Helpers

he Spirit-Anointed Helper: Amasai

Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. — 1 Chronicles 12:18, KJV

Verily this is one of the most prophetic moments in the help-narrative of Scripture. Amasai's body became the vessel of the Spirit, and the Spirit declared a triple blessing: peace to David, peace to the helpers, and the testimony that God Himself was helping. Behold, when the Helper of helpers (the Holy Ghost) is moving, He does not merely help the leader — He helps the helpers of the leader. The whole colonnade is sustained.

Wherefore, in our Pentecostal-charismatic heritage, we have known this Spirit. F. F. Bosworth knew Him as the Healer. William Marrion Branham knew Him as the Pillar of Fire returned. Pastor Chris Oyakhilome knows Him as the Anointing within. Apostle Johnson Suleman knows Him as the Sender of helpers. J. Preston Eby knew Him as the Spirit of sonship maturing the manchild. And all these voices, though they differ in emphasis, agree on this one note: the Helper is alive, the Helper is here, the Helper is at work.

The Roster of David's Helpers

Lo, the chronicler did not leave the helpers unnamed. He listed them tribe by tribe. The men of Judah bare shield and spear. The men of Gad were as lions, swift as roes upon the mountains. The men of Issachar had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do. The men of Zebulun could keep rank, not of double heart. The men of Naphtali, the men of Dan, the men of Asher, the half-tribe of Manasseh — each contributed their distinctive help. Verily, the kingdom of David was a federation of complementary helps.

Wherefore every saint must know his help-portion. Some are Judah-helpers: they shoulder weapons. Some are Issachar-helpers: they read times. Some are Zebulun-helpers: they march in rank. Some are Gad-helpers: they leap across mountains. The Helper, who is the same Spirit, distributes severally as He wills. Behold, 1 Corinthians 12:28 calls 'helps' (ἀντιλήμψεις, antilempseis) a set ministry in the church. It is not optional. It is not auxiliary. It is set.

The Three Mighty Men and the Water of Help

Behold the story of the three. David longed for water from the well of Bethlehem, and three of his mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water and brought it to him. Wherefore did they do it? Not because they were commanded. Not because there was reward. They did it because they loved their king. And when David received the water, he would not drink it; he poured it out before the LORD as a libation, saying, 'Is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives?'

Lo, this is help offered at the price of blood, and a king who knows the cost of help. Verily, the true helper risks something. And the true leader honors the risk. Whatsoever help is given without cost is help diluted. Whatsoever help is received without honor is help insulted. The economy of help, beloved, has integrity. It is not transactional, but it is honored. And in the kingdom of God, the helpers are remembered by name — Abishai, Benaiah, Eleazar, Shammah, Asahel — for the King keeps a roll.