But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things,and remind you of all that I said to you.
John 14:26 (NASB)
In today’s high-tech world, the prevalence of artificial intelligence brings numerous benefits to our daily lives. It’s quite common for my husband and me to watch television and find ourselves pondering questions about the actors or other trivia. Whenever this happens, I simply reach for my phone, press the right-side button, and inquire, “Siri, how old is Helen Mirren?” And trusty Siri promptly responds, “Helen Mirren is 78 years old.”
Likewise, when I want to discover the ideal Italian restaurant for a romantic date night, I instinctively turn to Google to find the top-rated options in San Antonio. It’s become so natural to use “Google” as a verb that we hardly give it a second thought. From household commands like “Alexa, turn off the lights” to highly sophisticated AI programs assisting writers in creating better books, artificial intelligence has become an integral part of our lives, both for the better and potentially, the scarier.
However, here lies the challenge: AI, by its very nature, is artificial! It can only process information that has been programmed into it. This begs the question: what if the information it relies on is incorrect?
God is not dependent on man’s super technology to download his truth and perfect advice for godly living to us. He wrote an extensive love letter, the Bible, that has survived thousands of years to tell us all we need to know about our triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Our “Helper” – the Spirit is exceedingly more valuable to us than any artificial intelligence man can ever design. He’s always available, always accurate, and teaches, guides, and reminds us of all we’ve learned about God thus far. However, my pastor once told me that the Holy Spirit doesn’t function in isolation but requires our active participation.
He used a simple analogy involving a glass of milk and a bottle of Hershey’s syrup. Holding up the glass of milk, he explained that it symbolized a person without Christ, while the
chocolate syrup represented the Holy Spirit. He emphasized that when we embrace a saving faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit takes residence within us and becomes accessible to us. As an illustration, he added syrup to the milk until two inches of chocolate settled at the bottom, leaving the top still pure white. Using a spoon, he exemplified “our part” in “stirring up” the Holy Spirit by engaging in activities like prayer, worship, and studying the Word. He proceeded to stir the chocolate into the milk until the entire glass transformed into a uniform chocolate color. Voila! A visual example of the Spirit being activated by our pursuit of God and truth.
I came to realize that it is equally important to choose daily willful surrender to God in every area of our lives. Despite my good intentions, for many years I was going through the motions. I had a mental list of spiritual actions I would check off thinking the doing of these things created the transformation I desired. I was more concerned with the results my spirituality could produce in my life rather than the deep and meaningful relationship I did not even realize I was missing.
Hearing other Christians describe their more intimate and tangible relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit, made me hunger for more. I came to understand that I was not seeking the Helper Jesus promised us before he was crucified. In preparing his disciples for his death, Jesus was very intent on making sure they understood that even though he would not be with them physically, they would not be alone and powerless. In John 16:7, he says, “But I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I am leaving; for if I do not leave, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
As you welcome each new day, I encourage you to remember that you have the mightiest power in the universe ready to help, teach, and guide you in the details of your life. Grab your “spoon” and stir up his power by surrendering your will to his, seeking his wisdom above all others, and asking that he make you sensitive to his promptings. Be still. Watch and listen. He will guide you.
Message from Jesus*
I promised I would send you a comforter, counselor, and helper. The Holy Spirit is with you always and eager to teach and guide you in the details of your life. When you pray, ask for your spiritual eyes to be opened to recognize his power and presence. He will only tell you that which you can find in my Word. He will comfort you when you need to be comforted. He will convict you when you need conviction. He will guide you when you need guidance. It will be your choice to receive and follow. It is my prayer that you do because I love you.
Prayer
Lord, thank you for the gift and indwelling of the Holy Spirit. I pray that you will show me when I am quenching his power. I ask that you remind me to intentionally surrender my will to yours each day. I want to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit each day and live a victorious life. Amen.
*In the style of the late Sarah Young, author of Jesus Calling, I asked Jesus to give me inspiration to write you a “message” from his heart about the Holy Spirit. I did not hear an audible voice, but rather the words flowed from the Spirit to my pen. I believe these words are consistent with what Jesus said in scripture.
