1 Thessalonians 5:11
“Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.”
One of the works of the Holy Spirit is to comfort the Christian. John 14:26 shows us this work when it says, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost…” Though this is the work of the Holy Spirit, you must realize that the Holy Spirit will use people to do this work. That is why it says in the verse above, “Wherefore comfort yourselves together,…” When the Christian yields themselves to the Holy Spirit of God, then they will find that they will be used to comfort those around them. How is it that the Holy Spirit uses us to comfort others?
First, the Holy Spirit uses your faith to comfort people. In Luke 8:48, Jesus said to the woman who was healed of the issue of blood, “Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole;…” The faith of this woman comforted her. If her faith could comfort her, then your faith can comfort others. When people see someone whose faith is strong, it comforts them by giving them security. For instance, when I was young, it was my parent’s faith that God would provide the needs of food and finances that comforted me as a child. I didn’t worry about food, because their faith comforted me. Likewise, your faith will comfort others if you will build it.
Second, the Holy Spirit uses the Scriptures to comfort people. Romans 15:4 says, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” It is important that you learn the Scriptures so you can use them to comfort people. Nothing is more assuring than knowing the Scriptures back you up.
Third, the Holy Spirit uses preaching to comfort people. According to 1 Corinthians 14:3, one of the purposes of preaching is to comfort people. It’s critical to be at church regularly because you will hear preaching that will not only comfort you in your time of need, but it will help you to know what to say to others in their time of need. Moreover, you should bring those who need comfort to church so they can hear the preaching that the Holy Spirit will use to comfort them.
Fourth, the Holy Spirit uses your love to comfort people. Philippians 2:1 shows us that love is comforting. Why should you love people? Because loving them brings comfort to them. There is nothing like receiving a phone call from someone who loves you and hearing them say that they are praying for you and that they love you.
Fifth, the Holy Spirit will use the Second Coming of Christ to comfort people. 2 Thessalonians 4:18 tells us to comfort one another by reminding them that Jesus is coming again. The hope that one day all sorrow will end because Jesus is coming is a comfort to those who are hurting. One of the greatest tools of comfort is the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
Sixth, the Holy Spirit uses forgiveness to comfort people. 2 Corinthians 2:7 reminds us that when we forgive people, it comforts those whom we forgive. Friend, bitterness towards someone who’s wronged you will not bring comfort to them. When someone knows you have forgiven them for what they did to you, that brings them comfort.
How is your ministry of comfort? Are you lacking in one of the tools the Holy Spirit uses to comfort others through you? Make each of these areas a priority in your life, and you will find that the Holy Spirit will comfort many people through you.