The Advocate

How do you describe a life changing experience?

Honestly, I have absolutely no idea and I don’t think I ever will. BUT, I do know that these next nine months will give me lots of experience in trying. God has shown up in so many ways that I never, ever thought He could.

It’s so weird, I’ve always heard of people talking about accidentally putting God into a box. I didn’t think I was one of them and man, I was so completely wrong. We haven’t even left the states yet and already I have witnesses God begin to change me and my squad mates. One of the biggest changes for me this week has been my understanding of the Holy Spirit.

Growing up, I heard so much about Jesus and God, but never really a lot about the Holy Spirit and the ways in which the Advocate works. I call Him the Advocate because that is apart of who He is, He is our Advocate. He intercedes on our behalf: “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” Romans 8:26. He is one of the reasons that Jesus Christ came down and died for our sins: “But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” John 16:7. He is the Spirit of God and we all NEED Him in our lives. Luckily for us, because of Jesus and His death on the cross, we have that Spirit in us the moment we accept Jesus as our Savior.

Let me blow you mind for one second: the same Spirit that was in Jesus, lives within all of those who have been saved and will enter those who choose to become saved. I didn’t know that. I knew that I had the Holy Spirit in me, but I had no idea that Jesus had the same exact one in Him. I have begun to truly realize that Jesus was completely man, He was human!!! He had so many of the same struggles that all of us do. Yet because of God, He lived a perfect life. The reason that He led a perfect life was because the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, gave Him the strength to resist and to be on fire for God. Think about that for just a second. God loves us so much, that He sent down His Son to not only die for us, but to defeat death and to give us instruction on how to follow Him.

That is another thing that I have learned this week: that God’s Word holds all the answers and will never, ever be incorrect. I will always be tempted to sin, but with the Spirit of God, I have strength to resist. Because of Jesus, I receive salvation and God gives grace and forgiveness. I have the incredible opportunity to learn more and more about the Lord every day of my life and to apply those teachings! I will make mistakes, I already have. But that is where the Holy Spirit and Jesus intercede on my behalf. Through the blood of Jesus, I am forgiven and God has grace for me. When God looks at me, He doesn’t see sin, He sees the blood of His Son and His Spirit residing in me, working on my heart. This week, more than any other week in my life, I have wanted to run from the power of God. At the same time, I have gone to God with everything. It has been HARD. But every time I want to hide, I remember that I can’t because the Spirit is within me and is always going to bring me back to the Father. I find comfort in that. My flesh will never be able to overcome the Spirit, it can’t. From the moment I was baptized, my life belonged to God and being here in Georgia I am ready to learn how to live out my life like it should always be lived: seeking to bring glory to God in every conversation, every action and to “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people.” Ephesians 6:7

This is super hard to write down in one blog post, but I pray that God will work through my imperfect explanations and words and help everyone to learn something that they may not have known beforehand. I am nothing without God. My words are meaningless, and my actions are without purpose. But with God, I can share all of this with you and it can mean something!

Well, I’ve got to go and learn more. Thank you all for reading and please feel free to email me if you have any questions for prayer requests. I love you all and I’ll try to update you whenever I can. This mission trip is not just for me to learn and grow, but also for all of you to let God do something amazing in your life. Thanks again and have an amazing day!

–          Emma