The Person of the Holy Spirit

Hello everyone,

For some time now, I have wanted to write to you about something that is very dear to my heart. It is: knowing the Person of the Holy Spirit. I am well aware that it’s a topic that some Christians prefer to steer clear of, but without being properly taught on what the Word of God says about the third Person of the Trinity, the church will never be empowered to actively stand up against the devil and advance the kingdom of God on the earth. Without a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit, our Christian walk will become dry and mechanical. In fact, our lives are powerless without the Holy Spirit and we will always be limited by the things in this natural world.   

Now, besides the Word of God, there are numerous helpful books and teachings available on the Person of the Holy Spirit. I’m going to mention one that I’m reading right now, that is a great blessing and inspiration. It’s called Hosting the Supernatural and it is written by a personal friend of ours, Pastor Nicky van der Westhuizen. Why I’m mentioning his book to you is because Pastor Nicky actually lives what he teaches when it comes to knowing the Person of the Holy Spirit. I’m not in any way saying he is perfect, I’m just saying that I can see evidence of the relationship he has with the Holy Spirit in his life – and that’s the point I want to make today.

It’s so important for us to get passed seeing the Holy Spirit as a force or a power, or an influence. He is a Person, with a personality, intellect, emotions and will. Even though He is God, He is relatable. The Bible describes Him as being a Comforter, a Friend, a Helper and a Teacher. Some translations call Him a Standby, an Advocate and a Strengthener (John 14:16, 26; 15:26). It mentions that He can be grieved and quenched (Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19). He can also be excited and motivated to move on, fill and completely inhabit our lives (Luke 1:15,41,67; Acts 2:4, 4:8, 4:31, 9:17, 13:9; Ephesians 3:16; Colossians 2:10). Most importantly, the Holy Spirit only moves by the will of the Father, and He loves Jesus. He will always manifest Himself when Jesus is glorified and worshipped in spirit and in truth. You can read about this in John 16:13-15.

So why is it so important for us to see the Holy Spirit as a person? Pastor Nicky mentioned something in his book that really brings this truth home. He said that when people see the Holy Spirit as a power, they want to use Him as power. But if they see Him as a Person, they will surrender to Him, worship Him, and love Him. Now, listen to this statement, it ‘rocked my world’: “When you treat the Holy Spirit as a Person, you don’t have to look for power; He will just give it to you.”

Make no mistake, the Holy Spirit may be relatable, but He is Holy. He is divine and glorious, and worthy to be worshipped, because He is God.

It’s the Holy Spirit that enables us to have a deep, meaningful relationship with God. He is the voice you hear in your heart, and the glorious joy you feel rise up within you as you yield to Him while He reveals the truth of His Word to you, or refreshes your soul with His peace. You can tangibly feel His presence when He is worshipped. Oh I have felt and experienced His touch, it’s something every believer can experience every day – and once you do, you will never find anything to compare with it. That’s because you will discover that He is so beautiful, so loving, and so fulfilling. In essence, the Holy Spirit makes the Person of Jesus tangibly real to you.  

Do you remember how I said the Holy Spirit has an intellect?  He is able to think and process information. 1 Corinthians 2:10-13 explains this beautifully. Now, I’m quoting from the Amplified Classic version, which includes the original Greek translation. So it may seem lengthy, but in this letter, it’s fitting for us to pay careful attention to it all – especially since we are learning about the Person of the Holy Spirit.

“Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit...” What has God revealed? Well, in the verse before this one, it says “...all that God has prepared and kept ready for us.”  So this verse is saying that the Holy Spirit unveils and reveals to us all that God has prepared and made ready for us!  

 ...for the [Holy] Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God [the divine counsels and things hidden and beyond man’s scrutiny].

For what person perceives (knows and understands) what passes through a man’s thoughts except the man’s own spirit within him? Just so no one discerns (comes to know and comprehend) the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have not received the spirit [that belongs to] the world, but the [Holy] Spirit Who is from God, [given to us] that we might realise and comprehend and appreciate the gifts [of divine favour and blessing so freely and lavishly] bestowed on us by God.

And we are setting these truths forth in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the [Holy] Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual truths with spiritual language [to those who possess the Holy Spirit].”

The Holy Spirit is the only One Who truly knows the deepest, bottomless things of God. He searches them and completely understands them and then He reveals them to our spirits. That’s why it’s possible for a born-again child of God to really know and experience God. But it’s a knowledge that doesn’t come by human reasoning; it’s discerned by our spirits, directly through the Spirit of God.

God is not this distant being who watches from afar and refuses to get involved with the intimate details of our lives. In fact, the truth couldn’t be more contrary to that. God desires for us to really know and intimately experience Him. There is nothing about Himself that He has hidden from us; He invites us to draw near and explore all He is and has for us. I believe it will take an eternity to do that!

If you want a closer relationship with the Holy Spirit, you must begin to see Him as the Word says He is. He is a Person Who speaks and shares the heart of God with you. When you begin to cultivate this relationship with Him, you will see the evidence of the power of God in your life.  

Now when you became born-again, the Holy Spirit came to live inside of you. His Spirit is one with yours. 1 Corinthians 6:17 says, “But the person who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him.” If you want to be better acquainted with the Holy Spirit and experience a fresh revelation of Who He is, then all you have to do is ask. The Bible says that we can receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, where He infuses us with power, like a fountain of life that energises and strengthens us from the inside. John 7:38-39 says, “He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, from his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water. But He was speaking here of the Spirit, Whom those who believed (trusted, had faith) in Him were afterward to receive. For the [Holy] Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified (raised to honour).”

Ephesians 5:18, tells us that we can be ever filled and stimulated with the Holy Spirit, so that we can continually draw from His power and strength that is already inside us, since His Spirit is one with ours. “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but ever be filled and stimulated with the [Holy] Spirit.” If this is the desire of your heart, then here is a prayer you can pray; and if you pray it from your heart, by faith, it will become your reality:

“Lord, it is clear that You want me to be filled with Your power and strength today.  I want to know You in the way Your Word says I can know and experience You.  I know Your Spirit lives in me, but I want to receive a fresh infilling of Your power and presence.  I want to have Your life flow in me like continuous springs of living water.  So I open my heart right now and ask You to fill me to overflowing with Your Spirit. Thank You for creating me to be the receptacle for this wonderful power —and by faith, I receive that powerful flow of Your Spirit right now! I pray this in Jesus’ name!”

I’m so excited about this journey we are taking together to get to know the Person of the Holy Spirit. Next week we are going to continue exploring what the Word of God says about this precious member of the Godhead, Who desires to be our closest companion.

All my love,

Jenny