“He Comforts”
06-22-2007

Column 907, June 21, 2007

“Provoking Christian Insights” series



Part7



“He Comforts”



It took me a while to figure it out, but one day it dawned on me. I don’t have a bad attitude because God is with me. I’m never depressed because I know my redeemer is always near in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.



One day I began to realize that I seldom ever had a bad dream. I seldom ever was anything but happy about my life and never feared the future. God is with me.



A friend sought a “little bit of my optimism” because he had been depressed. I told him, “You have more than I do, you’re smarter than I am, and you go to church regularly … what could possibly depress you so much that you needed me, of all people, to cheer you up?”



He answered, “You are generally happy, and when I’m down you give me encouragement.”



“Wow, look at me,” I thought. It wasn’t me. It was the fact that I’ve turned away from evil and scary things. God said, “Fear not, for I am with you always.”



Now I know that there are people who get over depression and have to rely on pills to make them feel good. The guys at the counseling center say that they suffer from a “chemical imbalance.” I had a friend I took to the doctor who gave him one of the modern brain balancing pills. “That stuff makes me sick,” he said. “Quit taking them,” I said.



The next thing I knew his doctor was asking me, “Don’t you think he is schizophrenic?”

You’d be a little “schized” too if you had his mother,” I replied.



The young man had accepted Christ as his Savior and I knew he trusted God. The doctor discharged him, but it was a good thing. Although a little paranoid, he did much better, and hasn’t taken a pill since. I didn’t mean to play doctor here. I knew before he began taking the pills that he had a sensitive stomach. I had also observed that he acted much better when he wasn’t on mind-altering medication. A word of caution, this many not work for just anyone. This man trusted God to comfort him and God did.



God comforts “Little ‘ol us,” and you can believe it. Jesus said, “I will send you a comforter.” This comforter was not just for the Apostles. One of our most common excuses for not becoming a Christian is the fear of failure to live the Christian life. Besides the fact that; people cannot be saved by “good works” (Titus 3:5), God provides the power to live a Christian life. Before Christ was crucified He promised the coming of the Holy Spirit to help believers (John: 16:13,14). The events of the Book of Acts supply evidence of the fulfillment of this prophecy (Acts 4:7, 33:6 & 8).



The power of the Holy Spirit was promised to all Christians and is “indwelt” so His power is available (1 Cor. 6:19). Believers still must live the Christian life, but they are able to do it with the Spirit’s power. Romans 8:13 says; “ if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” It is you who are put to death the sinful deeds of the body, but you are able to do it through the Spirit’s power. If you try to do it on your own you will fail (Commentary in the New King James Version).



They must live the Christian life by the power of the Holy Spirit, on which they rely on daily.(Romans 8:4,5). This means that believers trust the Spirit to empower them in specific instances such as sharing their faith with others, resisting temptation, being faithful. There is no other way to have the Spirit’s power available. It is simply relying on the Spirit to help you.



THE PROMISE OF GOD

Often the Christian will doubt his salvation simply because he doesn’t feel saved, not understanding that the basis for that salvation is the promise of God and not emotional feelings. The entire “Trinity” is involved in this.



The promise and work of the Father in our salvation: He has promised to accept in Christ all repenting sinners, (Eph. 1:6; Col. 3:3). This means a Christian has the right to be in heaven someday, for he is in Christ. God guarantees to us that He will work out all things for our good (Rom. 8:28).



The promise and work of the Son: He has promised us eternal life (John 5:24) and abundant life (John 10:10). This covers not only our final destiny in heaven, but also our present Christian service here on earth. He is, right now, praying for us and ministering to us at He is Father’s right hand (Heb. 8:1; 9:24).



The promise and work of the Holy Spirit; The Holy Spirit is said to indwell the believer (John 14:16). He places all believing sinners into the body of Christ, thus assuring us of union with God Himself (1 Cor. 12:13).



INSPIRATION: “…not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His Grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life,” (Titus 3: 5-8).



Write: croneis@earthlink.net