“But when he, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth.”
John 16:13 NIV
Personal trainers are a wonderful asset in a person’s life. Almost everyone would love to have one. They work with individuals on a one-on-one basis to help them develop strong and physically healthy bodies. They teach, guide, observe and make corrections in a person’s exercise routine to help them achieve their goals of wellness. However, most of all, they comfort and encourage their clients to take that extra step or do that extra ‘rep’ when they are tired or discouraged. Nevertheless, there is a price for this individual attention. Personal trainers are expensive, and not everyone is able to afford one.
Good News! Did you know that each of us, as Christians, have our own Personal Trainer? He is called the Holy Spirit. In Greek, he is known as the Paraclete, which means to “come alongside.” When we decide to follow Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, a wonderful thing happens in Heaven. We are suddenly justified by faith in Christ. From that moment on, God, the Father, no longer sees us covered by our sins, but covered by the righteousness of Christ. This righteousness isn’t conveyed to us by anything we have earned or accomplished. It is only through His sacrifice alone that we are redeemed.
Simultaneously, God sends us the gift of the Holy Spirit to dwell in us. This is the beginning of the training of our spiritual bodies; our sanctification process. Our Personal Trainer, the Holy Spirit, comes alongside us to teach, train, comfort and encourage us in our preparation for Heaven. Because we can never be perfect while we inhabit these earthly bodies, the Holy Spirit teaches us self-discipline. He encourages us to walk in obedience and alerts us to areas in our lives that need correction. He is concerned with the development of our spiritual character so that we will become stronger and more Christ–like each day. In addition, one of the best things about our Personal Trainer is that He will be with us for the rest of our lives to guide and protect us. Jesus has already paid the price in advance!
This is the perfect time to pray, read, study our Bibles, and learn to recognize the voice of our Personal trainer, the Spirit of Truth.
