We may have come expecting a message on the pouring out of the Spirit, but look at the working of the Holy Spirit as He burns the dross of sin away as the sanctifier, and the comforter as Christ Himself spoke of. The child of God is guided by the Holy Spirit as He presses those things upon the hearts and souls of God's children and so He works in our lives and in our hearts.

Who: The spirit of Man and the Holy Spirit. The first is not capitalized. Our spirit is the spirit of man as the child of God (regenerated) and the "frame of mind" that the child of God has. Those who have been regenerated and whom the Spirit works (Paul is not talking about initial regeneration but those whom have already been regenerated and those who the Spirit continues to work within.) The capital Spirit is the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Comforter who was not in the Old Testament. The Holy Spirit always worked though the types and shadows in the Old Test giving riches through these signs and promises, but we are much richer today having direct access with God which is the better or reality of the Old Testament! He continues HIs labors, His comforting, and His guiding of His church with the use of God's word as we have the fulfillment!

What: The Holy Spirit bears witness with our Spirit that we ARE the children of the Living God. The Spirit of adoption! Mercy and compassion are set on children who are forlorn and a picture of the reality. Sure, we cannot touch the hearts of children....but GOD CAN!!! And that changed heart is made aware that we are HIS CHILDREN in and with that Spirit of adoption and we KNOW HE IS OUR FATHER! It has made us very really His children who have all the rights and privileges of the Father. His blessings and His home. We have the RIGHT to call the Triune, Almighty God (who we rejected by the way) our Father and we have been made worthy of sonship!

The Comfort: He bears witness. One who testifies, one who corroborates. One who makes the truth stand. And so the Holy Spirit does within the child of God who knows this to be true already. The world thinks it is all mythical delusion but it is not true at all! Remember you cannot prove the truth of the Word of God to those who have not received His Spirit . He bears witness to our spirit not theirs because they have not been regenerated and the Spirit bears witness that we are His children and corroborates that these things are true! Everything else is mythical, feeling, and emotion. But the Spirit always testifies and convicts us of all things that are in our hearts! It needs to be so because the ungodly world gain say this and call it a lie. Many gainsay and wonder. Bu the Holy Spirit testifies to us..."oh no! This is TRUTH!" And when we are like the publican and cannot lift our head the Holy Spirit assures us that no matter our sin, God welcomes us back.

He never leaves us. Never forsakes us. And NOTHING can ever separate us from the love of Jesus Christ our Lord and we have His Spirit (which is much stronger than our spirit) that testifies to us each and every day that we ARE the children of the Living God!