A
Yeah the comforter is not the spirit. It is exactly what I just understood and said to you. There is no spirit until you are tried by fire. John is telling you to go and get that which you need prior to the teachings of christ. This is for someone who tries to be saved straight away just because they have decided to be saved. You must first hate your native land then seek the comforter.
John 14:16-17 (in the NASB, because I like it)[SUP]16 [/SUP]I will ask the Father, and He will give you another [SUP][b][/SUP]Helper, that He may be with you forever; [SUP]17 [/SUP]that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
John 14:25-26 (NASB)
[SUP]25 [/SUP]“These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. [SUP]26 [/SUP]But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
John 15:26-27 (in the NASB)
[SUP]26 [/SUP]“When the [SUP][h][/SUP]Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, [SUP]27 [/SUP][SUP][i][/SUP]and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
John 16:5-15 (in the NASB)[SUP]5 [/SUP]“But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ [SUP]6 [/SUP]But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. [SUP]7 [/SUP]But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the [SUP][c][/SUP]Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. [SUP]8 [/SUP]And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; [SUP]9 [/SUP]concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; [SUP]10 [/SUP]and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; [SUP]11 [/SUP]and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
[SUP]12 [/SUP]“I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. [SUP]13 [/SUP]But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. [SUP]14 [/SUP]He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. [SUP]15 [/SUP]All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.
If you read the passage ServantStrike quoted, in context, you will see that it most definitely referring to the Holy Spirit/Holy Ghost. Only something with personhood could do all those things that I underlined. Jesus here was not talking about some mystical thing or experience that we must have.
But, since you don't think it's about the Holy Spirit, who/what do you think it is referring to?