When the Advocate Comes

David Adkins – Downes Road Campus Pastor

John 15:26-27

The traditional Advent prayer starts with “Gracious God, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us”..and ends.. “By your Spirit, unite us with Christ and with your church in all the world”.

The message of Advent is about the Holy Spirit conceiving Jesus in human form as Immanuel, God with us. As Jesus prepares to leave the earth, He promises that He will send this Spirit to be with his disciples: “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—He will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.” John 15:26-27

So what does it mean for us to know God’s Spirit being poured out on us? To experience what Paul described, as he testified about Jesus, “a demonstration of the Spirit’s power.” (I Corinthians 2:4) For Chrissy and I it’s been seeing the Holy Spirit’s leading, and sustaining power, as He gives us opportunities to testify about Jesus.

At one time, we had an elderly neighbour called Jack. He’d lost his wife and was in shock. Our young daughter would talk to him over the garden fence and he’d give her flowers from his garden.

It took a year for Jack to heal and over that time we had many great conversations. When Jack fell ill I visited him in hospital and prayed for him to receive Jesus. This is often how the Holy Spirit moves in the ordinary: a child can connect with a hurting neighbour and this can lead to an opportunity for healing and sharing the gospel.

As we step into advent season I encourage you to pray to be led by the Holy Spirit to testify about Jesus in your conversations with friends, family, work place, new visitors at church and neighbours.

Jesus, we praise you that you chose ordinary people like us to become your disciples and filled them with your Holy Spirit to make disciples.

We confess that often we’ve ignored the Holy Spirit and His leading. Fill me with your Spirit, rid me of my comfort, fear and selfishness. Help me to love people the way you did and share the hope of the Gospel.

So Lord, in the business of life, and chaos of this cultural moment let me remember you are Immanuel, “Christ in [us], the hope of Glory! (Colossians 1:27)