Help on steroids is an understatement …

If you’ve ever had a friend you KNEW, without a shadow of a doubt, that you could count on for help when needed, you probably considered yourself to be greatly blessed.

William Tecumseh Sherman, the Civil War Union Army general, had that kind of friend, who also happened to be his boss — Ulysses S. Grant, who was the Commanding General of of the Union Army. In 1865, Sherman noted such confidence in his friend and commander when he wrote in a letter, “I knew wherever I was that you thought of me, and if I got in a tight place you would come, if alive.”

That’s an abundance of confidence! In the midst of an ugly and difficult war, Sherman was sure that, as long as Grant was alive, he would come to Sherman’s help if it was needed.

It sounds great to have such a friend and helper, but we Christians have something even better. Every day of our lives is an ongoing spiritual war, yet we have a Friend who is so committed to helping us that Jesus refers to Him as “the Helper.”

That’s quite an identification!

But that’s the Holy Spirit, He is our Helper in every aspect of living for Christ, even to the point of living in every believer to enable and empower us to be faithful, victorious disciples of Jesus …

“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 that I said to you,” John 14:26 (NASB).

Having the Holy Spirit living in us and leading us into all truth is like help on steroids, only greater! There are many ways the Holy Spirit helps us, here are just a few …

• • The Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8).
  • The Spirit guides us into all truth (John 16:13).
  • The Spirit regenerates us (John 3:5-8; Titus 3:5).
  • The Spirit glorifies and testifies of Christ (John 15:26; 16:14).
  • The Spirit reveals Christ to us and in us (John 16:14-15).
  • The Spirit leads us (Rom. 8:14; Gal. 5:18).
  • The Spirit sanctifies us (2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:2).
  • The Spirit empowers us (Luke 24:49; Rom. 15:19; Acts 1:8).
  • The Spirit teaches us to pray (Rom. 8:26-27; Jude 1:20).
  • The Spirit produces in us the fruit or evidence of His work and presence (Gal. 5:22-23).

Have you developed an intimate friendship with the Holy Spirit? Is He the great Helper in your life? Let me encourage you to add to this list of ways the Holy Spirit helps Christians by spending time in the Bible studying who the Holy Spirit is and how He helps us as Christians. Have you learned to rely on the leading and help of the Holy Spirit?

Scotty