Preached by Apostle André Pelser on 22 March 2009 10am

How would you like to have someone to help you for the rest of your life.  Someone  who is always there, who knows everything, and can do anything. What an offer! 

Human beings constantly need help.  How often do we hear people ask for help on a daily basis.  People knock on doors, beg in the streets, sell in parking lots.  Some are seen on the news, affected by war, floods, heat waves and cyclones.

Jesus always knew that we would need help.  We need help just to survive, and we need help to do His work.  That's why He sent us His Helper.

In John 14 Jesus informs His disciples that He would be going away, promises to send them another Helper, the Holy Spirit. Why did He say "another" Helper?  Because Jesus was the first Helper.  Everywhere Jesus went, He preached, taught the Word and healed people.  

Jesus would not have been able to help us all, because He was human and could only be in one place at a time. If Leigh needed help in Durbanville, Cobus had to wait a few hours, because he lived in Table View.  And what about Simba in Zimbabwe?  Jesus knew that He was not the ultimate Helper, because His help was geographically limited.  That's why He said, "It is better that I go away".

But one thing His life on earth demonstrated was His reliance on the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is omnipresent (everywhere at the same time), omnipotent (almighty) and omniscience (He knows everything).  What a Helper!

Psalm 46:1-11  To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. A Song For Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.  (2)  Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;  (3)  Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah  (4)  There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.  (5)  God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.  (6)  The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted.  (7)  The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah  (8)  Come, behold the works of the LORD, Who has made desolations in the earth.  (9)  He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.  (10)  Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!  (11)  The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

The Holy Spirit is omnipresent, and always with us.  He is always in the present, always in the “now”.  We don’t have to fear.  He is a Comrade and a Friend.  

One of the most important functions in the church is helpers.  Helpers are just as important as apostles.  Helpers see what needs to be done without waiting for the command.  Do you know how much help you need to plant a church, publish media, get on TV, etc.

So we have a Helper who is always present, who can do everything.

Our problem is: We don’t ask.  We need to know what we want.  The Holy Spirit does not just act by Himself.  Jesus did not act without asking “What can I do for you”.  He asked the blind man, “What can I do for you”.  The blind man could have had a very painful ulcer and answered "Heal my stomach".  But he ask for eyesight and Jesus miraculously healed him.

What is your problem?  If you don’t know what it is, how will you ask for help.  You are looking for  an answer, but you don't know what the question is.  The question is the key to the answer.  It unlocks the answer.  Your problem is the key toyour solution.  If you know what your problem is, you know what to ask the Holy Spirit.

God wants you to voice what you want.  Once I asked someone “What can I get you”, and he said “Anything”.  I went out and bought him anything, and he replied, “That’s not what I wanted”.  Don’t waste God’s time.

Prayer helps you to let things surface in your mind.  You must be clear about what you want.  The reason we don’t want to pray, is that we don’t want clarity on our problems.  We prefer to wander in our mist of problems, rather than discovering the full-blown issues.

I once wrote down 18 problems in my life.  Then I prayed through everything and found scripture for them.  Then I drew 2 lines through them, cancelled them on paper and threw them in the dustbin. Everytime they came back, I said "Wrong address.  Given to God."

Now I do it very quickly.  Train yourself to get in step with God, deal with problems and hand it to God.  Submit to God and resist the devil.  Then he will flee from you.

How to receive from God

I want to share 5 keys on receiving from God, based on the acronym ARMED.

We don’t fail when we rely on the Holy Spirit.  We fail when we rely on ourselves.  Ask “give me strength”. 

The doctors once tested Lance Armstrong while exercising.  When he said he cannot go further, they asked him to continue.&nbs