What is Fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit?
I. GOD’S INVITATION: THAT WE WOULD EXPERIENCE INTIMACY AND POWER
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
(2 Cor 13:14, NAS, NIV)
1 If you have any…comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit… (Phil. 2:1, NIV)
A. Jesus taught us to abide in Him because He longs to fill us with His love and be near to us. We are all invited to
experience intimacy with God’s heart. Only a few think of this awesome privilege. This is within the reach of the weakest
among us. The goal is an on-going heart dialogue with our Beloved. The most simple type of pray is beholding God.
B. This is the beginning point of deep connection with God that enables us to live in His presence in much greater
consistently than we ever knew possible. This can be sustained in all stations of life in the market place or in the demands
of ministry or home or even on a sick bed or in prison. This prayer need not be interrupted by our daily responsibilities.
Once we taste a life of connected with the Spirit we find deep pleasure. The pleasure of loving God is within the reach of
all believers.
C. There are two components to our abiding relationship with Jesus. Our part is to being faithful to turn our attention
inward to communicate with the Spirit as the way of connecting with His presence in our life. God’s part is to release His
supernatural activity in our hearts (our mind and emotions).
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you
abide in Me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me
you can do nothing. (Jn. 15:4-5)
1. We abide in Him: we connect with His heart. We exert effort to connect with Him in faith, obedience and dialogue.
2. He abides in us: He works in our heart. He is active in us to impart the Spirit’s gifts, fruit and wisdom in us.
For whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you… (Gal. 4:19)
D. Those who abide in Christ will bear much fruit in their lives. This speaks of experiencing intimacy with God and the
supernatural power to have a vibrant heart. Fruit refers both to godliness which is to have a vibrant heart in God
(Rom. 6:22; 7:4-5; Gal. 5:22; Eph. 5:9; Heb. 12:11; 13:15; Jas. 3:18) and to our ministry to others (Jn. 4:36; Rom. 1:13;
15:28; Phil. 1:22; Col. 1:5-6).
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering… (Gal. 5:22)
Having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness… (Rom. 6:22)
For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth (Eph. 5:9)
E. We can only abide in Christ as we fellowship with the Holy Spirit. We deeply value our friendship with the Spirit. A
vibrant walk with Him is essential in our quest to experience more of God. It is futile to seek deep experiences with God
while neglecting the Spirit’s presence and His leadership in our lives. We cannot go deep in God with a dull spirit. We can
all fellowship with the Holy Spirit. He is a dynamic Person who lives inside us to empower our hearts as we walk in
friendship with Him.
14 The love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Cor. 13:14, NAS)
1 If you have any…comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit… (Phil. 2:1, NIV)
F. Other terms for the reality of abiding with Christ include: Fellowshipping with the Spirit, communing prayer, prayer
without ceasing (1 Thes. 5:17), infused prayer, abiding prayer, receiving the implanted word (Jas 1:21), walking in the
Spirit or walking in the light, sowing to the Spirit, putting on the new man, buying gold refined by fire (Rev. 3:18), friendship
with God, holy jealous love (Song 8:6). The result is Christ dwelling in our heart or His activity that transforms our mind
and emotions or perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (2 Cor. 7:1)
G. Motivate to love Jesus with all our hearts we hold our mind in a focus on Him. At first this is difficult. At first, it is
difficult to bring your mind under control because of years of our mind wandering. Your soul will surely become
accustomed to withdrawing to inward things because Jesus desires is to reveal Himself to us. In this when our mind
wanders, we simply turn it back to the Spirit. Augustine testified that he lost much time seeking the Lord outwardly rather
than by turning inwardly. When distracted just bring your wandering mind back to the Lord within you instead of seeking
to change what you are thinking. This is the best way to win the war of a wandering mind. The Spirit is more present to
us than we really understand. The Holy of Holies is a near to us as our spirit.
H. Paul exhorts us to walk in the Spirit or to develop a dynamic relationship (friendship) with Him.
16 I say then: walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust (sinful desires) of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts (wars)
against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh… (Gal. 5:16–17)
I. In Gal. 5:16, Paul exhorts us to “walk in the Spirit” and then gives us one of the great promises in Scripture, “You
shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”
1. The “flesh” in Paul’s theology includes sinful physical pleasures (sensuality, gluttony, alcoholism, etc.) as
well as sinful emotions (pride, bitterness, anger, defensiveness, etc). Paul gives 17 expressions of the flesh in
Gal. 5:19-21.
2. Paul did not promise us that all fleshly desires would be gone, but that we would have power to not fulfill or
walk out the lusts of the flesh.
J. In Gal. 5:17, Paul described the war inside every believer. The flesh wars against the Spirit. The Spirit also wars
against the flesh. The only way to overcome the power of lust is by growing in a relationship with the Holy Spirit or by
being actively engaged with Him. Walking in the Spirit is the primary condition and focus for overcoming lust. Many put
their main focus on the necessity of denying sinful desires more than in walking with the Spirit.
K. We walk in the Spirit to the degree that we “fellowship with Him.” The Spirit is a dynamic Person who lives inside
us to empower our hearts as we walk in friendship with Him. The Spirit is more an “impersonal anointing” that helps us to
minister to people in power.
II. GOD CREATED US IN THREE PARTS
A. We understand fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit as we understand that God created humans beings in three
parts, spirit, soul and body. Our soul is our personality which includes our mind, emotions, will.
23 May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless… (1 Thes. 5:23)
B. The core reality of the new birth is that the Holy Spirit comes to live in our spirit as a real Person. The new birth is
much more than being forgiven. The uncreated life of God dwells in our spirit. It emphasizes being born into a new
connectedness with the Spirit.
5 Unless one is born of water (natural) and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom... (Jn. 3:5)
C. God deposited His seed or His very life into our spirit at the moment we were born again. With this new life in us,
we can no longer live in habitual and uncontested sin but war against it.
9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him. (1 Jn. 3:8-9)
D. At the new birth, our spirit is joined to the Holy Spirit, that we are one spirit with God.
17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. (1 Cor 6:17)
E. The Spirit flows from our heart. The NAS accurately translates this as our “innermost man.”
38 He that believeth on Me…out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 But this spoke He of the Spirit, which they
that believe on Him should receive. (Jn. 7:38-39 KJV)
38 He who believes…from his innermost being will flow rivers of living water. (Jn. 7:38 NAS)
38 He who believes in Me…out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. (Jn. 7:38, NKJ)
F. Three aspects our relationship with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit lives in our spirit (inner man) at the new birth.
We abide or connect with Him then He releases His Presence in our heart (mind, emotions, will).
That He would grant you…to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in
your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love… (Eph. 3:16-17)
G. God lives in our spirit but expresses His life in our soul progressively. God fully lives in us at the new birth, the
measure that He expresses Himself in us is the measure of our maturity. A carnal believer has the life of God in their
spirit but not expressed in their soul or heart.
III. GLORY OF THE NEW COVENANT IS THE GLORY OF GOD DWELLING IN OUR SPIRIT
7 But if the ministry of death (Old Covenant and the law of Moses)…was glorious…8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not
be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in
glory…11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious….17 Now the Lord is (Jesus is
one with) the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in
a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the
Lord. (2 Cor. 3:3-18)
A. Walking in the Spirit is within the reach of all believers by beholding the Spirit in our inner man. This is for “all”
believers. We all can behold the Shekinah glory of the Spirit in us.
18 We all beholding…the glory of the Lord, are being transformed…by the Spirit. (2 Cor. 3:18)
27 The riches of the glory of this mystery…which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Col. 1:27)
B. We behold and know the Spirit by beholding (gazing) Him in our inner man. The NAS translates this as beholding
or seeing the Spirit. It suggests gazing into the bonfire of God’s presence.
17 The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him
because He abides with you, and will be in you. (Jn. 14:17 NAS)
17 The Spirit…whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He…
will be in you. (Jn. 14:17)
C. Scripture describes God as light. I think of the Holy Spirit as the Shekinah Glory of God dwelling in our spirit. This
gives us insight into the presence and ministry of the Holy Spirit in us. The false religions counterfeit this.
5 The message which we have heard from Him and declare…that God is light… (1 Jn. 1:5)
D. The Spirit flows from our heart. The NAS accurately translates this as our “innermost man.”
38 He who believes…from his innermost being will flow rivers of living water. (Jn. 7:38 NAS)
38 He that believeth on Me…out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (Jn. 7:38 KJV)
38 He who believes in Me…out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit,
whom those believing in Him would receive. (Jn. 7:37-39, NKJ)
38 Whoever believes in Me…streams of living water will flow from within him. (Jn. 7:38 NIV)
E. Israel in the wilderness sang “Spring up O well” – we can call forth the fountains of love, joy, peace patience etc.
The well is great analogy – much water but it is only accessed by specifically drawing up the water. In the ancient world it
was by a buckets on a rope, in recent generations by a hand pump. It must be ‘drawn bucket by bucket’ not automatic
long term flow with one pump.
Then Israel sang this song: "Spring up, O well! All of you sing to it-- 18 The well the leaders sank, Dug by the nation's
nobles, By the lawgiver, with their staves." (Num. 21:17)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control.
Against such there is no law. (Gal. 5:22-23)
IV. TALKING TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
A. In prayer, we focus our mind on God in two ways: on the Father who sits on His Throne (Rev. 4) and on God the
Holy Spirit who lives in our spirit.
9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven… (Mt. 6:9)
9 The Spirit of God dwells in you… 10 If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of
righteousness. 11 If the Spirit…dwells in you, He…will give life to your mortal bodies… (Rom. 8:9-10)
B. Who do we fellowship with? The Father or the Son or the Spirit?
9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus… (1 Cor. 1:9)
3 Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. (1 Jn. 1:3)
C. The fundamental way to walk in the Spirit is to talk with the Spirit or to communicate with Him by turning our
attention on Him. This is so simple that many miss it.
D. If we talk to Him, He will talk back, once we start the conversation.
E. He speaks to us by giving us subtle impressions that release power on our mind and heart if we respond to them.
He will lead us by giving us promptings to act on and to restrain us.
F. We will not walk in the Spirit more than we talk to the Spirit.
G. We communicate with the Spirit as the way to experience the release of His power in our inner man. This will
include speaking to Him. The moments that we dialogue with Him are the moments we are most aware of His power in us.
H. We must articulate our love and gratitude to Jesus in simple phrases. This is used by the Spirit to effectively
change our life as we often say, “Jesus, I love You, I thank and I trust You, etc.”.
2 Take words with you, and return to the LORD. Say to Him, "Take away all iniquity; receive us graciously, for we will offer
the sacrifices of our lips. (Hos. 14:2)
15 One of them…returned…16 giving Him thanks…17 Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed?...
19 He said to him, "Your faith has made you well." (Lk. 17:15-19)
I. See other prayer lists on www.IHOP.org: F-E-L-L-O-W-S-H-I-P (prayers to be strengthened); and A-R-K (applying
the descriptions of Jesus)
J. Three different ways to enrich our prayer life with the Holy Spirit
1. Pray-read the Scripture
2. Gazing or waiting with affection on the Holy Spirit who dwells in our spirit.
3. We prayer in tongues to the indwelling Spirit
K. He releases small measures of power on our mind and heart, but the power is real. We experience the Spirit’s
power in small measure like we do with food and water.
L. To get started, I suggest talking directly to the Spirit 5-10 times a day for 3-5 minutes each time. When speaking
to the Holy Spirit, we speak the 5 themes (at the end of this session) or we speak the Word (as we pray-read the Word)
or we pray in the spirit to the Shekinah glory in our spirit.
M. If we only talk to the Spirit in the crisis of temptation, rather than as a lifestyle, then we will not sustain our dialogue
with Him in an effective way that results in righteousness in our emotions.
13 If you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live…
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness (communicates) with our spirit that we are children of God. (Rom. 8:13-16)
N. The language of our mind is images. Whatever images we behold or set our mind on, whether good or bad, is what
we open our heart to and therefore, it is what is imparted to us. If we set our mind on impurity, then impurity is imparted in
our heart (or emotions).
O. We must cultivate our friendship with the Spirit, being careful not to quench or resist Him. we must not quench
(1 Thes. 5:19) or grieve Him (Eph. 4:30). We prize or value the prompting of the Spirit on our heart because for it flow
the springs of life.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. (Prov. 4:23)
P. We renounce all that causes the Spirit’s work in our heart to be minimized (Gal. 6:8; Rom. 8:6). We can grow in our
experience of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his
flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not
grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. (Gal. 6:7-9)
1. To reap corruption is defiled and weakened emotions
2. To reap life is emotions filled with love, joy peace etc., as seen in the passage before this.
Q. The more we talk to the Spirit the less we talk to people in a way that quenches the Holy Spirit, our spirit, and their
spirit. Words release (activate) as well as hinder the Spirit’s work in us.
29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to
the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit… (Eph. 4:29-30)
R. Linger in God’s presence: in dialoging with God. Take time to linger as you speak slowly to God (include
declarations of our love to God). I sigh or groan in-between moments of silence much more than I speak actual words.
Speak slowly with occasionally whispering, “I love You, Holy Spirit” while praying in the spirit gently and intermittently.
S. We “practice the presence of God” knowing that it takes time to grow in our sense of connectedness with the Holy
Spirit. The more I speak directly to Him in private the more I have a sense of His presence while I am active in public life
with others.
T. Jesus manifests His power in our heart as the glory of God in us. This occurs as we fellowship with the Holy Spirit.
27 The riches of the glory of this mystery…which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we preach…that we may
present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 29 To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in
me mightily. (Col. 1:27-29)
20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works
in us... (Eph. 3:20)
U. Our dialogue with the Spirit in our inner man grows as we gaze at Him as light or fire that seals our heart with
God’s power. We set Jesus as a seal on our heart by fellowship with the Spirit.
6 Set Me (Jesus) as a seal upon your heart…its flames are flames of fire. (Song 8:6)
V. Note: the Scripture that has most helped me to develop my dialogue with the Spirit is Jn. 14-17.