Our scripture for today is lifted from Act chapter 1:8: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Let us pray…….
The Holy Spirit is third person of the Trinity. He works in perfect coordination and alignment with the Father and the Son. In fact, all three are fully God and together accomplish God’s purposes.
The Holy Spirit magnifies God’s truths, explains the deeper meanings of His truths and expounds on how these truths impact our lives and others. If you ask me it’s a deep transformation really from the inside out.
The Holy Spirit, transforms our thoughts, intentions, and purposes to be Intune with the truths of God so that we can be empowered to live like Christ.
So today, we will dive into the deep truths of the Holy Spirit in-order to prepare us to ACCELERATE in our walk with GOD, transformed by Grace through FAITH!
Let’s get started. Please open your bibles to John Chapter 14 and we’ll begin in Verse 16.
Now a little bit of a background here.
Jesus just told his disciples that He was leaving them. This news brought about some confusion and sadness amongst his followers. But along with this announcement was a promise – the promise of the Holy Spirit – the spirit of truth.
But a question arises: IF JESUS is going away, how will they hear, fully understand, or even remember what He has said? Well he answers that question in John Chapter 14 V 16-18
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
The Holy Spirit will counsel them. Just as they have found every word of Jesus to be a rock-solid foundation for their lives, so the Holy Spirit will be the same -- HE will be their ADVOCATE. SAY ADVOCATE! The original greek translations is PARAKLETOS
Well the truth is translators have had difficulty in finding a single English word to adequately translate the Greek word Parakletos. Which truly means "One who is called alongside to assist". What a wonderful meaning right! Now this does not mean the Holy Spirit does the work - It means the Holy Spirit works inside US and through US.
PARAKLETOS: "One who is called alongside to assist".
Parakletos - The Counselor
As our Counselor, He teaches and helps us understand the WAYS of God for He is the Spirit of TRUTH!
**You know, the greatest challenge in the lives of many today is making the right decision. I mean, it’s easy to make decisions - It’s hard to make the right decisions all the time right?
Why is this so - Well because we live in the world of information overload! Our minds are filled with too much of everything. It’s increasingly difficult to separate relevant DATA from NOISE. It’s harder to discern TRUTH from LIE.
And so Many people FEAR making the wrong choice or taking the risk. I’ll tell you - IT was simpler to make a decision before than nowadays.
Example 1: Before, you see a girl you like. You court her, you bring her out on a date. You express your love for her and then she decides to be in a relationship with you - girlfriend and boyfriend.
Thats not how it is, nowadays.
Now it’s:
“Let’s hang out.”
“Let’s see where this goes.”
“We’re talking.” “We touching” “We’re holding hands” Then we’re kissing na, then we’re having sex already.
BUT “We’re not exclusive.” . Just hanging out with benefits. Not even close friends.
Then suddenly: your ghosted. Now for those of you who doesn’t understand what ghosted means - ask your children.
Decisions aren’t decisions anymore—they’re open-ended options.
No wonder people are more confused, more anxious, and more paralyzed than ever before.
Example 2: Decision to get married. You’re in a relationship, you have a partner. But you cant decide whether you want to get married, tie the note and move on! No no. You want to keep it open, just incase. I hear people tell me magastos kasi magpakasal! No it not! You just can’t make up your mind if she or he is the right one! You want to keep your options OPEN!
Decisions aren’t decisions anymore—they’re open-ended options.
Example 3: Decision to move on. For some of you, the struggle is career. Maybe you’ve been in the same job for years. It’s secure. It pays the bills. You know the ins and outs. But deep down, something’s stirring.
You’re wondering if it’s time to move.
To try something new.
To step into a different kind of calling.
But then fear creeps in.
“What if it’s the wrong move?”
“What if I leave and regret it?”
“What if I fail?”
And so you stay… not because you’re called to stay, but because you’re scared to move! Your COMFORTABLE where you ARE na!
Decisions aren’t decisions anymore—they’re open-ended options.
The devil has deeply planted FEAR in our hearts that FAITH doesnt even have a say! And this my dear brothers and sisters, is where the PARAKLETOS comes in!
And let me tell you, in this confusing world where every voice has an opinion, every app has an algorithm, and every headline screams for attention—
you need a voice that cuts through the noise. You need to know the TRUTH!
That’s the Holy Spirit.
When you’re not sure if you should take the job or stay…
When you’re deciding to start a business or not…..
When you’re asking, “Is this relationship right for me?”
When you’re a parent trying to guide your child…..
The Holy Spirit is not far up in heaven —He walks with you. He whispers wisdom. He tells you what to do and He brings peace of JESUS!
The Holy Spirit tells you —— “This is the way. Walk in it.”
- Isaiah 30:21
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
That’s the power of the Parakletos.
He doesn’t just guide you after you’ve made the decision—He helps you in the deciding.
He speaks peace in the middle of uncertainty.
He brings clarity when everything else is foggy.
His still small voice will be louder in your heart:
“This is the door to walk through.”
Or, “Not yet. Wait.”
Or sometimes—“Stay … continue what you are doing.”
MESS OF our own MAKING:
The CHALLENGE is, many Christians nowadays have become so impatient about their situation. They have fallen into many scams of GET QUICK RICK SCHEMES because of impatience or wanting to get out of a dire situation. There are Christians who would borrow money to invest in so called money making programs and end up owing more money when everything falls apart. Then they blame others about their dire situation! Or blame the Devil for the deception! No, you deceived yourself. You didnt heed the counsel of the Holy Spirit!
Or some Christians get in business with other Christians, thinking it’s a safe bet anyway, this brother of christ will not cheat me in business he has integrity! And then 3 months down the line, you find out that he’s been stealing for the company.
You see when you heed the counsel of the Holy Spirit -
HE strengthens you by FAITH. He’s not just with you. He’s for you.
Parakletos - The Comforter
Now, when we hear the word comforter, we often picture someone offering a hug, a tissue, or a pat on the back—right? Like a friend who sits with you while you cry and says, “It’s okay, just let it go.”
But that’s not the full picture here.
You see, the word Comforter actually comes from the Latin word “confortare,” which means “to strengthen deeply.”
Confortare: “to strengthen deeply.”
Powerful diba? HE comforts by injecting strength.
He doesn’t sit beside you and say, “It’s okay to give up.” Which are really words that SOMETIMES gives us a good excuse to give up!
But rather – the Holy Spirit – with supernatural strength – encourages and enables us to carry on, to move forward, to press on!
He says, “Get up—I’m with you. You’re not alone. Let’s go forward together.”
That’s the kind of Comforter we have in the Spirit of God.
When your heart is breaking from disappointment, betrayal, or loss—the Holy Spirit doesn’t hand you a Band-Aid. He meets you right there, in the middle of your weakness, and pours in strength to keep going.
the Bible says when Samuel was grieving the loss of King Saul. After a few days, God told him to stand up and move!
When you’ve been betrayed in marriage—left abandoned, wounded, devastated—and instead of spiraling into bitterness or despair, the Holy Spirit gives you the supernatural strength to forgive, to rebuild your identity in Christ, and to walk in healing… that’s the Comforter at work.
When you’re a business owner who’s lost everything in a financial collapse, and while the world says “cut your losses,” the Holy Spirit strengthens you to stand up, trust God, start from scratch, and run your business with renewed integrity and faith—that’s the Comforter.
When you’re a single mom working 12 hours daily, yet barely making ends meet, but you still gather your kids to pray every night, to speak blessing over them, and to remind them of God’s faithfulness—that’s divine strength. That’s the Comforter at your side.
When you’re persecuted at work or school for your faith, and instead of shrinking back, you speak the truth in love, risking reputation and relationship because you know whose you are—that is the Comforter strengthening your courage.
That’s what the Holy Spirit does.
The PARAKLETOS does not WATCH your BATTLE - He steps into the fire with you.
He doesn’t just tell you to hang in there—He says, “Stand. I’ve got you. Now go. We’re not done yet.”
Remember the words of God in Isaiah 41:10
“So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Church, That’s not a suggestion, that’s a promise.
When the fear is loud and the future feels uncertain—He whispers, “Do not fear… I am your God.”
This is confortare—the Holy Spirit coming alongside you as the Parakletos and lifting you up when you can’t lift yourself.
Hallelujah!
And finally we come to the third Characteristic of the PARAKLETOS:
Parakletos - The Corrector.
Lets continue with our verse - John 16:8-11
“ 8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.”
Yes, we talked about the PARACLETOS being our Counselor - guiding us in making the right decisions in life! HE is the COMFORTER - in the stricter sense, He motivates, encourages, gives us strength to MOVE ON, to pick up the pieces, to not give up! And finally He is the CORRECTOR. In His role as the corrector,
The HOLY SPIRIT convicts us of 3 important truths.
? Conviction of SIN
? Conviction of RIGHTEOUSNESS
? Conviction of JUDGMENT
Conviction of SIN
Brothers and sisters - these THREE are tied together - Sin - Righteousness - Judgement.
Let me tell ask you one question: What do you think is the greatest SIN in the world? Pride? Greed? Murder? Rape? Lust? Wickedness? Injustice? - While all of this are sinful, yes - all of them fall under the umbrella of Moral Failures. BUT the greatest sin in the world is UNBELIEF IN CHRIST!
The Holy Spirit exposes humanity’s ultimate sin: Unbelief in Christ
This is where the Holy Spirit comes in to correct our thinking! Because this all boils down to RIGHTEOUSNESS and JUDGEMENT. Why do I say that - You can be the most supposedly holiest art though person in the world - someone who will say - I have never done anything wrong in life - I have not killed anyone, I have not stolen anything, I have volunteered in many organizations - feeding the poor, giving donations, raising children, adopting orphans, I put myself to schools, put my siblings to school. I’ve not done anything wrong. Some would even add, I’ve never touched drugs, alcohol, or even smoked. I’ve never had ilicite relationships - wala kong habit, wala akong bad habits!
I’m loyal to one wife! I have lived a life of generosity, graciousness and love and service to one another! You can say all this but the question remains Do You Believe in JESUS CHRIST?
So AMAR - you mean to say - even if I live a righteous life - but dont believe in Christ – When I die, I wont go to HEAVEN?
I will still go to HELL? Yes?
Even the Monks who live in isolation in the mountains, living a life of apparently no sin - BUT don’t believe in Christ - will go to hell –
YES! But how is that fair? How will they know JESUS if they were born in a cave, was raised in a cave, grew up and died in a cave without any access to civilization? My answer to you is this - if you believe that GOD can make the impossible possible, if He can raise the dead back to life, don’t you think he can make dry bones speak, don’t you think he cannot make rocks shout out the Glory of GOD?
Luke 19:40
“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
Isaiah 55:12
11so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it. 12You will indeed go out with joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
Come on now! Read your bibles brothers and sisters -
Rejecting Christ as the way to eternal life, Rejecting Christ as the way to heaven, Rejecting Christ as GOD the Son, Equal To God, Have the same Authority of God! Rejecting Jesus as Lord and Savior of All is the greatest sin of Man!
Isaiah 64:6
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;?we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
Romans 3:23-24
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
So now we come to Conviction of RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Conviction of RIGHTEOUSNESS.
So All I have to do is believe in the LORD JESUS. Nothing else nothing more! I dont have to do good anymore, since all my righteousness are filthy RAGS anyway, walang silbe! You got it all wrong my dear friends!
Your righteousness will not bring you to heaven. Christ Righteousness, imputed in you, by the power of His blood, ushers you into the presence of GOD. Christ has given you new life, a new identity, you are born again not of this earth, born again as a Citizen of Heaven.
So what is the right response to this? The right response is Living a Righteous life!
Out of our Love for GOD, as a result of his imputed righteousness, we act out in love to others, by serving others, in appreciation to Him, we treat our bodies as the temple of the Holy Spirit - so we care for ourselves, our health, our habits. We care for others, just as Christ loved us!
Righteous living is our response of gratitude to God!
Galatians 5:13-26 Sums this all up:
Lets read that:
Life by the Spirit
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
And Finally - ?
CONVICTION of JUDGMENT.
11 “and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.”
When JESUS came to earth. The devil went through all sorts of strategies to kill the infant JESUS! The devil knew that the first coming of the Messiah is a fulfillment of prophecy! Obviously the devil does not want this prophesy fulfilled. Why? Well for one because HE didn’t want JESUS to tell us the truth - and that is what verse 11 says here:
about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.”
JESUS exposed Satans defeat. Satans power is limited, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire for eternity. For Christians, the PARAKLETOS is empowering us from a seat of VICTORY, Satan is already a defeated foe, he is destined to damnation, to hell, to eternal torment. That means, that Satans threats are empty, they are all but lies!
The Holy Spirit as the corrector emphasizes the truth about HELL! Hell is real, Judgement is real! Jesus will come back to judge the living and the dead. When Jesus comes back He will not come back from His mercy seat, He will come back as the Just Judge, Peircing through the hearts and minds of all people. Whose side are you on, Church? Judgement will come. Believers will be separated from Unbelievers. The Wheat from the Tares. The Sheep From the Goats, Light and Darkness, Goodness and Evil! IT will be a clear and stark separation! One goes to heaven the other is destined for HELL. Which side are you on?
Judgment Day is real. The day of the LORD is real. HELL and HEAVEN are real! You know, believe it or not, many people DO NOT believe in the concept of HELL or JUDGEMENT! They just view GOD as a loving, merciful. Forgiving GOD! YES, HE is all that, but what is Mercy without JUDGEMENT? They are both mutually exclusive. Say MERCY and JUSTICE!
One of the most vivid and sobering descriptions of hell in Scripture is found in Mark 9:43-48, where Jesus Himself warns about its eternal and unquenchable nature:
"If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’"
1. Unquenchable Fire – Hell is not annihilation but eternal, conscious punishment.
2. Undying Worm – A graphic image of eternal decay and torment (likely referencing Isaiah 66:24).
3. Worse Than Mutilation – Jesus says it’s better to lose body parts than to enter hell—showing its unspeakable horror.
Brothers and Sisters - where are you destined to go when you die? This is a serious question. Everyone dies! Everything is left behind. It will just be you and JESUS - face to face -
Deuteronomy 30:18
18 I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
As we end church. The PARAKLETOS is giving you a Choice:
ALTAR CALL…
Romans 10:9 says this:
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile —the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
If you want to experience the goodness and love of GOD in your life today and for eternity.
LORD, I surrender my life to you today. I am a sinner in need of your help. Forgive me LORD for my sins and I confess that only you LORD JESUS have died on the cross for me, and rose from the dead for me. Thank you Jesus for reconciling me back to GOD. Thank you JESUS for the gift of eternal life with GOD. Amen!
Welcome to the kingdom of GOD! God’s Supernatural Grace is available to you!
