But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him (the Holy Spirit) to you [to be in close fellowship with you].
Principle 8: Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit all the time, in everything you do.
When you received Christ and were born again (see John 3), God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, came to live in your spirit. He made you new on the inside (see 2 Corinthians 5:17, 21), and as you spend time with Him in prayer and studying the Word, He works in your soul. As you grow in your personal relationship with Him, you produce good fruit that reveals His presence in your life (see Galatians 5:22-23).
As John 16:7 says, the Holy Spirit is with you to be your Helper, Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor, Counselor, Strengthener and Standby. He is literally everything we need!
Think of this in the standpoint of recovering from wounds caused by past experiences. Many people come to God because their life is a mess and they don't know how to fix it. They've tried everything they know to do, but nothing has worked. Oftentimes, in desperation they surrender to God and ask for Him to help them.
God loves this because He longs to bring healing and wholeness to each and every one of us in our spirit, soul and body. And when He does the healing, we don't have to live in recovery mode forever.
We need the Holy Spirit to lead us through the healing process because on our own, we aren't smart enough to figure out everything we need to do or how to go about it. We also need His strength to get it done. We need the anointing of the Holy Spirit to tackle the hard stuff and overcome it all.
"The pain of my past affected my thinking, how I operated emotionally, all of my relationships, and even my will. I was rebellious and stubborn and promised myself no one would ever hurt me or push me around again.
It's God's plan for you to be healthy and whole in Christ. He is faithful and will not fail you! Keep your eyes on Him and trust Him to give you the ability to do whatever He shows you to do. He is on your side and you are more than a conqueror in Christ!
John 16:7 – What do the names of the Holy Spirit reveal about His character and the ways He wants to work in your life?
2 Corinthians 5:17, 21 – According to these verses, how does the life of Christ change you when you accept Him as your Savior? What does this mean for you?
John 14:17, 26; Acts 1:8 – In these verses, we see how the Holy Spirit is with us and how He helps us. Describe these aspects of your relationship with Him.
Galatians 5:22-23 – What characteristics of God grow in our soul as we get closer to Him?
The truths you discover in these verses are so encouraging when you face things that are painful to deal with. Remember: You can't do this on your own, and God doesn't expect you to do so. He is there with you, and He wants to give you everything you need to become healthy and whole!