Today’s Devotional: “Easter’s Promise of the Holy Spirit”

Jesus said that even though He was leaving, He wouldn’t leave us alone; He was sending us someone just like Himself to take His place.

“I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper … the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive … but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17)

The word “another” that Jesus uses means someone of the exact same kind. Jesus says, therefore, that He is sending someone exactly like Himself.

Jesus was sending the Holy Spirit, who is God, so Jesus isn’t leaving us with a second stringer. And Jesus said the Holy Spirit would take up residence inside everyone who believes. Therefore, the Holy Spirit living inside us would be the same as Jesus living with us.

The Bible states that when a person personally accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, a spiritual transformation occurs. Where we were once spiritually dead, we are now spiritually alive.

“And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.” (Colossians 2:13)

Jesus continues, saying, “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.” (John 16:7)

Jesus said it would be much better for Him to leave because then the Holy Spirit would come and live within.

But how could that be better than having Jesus with them personally?

It was better because not only would Jesus deal a deathblow to sin and death, but also He would send the Holy Spirit, who would not be limited by either time or space, but could reside in every believer at the same time.

Therefore, the coming of the Holy Spirit is one of Jesus’s precious promises He gives because of Easter.