Let’s ask the question, today, “What does God’s Holy Spirit do for us?” The Apostle John used the Greek term transliterated, paraklétos, to describe Jesus as our Advocate, and we can find it in...

1 John 2:1  My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
1 John 2:2  And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

Years ago Mr. Martens explained how this, paraklétos, or Advocate, is like a defense lawyer, going before the Judge (our Father) on our behalf, making intercession for us. To express things succinctly, Jesus accomplished this by having redeemed us through the blood of His sacrifice. Therefore, His presence before the Father is an ever-constant witness and reminder that we as sinners are redeemed, made righteous in the sight of God.

The basis for this redemption, however, is that it requires we accept Jesus as our Savior, Lord and Master. This redemption means nothing if we do not repent and go on to house or harbor a Spirit of conversion.

God’s solution for the saints to accomplish this is found in the very same word, paraklétos, again used by John, but as a prequel to his epistle, found in the Gospel of John.

Joh 14:15  "If you love Me, keep My commandments.
Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—
Joh 14:17  the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
Joh 14:18  I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

Now, this indwelling is not the same as possession. A demon can possess his victim, meaning he takes full control of the person. The victim is no longer in control. Instead, the indwelling of the Spirit is more along the lines of we possessing it, not that we control it, but in every godly way are we given to use it, because God generously provides it for our use. And, we can get an idea of how we use it in the very same chapter, starting in verse 24...

Joh 14:24  He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.
Joh 14:25  "These things I have spoken to you while being present with you.
Joh 14:26  But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

So, the Spirit of God is capable of teaching us and does teach us all godly things, but of course, we must be obedient to Christ Jesus and our Father, meaning we must not neglect our given ability to use the Spirit to learn of godliness as exemplified in Jesus. (Does not just apply to the apostles. Early verses of Romans 8 show us all in, not just partway.)

Let’s go to Mark and see again how the Spirit represents us.

Mar 13:9  "But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them.
Mar 13:10  And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations.
Mar 13:11  But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

Again, this indwelling of God’s Spirit can even be relied upon to give us the necessary words of God without premeditation for representing His truth and the Gospel of the Kingdom of God in critical moments.

When paraklétosis used to describe Jesus, the context suggests the purest meaning of the word, which is that of an Advocate or Defender, and we have referenced this. But, the very same word is used for the Holy Spirit, and yet it gets translated in the NKJV as “Helper” or in the KJV as “Comforter”.

So, why is it a little different even though the exact same author uses the same exact Greek word? Well, because it’s still similar in that the paraklétosis present ON OUR BEHALF and for OUR BENEFIT, doing something we can’t do for ourselves. With Jesus, He represents us as High Priest who makes intercession for us when we stumble, He being able to forever and always own the claim to have paid the price for our repented sins. When the accuser of the brethren, Satan, goes before the Father to take us down, our Christ is there to lift us up.

The Spirit, on the other hand is present in us to reveal everything about God, including His purpose for us, and it helps us do God’s will.

Rom 8:15  For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."
Rom 8:16  The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
Rom 8:17  and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ (inheritance), if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

(ESV)
1 Cor 2:9  But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him"—
1 Cor 2:10  these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. continuing...
1 Cor 2:11  For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
1 Cor 2:12  Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.
1 Cor 2:13  And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

So, it is by God’s Spirit we perceive true godliness and God’s real purpose for us. It’s not something that comes from us. We don’t help God’s Spirit impart this to us. (not a hybrid) God, alone, provides this Spirit to lead and guide us, but only according to our willingness to take possession of its purpose for dwelling in us.

As Jesus, our paraklétos, stands before God on our behalf to represent us as pure and free from sin, the Holy Spirit, our paraklétos, guides us into all godliness, in effect showing us how to live godly lives. These revelations give us courage, strength, hope, and comfort, and only by it’s indwelling can we receive these things. To me that is powerfully exciting and inspiring. I sincerely hope you feel the same way.

As we reflect, today, on this Feast of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was poured out onto the disciples and the Church of God was established, let us praise our Father in Heaven for giving us an Intercessor in Christ Jesus and a Promoter, Helper and Comforter in the form of His Holy Spirit.