ADVOCATE—COUNSELOR

Holy Spirit listens to us and talks with us. He may utilize our conscience, but He is more than what socialization has or has not taught us. To be born again means we accept Jesus’ experience on the Cross as on our behalf. That choice brings our spirit into a living relationship with God.

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever — the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you” (John 14:16).

We use “Advocate” regularly referring to attorneys, lawyers, court room people and legal actions. An advocate is one who represents another and pleads their case. Our Advocate walks beside us through incriminations, indictments, accusations including self-disparaging and blaming.

Holy Spirit does not have to plead our case before God the Father. If we have accepted and trusted Jesus as Savior, the Father sees us and refers to us through the shed blood of Jesus. Holy Spirit is not the prosecutor on Yahweh’s behalf, He is our defender against the accusations of Satan. “Satan” means accuser.

“For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night” (Revelation 12:10).

Holy Spirit is our legal counsel against the dark spirits, the universe, self-accusation. Holy Spirit comes along side us to plead our case—we plead the blood.

The legal aspect is how the original disciples would have understood Jesus introducing an advocate. In our time and reference, we think of advocacy as someone who cheers us on, teaches us, mentors, and walks by our side encouraging us. The word still fits. His assignment is to come alongside, especially during our dark hours and storms. Jesus defines Him as our friend and helper in mind mending.

Jesus’ words “…and He will be in you…,” would have confused Jesus’ friends. Up to this point in history, Holy Spirit had timely but temporarily “come upon” selected people. Holy Spirit lived in only Jesus. At Pentecost that living arrangement changed. From “upon” to “within.” Now, we must question His activity in us from two locations. He lives within us, and He is our companion and legal counsel as He comes along side us.

Microscopic surgery comes to mind. When I am bewildered by fear, I question where that fear came from and how it became my issue. I desire a minimum-invasive revelation. Who has access to the inner-workings of my soul—the archives, experiences, trauma, and what experiences morphed into anxiety, fear, or incapacitation? Holy Spirit does and has since I invited Jesus into my life. When I ask, He will focus the “microscopic camera” onto the event or feeling (emotions, imbedded events, lack of clarity, and show me what happened, results and how to free and whole. As my counselor, Holy Spirit will tell me what happened. I absolutely know that I’m not just asking for diagnosis. I need healing and freedom which He can guide me to receive and maintain.

More than diagnosis. The purpose of the work of Holy Spirit in us is “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The result is at least the building of a creative, positive mindset in place of destructive thinking and inappropriate, inadequate behavior habits.

I don’t know what Holy Spirit would wear to a meeting at Starbucks. I don’t know what He would wear in a lab with a microscope or telescope focusing on 2030 or 1948 or 2024 or 1987 and experienced by you or me. Pretend He is wearing a ball cap or hoodie and aviator sunglasses—make Him real in your imagination. Or imagine that you are with Him in a lab with “tools” that can see into your past, the present—how you are currently feeling and acting—and the outcome of the active data Holy Spirit is privy to.

“Take a look at this,” He says. “Can you understand how emotional bruising and wounding could come from that act? Those words?” Purpose of that exam would be to build or rebuild a healing and renewed mind—a plan leading to healing and a choice to view a healthier reaction to scary stimuli. There will also be times when Holy Spirit will look into the eyeglass and say with kindness, “We need to bring in a specialist from our healing team—your doctor, a friend, therapist, pastor, prayer team.” (Again, that is an imaginary description of Holy Spirit revelation.)

What is not fiction is that Holy Spirit can see inside us. We are invited to open our eyes, perception, ears, and souls. He will say, “This is what I can do.” He may say, “Even after I’ve done everything what I do, this demands you do this….”

A husband and wife in one of my favorite singing groups talk about one of their adult daughters who has struggled emotionally most of her life. Therapy, drugs/meds, prayer were inadequate, so they asked Dr. Daniel Amen to examine her. After doing a brain-scan (or something like that) he said, “We can help her.” (Advocate!) His team found something in her physical brain that indicated a trauma that caused her to process data incorrectly or inadequately. The Amen Clinic did help her! Indeed!

Holy Spirit knows the future. (See Acts 11:27-30.). Can you gather your faith to ask Him, based upon his view, how you can prepare to benefit during the tough times? As our paraclete—counselor—it is not outrageous to expect a Spirit-revelation so strategies can be wisely formulated. This is not insider-trading! It is a dimension of what Jesus says in John 14-16.

“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:9-11).

Luke 11:13 translates the words of Jesus this way:

If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

As Jesus’ friend, I think it is not only appropriate, but our inheritance prerogative to question, “What am I supposed to do—what do You want me to do?”

Deep inside we carry images of memories, experiences and dreams abandoned or not yet attained. There are also action-dictated mindsets carved by trauma or misunderstandings of intent or misinterpretations of personal inadequacies. That archive may also hold the “sins of our fathers” meaning caretakers, teachers, peers, etc.

Jesus promises an advocate—paraclete. When shaken by anxiety or the permeating instability, we need Holy Spirit—our advocate/counselor—to guide us. He takes the deep dive and “finds” causes. I’m wondering how He will “transmit that information to the surface.”

Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:18: “I thank God that I speak in tongues more than you all….” I say: I probably speak in tongues less than any of you. But I see it as therapeutic, and a possible way data hidden in our sub-conscious or soul can be brought to our awareness. We “speak it up.” A different language coming out of our mouth is just that: different. Not automatically understood. That is why Scripture calls for an interpreter, (See 1 Corinthians 14).

What I am talking about here is personal, private, and happening in our personal prayer language. When we process what our mouth is saying, Holy Spirit transitions the message or information to our brain, so we have data to work with and guidance what to do next.

Holy Spirit is also our advocate in career, vocation and business decisions and choices. Our history and emotions are stored in us. Therefore, The Spirit speaks and calls forth from our inner depths—emotions, thinking patterns that develop negative mindsets.

Asking Him about business conditions requires Him to look elsewhere—most of us are not privy to what stock markets or the market status will be in five years. He desires to guide us in every detail, so information leading to our decision to start a business to fast-deliver widgets will include research of that industry. A mindset that resides in you about The Spirit accompanying us in that research will be helpful.

Even strict dispensationalists believe Holy Spirit knows about the future, for He is already there. Sometimes Holy Spirit will reveal outcomes. He is our advocate/counselor to battle for us as we contemplate vocation selection or investments of time, energy, money. I recently asked a fourteen-year-old if she had given thought to what college to attend or what her major would be. She smiled and said she had not. Not is not unusual. She had written a paper on a possible career choice. I was reminded that my 9^th grade class had written a similar paper. I chose the career of professional baseball player. A couple of my classmates remember! The problem is I didn’t have the talent or abilities to play in high school ball, let alone the Bigs. Two years later I had more capacity to hear.

Holy Spirit does not pin-point such things unless the knowledge will be timely and within my ability to grasp it and do something with the information.

Of what I am certain: Holy Spirit cannot be captured in a box; His plan is not a lab-proven formula. For sure, He is dependable! He has security clearance and knows all the entry codes. He is dedicated to The ecclesia and equips people for ministries. He is equally dedicated to you and me personally as an individual. I am certain that Holy Spirit wants to do what will bring the “more” into your abundantly by healing, delivering and teaching how to sustain the freedom.

“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord Almighty” (Zechariah 4:6 NIV).

©2023 D. Dean Benton