18/12/2023 - GOD COMFORTS US

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Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  2 Corinthians 1.4

What safety the Lord gives us by assuring us of His comfort in all tribulation! So we don’t need to fear tomorrow. Jesus assured us that His going to heaven would not bring any harm to us, because He would send a Comforter: the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-18). By mentioning Him, Christ showed that He comforted people by healing them, not by offering His shoulder for them to cry on. To comfort is to provide a solution to people’s afflictions and problems.

On the human side, when we console someone, we usually say that we understand the bad moment they are facing, but we don’t ease their pain or solve their problem. On the divine side, the opposite is true, as He Himself 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). The word fitting means better, so that the work may be abundant.

When the Son of God was amongst us, He was limited by time and space like any human being. If He was in Jericho, He couldn’t have been in Jerusalem at the same time. However, the Holy Spirit is present all over the world, because there are no obstacles to His operations. It is clear that He came to glorify Jesus (John 16:14).

Consolation came from the Father, brought by Christ and applied by His Spirit. The Word thus declares: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and  God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3). This statement shows that there is no competition between the persons of the Trinity, for They form the one God: the Father, considered the greatest, according to the Lord Jesus; the Son, who has been given all power in Heaven and on Earth, and the Holy Spirit, who brings and applies consolation. To God be all glory!

According to the apostle Paul, the consolation we receive from the Spirit authorizes us to comfort those who are troubled, because through the Spirit’s action in us, we are made consolers. Thus, we are allowed to use the Name of the Lord to provide solutions to the problems of those who come to us. Look at the conditions given by the Savior: I am the vine, you are the branches; He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.  (John 15.5).

The same power that was given to us and worked in us effectively was also given to those who believed and were set free. So, if you’re praying for deliverance from some evil, and you haven’t succeeded yet, what’s stopping you: lack of faith, sin or disobedience? It’s important to know the Truth, the Word of God, because it sets us free (John 8:32). Getting involved with the Lord does a tremendous amount of good, thus, a person should be grounded in the Word and in prayer!

There is no error in the Bible. What happens when we don’t follow the guidelines it contains? Look at the consequences of the mistakes of the brethren of the past. What is in the Scriptures serve as a lesson to be learned (1 Corinthians10:1-11). The Lord has made us true comforters.

In Christ, with love,

R.R. Soares