KNOWING THE HOLY SPIRIT

 KNOWING THE HOLY SPIRIT

 Years ago a relatively little known evangelist named Benny Hinn wrote a simple book where he described his experience of getting to know the Holy Spirit. The book, Good Morning, Holy Spirit, has sold over one million copies in the last 20 years. The key to the book? The Holy Spirit is a person and we need to get to know him as a person who communicates with us person to person. Many people treat God, the Holy Spirit as a thing, a force, and miss out on what a true intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit is all about. 

 

In Paul’s last blessing to the church at Corinth he gives this doxology…

 

2 Corinthians 13:14 (NKJV) The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

 

Communion is the English translation of the Greek word koinonia. It is most often translated as fellowship, as in…

 

Philippians 2:1-2 (NKJV) Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

 

Koinonia literally means to have a close mutual relationship. So this morning let me ask all of us a question. Do we have a close mutual relationship with the Holy Spirit? 

 

We believe we should have that relationship, that it is possible to have that relationship, and God the Holy Spirit wants to have that relationship with you! It is stated in the 5^th tenet of our statement of faith. 

 

We believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to manifest both the gifts and fruits of the Spirit.

 

Now this morning I am not really going to try to necessarily define what the baptism of the Holy Spirit is. I believe the Bible is pretty clear about it, but a lot of time has been spent arguing over what it is and missing the reality of having a vital living relationship with the Holy Spirit. If I live in union with the Holy Spirit He will lead me in what I need to know and grow in me so that I reflect His power and presence in my life!

 

So, how do we grow our relationship with the Holy Spirit? Let’s see what Jesus said about it. 

 

In the upper room where Jesus celebrated His last Passover with His disciples, He began to discuss this One who was to come, who would be just like Him, but different. Listen to Him teach. 

 

John 14:15–17 (NKJV) If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter), that He may abide with you forever—17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

 

1.    We first get to know the Holy Spirit while He is with us. We sense Something or Someone is there but we don’t really know Him yet. He is our Helper, our Comforter. This is how we know Him first. The Greek word is Paraclete, someone called alongside to help. 

 

When did you first sense that God was with you? I have many recollections: my mom praying over me in tongues, asking God to heal me of leukemia… a 6 year old in church sensing God calling him to salvation… an 8 year old singing at a tent revival where an anointed man laid hands on me and I flew back over three sets of chairs! It was the Holy Spirit! He was with me: calling me, convicting me, convincing me, comforting me!

 

Have you felt Him? You didn’t know what it was, but you felt Him. Ask Him to show you more!

 

2.    Next, Jesus said the Holy Spirit would be in us! Does the Holy Spirit live in you?

 

John 20:21-22 (NKJV) So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

 

This is the moment of salvation. That which you have sensed and felt now becomes reality. You don’t understand it, but you believe it, you know it, you are a different person. 

 

Romans 8:9 (NKJV) But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

 

Romans 8:16 (NKJV) The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. 

 

1 Corinthians 12:3 (NKJV)

Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

 

1 Corinthians 12:13 (NKJV) For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.

 

Ephesians 1:13-14 (NKJV)

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

 

The moment we believed in Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit took up residence in my human spirit. 

 

1 Corinthians 3:16 (NKJV) Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

 

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 (NKJV)  Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

 

3.    The third way we relate to the Holy Spirit is when He comes upon us.

 

Luke 3:16 (NKJV) I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

 

Acts 1:4-5 (NKJV) And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

 

Acts 1:8 (NKJV) But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

 

Acts 2:1-4 (NKJV) When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

 

This is the “upon” ministry of the Holy Spirit. It is an anointing for ministry and power! It is a baptism in the fire of God. Baptism means immersion. I am fully covered by the Holy Spirit, filled inside and out by His power and Presence. What is the result? A deepening relationship with the Holy Spirit that touches everything I do.

 

Look at what happens here in Acts. A multitude come to see what is happening. Peter preaches and thousands get saved. The church is birthed and grows exponentially because of the anointing of the Holy Spirit. 

 

Jesus said that we would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon us and we would be witnesses. Have you received the power of the Holy Spirit upon your life? Are you being a witness in word and sign?

 

Mark 16:15-18 (NKJV) And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

 

Look at this encounter Paul had at Ephesus. 

 

Acts 19:1-2 (NKJV) And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”

 

This is the testimony of many believers. They have a relationship with Jesus, but have not even heard of having a relationship with the Holy Spirit. 

 

Acts 19:5-6 (NKJV) When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

 

The “upon” anointing is so powerful. 

 

1 John 2:20 (NKJV) But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 

 

1 John 2:27 (NKJV) 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, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

 

Everyone here today is in some relationship with the Holy Spirit. Some of you sense He is with you. Some have received Him and He is dwelling, being at home, in you. Some have experienced His anointing and know that He is upon you. Where are you? 

 

Benny Hinn says his life changed when he started saying everyday, “Good morning, Holy Spirit. What do you have for me today?”

 

Are we willing to pursue, seek after that kind of relationship with God the Holy Spirit? I hope we are.