4 Ways People Relate to the Holy Spirit

We see in Acts 19 that the Apostle Paul asks some Christians if they have received the Holy Spirit, to which they reply, “We didn’t even know there was a Holy Spirit” (Acts 19:2). Similarly, I believe there are many Christians today who’s lives reflect a similar response. Here are four of the common ways Christians relate to the Holy Ghost.

The Main Ways

1. Fogginess about the Holy Spirit

The foggy way is when Christians have a vague idea about the Holy Ghost and think of Him as an object or a thing. They understand Jesus, the Messiah, and God, the Heavenly Father. However, they see the Holy Spirit as just an atmosphere, power, or manifestation. This lack of clarity on the nature of the Holy Ghost can truly cause fogginess in the life of a believer.

It’s important to understand that God does not want us to be unclear about Him.

2. Familiarity with the Holy Spirit

The second way is familiarity. Many people have grown up in church, listened to the teachings about the Christian faith, and may even be solid in their Biblical foundation. Therefore, they would say they are familiar with who the Holy Spirit is.

This was the case for me many years ago when I believed that the Holy Spirit was this uncontrollable force that came upon people and they would feel a powerful connection to God as a result. I decided I needed that too, and after months of seeking it, I finally got the gift of speaking in tongues. I thought I had reached the goal, but even though I go the gift of tongues, I realized nothing else in life really changed. I was still addicted to porn and struggled in many areas.

This was because the Holy Spirit wasn’t a Person to me; He was just an experience. I was familiar with the Him, but I didn’t have fellowship with Him. Similarly, many people know Him theoretically or based on a certain supernatural experience, but they never have fellowship with Him.

3. Fellowship with the Holy Spirit

Fellowship marks a deeper, more personal relationship with the Holy Ghost.

I remember years ago, at a really desperate moment in ministry, a pastor told me something that really offended me at the time but has since changed me forever.

He said, “You don’t know the Holy Spirit; you only know about Him.” Although I didn’t want to admit it, it was true. From then on, I began asking God to teach me who the Holy Ghost was. I began to talk to Him and acknowledged Him daily. When I did that, I noticed that He began to help me change.

Fellowship with the Holy Ghost is understanding that He is a Person, and as a result, you begin to talk to Him and acknowledge Him. Although that’s a great step, our pursuit of the Holy Spirit should not stop there. God desires that we not just have fellowship but a friendship with the Holy Spirit.

4. Friendship with the Holy Spirit

A friendship with Him goes beyond fellowship.

In John 15:14 Jesus states that those who do what He says are His friends. Jesus’s definition of friendship is not based on quality time but on obedience.

It’s possible to have communion with the Holy Spirit and live in sin.

It’s possible to have communion with Him and never pray, read the Bible, evangelize, or forgive, but not friendship.

See, your intimacy with the Holy Spirit is contingent on obeying what He asked.

Sometimes, it could be simple things, such as forgiving the person, throwing away things that don’t belong to you, or praying more. What I found out personally is that sometimes what He asks us for is hard to surrender, so we would rather “trade” with Him instead.

We love to overcompensate with sacrifice, where we lack in obedience.

Obedience to the Holy Spirit unlocks friendship with Him.

Growing in Relationship with the Holy Ghost

I want to invite you to go after the Holy Spirit. You only have one life.

Some of us die at 40, but they bury us at 70. You may feel as though you’re just existing but not living–like there are no more dreams. Perhaps you feel like your memories have become bigger than your dreams. 

Today, the Holy Spirit wants to take you to have a life of friendship with Him, not just fellowship. He desires you to walk in obedience by faith. Is it scary? Of course, but sometimes staying the same is more scary.

Remember that obedience to Him unlocks friendship. Choose to step out.

Learn more in my new book Host the Holy Ghost.