Who is the Holy Spirit?

Have you ever wondered what people mean when mentioning the Holy Spirit? The short story is that Jesus spent 40 days on Earth sharing His gospel after the resurrection. When it was time for him to ascend into heaven, he said he would leave us his Holy Spirit. The book of Acts focuses on this, with Jesus saying in Acts 1:8- “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem and in Judea, Samaria and to the end of the earth.”

The wonderful truth is this: We can have a personal relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit, even though He is in heaven. Here are some ways:

Connection:

Recently it occurred to me how we can feel uniquely connected to Jesus. Almost as if it’s just me alone with Jesus in a two-way relationship, and I’m happy to share that this is true! Jesus made this available to us when he physically left the Earth. He speaks words to my heart that is unique to me. However, he also speaks personally to other believers about their situation directly. This is what it means to have a relationship with Jesus. God speaks to His people uniquely and relationally. He wants an individual’s actions to reflect what he has put in their heart. But this connection goes two ways. We need to desire a relationship with Him. He does not force this upon us. If another believer in Jesus asks for my opinion, I can share how God speaks to me on their behalf, but their connection and His words of truth to them are what they need to do. All I can do is pray for the people directly in my circle of influence that God would speak to them uniquely, and I need to relinquish control of how God is moving in their situation.

 Heart Knowledge:

People who are not believers have a hard time understanding this relationship. To them, God is just head knowledge outside of any heart knowledge. We must ask Jesus to come into our hearts for this relationship. Only when the Holy Spirit floods their being can they enter this unique relationship God seeks to have with his people. Even “spiritual” people that only know God through religion may not have this heart knowledge. Knowing God through religion and traditions is head knowledge, and this head knowledge does not allow for relational understanding. This is why many church-going people don’t have this kind of relationship with Jesus. They haven’t let God settle over their heart and ignite a desire for the Holy Spirit of Jesus to flood their soul, thus creating this relationship.

What about you? Where do you fall in your relationship with Jesus? Are you a head knowledge person that believes that Jesus is God but don’t feel his active presence in your life? Do you think that others have a direct line to God over you when you need prayer? God desires a relationship uniquely with you. Take this next step.

Personal Relationship:

 Jesus wants a personal relationship through the Holy Spirit with you. He wants the one-on-one. Stop and ask him to be your Lord and Savior wherever you are in your spiritual walk. This doesn’t have to be fancy, just a simple, earnest prayer. Ask him to become your relational God over religion and flood your life with His wisdom and direction. Immerse yourself in the Bible. Look for ways that you can grow your faith in your community. A couple of suggestions would be, The Bible in One Year, a free app that is a great tool to read or listen to daily. Nicky and Pippa Gumbel, out of HTB London, read through the Bible in a year and explain it with an everyday application. Another favorite author who will help grow your faith is Tony Evans. His books will help you increase your faith and grow your relationship with Jesus.  Look for some mom groups in your area that do Bible studies together. Call your local church for suggestions.

You can take these simple steps to develop your one-on-one relationship with the Lord. This decision has been life-changing for me in the most extraordinary way imaginable. I want this for you and your family too.

Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.