Week 2 – Advocate
In church, we speak about God and Jesus all the time, but we tend to avoid the subject of the Holy Spirit. By evading the topic, we miss out on an amazing gift God has given to us as Christians. The Holy Spirit acts as our teacher, advocate, and guide.
Shame is an emotion felt by all people.
“It matters not if the person earns a two-comma salary or works for minimum
wage. She may be married or single. He may be African American or Caucasian.
Depressed, anxious or just plain angry; happy, sad or indifferent. He may be the father or the son, the employer or employee. It may be an individual, a couple, family, community, school or business organization. And you needn’t have ever darkened the office door of a psychiatrist. It doesn’t require the breakdown of our mental health to be plagued by it. It only requires that you have a pulse. To be human is to be infected with the phenomenon we call shame.” – Curt Thompson, “The Soul of Shame”
Genesis 2:25 (ESV) Humanity was created without shame.
Genesis 3:7 (ESV) They felt shame and tried to hide.
Genesis 3:1 (ESV) Satan began to deceive.
Genesis 3:2-3 (ESV) Eve got confused and began to doubt her own story.
Genesis 3:4-5 (ESV) Satan tempted Eve.
Genesis 3:7a (ESV) Once the man and woman disobeyed, they felt shame.
Genesis 3:7b (ESV) They tried to cover their shame.
Genesis 3:8 (ESV) They hid themselves from God.
The Holy Spirit is our advocate to God the Father.
1 John 2:1-2 (ESV) Jesus is another advocate as He covers the sin of the world.
There is no condemnation once Jesus has died in your place, and the Spirit lives in you.
Romans 8:5-6 (NIV)
