Chapter 183—Christ’s Promise of the Spirit
I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he
may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth.
John 14:16, 17
.
Before offering Himself as the sacrificial victim, Christ sought for the
most essential and complete gift to bestow upon His followers, a gift that
would bring within their reach the boundless resources of grace. “I will pray
the Father,” He said, “and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may
abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot
receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for
he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you orphans: I
will come to you” (
John 14:16-18
, margin).
Before this the Spirit had been in the world; from the very beginning of
the work of redemption He had been moving upon men’s hearts. But while
Christ was on earth, the disciples had desired no other helper. Not until they
were deprived of His presence would they feel their need of the Spirit, and
then He would come.
The Holy Spirit is Christ’s representative, but divested of the personality
of humanity, and independent thereof. Cumbered with humanity, Christ
could not be in every place personally. Therefore it was for their interest
that He should go to the Father, and send the Spirit to be His successor on
earth. No one could then have any advantage because of his location or his
personal contact with Christ. By the Spirit the Saviour would be accessible
to all. In this sense He would be nearer to them than if he had not ascended
on high.
This promise belongs to us now as surely as it belonged to the disciples....
Let every church member kneel before God, and pray earnestly for the
impartation of the Spirit. Cry, “Lord, increase my faith. Make me to
understand Thy word; for the entrance of Thy word giveth light. Refresh me
by Thy presence. Fill my heart with Thy Spirit.”
At all times and in all places, in all sorrows and in all afflictions, when
the outlook seems dark and the future perplexing, and we feel helpless and
alone, the Comforter will be sent in answer to the prayer of faith.
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