Holy Spirit Our Personal advocate by Mike D'silva Back
Holy Spirit - Our Personal advocate
The greatest gift from God to every Christian is the gift of the Holy Spirit as our personal advocate (John 14:26). Although it's a profound gift, it's often least understood and sometimes difficult to comprehend. One reason is that all religions have an invisible god and the concept of incarnation. This makes it easier to grasp the concept of God the Father and God the Son, Jesus. The Holy Spirit, as part of the Trinity, is unique to Christianity, whereas other religions, like Judaism (Ruach HaKodesh) and Islam (Ruh al-Qudus), view the holy spirit as inspiration for prophets.
The Holy Spirit was with God from the time of creation . Genesis 1:2, which reads, "And the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters". The Hebrew word for "Spirit" here, ruakh, can also mean "breath" or "wind," highlighting the invisible, powerful, and animating force of God.
In Genesis 2:7 , Some scholars and theologians see the "breath of life" as a direct reference to the Holy Spirit, while others see it as a more general term for God's divine energy or spirit. Yet we can infer that the Holy Spirit was active from the time of creation of mankind.
We Christians believe the Holy Spirit is our personal advocate from baptism to our last breath.
In practical life, we all have personal or family advocate. We go to them to seek advice when required to make any major decision. We do not go to them for little matters, why they are busy and expensive too. But imagine having an advocate in the family or a inhouse law team. Wont we go to them for each and every matter however insignificant or serious it is. Why, we treat them as our personal advisor available to us all the time.
In the same way do we go to the Holy Spirit in every occasion whether small or big. Yes, we would if we understand that he is my personal advocate available to me 24/7 waiting for me to be a helper as in John 15:26
To cultivate awareness of the Holy Spirit's presence as our personal Advocate we could have some of these practice :
1. Prayer: Regular, heartfelt conversations with God instead of it just being a routine task.
2. Scripture: Reflecting on biblical teachings so that it helps me in my daily practical life and ask the Holy Spirits guidance.
3. Mindfulness: Being present in daily life, and seeking God's guidance through the Holy Spirit.
Seeking guidance of the Holy Spirit involves:
1. Pausing to pray before making choices.
2. Reflecting on values and principles aligned with faith.
3. Listening to inner promptings or intuition.
While this is easy said than done because many a times its also difficult to differentiate what is the prompting of the Holy Spirit and whats from my own thoughts. At these time it good to follow these
Balancing trust and discernment:
1. Seeking counsel from spiritual mentors or peers.
2. Weighing decisions against biblical principles.
3. Trusting in God's sovereignty while exercising personal responsibility.
Additional practices:
1. Journaling prayers, reflections, and insights. Making a note of the reflection for future reference is a best way for spritual growth.
2. Gratitude practice, focusing on blessings. This will not only help us be greatful to God but help us solve many mental health issues.
3. Community, sharing experiences and insights with fellow believers is the best way of not only being a witness to Gods love, it will also encourage our brethren to understand the power of the Holy Spirit.
"By embracing these practices and surrendering to the Holy Spirit's guidance, we can experience a deeper, more intimate relationship with God, navigating life's challenges with wisdom, peace, and confidence. This way we continually seek the Holy Spirit's counsel, trusting in His goodness and sovereignty, and our lives reflect the transformative power of His presence."
Written by: Mike D'silva /Kottara Ward
