But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning. — John 15:26-27

Jesus says this in light of the persecution that His disciples are going to experience. And one thing we have noted about Jesus, all the way through the book of John, is that persecution has only increased.

So Jesus takes a second with these guys to address their human concerns and deficiencies. He knows His boys are going to need help. And so He plans on sending them help. A person, not some impersonal force. It's a gift by Him, from God Himself. And this Helper, the Holy Spirit, will magnify their testimony about Jesus to the world in their trials.

I think we need this reminder because most of us try to do the spiritual life alone. But that was never Jesus's intent. Jesus intended for us to live in partnership with believers, testifying in unison with the Spirit. And living apart from this is to live apart from the blessings that Jesus gives and sends to us.

Here are some practical steps you can take today:

1. Acknowledge the Helper: Stop ignoring the Helper in your life. Begin today with a prayer that acknowledges His presence.
2. Ask Him for Guidance: Ask the Helper to help. Ask Him what He wants you to do, where He wants you to go, and what He wants you to say. And then listen for His direction.
3. Act on His Conviction: Do what He says when it is aligned with Scripture, and live it out with boldness.
4. Thank Him: At the end of the day, look back and thank Him for His guidance and His presence.

If you do this during the week, you will notice your awareness and sensitivity to Him will change, predominantly because you handle most issues in this life with your natural strength. You have to stop living this way.

The road we walk is challenging sometimes. And there are two ways believers can do it. You can do it your way, or you can do it Jesus's way. Jesus's way comes with help and a Helper. So learn how to walk with the Spirit and with other believers and I promise the spiritual life is much easier to endure this way.

ASK THIS:

1. How have you been trying to walk the spiritual path alone, and in what ways can you invite the Helper into your daily life to guide, convict, and empower you according to Jesus's way?
2. Reflect on a specific time when you felt overwhelmed or challenged in your spiritual walk. How might acknowledging and acting in partnership with the Holy Spirit and other believers have changed that experience, and what steps will you take to embrace this collaboration in the future?

DO THIS: Take the four steps above.

PRAY THIS: Lord Jesus, help me to cease striving on my own and to fully embrace the Helper, the Holy Spirit, You've provided. Guide me in Your way, that I may walk in partnership with Your Spirit and other believers, finding strength, direction, and joy in Your path. Amen.

PLAY THIS: Holy Spirit You Are Welcome Here.