As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

                                                                                                                     Matthew 3:11

Today: Read Matthew 3

John the Baptist was sent to work on behalf of God prior to Jesus’ earthly ministry. Our passage today informs us that part of this work was to baptize people for repentance while waiting on the greater work that God would do after Jesus’ earthly life by sending the Holy Spirit to assist every believer. Repentance is defined as “changing one’s mind.” When we come to Jesus, we do so on the basis of what Christ has already done for us by becoming our atoning sacrifice. Baptism then follows as an outward testimony of an inward change. But this is just the beginning to the Christian life. For the rest of our lives we have the privilege of being led by God. The Holy Spirit is the very presence of God in your life. So let’s look at just a few of the descriptors used for the Holy Spirit.

(1) The Holy Spirit is our Helper. Perhaps you have participated in running a race. Regardless of the distance, you have to have the mental focus to continue running even when it becomes difficult. All throughout the race, you pass people who are standing along side the route. As you go by, the people cheer and shout words of encouragement: “Keep going”, “You can do it”, “We believe in you!” As you near the finish line, the size of the crowd seems to increase and there is even more encouragement for you not to stop but to continue all the way through to the finish line. That is exactly what the role of the Holy Spirit is in the life of a born again believer. He is our Helper. He consoles us and comforts us in the tough times and moves us to greater works for the kingdom. The world cannot accept Him because they do not see Him or know Him (John 14:16-17), but for the Christian, He is a mighty Helper!

(2) The Holy Spirit is our Teacher (John 14:26). I’ve always been amazed at reactions to the Bible. People either dive into it and depend on its truth or they avoid it like the plague. Anytime I hear someone question the authority or dependability of the Bible, I sadly realize that they are speaking without the aid of the Holy Spirit. One of the great hallmarks of the Christian life is cherishing, appreciating, and depending on the Bible and its authority in our lives. Truly this book is the very Word of God, living and active and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of our hearts (Hebrews 4:12). The Holy Spirit acts as Teacher by opening up the words on the pages of scripture and teaching us truths for us to apply in our daily lives!

(3) The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth (John 15:26). Jesus didn’t come to create a way to eternal life rather He said I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Eternal life is defined by knowing God the Father and Jesus Christ whom He has sent (John 17:3). To know Jesus personally is to have the capacity to discern truth from lies. We are able to recognize God’s handiwork as well as identify when the enemy is wreaking havoc. The Holy Spirit gives us spiritual eyes to see what the rest of the world is helpless to acknowledge, that Jesus Christ is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

(4) Finally, the Holy Spirit is our Advocate (1 John 2:1). Just like a defense attorney represents a defendant in a court of law, Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven and acts as our Advocate. It is because of Jesus that we can approach God’s throne of grace with confidence (Hebrew 4:16), knowing that He understands us (Psalm 103:14), and that He has walked in our shoes. He can sympathize with our weakness and because of this becomes an effective Advocate when we stray from God’s best for our lives (Hebrews 4:15). The Holy Spirit is your guarantee that your sins have been forgiven and that you now belong to God through Jesus Christ!

The Holy Spirit gives us spiritual fuel, empowering us to live our lives for God. Spend the rest of your day praising God, celebrating, and living in the power of the Holy Spirit!