This month at New Covenant Assembly, we have been exploring the theme, “Demonstration of the Spirit and Power” at our Life in the Spirit conference. This article is a deep dive into the conditions or prerequisites for manifesting and demonstrating the power of the Holy Spirit.
The word of God makes it clear that God the Father designed the redemption plan based on his love for us (Romans 5:8). God the Father then sent Jesus Christ to the world to execute this redemption plan (Acts 10:18). At the tail end of his time on earth, Jesus Christ (God the Son) introduced his disciples to the person who would conclude the redemption plan. Not only did Jesus Christ introduce the person of the Holy Spirit to us, but He also made His mission clear to us. He did this in clear terms by referring to the Holy Spirit by a name - THE COMFORTER. John 14:16, John 15:26, and John 16:7
The Holy Spirit as The Comforter
Jesus Christ introduced the Holy Spirit to us as a support structure and a strategic partner. As believers, we must understand that we cannot do the works God has called us to do or even greater works without the help of the Holy Spirit, our Comforter.
First, who is the Comforter?
Loosely translated, the Comforter can mean someone who consoles or provides solace to those who mourn. However, further study shows that the Greek translation for “comforter” means “Paraclete.” A breakdown of the word “Paraclete” means someone who has a call or a mission to be close by one’s side. This tells us that God gives us the Holy Spirit to be by our side as a Comforter. According to the Amplified version of John 14:16, the Holy Spirit is called to be six things to God’s people. The verse says, “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever.”
God has made His grace and love available to us, and He has assigned the Holy Spirit as the administrator and executor of both. How does this translate for us as believers? We cannot attain God’s purpose for our lives or access His grace and love without having a genuine connection with the Holy Spirit. Many believers know God the Father and call on God the Son yet find it difficult to interact with the God the Holy Spirit, the third person in the trinity, in whom all things are made complete.
Every child of God must know and understand that there’s a lot of work to be done and these can only be accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The works of The Holy Spirit
The only way we can truly connect to the Holy Spirit in the way God intended is to have a knowledge of the works of the Holy Spirit. What are these works?
1. New things: The Holy Spirit is a spirit of newness, and He wants to do new things in the lives of God’s people. He wants to help us break new ground and enter new territories. Isaiah 42:9; 43:18
2. More (and much more): The Holy Spirit wants us to increase in size and number. He wants to do things in us, on us, to us, through us, among us, and on our behalf. Psalms 71:21
3. Fast works: God is a God of acceleration, and He always wants to do quick works in the lives of His children. He never delays and cooperating with the Holy Spirit always brings about a speedy manifestation of God’s promise. Romans 9:28, Acts 2:1-4
4. Better things: It is good for us to have good things, but God wants us to have better things. Until we connect to the Holy Spirit, we may not experience a full demonstration of His power.
5. A variety of things: Each of us are unique and God has given us distinct features. The same can be said for the manifestation of the spirit in our lives. With our permission, He will do diverse works in us.
6. Abiding results: This is the testimony of a spirit-empowered life. Human fabrication never lasts but the works of God abide forever. John 15:16
7. Regular works: The Holy Spirit does His works in us daily. He doesn’t take breaks. He stands by us consistently and without fail.
Communion with The Holy Spirit
Now that we’re aware of the works of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we must now examine the condition for accessing these works. The anchor scripture for today’s word is in 2Corinthians 13:14 (NKJV), and it states in part B, “the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” ‘Communion’ is a derivative of the Greek word, ‘Koinonia’ which implies “fellowship on the basis of intimate friendship.”
Friendship with the Holy Spirit is the prerequisite for accessing His works. Jesus referred to His disciples as friends in John 15:13 & 15. Lazarus was also described as a friend of Jesus, hence the powerful manifestation that led to him being raised to life from the dead (John 11:1-55). In the Old Testament, we see how Moses and Abraham’s friendship and intimacy with God shaped their experiences and stories (Numbers12:8, 2 Chronicles 20:7, James 2:23).
Here are a few things we should keep in mind about friendship with the Holy Spirit:
1. Friendship with the Holy Spirit is a NECESSITY for everyone who wants to see the Holy Spirit in action. Proverbs 18:20
2. Friendship with the Holy Spirit is a CHOICE.
3. Friendship with the Holy Spirit is REWARDING. Psalms 58:11, Proverbs 11:18
4. Friendship with the Holy Spirit requires EXPRESSION.
We can express our friendship with the Holy Spirit through the following ways:
· Create a time and place of fellowshipping with Him: We make time for our family and friends, to prove to them that we love them. We should prioritize the Holy Spirit by making time and space for Him.
· Acknowledge Him: In your waking moment and in every part of your day, let the Holy Spirit know that you’re aware of His presence.
· Welcome Him: What do you do when your good friend arrives at your door? You welcome them. Do the same for the Holy Spirit; welcome Him to your meditation hour, your home, your job and every activity you engage in.
· Earnestly pursue Him: Zaccheus, the tax collector, ran ahead and climbed a tree just so he could see Jesus. Chase after the Holy Spirit, thirst for Him. Psalms 63:1
· Talk to Him in your language and in the language of the Spirit: Even when you don’t know what to say, just open your mouth and speak. The Holy Spirit understands.
· Be open to Him: Do not make a decision – major or seemingly irrelevant – without first asking the Holy Spirit. Do whatever He tells you to after you’ve heard from Him.
· Worship Him: Spend time singing and lifting your hands to Him. Worship creates an atmosphere for the Holy Spirit to move without limitations.
Communion or fellowship is the channel through which you can receive blessings from God. Dear friend, you will experience the manifestation and demonstration of the Holy Spirit in an unprecedented and accelerated way simply by communing with the Holy Spirit. Make a decision to be friends with the Holy Spirit today. Let Him have the final say in the affairs of your life, and you will experience God in a new way.