This devotion is our invitation into deeper fellowship with the Holy Spirit. He is the promised gift we celebrate at Pentecost.
Paraklétos (παράκλητος) is the Greek word John uses in recording Jesus’ teaching on the Holy Spirit. It only occurs 5 times in the New Testament (John 14:16, 26, 15:26, 16:7; 1 John 2:1) It is very difficult to find one English word that expresses the full meaning of Paraklétos. We will spend these few days looking at the various translations of this word and how each word speaks to the person of the Holy Spirit.
DAY 3 • HOLY SPIRIT: COMFORTER
PAUSE IN HIS PRESENCE
Take 1-2 minutes of stillness and silence to focus your scattered senses on the presence of God.
READ
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; (John 14:16 KJV)
REFLECT
Yes! This is the same verse we used on Day One. The KJV, which was published in 1611, translates Paraklétos as Comforter. Three hundred years earlier, John Wycliffe brought the English word Comforter as a then present-day translation of the Greek word ‘paraklétos’.
In the 14th century, the root significance of the word Comforter was strength. Strength is not normally what we associate with the definition of comfort. We think more along the lines of consolation. But to Wycliffe that the word conveyed the ideas of strengthener, helper, is very clear from the way he translated Philippians 4:13 as I can do all things through Christ who comforts me.
CONVERSATION WITH GOD
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Pray for the comforting strength and presence of the Holy Spirit for someone you know facing a difficult situation.
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Pray for the Holy Spirit to show you where you can yield more fully to His strength and see His presence at work as your Comforter.
CLOSING
As I walk through this day, I take this truth with me:
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I can do all things through Christ who comforts me (Philippians 4:13)
Thank you that the Holy Spirit is with me and dwells in me (John 14:17b).