Introduction: I came across a message Pastor and scholar John Piper preached on our text and what he had to say reverberated in my heart. For the past year or so, God has been given me an ever increasing passion for those who are lost in their sin, for those who are heading for a Christless eternity. It seems this same passion had invaded John Piper’s heart. This is how he describes it. It’s a bit long, but well worth the listen.

•    The logic of love is irresistible. If I love the lost I will seek to save them from perishing. If I love the glory of God I will work to overcome the worldwide                 ignorance and belittling of that glory.

•    The blinders are beginning to fall off of my eyes and the bombshells of the unseen war are beginning to explode with terrible brightness all around me. I am                 coming   to see the peacetime mentality that dominates our church…as a tactical victory of Satan—the result of a kind of nerve gas from Satan's arsenal…that         gives the soldiers of Christ a kind of stupor… and eventually puts them to sleep at the gates of the enemy...

•    Who but Satan could devise a…weapon which when spread over the army of Christ would make them content simply to hold worship services and support             groups at the door of Satan's dungeon?

•    Picture the Allied troops landing in Germany, marching victoriously toward the smoke from the ovens of Dachau, and then stopping at the gates, setting up camp     and having a big Bavarian beer bust to celebrate while the Gestapo finishes murdering 5,000 Jews behind the gates.

•    Satan is satisfied with all our religious activity as long as it does not move us to break down those gates to rescue the perishing.

•    Therefore, at the top of my agenda these days has been the question: how can I get myself and the church awake to a wartime mentality? Is there some way to         break the spell?

•    Picture a great army asleep with mighty weapons in their limp hands and armor in their tents. Picture them sleeping in the fields all around one of Satan's strongholds. Suddenly, an eyelid blinks, a head lifts and looks around. Then another and another.

•    A strange awakening spreads through the field. Muscles are flexed. Armor fitted. Swords sharpened. Eyes meet with silent excitement. The light in the                     commander's tent goes on, the generals gather and the strategy for the attack is laid.

•    What has happened? The Holy Spirit has begun to move upon the armies of the Lord. "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light     … Do not be drunk with Bavarian beer but be filled with the Holy Spirit … Put on the whole armor of God … and take the sword of the Spirit which is the word     of God … Keep alert … and help each other be bold" (Eph. 5:14,18; 6:11,17-19). (John Piper)

To put it simply, John Piper is saying that we need to engage the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in our churches is we hope to build the Kingdom of God, together.

The reason for his concern and mine is that except for a few denominations, the Holy Spirit has been ‘the neglected member of the God head.’ What I mean by that is many Christians know about God as their loving Heavenly Father, and the Lord Jesus as their Risen Savior, but they don’t know much about the indwelling presence and awesome power of the Holy Spirit.

It’s little wonder, as Piper says, that the Church and many Christians are weak and powerless in their ministries and lives. Many Christians, good people, are struggling hard to serve God and navigate this existence we call life. But
    •    It’s impossible to effectively serve God,
    •    It’s impossible to effectively build the Kingdom of God,
    •    It’s impossible to navigate the complexities of life
without acknowledging the presence or appropriating the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit in our lives. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE! Yet, it’s how many well meaning Christians live.

Why is that? Why do we resist the Holy Spirit in our Church and lives? Perhaps it comes down to ignorance and fear.

First
    •    We don’t take the time to get to know the Holy Spirit intellectually through Bible Study or experientially through prayer.
Second
    •    We take what we’ve heard or seen on religious TV and decide it’s not for us.
    •    We’re conservative, we’re reserved and disciplined in our worship of God. We don’t want any tongues, swaying, falling down, raising hands and dancing in             the  aisles.
•    Ignorance and fear

I suppose some of this is justified. But, I believe we need to get past the doctrinal and practical abuses and get to know  and experience the Holy Spirit. After all, if you’re a Christian, if you’ve asked Jesus into your life…who do you think is in you? The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity.

ILL: D. L Moody once said ‘You might as well try to hear w/o ears, or breath w/o lungs, as try to live a Christian life w/o the Spirit of God in your heart.’

Is the Holy Spirit important? Yes! He is essential to our Christian life and to building the kingdom of God together?

ILL: John Piper said ‘There is only one power that can break the spell of Satan, waken the armies of the Lord and rout the god of
this age—the power of the Holy Spirit.

Is the Holy Spirit important? Yes! He is essential to our Christian life and to building the kingdom of God together?

For the next few weeks I will be examining the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Christian. I will be using our text in John, but not in chronological order and I will be looking at other texts on the Holy Spirit.

What holds all these texts together is the  truth that God wants to be in an active and intimate relationship with us. And that relationship is maintained and nurtured by the presence and power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

I know, a long introduction but to a very essential part of our Christian journey…The Holy Spirit, God In Us. Let’s get to know him.

I. Relationship With God
    A. John 14: 16-20; 25-26  The Holy Spirit

Read: John 14:16-17

Remember, Jesus told his disciples he was leaving and they couldn’t go where he was going. They were devastated, troubled, and afraid. They were wondering how they were going to survive without him.
    •    Jesus already told them not to let their hearts be troubled because he was going to prepare a place for them in his Father house. One day he would come back         for them.

Well, that comforted them in the long run, but what about now? They would be without their teacher, friend and Lord…What about now?

Another Comforter
Jesus, addressing their fear tells them they will not be left alone. He will ask the Father to send them another comforter (perhaps your version says Counselor, Advocate or Helper) This should have made them feel better because Jesus was very specific in the words he chose to use.

    •    The word ‘another’ literally means ‘another of the same kind’. One who will continue to do what has been done.
    •    The word ‘Comforter’ or ‘Counselor’ literally means ‘one standing alongside to help’.

Let’s see if we can see Jesus’ point.
    •    Jesus did the work of God. Because he did, he claimed to be God.
    •    God would send ‘another one just like Jesus’ in that he too will do the work of God.
    •    Just as the disciples were comforted by Jesus’ presence, they too will be comforted by the presence of ‘another comforter’.

The only person who could do what God could only do…is God. You see, he was saying the Holy Spirit is God just like he is God.
    •    Jesus is saying that the Spirit living in them would take the place of the Savior living beside them.

Indwelling Forever
And to top it off, this is no temporary blessing. The disciples and all who believe in Jesus will have the ACTIVE presence and unlimited power of Almighty God in them…forever. How cool is that?

Spirit of Truth
Besides Comforter, Jesus also calls the Holy Spirit ‘The Spirit of Truth’. That’s because he is the source of the Christians knowledge of spiritual things. The Holy Spirit is within us to teach us all we need to know concerning our journey of faith.
    •    Some people think they need to understand everything about Jesus and the Christian life BEFORE they ask Jesus into their hearts. Clearly, Jesus is saying that         believe in me and the Holy Spirit will begin to answer all your questions.

Isn’t that an awesome blessing to have the source of all Truth living in us?

By the way, did you catch this hint at the Trinity? Remember just a few verses back Jesus said ‘I am the Way and the Truth and the Life’…He wants the disciples and us to see the connection between the Holy Spirit of Truth and Jesus as the Truth. They are one.

The world sees but fails to perceive
Jesus, thinking of his followers knew that the world would say they…you, are crazy for talking about the Holy Spirit living in them. They won’t be able to see the Spirit. Remember, for the world seeing is believing and for the Christian ‘believing is seeing’.

You Know the Holy Spirit
Jesus then assures his disciples ‘you know the Holy Spirit, because he lives with you and will be in you.’ See need to see the connection Jesus is making between him and the Holy Spirit.

Speaking of the Holy Spirit, Jesus says
    •    He lives in you (present tense)
    •    And will be in you (future tense)

We know that the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost (future tense addressed) but who was living with the disciples now (present tense)? Yes, Jesus. Again the implication is that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are one.

    •    When Jesus leaves, goes to heaven, the Holy Spirit will be IN you…the implication is that Jesus will be in them. That’s why he can say in vs 18 ‘I will not                 leave you as orphans; I will come to you’.

Jesus might be leaving but in a very real way he will return to live in you through the Holy Spirit.

Boy this is getting complicated. But look hard, this is not rocket science but it is perhaps, a stretch. Let me summarize.
    •    Jesus is comforting his broken and scared disciples with the promise that while he will be gone physically, he will be present spiritually, in them, not just beside         them…
    •    While the world will not recognize the Holy Spirit, his followers will because they know Jesus.
    •    The Holy Spirit and Jesus are one.
    •    The Presence of the Holy Sprit dwells forever in the life of the Believer. You can’t lose the Holy Spirit…Christian, He lives in you forever.

Conclusion
The Holy Spirit is not someone to be afraid of…but welcomed into your life as a friend…just as Jesus is your friend, because they are one.

To have the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
•    loving you,
•    caring for you,
•    providing for you,
•    working for you and in you for your salvation, 
•    equipping you to join God in building his Kingdom,
•    and knowing He will never leave you
     is nothing short of remarkable!

Allow the comforting presence and awesome power of God’s Holy Spirit to fill you, awaken you to his will and work.
Welcome the Holy Spirit into your life and take the next step in your relationship with God.