August 11, 2025 Devo

In John 15:26, Jesus tells His disciples that He will send them an “Advocate.” Some translations will say “Comforter” or “Counselor.” The word in Greek is Paraclete. It’s a legal term that refers to a lawyer or an attorney. But don’t think shyster or some accident-chasing, trying-to-make-a-quick-buck kind of guy. The essence of the meaning is “someone who comes alongside you and does for you that which you can’t do for yourself.”
Wow! That name has POWER associated with it. That term has STRENGTH in it. Jesus is talking about giving us His Spirit. A Spirit that has wisdom we don’t have. A Spirit that has endurance we don’t have. A Spirit that can take whatever the world throws our way. A Spirit that can overcome any adversary. A Spirit that can make us much more than we are all by ourselves. As a Christ-follower, that Spirit lives in US. That STRENGTH lives in us. That’s why the Psalmist says we are BLESSED!
I don’t know what you are facing today, but I do know you don’t have to face it out of your own strength. If you’re overwhelmed by all you are dealing with, God is your Comforter. If you are dealing with situations that require far greater wisdom than you know you have, God is your Counselor. If you are having to take on a day filled with things that are all bigger than you, then you might want to lean into a God who is Bigger than all of them. Your Advocate stands ready to walk with you. Most of us today would not dream of walking into a court of law without an attorney by our side. The laws are too confusing. The language is too foreign. We wouldn’t dream of trying to take on a prosecutor and a judge without someone there to represent us and help us, maybe even save our necks! Then don’t walk out into the court of the world that way.
Take a moment before you leave the house today and say, “Lord, I need YOU as my strength.” Take a moment before you walk into that very difficult conversation and say, “Lord, I need YOU as my strength.” Bow your head and your heart before God as you face that insurmountable wall of struggle that is before you and say, “Lord, I need YOU as my strength.” None of us has what it takes to take on the world all by ourselves. The Good News is that we don’t have to. “Blessed are those whose strength is in you.” Call upon God and live your life today as one of the “blessed.” The Lord Himself is your strength! That’s God’s Word for you today.