by
Revivalist Todd Bentley
(Reproduced with permission)
This two-part series is entitled “The Reality of the Holy Spirit.” In Part 1, I share my testimony and several awesome encounters with the Holy Spirit. I explain how to come to know and honor the Person of the Holy Spirit, as well as discussing the Godhead — how the Father, Son and Spirit are different and yet united in purpose. In Part 2, I will teach about the Holy Spirit as the Helper, Teacher, and Spirit of Truth. Also I will examine the emotional side of the Holy Spirit and we will look at five different ways He came in power to birth the plans of the Godhead in Jesus' life. After examining our hearts concerning the way we relate to the Holy Spirit we will be ready to pray together asking Him to saturate and anoint our lives.
The Holy Spirit is real! Although we can't actually see Him because He is a Spirit, it is possible to see evidence, everyday, of His presence in our lives. Just like leaves carried by the wind are proof that a breeze is blowing, so are certain signs and manifestations a confirmation that the Holy Spirit is touching our lives. However, He only comes to us with great liberty when we create an atmosphere that warmly welcomes Him.
We can enjoy the reality of the Holy Spirit when we pursue friendship with Him, as a Person, on an intimate level. In this teaching, I want to explain what it takes to be deeply acquainted with the Person and Presence of the Holy Spirit, how to worship Him and how to be His partner. I'll also share, in my testimony, about some of the manifestations of the Holy Spirit that transformed my life.
To begin with, I'm going to share some of my background with you. Many of you may not know that by the time I was 11 years old I was drinking alcohol and that during my teens I became a drug addict. I experienced three drug overdoses before my 19 th birthday. I also was involved in gangs and eventually did time in five different prisons. But about ten years ago, at 18, I was delivered from drugs, alcohol and my ungodly lifestyle when I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.
Here's how I was set free: I was in my drug dealer's trailer when God spoke to me in an audible voice — I was instantly delivered from drugs and alcohol. No cravings! No withdrawal symptoms! Just like many of you, I had an encounter with the power of God. Immediately I was hungry for God — an unquenchable desire to know Him.
It wasn't long after my radical conversion that I began hanging out with the Full Gospel Businessmen. Their good character and love for the Lord rubbed off on me and I grew dramatically in my faith. From the very beginning they taught me that the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire, as well as the gifts of the Holy Spirit, is available for all believers to receive, including me. Well, I couldn't help but tell them, “I'm hungry for more of God!” I was a brand new Christian who couldn't get enough. I was devouring the scriptures, reading the Bible four to five hours a day, but I wasn't satisfied. I knew there had to be more.
Also, once a week I hung out with the born again Spirit-filled charismatic Catholics when they got together to worship the Lord. Their meetings flowed in the Holy Ghost — someone would sing spontaneously to the Lord and then another believer would read a scripture. Someone would give a word of knowledge, while another believer would get up and give a word of wisdom. It was in these meetings that my ‘School of the Spirit' began.
During this season I was invited to go away with the FGBM to a retreat in Kelowna near Okanagan Lake . It was shaping up to be a great weekend and the guys knew I needed the baptism of the Holy Ghost — speaking in tongues. So at this retreat some of them laid hands on me. “We'll get you started speaking in tongues. It's like starting a car or a motor cycle. We need to kick start you, so just say, “Ka ka ka ta ta ta,” they said. Well, after doing that a few times, I thought, “This is ridiculous!” Nothing was happening to me. I didn't feel any living waters springing out of my belly. But I didn't give up! I wanted the baptism of the Holy Ghost and the fire BIG time in my life, so they persevered with me. “We must get you filled with the Holy Spirit and talking in tongues,” they said. “That's the power of God — the gifts of the Spirit.” I thought, “Great!”
Finally, on the last night of the retreat, after someone prayed for me, something happened. All of a sudden I started speaking in tongues! I thought, “Oh! This is awesome, but I need to be alone.” You see, what I was experiencing was so personal that I didn't want to be with the others for a few minutes. So, stepping out of the conference center, I walked along the lakeshore. It was 12:30 in the morning. I could hear the waves lapping gently on the shore; the air was still. My prayer language continued bubbling up, but I began wondering if this new language was really the Holy Spirit. The affirmation I needed, that I was truly speaking in tongues, came in a powerful, unusual way from the hand of God.
Now what I'm about to share with you next is holy. (Holy means: sacred, spiritually pure, sinless, deserving deep respect, awe — Webster's Dictionary.) All of a sudden, up over the lake, out of the darkness, the heavens opened and a dove materialized out of thin air. It sounded like hundreds of birds flying together at the same time. Then I saw the dove fly across the lake. I was amazed, thinking, “One bird can't make that much noise.” Right away, as soon as I turned my head I saw the dove land in a tree. In the next instant it disappeared, it was gone. Instantly I remembered the time when Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River and the Spirit descended upon Him like a dove (Luke 3:22 ). At that moment, I realized that this encounter was the sign or confirmation I needed, that I was truly speaking in tongues.
In fact, after my encounter with the Holy Spirit in Kelowna , I was even more hungry for the word of God. Whenever I read my Bible, the words jumped off the page into my heart. Feasting on God's word was like dipping into a well of living water and I was thirsty for more. I kept asking, “What's next?” Everyone tried to encourage me by saying, “That's it! You got the power of God. You're baptized in the Holy Ghost and speaking in tongues. You're moving in the gifts of prophecy and the gifts of the Spirit.” It was true. I received some teaching and training about moving in some of the gifts and I was doing a pretty good job of praying, but I was hungry for everything God had for me. You know, our intense desperation never escapes the attention of the Father. When our will lines up with His will, He can't resist giving us what we're longing for!
Well, while I was pressing - in as hard as I could after God, He was working behind the scenes. It wasn't long before one of the FGBM handed me a book entitled Good Morning Holy Spirit. The author, Benny Hinn, although well-known in Christian circles, was someone I'd never heard of. As I took this book into my hands, I blurted out, “The Holy Spirit! That's what I want!” (Some believers today question the authenticity of Benny's ministry today. But I believe his experience with the Holy Spirit was powerfully real and his story deeply impacted me.)
Right away I began reading Benny Hinn's exciting testimony about how he had a visitation of the Holy Spirit in Pittsburgh . I kept thinking, “Man, this guy's awesome. I want what he has!” So I began praying, “Holy Spirit I want to know You just like Benny Hinn does and just like the evangelist, Kathryn Khulman, that he writes about. Please come Holy Spirit. I want You to be more real to me.” Benny's book explained how to know the Holy Spirit as a Person; gradually I began to receive more understanding. My hunger intensified for the same manifestations of the Holy Spirit that Benny Hinn experienced. Hey! I wanted to feel electricity in my body. I wanted to be on the floor or in my bed weeping under so much of His presence that I wouldn't be able to move.
My heart was burning to know the fullness of the Holy Spirit. I couldn't do anything except plead with God, trying to express to Him all of my desires. Well, He heard my cries! I had a visitation of the Holy Spirit just like I read in Benny's book. I can honestly say that I've experienced the glory of God! At first when the Holy Spirit began to visit me, I would just tremble and shake like electricity was running up and down my body. I didn't know what was going on or that similar manifestations often happen during revivals. I wasn't familiar with revival! About this time Christians were gathering at a well-known renewal center in Toronto, dubbed the “Toronto Blessing,” where they experienced similar manifestations. But I didn't know anything about the Toronto Blessing either!
I was just a new believer going to a good family-style word-faith church, but I was having visitations of the Holy Spirit in my apartment! Often I was in the heavy presence of God for about four to twelve hours each time. One day, I was in my room under the power of the Holy Spirit when I heard my friend yelling to me as he came into the house, “Todd where are you?” I was trembling on my bed and couldn't get up. “I'm in my room,” I managed to say. My friend wanted me to go out with him, but when I told him I couldn't move or get off the bed, he thought I was possessed by a demon! He literally tried to pry me off the bed, to no avail! Today, as I look back, it's even more clear to me that it was the Holy Spirit ministering to me.
The presence of the Person of the Holy Spirit became so real to me. I was so pumped up about being in His presence that I'd race home after work, running down the stairs with great anticipation, straight into my room. And guess what? I'd find the Holy Spirit there already waiting for me! I couldn't actually see Him, but I could feel His presence. I'd close my door and stand right there by my door on the same spot for several hours with tears streaming down my face, quietly sobbing, “Holy Spirit, I love you.” And I could sense His heart responding, “I love you, too.” I could feel the tangible love of the Holy Spirit; I could feel His emotions. At times it was like we were two kids at Christmas time, thrilled to be with each other! I was continually in a state of awe.
I experienced such a tangible presence of the Holy Spirit in my home that He became as real to me as the Father and the Son. The Bible tells us about three persons of the Godhead — the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Today, I've come to such an intimate place in my relationship with God in prayer that I know when I'm experiencing the presence of the Father, or when I'm in the presence of Jesus and He's relating to me. I know when the presence of the Holy Spirit is surrounding me. I can feel their individuality and I understand their diversity. (Diversity means: difference or variety — Webster's Dictionary) I understand the distinction because when I'm praying, a special sensitivity comes over me when I say “God.” The presence of Jesus feels a little bit different than when the person of the Father comes. And when the Holy Spirit manifests Himself, it feels a little different than when I'm in the presence of Jesus. I know these distinctions because I've had visitations of the Lord Jesus Himself. (I've also heard the audible voice of God.)
To help us better understand the concept of diversity in the Godhead, I want to share another holy encounter with you. I was praying very early in the morning after prophesying until four in the morning at a church service. “Thank you Holy Spirit. Thank you for this evening, Jesus… I just love you so much.” I could feel the presence of the Lord and His peace — what we would call His manifest presence. Just as I was saying thank you to the Holy Spirit I felt my door open, so I looked toward the door. Although no one was there, I knew that I felt the door open. Then I sensed “Someone” come into the room and I felt a concentrated presence of a Person. I had just been in the presence of God while praying, but this encounter was different. I knew there was a Person coming toward me. Instantly I saw brilliant colors: amber, green, gold, blue, shimmering like a living rainbow. Jesus Christ Himself came over and sat on the edge of my bed. I could actually feel the bed squish down and my sheets shift a little. I could smell His fragrance for hours — it was like He was feeding me His fragrance. This encounter was a little bit different than when I was in prayer in the presence of God, the Father.
At times I may be in prayer saying, “Jesus…precious wonderful Jesus. I love you Jesus.” Then all of a sudden, “Father, my Holy Father!” will flow out of me. My whole focus will be on the Father's goodness and that I'm his child. Then I'm back in the presence of Jesus. But all of a sudden I'm trembling and weeping, sensing the Holy Spirit covering me like a blanket. “Wrap me in your presence Holy Spirit. You are wonderful, I love you.” Then I'm back focusing on Jesus once again and after awhile I will be in the presence of the Father. This glorious cycle might last for hours — the visitation of God and understanding their three different personalities.
To know God as three persons is to know the Godhead in its fullness. There is only one God — the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. "Hear, O Israel : The LORD our God, the LORD is one” (Deut. 6:4). The three are one God. To illustrate this in a simple way, we have one sun in the sky, but in that sun you have the light and you have the heat that comes off the sun. You can't separate them even though they are distinct and have three purposes. The sun could represent the Father, the light could represent the Son and the heat could be the Holy Ghost. You can't separate the Godhead, sometimes called the “three-in-one.”
The Godhead is diverse, as I said earlier, but the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are one in the area of unity. In Genesis, the scriptures say, “God said, ‘Let Us make man in our image'”(Gen. 1:26). Well who is God talking to? He's talking to Jesus and the Holy Ghost in a convention in heaven. It's like a team saying, “I don't do anything without You and You don't do anything without me. We don't do anything without one another. We do everything in perfect unity.” Later in Genesis we see God speaking again as the Godhead: “Come. Let Us go down and confuse their language”(Gen. 11: 7). God made a decision to confuse the language of those who were in rebellion against Him — their pride became their god. Another example, in the book of Isaiah, describes God as “Us.” Isaiah describes his encounter in the throne room in Chapter 6. The Lord is high and lifted up and His glory is filling the temple when the angel comes with a piece of coal and touches the lips of Isaiah. Then verse 8 says, “I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “whom shall I send and who will go for Us ?” There is the Godhead again in scripture — the Father, Son and Holy Ghost — united in purpose.
I know people who understand Christian theology; they can talk about the Father and the work of the Holy Ghost. They share with me all the Greek and Hebrew names of the Holy Spirit right down to the “T.” They say to me, “I know who the Holy Spirit is. Todd, but it doesn't really matter who we pray to because it's all praying to God. Let's not complicate it now. Let's not try to chop Him up.” Well, if that's how we relate to God then we aren't really intimately acquainted with Him! It's like we know a theological, religious, ‘out there' kind of a God. I hear believers say, “I don't need to spend time with the Holy Spirit because I spend time with Jesus.” Or they say, “I spend time with the Father. That's who I spend time with! What are you doing, Todd? You're splitting them up and making one more important than the other.” Listen! There really are three Persons and it's good to spend time with each one.
Throughout the Bible, the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ and the Father are all on the same level. The Holy Spirit was right there in creation hovering over the face of the deep, an equal Person in the Godhead (Gen. 1:2). Understanding the Person of the Holy Spirit, having an encounter with Him, worshipping, respecting, embracing the Holy Spirit and loving Him in His function are the keys that will bring His power and anointing on our lives. I'll tell you — that is the secret!
On the flip side, we can totally hinder the Holy Spirit from visiting us when we relate to Him solely on the basis of power, gifts, shaking, electricity, someone falling down under the power. When we speak about the Holy Ghost all the time in the context of the work He does for us, or the times He gives us a word of wisdom, knowledge or prophecy, we grieve Him. Many believers have the misconception that He is mostly the servant of the Godhead. Sometimes it's as if we think He's magical and will come when we say, “Holy Spirit, come.” Wrong!
We wouldn't like it at all if we were only known or appreciated for all the work we do. We sometimes treat people that way: “Hey, there's Bob the handy man! He's got great tools… and look at the awesome job he just did.” The only time we call Bob is when we need something. “Can you come over? I need you to fix the toilet again. I depend on you! I need you! I can do nothing without you! Come and fix the toilet please!” The Holy Spirit definitely wants a far more personal and loving relationship with us.
People tell me they know who the Holy Ghost is, but they're really saying they know what He does, they know His work. They only talk about His gifts. But my question is, “Can you tell me about Him? Can you talk to Him for three hours?” So many of us get weirded out by the manifestation or the ‘Ghost' part of the Holy Ghost. When He comes in the form of oil or wind and sometimes as a dove or as tongues of fire, we get spooked. We find it difficult to relate to Him because He doesn't have a body. However, when it comes to worshipping Jesus Christ or the Father, we enter in to worship quite easily most of the time. But somehow worshipping the Holy Spirit makes us uneasy! All I ever read in the Bible is to worship “God” — the Father, Son and Holy Spirit — the Godhead. We can worship each of them and that means we should relax and enjoy worshipping the Holy Spirit.
But, having said that, we must remember that the Holy Spirit must be respected. He is sensitive to corruption! Moving into the New Testament in Acts 5, we see swift judgment pronounced against Ananias and Sapphira. Their lies and schemes concerning the sale of their property greatly offended the Holy Spirit. So Peter said (in verse 3), “… Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? …You have not lied to men but to God" (Acts 5:3,4). Let's not miss this. The Bible says the Holy Spirit is God. They lied not to men, but to the Holy Spirit — God. We must not test the Holy Spirit with falsehood!
In the first six months I was saved I studied every scripture about the Holy Spirit I could find. I prayed through each verse. Then I read every book available about the Holy Spirit. Each book brought me into close communion with the Him — I would be in His presence between four and twelve hours each day. Wow! Every day in His presence!
An amazing exhortation by Paul centers on communion with the Holy Spirit. “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.” (2 Corinthians 13:14 ). The apostle Paul is talking about three things. He's saying that he wants every person in the church to have these three things: (1) the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ (2) the love of God (3) the communion of the Holy Spirit, or fellowship with the Holy Spirit.
Let's talk about the word ‘fellowship.' The Greek word for ‘fellowship' is ‘koinonia,' which means: sharing, unity, closeness, association, partnership and participation. Did you know that believers are invited to participate with the Holy Spirit in every miracle and every healing? It's really the work of God's Spirit, but we can participate. Koinania also means: communion and intimacy with the Holy Spirit that causes His presence to move with us in a tangible way when we step out of our prayer closet.
I've been in such close fellowship with the Holy Spirit at times that for weeks every time I got in my vehicle and closed the door, I felt Him get into the seat next to me. I developed such sensitivity to the Holy Ghost that I would feel His presence moving with me wherever I went. I felt an intimate bond between us. We have human examples of such intimacy. You know, there is something that twins have, an intimate bond, where they just begin to look at one another and they know things. In good marriages, husbands and wives will have such a special closeness that they can communicate with each other just by their body language.
People ask me, “Todd, how do you know where the anointing is in the room? You'll just say, ‘Right now in this row, all four of you people stand up.' And they all fall down under the power of the Holy Ghost. How does that happen? How do you know the anointing is on that side of the room?” My answer is found in the intimate bond and relationship that I have with the Holy Spirit. When I'm in His presence I just know some things. I can't explain it. I'll just flow with the leading of the Spirit as if I had the blue-print before I even came into a meeting. It's just like when a husband and a wife ‘know.'
At times friends have come over to my house when I was in the middle of an intense time with the Holy Spirit. (I'd be in my living room asking Him to reveal His presence to me and I'd be telling Him how much I loved Him. I'd be speaking my heart to Him. My friends would be calling out, “Hey, Todd! Are you in here! Hey, Todd! Where are you?” Then when they stepped onto the carpet in my living room, not knowing I was in prayer, suddenly they'd hit an electrical invisible force-field and bounce back 10 feet! I'd look at them and ask, “What just happened?” and they'd tell me that when they went into the living room something zapped them. I'd be in awe because I really didn't know there was that much Holy Ghost power in the room. I had build up such a tolerance for being in His presence.
At times His glory surrounded me so intensely that people couldn't get within ten feet of me without falling down. I remember the time when my wife and I had a friend over. While they visited, I went off in the house to spend time in communion with the Holy Ghost. Quite a few hours went by. When it was time to come out, I walked into the kitchen and my wife took one look at me and went down under the power of the Spirit as our friend yelled, “Todd, your face is glowing!”
I made it a standard practice to wait on the Holy Ghost for four hours before I would even consider preaching 10 minutes. So, when a friend would come to pick me up to take me to a meeting, I would have been in the presence of the Holy Ghost for hours before they arrived. I'd get into the truck and he'd fall under the power right at the steering wheel and start weeping. “What's going on?” I'd ask. I didn't understand what was going on because this was in the first six months when I was just beginning to understand the person of the Holy Spirit, after having glorious visitations of His presence. I started to remember reading in Christian books about similar occurrences. I realized these same manifestations were happening to me!
Sometimes even having a ‘normal' conversation became hilarious! There was so much of God's presence around me that often when I was having a conversation with a friend, suddenly he or she would fall on the ground and start laughing. One time several students, who were believers, fell down and broke out laughing, drunk in the Holy Ghost, while I was sharing my testimony at their school. I didn't know what to do! They were all trembling and shaking and laughing hysterically. I'm up at the pulpit asking, “What?” “What?” I had no idea yet, how to work with the flow of the Holy Ghost. In my theology I was totally ignorant concerning directing the anointing or how to move in the anointing and how to direct the release of the river. I would just walk by and people would fall out of their seats. Or someone would be sitting next to me and say, “There's fire coming off of you! I can feel it! I'm burning up!” I'll be thinking, “I don't feel anything!”
I began to honor the Holy Spirit in a brand new way. I'd read the Word and then start reading the Word to the Holy Spirit. That's how I received revelation! For example, I would pick up my Bible and go to Acts 3 and I'd say, “Holy Spirit, You are my Wonderful Counselor, the Spirit of Truth. I can't do anything without you. This is Your Word, breathed and inspired as You moved upon holy men of God. I ask you to come now, Holy Spirit, and speak to me in the Word.” Then I'd open my Bible to a passage of scripture and I'd say, “Look at this Holy Ghost!” I started consciously inviting and bringing Him into everything that I did. I developed a God consciousness of the Holy Spirit.
I know people who say, “Come on Todd! Why do I need to say, Holy Spirit come? The Bible says that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit and that He is always with us, so everywhere He goes, I go. Why do I need to say, ‘Holy Spirit come?' He's already here. That doesn't make sense to me. Why do we ask the Holy Spirit to come and speak to us from the Word? He is the One that is the Spirit of Truth. He is the One that will guide us into all truth. Why ask Him to do what He does anyway because of who He is?” Because when we ask Him to come, we are honoring Him. He loves it when we honor Him. When we talk to Him, we are cultivating relationship and fellowship with Him. His main purpose on earth is to have fellowship with believers.
You see, I consciously acknowledged His presence in everything that I would do before I would step into any ministry. When I was stepping into the pulpit, I would speak with the Holy Ghost, “I can't step into that pulpit without you Holy Ghost. When I step up into that pulpit I want you to come Holy Ghost and speak through me. I want you to possess me right now. As I step out of my room and I step into the hall and I get ready to walk into that conference center, I want you to walk with me Holy Spirit. I don't want to walk in that room without your presence.” I started to do that everyday, honoring the Holy Spirit.
I talked to Him about how beautiful it was when He touched someone by giving them a prophecy. I'd ask, “Holy Ghost reminisce with me… What was it like when you came upon Peter so that he prophesied?” And then I'd read the prophecy to Him and I'd think, “I wonder what it actually felt like when You were on Peter's flesh.” That's how I started talking to Him. I'd say, “Look at Acts 3, Holy Ghost… Look at this ! Now Peter and John went up together to the temple in the ninth hour to pray. And there was a certain lame man there, Holy Spirit, and they laid him there at the gate Beautiful to ask for alms. Look at verse three! When Peter was about to go into the temple the lame man asked for alms and the apostles fixed their eyes on him and they said “look at us” (v. 4). Why did they say that?”
The word became so real and exciting to me. I would read a passage of scripture to the Holy Ghost and I'd say, “Why did they say that?” or “Why did they do that? What's going on in this passage? What are they feeling? Why is that happening? Look at this scripture Holy Ghost! Look at what it says about you! Look at this!”
I wanted to be in relationship with the Holy Ghost just like the apostles were. My Bible came alive when I started to relate to the Holy Ghost on the basis of friendship and communion. When I started to understand the blessing of partnership with the Holy Spirit, I spoke with Him like this: “I want You to be my partner. It's an honor to participate with you Holy Ghost by taking the saving, healing, delivering power of Jesus to the world. Holy Ghost, you are the greatest evangelist. I can't win a soul. The Bible says none can come to the Father unless you draw them. I can't do it without you Holy Ghost. Come with me into this crusade tonight. Let's do it together.”
Before going out on the streets to tell the lost about Jesus, I'd speak with the Holy Ghost: “I'm going to go out into the streets tonight, but I can't do it without You. Holy Spirit, it's You. It's Your power. Only You can convict people of their sin, Holy Ghost. I want you to convict them of sin.”
At other times I would need words of knowledge when I talked with different people. So I would ask the Holy Ghost to release them to me. “Would you come and help me as I talk to people today? I want to know things about them. I can't know things about them without You. It's You who distributes gifts to each one individually. I can't move in the word of knowledge without You. Holy Spirit would you give me a word of knowledge?”
And that's how I would honor and talk with the Holy Spirit; partnership, every day. I'd present myself, all of me, to the Holy Spirit. As I lined myself up with His Spirit, then God's power came when I shared with the lost about Jesus Christ. You know, the more we spend time with Him moment by moment like this, getting to know Him, the more He reveals Himself to us. We have to keep asking Him to help us; we can't accomplish the purposes of God on our own, apart from His guidance.
The Bible talks about knowing Him: “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” (John 14:17). Do you know Him? Do you know what grieves Him or when He is grieved? Have you ever felt His pain? Have you ever felt the weeping of the Holy Spirit? Have you ever felt the joy of the Holy Spirit? Can you see the anointing on people? How sensitive are you to the Holy Spirit? Or have you ever been in His presence and received a true impression of what He wanted to do next just because of the intimate relationship between you both? As I said earlier, that same kind of intimacy usually exists between a husband and wife — often all they have to do is look at each other and they know each other's thoughts. Intimacy with the Holy Ghost and revelation go hand in hand; when you're close to Him, you know His thoughts.
Take a look at that verse again: “But you know Him for He dwells with you and will be in you.” Think about it — He will be with you and in you. Every one who is saved has the “in you” presence. But do we know the “with you” presence? I want to share with you how the “with you” presence of the Holy Spirit affected the unsaved through the lives of three famous Christians.
• I remember hearing stories that Kathryn Khulman experienced God's presence in her hotel room for four to eight hours before her crusade service. She carried so much of the Presence on her that when she stepped out of her room to go to the crusade, people would fall down under the power in the hotel as she walked by! People would line up for hours to get into her crusades. And when she stepped out on the platform, the power of God would amp up 10 levels because of the glorious presence of God that she carried.• Charles Finney carried such a powerful presence of God that one day when he walked into a factory it was like God Himself stepped in with Him. All the workers got saved even though he said nothing!
• Smith Wigglesworth would be sitting on the train going somewhere minding his own business. People would come up to him and ask, “What can I do to be saved?” What was it about his quiet presence on the train? He was so saturated, filled and controlled by the Holy Ghost that when the lost got in his presence they felt another Presence.
We want the “with you” presence of the Holy Ghost! When we walk down the hall or step into the pulpit to preach a sermon, or when we open up our Bible, we want to feel and know the Holy Ghost is hovering over us. I feel this all the time—the Holy Ghost hovering over my life! You can feel this too! So get ready for Part 2 because we will look closely at several different aspects of the reality of the Holy Spirit and how to know Him intimately.
(Above) we learned how to know and honor the Holy Spirit, as well as examining the diversity of the Godhead. (Below) I will speak in depth about different characteristics of the Holy Spirit. Then, after I present some challenging questions concerning our relationship with the Holy Spirit, we will pray together, asking the Holy Spirit to saturate our lives.
Different Functions of the Holy Spirit
It was important to Jesus, before He died on the cross, to prepare His disciples to come to grips with the plan that He was leaving earth to be with His Father in heaven. He knew they would feel abandoned, like orphans, after He departed. So He told them something hard to believe — it would actually be to their advantage that He go away because then He would send another Helper in His place. The Helper would manifest as the Spirit of Truth, Teacher and Counselor. He would be omnipresent (present in all places at the same time).
"Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you" (Jn. 16:7).
Isn't that beautiful? He is a Helper, equal in the Godhead. It was like Jesus was saying, "I will give you One besides me, another of the same kind." This Helper, or Comforter that I am sending you is One in addition to Me, but He is just like Me." But we can almost hear the disciples saying, "Excuse me, Jesus! We've been walking with you for three and a half years… everyday, preaching, teaching and healing every kind of sickness and disease! Jesus, you are God in the flesh… how can we get any closer to you than 'in the flesh'? And now you're telling us that it's to our advantage that you go away and we lose your physical presence? You're telling us the Helper will come! Who is this Helper?" No wonder sorrow filled their hearts (Jn. 16:5-7). But soon their sorrow would be turned to wonder and joy because they would experience the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4).
The Helper would carry out several crucial missions when He came to work among us. One of His most vital assignments would be to convict the world of sin. True conviction of sin causes mankind to yield to the saving-work that Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross — forgiveness and cleansing of sin. Otherwise we are doomed to eternity in hell.
"And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged" (Jn 16:8-11). Jesus also said that the Helper would teach us all things. The Holy Spirit is the spirit of wisdom, the spirit of revelation, the spirit of counsel, the spirit of knowledge, the spirit of understanding, the spirit of might and the spirit of the fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2). He is the seven spirits of the living God, the seven mantles. He's the One! He's the One that will teach us all things and bring to our remembrance all things that He said to us.
"…But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you" (Jn 14:25, 26).
How does the Holy Ghost bring all things to our remembrance? The answer is when we feed our hearts on the treasures of wisdom and revelation found in the Word because then the Holy Spirit can quicken that treasure to our minds. We might not even think we know the Word very well, or even much about the gospel, but when we tell someone about Him, suddenly there's living water coming out of us. We might think, "Where did that come from?" The words are right there in the hour that we need them. The Holy Spirit speaks through us. Sometimes I preach myself drunk. I've preached sermons the very moment I received the revelation. And someone would ask at a conference, "Todd, do you have that message on tape at your tape-table?" "No, I don't," I'll answer. "I didn't even hear it myself until now! I'm going to take the tape home and make a new series!"
Now I want to speak with you about the Spirit of Truth. You know, Jesus could see that His disciples were on 'overload' when He disclosed that He would go away and then send the Helper. He said, "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now" (Jn. 16:12). But despite their inability to comprehend much more, Jesus felt it was vital to tell them that the Helper or Spirit of Truth was coming to help them (Jn.15:26, 16:13,14). Jesus told His disciples that He would pray to the Father…
"...and He will give you another Helper that He may abide with you forever. The Spirit of Truth whom the world can't receive because it neither sees Him or knows Him. But you know Him for He dwells with you and will be in you" (Jn. 14: 16,17).
Today, we need the Spirit of Truth to guide us into all truth, and to help us push back the forces of seduction and deception flooding the earth (1 Tim. 4:1). Actually, God's word says that we must have a love for the truth so that we aren't taken over by a strong deluding influence (2 Thes. 2:10,11).
The Holy Spirit can quite easily convict us of our sins, when love for the truth is established in our hearts (Jn. 16:8-11). He comes to our side as a Counselor and helps us come clean before God! This is powerful because then the devil is disarmed and his accusations cannot prosper against us. The fact is, Jesus Christ is our advocate before the Father, but the Holy Spirit is our counselor preparing and helping us stand against any accusations from the devil and the demonic realm. (I Jn. 2:1, Rom. 8). When we tell the truth, if we are innocent, the Father Himself will rebuke the Devil on our behalf (Dan. 7:22). We won't need to defend ourselves. God will plead our cause and He will vindicate us.
I tell you, there is no one as sensitive and filled with truth as the Holy Spirit, the one that is called to come to our side. Yes, the disciples were insecure about Jesus leaving them, but He knew what was best for them and ultimately for mankind — to go and send to us the Holy Spirit, the Helper. But sometimes we think we know what's best; we think it would be better to have lived when Jesus was on earth and to have hung out with Him, rather than living in the 21st century, long after Jesus has left the earth. Wrong! Remember, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit didn't happen until after the cross (Acts 2).
I believe the disciples and other believers didn't feel the fire and the anointing, the peace and the presence of God until Jesus sent the Helper, the Teacher and the Spirit of Truth. Up until the cross, the Holy Spirit would come upon someone for moments, to enable that person for service. But there wasn't the intimacy or that intimate bond we can enter into today. When Jesus was on earth, no one was experiencing the infilling of the Holy Ghost (like so many are experiencing today). God wasn't living or dwelling inside of man, changing their hearts of stone and giving them a heart of flesh… until after the cross. These are glorious days that we live in now because Jesus isn't limited to one man; it's Jesus Christ in every believer.
"To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27).
Opportunities to advance the kingdom of God are upon us NOW! Jesus told us that it's possible for us to do even greater works than what He accomplished!
"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father" (John 14:12).
Believe His message! Christ is in us, the hope of glory! The Holy Spirit will fill us and anoint us to do the greater works! Here, basically, is the kind of comforting message Jesus was giving to His disciples: "He who believes in Me will do the works that I do. The anointing is now multiplied. It's to your advantage that I go away because now I can have so much more impact in the earth. It's to your advantage that I go away so that now the power can come upon you to be My witnesses; resurrection power, so you can heal the sick, cleanse the leper, raise the dead and cast out devils. It's to your advantage that I go away, for now you can feel the presence of My Father. It's going to be better." Let's receive this message by the power of the Holy Spirit, too!
When I was a brand new believer, saved only for about two months, I actually began to understand the wonderful person of the Holy Spirit and that He has emotions. Here's what happened: I was in a church meeting right after learning about prophecy; I was excited. In this service I could feel the Spirit of the Lord come upon me like something bubbling up inside of me and so I prophesied: "I am here." That was it! The Holy Ghost just announced His presence to everyone! But when no one responded, I began to feel something quench inside of me. My stomach began to feel sick. Something felt shut down, but I didn't know what was happening to me.
Later, I was having lunch with a guy from that church who'd been saved for about 20 years. He was a real theologian who knew the Bible inside–out. I looked at the guy and said, "The presence of the Holy Spirit was in that meeting and I felt the people grieve the Holy Spirit. I felt it happen. The Holy Spirit was quenched. I could feel Him crying. He wanted to come and touch and bless all the people, but they wouldn't let Him in." His reply hurt me: "They wouldn't let him in? What do you mean they wouldn't let him in? He's in all of us! Lo, I am with you always. We didn't quench the Holy Spirit," he snapped. But I just couldn't keep quiet. "I can feel Him when He's happy, I can feel His joy. I can feel Him when He is weeping, I can feel His presence. I felt the Holy Spirit begin to move and they wouldn't let Him in. They quenched Him. They shut Him down and grieved Him. They caused Him pain! I felt His pain!" I said, expressing the hurt I felt. "You didn't feel His pain!" he said. And then he started arguing with me, exclaiming, "We didn't quench the Holy Ghost!" Then, 'smack!' He slapped me as hard as he could across my face! One of my friends got me out of there as quickly as possible before I got in the flesh or it could have been a mess. I eventually calmed down and prayed.
Not long after our argument I actually saw the guy walking down the road one day. So when I heard the Holy Ghost say, "I want you to walk up to him and just apologize," I was a little surprised. "You want me to ask him for forgiveness?" "It would make me happy, " I heard Him say. So I apologized. "I'm sorry that I made you so angry that you hit me. Would you forgive me?" "Okay," he said. "But don't let it happen again." I went on, free in the Lord, knowing that I had pleased His Spirit.
Yes, we can make the Holy Spirit happy! "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you" (Eph. 4:32). Forgiveness gives the Holy Ghost freedom to work in our lives and cuts off any opportunities for the devil to ruin relationships. When we forgive, (or ask forgiveness) it's like a sign staked in the ground warning the enemy, "No Trespassing Here!" Also, when our hearts are pure, our words bring life and blessing to others.
If we keep our hearts pure, we will be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's direction. Right in the middle, sandwiched between commands to stay away from corrupt and divisive words, the apostle Paul give an important warning to the Ephesians — do not to grieve the Holy Spirit of God.
"Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice" (Eph. 4:29,30,31).
Did you know that when we are unforgiving, unloving or immoral that we hurt the Holy Ghost and make Him sad? This is called, 'grieving the Holy Spirit." 'Grieve' also means 'vex.'(a. Vex means: disturb, annoy, distress, afflict. (b.) Grief means: intense emotional suffering caused by a loss; a cause of such suffering. (c.) Grieve means: to feel or cause to feel grief. [Webster's Dictionary] He is a Person with emotions and we make Him suffer when we cause Him to grieve. Let's look at another scripture about grieving the Holy Ghost.
"But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; so He turned Himself against them as an enemy, and He fought against them" (Isaiah 63:10).
The Father turns against the rebellious and fights them as His own enemy because they grieved the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is precious to the Father and to Jesus. Listen to this one statement in the Bible: "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men (Matt. 12:31). Every sin, every blasphemy against the Father and against the Son shall be forgiven man, but not blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Why is the Holy Spirit so precious to the Father that He would turn against His own children and fight against them as an enemy? Because they grieved the Holy Spirit too many times and they caused Him pain.
Why are the Father and Jesus so protective of the Holy Ghost? Because there is something emotional about the Holy Spirit that the Father and Jesus is very protective of. The Holy Ghost is not a woman, but He is like a woman in the area of His emotions. I'm married to a beautiful wife. The more I spend time with her the more I see her wonderful emotional side. The Holy Spirit is the One that communicates to us God's feelings, especially His love.
The Father and Jesus are protective of Him like a man protecting his wife. The Holy Ghost is not a woman, as I just said, but He has characteristics that remind me of a woman. I'll be in bed with my wife and it will be 1 a.m. and then, all of a sudden, out of the blue, my wife will roll over and ask, "Honey, do you love me?" "What do you mean, do I love you?" I'll answer. Now why do I need to say "I love you?" Because she has an emotional side and a need (like all women have) for expressed feelings. If I don't say "I love you" for a week, even though she knows 'theologically' that I love her, she will need to hear again that I love her.
Now some Christians treat the Holy Ghost like He should just know that they love Him. They think it's a bunch of baloney that the Holy Spirit needs to hear how much they love Him. "I just spend time with God so I am spending time with the Holy Ghost," they say. Listen! That's not intimacy. You don't really know Him. If I only said I loved my wife when we got married and never said it again, what kind of relationship would we have? If my whole relationship with my wife is based on what she does for me, and I neglect to speak words of love to her, then my wife will suffer and our relationship will be stunted.
But there is something so precious about His presence. He just loves it when we say "Holy Spirit, I want you." Even if you've said this one hundred times, He likes to hear it just like my wife likes to hear "I love you" again and again. You know what some of us are like? We're like this: "Come, Holy Ghost I want you to come to my house. But I want you to come just so you can bring all your blessings and power." But we never even talk to Him or give Him a glance when He comes. We just say, "Hey, thanks for coming over. I asked you to come and I know that you're here." But then we don't share our heart, our love with Him; we don't set aside quality intimate time with Him. We act as if He's not here. That's what we do and that's what whole churches do. "Holy Spirit come." We know that the Holy Spirit is here because we are the temple of the Holy Ghost (1 Cor. 6:19). But then we go on doing what we want and ignore Him.
We neglect Him because we often don't take the time to be in His presence or even acknowledge His presence and include Him in everything that we do. And yet, when we need His power we say, "Holy Ghost, anoint me. I need the anointing to flow through me to heal disease." And that's all our relationship is. Remember, the Father turned and fought against His own children as an enemy because they grieved His Spirit. And Jesus said blasphemy against the Father and the Son would be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit would not… because there is something so precious about His heart.
Just like a husband is very protective of his wife, so the Father and Jesus are protective when it comes to the person of the Holy Spirit because He is the one that communicates all the emotions of the Godhead. But do we ever consider that the Holy Spirit also has a mind! "Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God (Romans 8: 27). The Holy Spirit has his own mind. He can both think and feel!
From the moment when Jesus Christ was conceived in Mary's womb, until His death and resurrection, we can see in scripture His dependence on the Holy Ghost. I want to show you five different ways the Holy Ghost came in power to birth the plans and purposes of the Godhead concerning Jesus Christ.
Jesus wasn't even born without the intervention of the Holy Ghost. Mary was a virgin and became pregnant because the Holy Ghost overshadowed her and power from on high came upon her womb (Luke 1:35).
The Spirit of God descended upon Jesus in the form of a dove after He was baptized by his cousin John the Baptist, in the Jordan River. Right after this powerful encounter, full of the Holy Spirit, He went into the wilderness for 40 days and nights of fasting, praying and confrontation with the Devil (Luke 3:22, 4:1). Jesus faced and overcame the Devil after the Spirit of God descended upon Him.
After being in the wilderness for 40 days and nights He returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit. Then He traveled to Nazareth and entered the synagogue, where He read from the book of Isaiah — identifying Himself as the fulfillment of the very scriptures He read (Luke 4:14-21). God only released Jesus to identify Himself to His brethren after He was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then the first words He read to His brethren from the book of Isaiah astounded them: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me…" (v.18)
Jesus went about doing good, healing all those who were oppressed of the devil because "…God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power…" (Acts 10:38).
On the cross, Jesus gave up His Spirit and was resurrected from the dead by the power of the Holy Ghost. (Jn. 19:30 & Rom. 8:11).
Every moment of His life Jesus relied on the Holy Ghost. Jesus could not, or would not, do a miracle without the Holy Ghost. Why do I say He could not? He was human just like you and I, though He was still God. Jesus said, "No one takes it (my life) from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father" (John 10:18). Jesus had a choice. He became obedient. Jesus learned obedience by the things that He suffered (Heb. 5:8). He was tempted in every way that we are tempted yet without sin. He remained obedient to the purposes of the Godhead (Heb. 4:15). Jesus said, "I have the power to lay down my life and I have the power to take it up again." In the Garden of Gethsemane when they arrested Him He said He could call down a legion of angels from heaven immediately (Matt. 26:53). But He didn't because His heart was to lay everything down to obey His Father.
Jesus surrendered all His rights and majesty, all His divine power. He modeled a right relationship with His Father and dependency on the Holy Ghost and He wants us to have the same kind of relationship with them (Phil 2:6-8). Remember, the Holy Ghost was there in creation; His creative power was at work at the conception of Jesus; He moved on holy men of God who prophesied about the coming of the Lord, and He was at the center of Jesus' ministry. Jesus couldn't even offer His Spirit on the cross unless He did it through the Eternal Spirit: "…how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Heb. 9:14). When Jesus died, He was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Ghost. Everything that Jesus did, involved the presence of the Holy Ghost.
But so often I hear Christians say, "Todd, you're emphasizing the Holy Ghost too much. What if I really start taking time to honor and speak to the person of the Holy Spirit? I thought we were supposed to glorify Jesus? Let's lift up the name of Jesus." I meet people with questions like this all the time; they're concerned about possibly spending more time with One than with the other. "What if I forget the Father? What if I forget Jesus? What if I spend too much time with the Holy Ghost and He doesn't like it?"
Listen! The Holy Ghost is going to testify of Jesus Christ! He's going to tell us the gospel. You know, when I'm reading about the crucifixion of Jesus in the Word, I'll speak to the Holy Spirit and ask Him to come and tell me about the cross again. As I'm reading, I'll say, "Look what it says here Holy Ghost. You were right there. Tell me what it was like?" After I read Him a scripture, He'll tell me what it was like. Then I'll read Him another scripture and ask Him another question and He'll tell me what it was like.
We won't forget Jesus; we don't have to worry about that. The Holy Ghost loves Jesus and glorifies Him. That's His job! He's going to draw us to Jesus and make Him more real to us. You don't have to worry, thinking, "Oh no. What if I forget about the Father or the Son? What if I talk to the Holy Ghost too much, more than I talk to the Father? How am I going to know when to talk to the Father? I don't want to forget Jesus." It won't happen! As I said earlier, He will declare truth to you concerning Jesus. The Holy Ghost is revelation… He will guide you into all truth.
You know, no one can be saved unless the Holy Spirit draws them to the Father through Jesus Christ. He is the one that brings the feeling and the reality of God to earth and draws all men to the Father. He makes us feel the conviction of sin. He is the one that pours the love of God into our hearts and communicates all the emotion and pleasures that are in the river of God. We've got to have the Holy Ghost!
The Holy Ghost is the sensitive one with emotion. He gets grieved and wounded easily. The Bible doesn't say, "Do not grieve the Father," or "Do not grieve the Son." It says not to blaspheme the Holy Spirit. Let's protect the sensitivity and the preciousness of the One in the Godhead who communicates the emotions, who has a mind and is a beautiful Person. Let's not make Him out to be small and meek. He is the mighty Spirit of the Lord that lifts up the standard against the Devil (Is. 59:19). Let's not make Him out to be a timid Holy Ghost, or the little dove. He is the mighty wind! He is a raging fire! He is the flood poured out on dry ground. He'll overwhelm us. He's a gentleman, but don't get in His way, because He has a purpose to accomplish. If you get in His way, watch out!
The Holy Spirit must be respected! Causing Him grief is bad enough, but blaspheming Him is an unpardonable sin. I believe we need to sober up right now and examine our hearts before the Lord concerning our relationship with the Holy Spirit. You know, God often tests us so that we know what's inside our heart. Jesus often asked simple, but penetrating questions, that made the people examine themselves and check out their motives. So, I'm going to ask you to take some time, right now, to read the following questions and quietly examine your heart concerning your relationship with the Holy Spirit.
How real is the Holy Spirit to you?
How close are you to Him?
Do you know the "with you" presence of the Holy Ghost?
Do you know the emotions of the Holy Spirit?
Have you ever felt the emotion of the Holy Spirit?
Do you know what makes Him happy?
Do you know when He is grieved?
Have you vexed and grieved Him? Have you quenched Him?
Can you feel the grieving of the Holy Ghost?
Do you have an intimate bond with the Holy Spirit?
When you are in His presence do you just know what He is doing, or when He wants to do something and how He wants to get it done? (He doesn't have to say anything. Can you just feel the intimate bond of sensitivity between you and His presence that wherever you go you feel Him hovering over you.)
When you read the Bible, is it like you feel Him breathing on the passages and the words are alive in your spirit?
Now that you've spent some time examining your heart, let's come before God and pray together.
"Heavenly Father, we join our hearts together and dedicate and yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit with greater passion and dedication than ever before. (God, I pray that everyone reading this today would be ready to meet the precious Holy Spirit in a new fresh way as their best friend.) From today on, I pray that we would experience more of the exciting reality of His presence in our lives.
Holy Spirit, we're sorry for every time we've neglected you, every time we've grieved you, or afflicted and wounded you. We repent before you now. And today, we declare that we never want to grieve you again. We also declare that we don't want to do anything on our own initiative, without you.
Wonderful Holy Spirit, we really, really want to know you. We ask you Holy Spirit to come into our lives and into our Churches in a radical way. Holy Spirit, would you come into our ministries? We want to love and honor you in every way possible. We want to embrace you, feel you and hear you every day. We want to be dependent on you, touched by your presence. We need you to teach and counsel us. Please guide us into all truth. Holy Spirit come, please.
From this day forward we pledge our hearts to You. We will love you. You are the Holy Spirit and we worship you. We honor you as God today. You are wonderful. There is none like you... your power is matchless and we can't do anything without you.
You are the greatest evangelist! Wonderful Holy Spirit! You are beautiful… you are precious. We need you, Holy Spirit, we need you! Holy Spirit we want you! Take us and possess us. Fill us and take control. We want to live for you! We want to live for Jesus! We come to you Holy Spirit… please use us! Holy Spirit anoint us! And we will give you thanks and praise.
Holy Spirit, please let us know Your presence in a new way. We will be faithful, whatever it costs us. There is none like You. Please touch us. [Let Him touch you now.] Holy Spirit we want to live in Your presence and walk in Your anointing. Please manifest Yourself to us because we want an encounter with You. [Let Him come, He is going to begin to move gently, to embrace you. Many of you are now feeling the Holy presence. Some of you are being anointed, commissioned and released.]
God, please begin to pour out an overflow upon us. Open up heaven. May the Spirit of God descend as fresh fire upon each one today. Come Holy Spirit. We're not satisfied. We're hungry and we want to know You more. We welcome You most Glorious Lord. We want to know Your emotions and what You like, what makes You happy. We want to feel Your pleasure and Your delight.
[Start talking to Him. Tell Him how beautiful He is. Tell Him how wonderful He is. This is what I do everyday. This is how I prepare for a crusade. I surrender everyday. Paul the apostle said to die daily.]
Father, please take not Thy Holy Spirit from us. One thing we ask God — not for our lives, or our ministries, but God, one thing we ask — take not Thy Holy Spirit from us. Never let us know a day that Your presence is not with us. Holy Spirit come in a new way…You are so wonderful. Have Your way; we wait for You. Everything we have oh God, we want You to have Your way... our wonderful Friend and Counselor.
[Pray as desperate men and women. Pray for the glory and pray for the anointing. Don't stop inviting Him, don't stop honoring Him or embracing Him. Tell Him that you really want to know Him; that you've known about Him, but you haven't known Him as a Person. But now you want to know His glory and to experience His anointing. Let Him hear your voice; say that you want to understand His emotions and that you want to know His voice. He wants to hear you say that you trust Him. Ask Him to fill you and to glorify and magnify Jesus through your life.]
Father, today we honor your Spirit. We say we are so glad that He has come to our side. We thank You Father for Pentecost! We're so thankful, God, that You poured out revival and we thank You for every controversy that comes with revival because the Holy Ghost is worth it all. Holy Ghost you are worth it all. Oh God! Please saturate us in Your river. Let the anointing begin to saturate and soak each one of us. Precious Lord, we yield to You, standing, sitting, lying in your presence. Amen."
BE STILL AND KNOW
GOD ANSWERS PRAYER
A PATHWAY TO PRAYER
PRAYER OUTLINE
ARE YOU LONGING FOR HIS APPEARING?