do the will of God in my life. Whatr I need to do next is to take that step of obedience – whatever the nudge is to do, to change, to cut out of my life, that impossible task God is asking me to do – if I just take that firt step the Holy Spirit fills me with the power. The fullfillment of the Holy Spirit equips me with resurrection power to do the very things I cannot do on my own. What I ask of this counselor is to just keep whispering to me, “Don’t be afraid, I will fill you. I will help you. I have the power! You just need to take the step! Believe.” What just hit me this morning is that the disciples were afraid. They hid too, but when they took that first step, the Holy Spirit filled them up people said, “Look at those uneducated rag-a-muffins! They talk with authority!” So God is saying to me, “See Jenny? See? You will have the power! You can talk with authority with My power through the Holy Spirit! Take the step! Don’t look back!! Don’t be afraid!” As my advocate resides inside me, it is the constant encouragement and reassurance that I ask for.

  8. With the assurance that the Lord had left another counselor to guide me all the days of my life I am SURE that I will go through the difficult times with Him!
    I was afraid of the uncertainties of the future but this assurance alone makes me have joy in my heart and my troubles are trivilized.

  9. I need to be reminded..I want to focus only on Him..Not the fears in my life..I need the Holy Spirit to remember that God is in control…I am a child of His..That alone is monumental to me..I am having struggles with faith,, to really believe that He loves me too!! Its such a wonderful part of my journey with Him..I need the Holy Spirit to always be there to remind me of who I am now,, as His child and to always be aware of the lies Satan is trying to win me back with>>How easy it is to flip back into the pit of despair!! clinging on to Christ and making every day a fresh new start with Christ and knowing that The Holy Spirit is with me is just as overwhelming as thinking He loves me too…Every day He shows His love to me …..

  10. >>I need the Holy Spirit to help me remember that God is in Comtrol<<< NOT that the Holy Spirit needs to remember!! (SORRY) I have to really be more careful!!! There is so much ,,I am really not a very smart person!!!

  11. I need to know what God wants me to do with the remainder of my life. In which I have been praying about for over a year now.

  12. i seek GODS guidance in all i do. I am answering my call to evangilize and I need GOD to show me what HE wants me to do I feel led toward teens but I want to be sure that is what GOD is clling me to do. I love the LORD JESUS and praise HIS holy name for all HE has done for me and want to do all I can for JESUS. I know JESUS has flled me with the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD so that I can do what HE has called me to do. It is amazing how GOD, JESUS and the HOLY SPIRIT are ONE GOD and one part of GOD is with me always. GOD bless

  13. I need real heart knowledge of the Truth that “Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world” and the same spirit that rose Jesus from the dead lives in me. I need His light inside of me to keep away the darkness that surrounds me everyday and tries to invade my thoughts, my moods, my attitude. I need Him to help me to keep my spirit aligned with His so I can hear Him speaking.

  14. Sometimes I need GOD to fill me with His comfort and assurance so that I know that everything is going to be all right.

  15. I need gods council daily
    I need him to help me overcome fears and doubts, to help me control my anger and to help me understand how much he loves me, something i often doubt.

  16. WOW! Good question, I seem to be at a crossroad. don’t really know what to do. I can’t say definitively that I hear clearly what the Counselor is saying to me. I would like to know – then perhaps I am hearing and just do not know how to make a distinction. Holy Advocate, help me!

  17. What do I need from God, my advocate and comforter, at this time in my life? Specifically, I need help in finding a job so I can stay where I am for the summer instead of going elsewhere, which would be an unhealthy place for me to go. So, I guess I need comfort and someone to be my advocate because I am really worried about this situation. Yeah, that’s what I need.

  18. I am a resident in a nursing home and my inspirational story took place while in the nursing home . I was in a lot of pain every time I sat in my wheelchair any length of time. As a result, I was not able to go anywhere . The only time I was comfortable was in my recliner. one day while I was in church, I felt like I should pray for God to take away the pain. HE DID , instantly . Then I never had anymore pain in that leg again. PRAISE THE LORD. So now I believe in answered prayers.

  19. So often I am reminded throughout this email that the Holy Spirit dwells within me and what a relief in knowing that I am never alone. What may be perceived as the most trying times of all, I am never alone. How much more close can you request for the holy of the most holiest to dwell other than in the heart of the child of God?

    It is so easy for our eyes to drift away from the Calvary ahead with so many distractions all around but then there is that Holy Spirit inside of you, nudging you and redirecting you back to where you belong on this road called life.

  20. What I need from God is to see what the Holy Spirit has reveiled to me be received in the Life of those who claim to be Christians, and that is this, A total understanding of the New Covenant That we live in today of Gods total Love and Grace, without the Old Covenant Law added! You can’t co-mingel Law and Grace. If you add anything to Gods perfect love, You make a Law, which you can’t keep, and you die again, the wages of sin is Death. We can’t mix Law and Grace, for when we do it kills us. Paul said that the Law was fine and good, but when it flowed threw me it Killed me. Paul couldn’t keep it nor could anyone. Praise Jesus that we came into this world Forgiven People, But in need of life, and when we humble us, and receive the gift of Life from God, we are Redeemed, and Receive that what he Jesus Died for to give us, the Forgiveness of Sins, plural. The Sin unto Spiritual Death is what Jesus said is this, That the world’s Sin Singular, is unbelief in Me Jesus who took away completely the Sins plural of the world.

  21. Charlene A.Williams

    What I need today as an advocate, New Conselor and comfort is more of his presence in my everyday life. This world today is so troubled and misguided by false prophets and so called christians its difficult and truly a struggle to always walk the walk and talk the talk. I believe and have faith I know God’s Love is always with me but at times I need him to step in instantly turn me around and help me to get back into formation. As i’m commenting, it justcame to me, he has been doing this all the time it my conscious and inner voice that i need to get in tune with his my father speaking to me.

  22. I am an older guy and have walked with Jesus for a long time…..50+ years. That said, my greatest growth in my walk has come over the past 12 years of my life. Up to 12 years ago, my walk had become mostly on my own and not allowing Him to take me by the hand and guide me. 12 years ago God brought me to me knees with 3 very major tragedies….divorce, death of a close friend (my dad), and the loss of my career…. It took theses to make me realize how much I needed God/the Holy Spirit in my life EVERYDAY! I had drifted far from God prior to these events. From that time forward, my walk has become stronger and stronger…..I still struggle with doubts at times as any Christian does but my relationship with Jesus is the center and driving force of my life…. My story and trials have continued …. I have made 2 major moves and job related changes since 2002 and currently I am going through yet another job change and move. This current change/move is not yet “settled”… I need time to save more….the potential new job is not certain yet i know I have to move because I am currently work for an uncle and aunt (I am a nurse) and they have decided to go ahead and move to a nursing home and they will be selling their home….I have no real idea of the timing of all this yet I know I must move (I love in their home). The move I want to make with the possibility of a job is in a city where my children/grandchildren live.

    So now I must trust God that He does want me to go where my family is. I have prayed for this possibility for the past 3 years…. Now I must trust that God will provide for this move…..

    I say all this to make a point that as a believer, having the Holy Spirit at you side guiding you through all the ups and downs in your life is critical! I have come to realize that as a believer I must always pray “believing” and not pray “hoping”.

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