Reading: 1 John 2
Our Advocate
“My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”
1 John 2:1
John starts writing this to us as little children which appears to be a sign of endearment, because we are children of God. We are babes so to speak and need to be encouraged as such. He writes to us in hopes that we may not sin. However, if we do, he advises us that we have an Advocate with the Father. Now that is such sweet words to hear. I know I try to live a life without sin, but I know I’m not perfect and I mess up. But I know I have Jesus my advocate. He came and died for me. The word used here for an advocate is parakletos which is the Greek word used for intercessor, consoler, advocate, comforter. To me this shows that all we have to do when we sin is go to our intercessor, Jesus, who will plead our case and be our legal defense to the Father.
In Old Testament times, they would have to go the priest and had the priest offer a sacrifice in order to free them from their sin. I am so grateful that we no longer have to do this. Now we can go to Christ Jesus directly and he will advocate on our behalf. If that is not good news, I don’t know what is. Jesus is our parakletos, our intercessor, advocate and comforter. Yes, He will also comfort us in those times when we have messed up. Helping us to know everything will be okay.
For it goes on to say that Jesus is the “propitiation for our sins”. Propitiation means the act of gaining or regaining the favor or goodwill of someone or something. Jesus has gained us favor and goodwill with the Father. He has appeased the Father’s wrath towards us as sinners. Praise God that He sent His son to die in our place. It was because He loved us that He sent His son.
Walk as Jesus Did
John continues by saying if you know Him, you will follow His commandments. We must know the Word first to be able to follow it. I love verse 6 for it states, “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” To me this is very similar to John 14:12 which states, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” This is key in my mind to the life of the believer. We should be doing the things that Jesus did. Jesus went around healing the sick, casting out demons, giving sight to the blind, and opening the ears of the deaf. He preached the good news of the kingdom and walked in the power of the Holy Spirit. If we haven’t studied the life of Jesus though, how can we do what He did?
For whatever reason I cannot move on from this thought. I feel as though many believers walk around powerless. The word says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me.” (Hosea 4:6) How many of God’s children do not know or understand the power of the Holy Spirit that is available to them? Jesus said “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)
Many believers have accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior but have not asked for this Helper to come into their lives. So many are saved but they are walking around without the power that comes with the free gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus states, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” The word here used for power is the word dynamis which is where we get the word dynamite from. Dynamis means force, miraculous power, ability, abundance, might, power, strength, violence, might (wonderful) work. This is literally a powerful word like no other. It states that we SHALL receive power, miraculous power, when the Holy Spirit comes upon us! With this power we will be able to walk as Jesus walked and do the things He did and greater things. WOW!!!
In Acts 8 we see that there is a separate occurrence of the Holy Spirit because Peter and John were sent to Samaria because they heard that they had received the word of God, Jesus. When they went there, they laid hand on the people and prayed that they might receive the Holy Spirit because at that point none of them had received the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:14-19). My prayer is that for those that have never received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit that you would invite Him into your lives. Then I would encourage you to read through the life of Jesus and begin to realize you have the same power inside of you. Seek to walk in this power as Jesus did and you will be amazed with what happens.
I’ll close with this last scripture, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Eph 3:20-21) According to the power that works in us, because of Jesus we can do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. It doesn’t stop with us but continues to all generations. This power did not end with the apostles. We still have power from the Holy Spirit available to us today. I believe a great awakening is coming and we will see many signs and wonders. I pray you will receive the Holy Spirit and be a part of what is coming.
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