A woman had taken a trip to the Holy Land and was relating her experience. She said, "Never in my life have I felt so near to God. I plan to make the trip again. It will be worth the money I spend to be so near to God again."

You know what, aren't you glad you and I don't need to wait for a trip to Israel to experience God's nearness. Because I read in the Scripture, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."

God by His Spirit is here this morning and He indwells every believer.

John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17: Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18: I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

If you are a child of God this morning you are never alone. You are nearer to God than you can ever imagine. Because as a true child of God, He dwells in you; He is in you; and He abides with you forever.  You have the Holy Spirit's presence in you, along with His gracious provision. 

One of the important roles of the Holy Spirit is to come as a Comforter. As we learned in our past messages, the word "Comforter" in Greek is "Parakletos". Parakletos means "called to be beside." He is the One who is called alongside of the children of God as their Comforter, Helper and Advocate. The Holy Spirit's presence in our life gives a peace, comfort and encouragement that the world cannot give. Our God is a God of all comfort. This is what separates the God of the Bible form all other gods. 

2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4: Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

When Paul spoke of the God of all comfort, he was speaking of knowledge of God that he himself had experienced. Paul is a man who knows what it is to suffer.

Acts 9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.

The apostle Paul was converted and empowered by the Spirit to proclaim the gospel. After his conversion, Paul began proclaiming Christ in the synagogues in Damascus. After this, he preached in Jerusalem, Caesarea, and Tarsus. Paul along with the church was severely persecuted. But Paul, a man who knows what it is to suffer also was a man who knows the comfort of the Holy Ghost.

In Acts 9:31 Luke writes, "Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied."

In the midst of persecution the Apostle Paul and the churches throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to multiply.

This morning I want to talk about the comfort of the Holy Spirit. As I already mentioned, one of the important roles of the Holy Spirit is to come as a Comforter. The third person of the Trinity came in power to comfort, to encourage and to guide. But we ask the question, how does the Holy Spirit comfort? 

I - The Love of God

First of all, the Holy Spirit comforts Christians with the love of God. Oh, how comforting it is to know that we are greatly loved by God.

Romans 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39: Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

The Holy Spirit comes to us as believers to remind us not our love for God but of His love for us. For our love for Christ pales in comparison to His love for us. But here is our comfort; here is our hope; our "hope maketh not ashamed"; our hope is not an empty hope because our hope is based on God's rich and pure and enduring love.

The love of God is greater far

Than tongue or pen can ever tell

It goes beyond the highest star

And reaches to the lowest hell

The guilty pair, bowed down with care

God gave His Son to win

His erring child He reconciled

And pardoned from his sin

O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure

The saints' and angels' song.

The word "shed abroad" means "gush forth". We are not talking about tiny droplets or little trickle. No, the Holy Spirit causes the love of God to gush forth into our hearts, to be poured into our lives. It is being poured into us like water coming out of fire hose. This is the only way to live the Christian life and to have the comfort in times of trouble.

So the Holy Spirit comforts believers, first of all by His love for us; by reminding us of the love of God. This takes place through the agency of the Spirit.

II - The Word of God

How does the Holy Spirit comfort? The Holy Spirit comforts us believers not only by reminding us of God's rich and pure and enduring love for us but also by revealing and taking us to the Word of God. He comforts us with the Word of God.

This Book, the Bible is our comfort.

Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Our Lord Jesus Christ describes to His disciples the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of truth whose ministry is to bring to remembrance whatsoever Christ has taught unto them.

John 14:25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 26: But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

The Holy Spirit comforts us by bringing into our remembrance the words of Christ.

Psalm 119:49 Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. 50: This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

O, how we need to pray, "Lord, remember Your word to Your servant, in which you have caused me hope."

Not only are we to remind ourselves of God's word but also to remind Him of His word. We need to remind God of His promises recorded in the Scripture.

John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 

The Holy Spirit comforts us by guiding us into all truth. This is why it is so important to be in the Word; to saturate our lives with the precious Word of God. When you read Word of God, the Holy Spirit ministers to you and comforts you. Coming together on Sundays to study the Word is important but it also important that during the week we study the word of God in private.

The Holy Spirit comforts us through the Word of God.

III - The House of God

How does the Holy Spirit comfort? Not only does the Holy Spirit comfort by reminding us of the love of God, by taking us to the word of God but also by connecting us to the house of God.

The house of God is a place of comfort. It is a place of encouragement. It is one antidote that the Lord has given us for depression and discouragement. I believe the reason why so many depressed, discouraged and joyless Christians today, it's because they neglect the house of God. There are a lot of depressed people out there in the world because they do not go to the house of God. And they do not go to the house of God because they do not have desire for the house of God. 

But listen to David's confession regarding the house of God.

Psalm 84:1 How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! 2: My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. 3: Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God. 4: Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.

Psalm 84:10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

David experienced many times being cut off from the house of God, he couldn't get to the tabernacle because he was being chased and persecuted by King Saul and his enemies. But he longed to be in God's house; he longed for the comfort of God's house. To David, the house of God is not an inconvenience that interrupts his life; it is not a burden, no, the house of God to David is a delight. 

Do you long to be in the house of God? A desire or lack of desire for the house of God says something of one's spiritual health. 

"A man in good health enjoys his food, and, when he is hungry, he desires it. But once the soul is quickened, it must have "bread to eat that the world knows not of." The "heart and flesh cries out for the living God."
— The Biblical Illustrator

Do not neglect the house of God because if you do, you will do your soul a great disservice. You will not find the comfort that you need for the Holy Spirit comforts us through the house of God.

IV - The People of God

How does the Holy Spirit comfort? Not only does the Holy Spirit comfort by reminding us of the love of God, by taking us to the word of God, by connecting us to the house of God but also by inspiring the people of God.

He comforts us through the people of God. One of the most important ministries of the people of God is to comfort one another. 

1 Thessalonians 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Are you a comforter? Are you an encourager? Do you come to church with that attitude and desire? Do you come to church looking for someone you could encourage? Who can I comfort today? Who can I encourage today? Who can I be a blessing today? I believe if we have this attitude and desire, Grace & Truth will continue to blossom. 

God the Holy Spirit comforts God's people through God's people. How does Holy Spirit do this? He moves and stirs men and women with comforting words to the saints. He works not only through the church collectively but also through the lives of individuals.

A good illustration of this is found in 2 Corinthians 7:5 where it says, "For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears."

The Apostle Paul and his companions were in great distressed and need encouragement and comfort.

2 Corinthians 7:6 Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;

Who comforted Paul? "God, that comforteth those that are cast down." But God comforted Paul by the coming of Titus.

Then verse 7 goes on to say, "And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more."

There was a chain reaction. The people at Corinth gave encouragement to Titus and Titus passed that along to Paul. Verse 13 says, "Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all."

Many times God comforts us by using other people. 

Look all around you, find someone in need,

Help somebody today!

Though it be little—a neighborly deed

Help somebody today!

Many are waiting a kind, loving word,

Help somebody today!

Thou hast a message, oh, let it be heard,

Help somebody today!

Many have burdens too heavy to bear,

Help somebody today!

Grief is the portion of some everywhere,

Help somebody today!

Some are discouraged and weary in heart,

Help somebody today!

Someone the journey to heaven should start,

Help somebody today!

Refrain:

Help somebody today,

Somebody along life's way;

Let sorrow be ended, the friendless befriended,

Oh, help somebody today!

Closing Thoughts

May God the Holy Spirit write these truths into our hearts. May He comfort us as He reminds us of the love of God, as He takes us to the word of God; as He connects us to the house of God; and as He moves and inspires the people of God to speak comforting and encouraging words.

God's comfort is unique and infinite. Our afflictions are temporary but God's comfort is everlasting and it's available at all times. I wish I could tell you it's available to all but I would not be true to God and His word if I tell you that. The truth is the Holy Spirit does not comfort every one. The Holy Spirit comforts believers only and only believers. The Comfort of the Holy Spirit is promised only to those who have been born again; only to those who have been born of the Spirit; only those who are indwelt by the Spirit. Only those who have the Holy Spirit in their lives are the ones the Holy Spirit comforts. I don't know about you if that is true, and it is true, I wouldn't want to live my life not knowing that I am born again.

So I plead with you do not leave this gathering not knowing that you have been born again. Repent and believe the gospel. Turn from your sin and turn to Jesus Christ. Look away from self and your own righteousness and look to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.

AMEN!