The Amplified Bible uses six names to describe the person of the Holy Spirit. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby) that he may remain with you forever” (John 14:16).

Consider the Spirit’s powerful resources available for you to live a life honoring to God:

Imagine how our lives could change if we chose to live every moment in the power of the Counselor-Comforter-Helper-Intercessor-Advocate-Strengthener-Standby Person of the Holy Spirit. Dear reader, please don’t just think of the Holy Spirit working only in extraordinary ways in major events. He can and does do that, of course. Rather, think of him living through you in every moment of life. There is nothing you face alone... absolutely nothing!

“The Holy Spirit whom he has caused to dwell in us yearns over us — and he yearns for the Spirit [to be welcome] — with a jealous love” (James 4:5 AMP). James offers to us a picture of God yearning over his people, eager to fill us with his Holy Spirit, more eager than we are to be filled. This being true, take courage, for it means that God is willing to do everything in his power to enable us to live a Spirit-filled life.

My prayer is that the Holy Ghost will become a Holy Guest — a permanent guest in your life. When you asked Jesus Christ into your heart, the Holy Spirit sealed your adoption into God’s family. You received all of the Holy Spirit there is to receive! The Holy Spirit does not manifest himself in stages. Since he is a person, you cannot get him in little pieces. You either have the Holy Spirit or you dont. As you grow in love with your Lord, you learn to know and trust more in the person of the Holy Spirit in your life. The Spirit’s is there in all his power — learn to trust in his indwelling power.

We often think of the Holy Spirit in relationship only to the Pentecost experience at the birth of the early Church. Realize that:

Isaiah prophesied about the Holy Spirit’s work in the life of Jesus in Isaiah 61:1-3. This same Holy Spirit indwells us to do his work in today’s world.

Anne Graham Lotz’s book Just Give Me Jesus gives her insights about the person of the Holy Spirit.

Paul encourages us to be filled to all the fullness of God and to be filled with the Spirit. In Ephesians 5:18, he says: “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.” That can be translated, “be being filled.” That is a process. In my life, it is a constant process. The secret of “being filled” is simply this: we must live in instant confession of any sin in which the Holy Spirit brings conviction and respond in instant obedience to what the Holy Spirit reveals to us. Simply put, we submit, trust, and obey. “Delayed obedience” is “disobedience.”

Dear reader, please don’t think of the Holy Spirit working only in extraordinary ways or in major events. The Holy Spirit clothes us with himself! He is in us, around us, behind us, beside us, before us, under us, over us, through us. What more do we need?

God has given you his Holy Spirit to enable you to live according to his perfect plan. As you depend on him, he will “strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being” (Ephesians 3:16-17). Why not pray this suggested prayer today? As you pray, remember that God cares not so much about your words as the intent of your heart.

Dear Father, I need you. I acknowledge that I have sinned against you by directing my own life. I thank you that you have forgiven my sins through Christ’s death on the cross for me. I now invite Christ to again take his place on the throne of my life. Fill me with the Holy Spirit as you commanded me to be filled, and as you promised in your Word that you would do if I asked in faith. I pray this in the name of Jesus. As an expression of my faith, I thank you for directing my life and for filling me with the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Excerpted from Empowered by Esther Burroughs (Birmingham, AL: New Hope Publishers, 2003). Used by permission.

Photo Credit: Thomas Kelley