…there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all.
–1 Timothy 2:5-6

When we have problems or unresolved questions in our lives and we go a long time without receiving an answer or a solution from the Lord, we often turn to those we consider “more spiritual” and load the burden of our problems onto them.

In Orthodox churches believers go to the priest to confess their sins and ask for advice, hoping that he has a direct line to heaven. In more “spiritual” fellowships, people go to pastors and leaders to tell them what is weighing on them and to receive an answer, as if from the Lord. This is very much like the way God’s people received answers from the Lord in the Old Testament, when they went to the prophets and priests for advice.

Today we live in the New Covenant, and now, if a person has believed in Jesus, the Holy Spirit lives in his heart, and through Him he has fellowship with God.

I want to say right away that I do not condemn brothers and sisters for this, because I myself sometimes, when I don’t get an answer from the Lord straight away, have thoughts of finding someone “more spiritual” to get a quick and clear answer. You know, I’m glad that those I consider spiritual teachers are either out of reach or have long been with Jesus in heaven. Such a “hopeless” situation, you might say, forces me to turn to the very One who loved me, who gave His life for me on the cross and now sits at the right hand of the Father to intercede for me.

Fellowship with God

In the letter to the Corinthians there is a verse that is often declared at the end of home fellowships. I think you remember it: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.” (2 Cor.13:14)

What a wonderful verse, revealing the “functions”, if one may put it that way, of each person of the one God. Our heavenly Daddy is the source of endless love for us, which His beloved Son has shown us. Our Lord Jesus Christ is that very grace, or God’s unmerited gift, who came down from heaven to give life to everyone who receives this gift. The Holy Spirit gives everyone who has received the gift of eternal life the fellowship with God that they need so much.

Sometimes this verse is understood as our communion with the Holy Spirit, but it does not say communion with the Holy Spirit; it says the communion of the Holy Spirit, through whom we have fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. (1 Jhn.1:3)

The apostle John wrote: “But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie…” (1 Jhn.2:27)

This does not mean that we don’t need teachers, because the Lord gave teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, so that we would not be tossed to and fro by all kinds of false legalistic teachings. (Eph.4:11-15) Here John is simply showing the reality of the New Covenant. It is an Old Testament approach when a man comes along calling himself a prophet and tells you: “The Lord told me that you must go as a missionary to Lapland!!”

In the New Covenant we don’t need anyone to give us a Word from the Lord. We have the anointing within — the Holy Spirit — who teaches, guides and comforts us in all our ways. The Holy Spirit gives us a direct connection with the Lord God Himself, and without earthly mediators, however spiritual they may seem.

“That’s easy for you to say, Paul, but I don’t hear God,” someone may say. Beloved friend, if the Holy Spirit lives in your heart, you hear perfectly well. Jesus Himself said: “My sheep hear My voice…” (Jhn.10:27) Perhaps you expect the Lord to whisper in your ear, as He did to the prophet Samuel, but that is the Old Covenant, when the Lord spoke from outside. (1 Sam.3:4-10)

Yes, today too the Lord can whisper in someone’s ear, but He does this with unbelievers who don’t have the Holy Spirit, to call them out of the kingdom of darkness into His marvellous light. But if a person is already a believer, the Holy Spirit guides his heart, thoughts and desires.

The letter to the Hebrews says about the New Covenant: “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people” (Heb.8:10) The Lord gives us thoughts and writes His desires on our hearts. Don’t let the word laws frighten you, because the laws of the New Covenant are the thoughts and desires of God’s love.

Jesus Is Our Advocate

So when some problem is troubling us, who is the best one to turn to, and on whom is it best to unload our burden? Jesus said: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest…” (Mat.11:28) If something is troubling you or you are carrying an unbearable burden, go to Jesus!!

Of course you can find some pastor or preacher, but if you are a believer and the Holy Spirit lives in your heart, that pastor or preacher is just the same as you. He can, of course, listen to you, give advice or pray for you, but that is where his abilities end. I want to remind you that there is One who can not only listen to you and pray for you, but who loves you without limit and knows what difficulties you are going through, and who also has the power and the desire to change your situation for the better.

Job suffered and longed for someone who would not only understand his human suffering, but would also be on an equal footing with God. He said of God: “For He is not a man, as I am, That I may answer Him, And that we should go to court together. Nor is there any mediator between us, Who may lay his hand on us both.” (Job.9:32-33) Job longed for a mediator between himself and God, who would understand him, could stand up for him and solve his problems.

Glory to our heavenly Daddy that He has given us this mediator — Jesus Christ the righteous, our Advocate and High Priest, who now sits at the right hand of the Majesty on high and intercedes for us!! Hallelujah!!!

We no longer need to run to a pastor or leader, a prophet or a priest, because we have a personal Advocate, or mediator, before God.

The word intercessor or advocate is often understood as the one who excuses our sins before God when the enemy accuses us. In fact, Jesus’ presence before God is our justification, but it is not only that. There is much more in the idea of an intercessor or high priest.

Even earthly advocates not only defend their clients in court when they have done wrong, but most often handle all their affairs and solve all their problems and questions with the higher authorities. How much more will our heavenly Advocate and Mediator solve any of our problems and questions before God.

Earthly advocates work for money and do not understand what their clients are going through. But of our Advocate it is said: “Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” (Heb.2:17-18)

It is also written of Him: “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Heb.4:15) That is why we can come boldly to the throne of grace, to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

The Lord Cares for Us

It is very important to know and believe that all our sins were dealt with long ago on the cross, and that now we are righteous before God forever. Otherwise a believer will always live in fear and doubt that God is angry with him or displeased with him. He will constantly confess and do needless works to quiet his conscience, hoping to be righteous before God and to win His favour. In that case there will be no peace with God, and how then can a believer be sure that God is on his side and will take care of all his affairs and problems?

That is why Paul writes: “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace…” (Rom.5:1-2) We have access to grace when we know and believe that we have been justified by faith through our Lord Jesus Christ. Only then can we come boldly to the Lord, open our heart before Him and confidently expect our problems to be solved.

In the letter to the Philippians it is written: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Phl.4:6) You see, we make all our cares and requests known to God, not to a man of God.

“You talk well, brother Paul, but isn’t it written: bear one another’s burdens? Doesn’t that mean I need to hand my problems over to someone more spiritual?” I’m glad you asked, dear friend.

Let’s read together the verse that comes right before it: “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness…” (Gal.6:1) Now let’s ask ourselves: “Who are the spiritual ones?” You probably think they are leaders or pastors. No, my friend! The spiritual ones are those in whose hearts the Holy Spirit lives, that is, believers who have been born again. And the natural, or carnal, ones are unbelievers.

So Paul is saying that when you believers see an unbeliever sinning, or rejecting Christ, for that is the only sin of which the Holy Spirit convicts the world (Jhn.16:8-9), then you, being spiritual, should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, and not frighten him with hell and other horror stories. Paul writes the same in his letter to Timothy: “in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth” (2 Tim.2:25) That’s basically all there is to it.

As for the problems of our lives, we have the Lord, who loves us beyond measure and cares for us. Peter writes: “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” (1 Pet.5:7) This is what it means to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, that is, to rely not on our own strength and abilities to solve this or that problem, but on His mighty and strong hand, which is able to save us from any trouble.

And when we lay our problems and requests on His mighty shoulders and give them into His strong hands, then, as beloved Paul writes: “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Phl.4:7) Then the peace of God will guard your heart from agitation, worry and cares. You will live in confidence, comforted by a hope that does not disappoint, because the love of our heavenly Daddy has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Amen!