If
we just endure to walk in the narrow path. If we just cross the valley
of tears, carrying the cross, despite of the world's prosecution, then
the Holy Spirit is our salvation, the intercession of our endeavor and
our the only support for our comfort. Whoever experienced the Holy
Spirit amid hardship, then the can challenge the pains and will not
care about hardship, "In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul." (Ps. 94:19). P Isaiah the prophet: He pictured for us the embracing of the Holy Spirit of the human soul, like a nursing mother carrying he suckling in her arms. She coddles her child on her knees and nurses him from her comforting breast. The Spirit was over flowing from the hearts of the martyrs, so they forgot their sufferings. Their hearts were full of morality, so they rejected all earthly comfort… One of the fathers said, ‘I haven't tasted compassion, but I have tasted a superior compassion.’
The resurrection of
Jesus is the strength of the church. It is the strength of a new life
given to us by Jesus, to whom is the glory. When He trampled death and
subdued Hades, He was victorious for us against the fearful enemy. The
feast of the resurrection is a new chance for everyone. It is the
strength of our resurrection, which we received in baptism, when we
were buried with Jesus in the baptism of death. So as Jesus rises from
the dead, then that is how we dwell in the new life.
"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call
His name Immanuel." (Matt. 1:23)
"Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name
Immanuel." (Is. 7:14)
God is with us
This is the beautiful name, our master Jesus was called by when He was born "Immanuel." (God is with us). It
is a name full of comfort, because it consists of a lot of love for us.
The blessing of Christmas is that: We would feel that Jesus is God with
us, God is in our midst, living inside us, and living with us. In truth
God loves all humanity. He loves to give men the pleasure of coexisting
with Him.
"And
when He had called unto Him," it saith, "His twelve disciples,
He gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal
all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease."
Still the Spirit was not yet given. For "there was not yet," it
saith, "a Spirit, because that Jesus was not yet glorified." How
then did they cast out the spirits? By His command, by His authority.
Because of the importance of the Holy Spirit’s work with us, the Lord said to His disciples, the saints:
"Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you” (Jn 16:7)… And told them about Him “that He may abide with you forever… and will be in you” (Jn 14:16, 17).
The Glorified, Lord Christ, lived with them in His body until He rose to Heaven then promised them the Holy Spirit to stay with them forever, the Spirit of truth, the Comforter… So what should we know about the Holy Spirit?
