But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. John 16:7
Last week in our Bible study together, we acknowledged that without Christ, our situation would be hopeless. Apart from Him, we would be lost in every sense of the word and destined for death and eternal life apart from Christ. Praise God that He did not leave us in our hopelessness! He sent Jesus to come to earth, live a perfect life, die on the cross, and rise from the grave, conquering sin and death. As a result of His life, death, and resurrection, He offers eternal life with Him forever to everyone who believes in Him and commits their life to Him. This life available in Christ and salvation would have been more than enough, but there is another remarkable, incomparable gift that each follower of Christ receives when they place their faith in Him: The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, to live life alongside us.
In some of His last moments with His disciples, Jesus said to them in John 16, “Now I am going away to the one who sent me…But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send Him to you” (verses 5-7). The Advocate is another name for the Holy Spirit. This name is a reminder of what the Holy Spirit is for us in our lives: a helper and fighter alongside us in this life. Don’t miss Jesus’ statement here. The Holy Spirit is the greatest gift we followers of Christ could ever have, next to our salvation. Several verses later, Jesus explained just how the Holy Spirit will advocate for us, or help us. He said, “When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth” (verse 12). This is no small truth for us to hold on to. The Christian life is often difficult. We have a real enemy, the devil, who seeks to distract and derail us. We also walk through the trials and heartaches that every human faces simply by living in this world, which is riddled with sin. We need the Holy Spirit to guide us and help us live this Christian life.
Many of us are so familiar with what Scripture teaches about the Holy Spirit that we miss the magnitude of what a gift the Spirit is to us. We may even take the gift of the Holy Spirit for granted. My friend, if you have placed your faith in Christ, you have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, leading you, helping you, guiding you, and so much more. This is a life-altering truth. The Holy Spirit makes all the difference. Because of the Holy Spirit, you are never alone as you walk through this life. You have an advocate, the Advocate, with you every step of the way.
The only appropriate response to a gift, especially the remarkable gift of the Holy Spirit, is “Thank you.” In your journal or a notebook, write out a prayer of gratitude to God. Thank God for the gift of the Holy Spirit, who helps you live this life in a way that honors Him. Commit to never taking the gift of the Holy Spirit for granted, even for one day.
“God, because of Your Holy Spirit, I am never alone. I thank You for…”
John 16:1-15
1“I have told you these things so that you won’t abandon your faith. 2 For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God. 3 This is because they have never known the Father or me. 4 Yes, I’m telling you these things now, so that when they happen, you will remember my warning. I didn’t tell you earlier because I was going to be with you for a while longer.
5 “But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. 6 Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. 7 But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. 9 The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. 10 Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. 11 Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.
12 “There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14 He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’
©2026 Sagebrush Church
