HOW TO HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

By John Owen, 17^th Century English Puritan pastor

When we worship, we worship the divine nature. So it is impossible to worship any one person in the Godhead and not worship the whole Trinity. The divine nature in all its infinite excellence, dignity, and majesty, and as the origin and cause of all things is common to all three persons in the Godhead…

[W]e worship the Holy Spirit, not because he is the Comforter, but because he is God. Yet his being the Comforter is a powerful motive to worship him as God. Only as we experience his gracious works as Comforter will we be stirred to worship him as our gracious and merciful God…

Let us, then, value highly all the comforting works of the Holy Spirit, seeing they are evidences to us of his love and power. Faith will take special notice of his kindness in all things. We grieve him when we take no notice of what he does. And of those of us who do recognise and show gratitude for what he does, how few there are that consider him as the Comforter and rejoice in him as they ought.

So when we experience any of his comforting work, faith ought to say, ‘This is from the Holy Spirit. He is the Comforter, the God of all comfort and consolation. I know there is no joy nor peace, no hope nor comfort but that which he works and gives. And so that he might give me this comfort, he has willingly taken on himself the office of Comforter. He does it because he loves me, and that is why he continues to comfort me. I remember, also, that he is sent by the Father and Son to be the Comforter and consoler of distressed believers. It is from him that I have such joy. What price should I set on his love? How shall I value the mercy that I have received?’

Our fellowship or communion with the Holy Spirit should stir us to give him praise, thanks, glory, honour and blessing for the mercies and privileges we receive from him, as we do the Son for his work of redemption (Rev. 1:5, 6). Are not the same praises and blessing due to him who makes Christ’s work of redemption effectual to us? The Holy Spirit undertook to be our Comforter with no less infinite love than the Son who took it on himself to be our Redeemer. When we feel our hearts warmed with joy, strengthened in peace and established in obedience, let us give him the praise that is due to him. Let us bless his name and rejoice in him.

The glorifying of the Holy Spirit by thanking him for his spiritual comforts is no small part of our communion with him. We also have communion with the Holy Spirit when we pray to him for his comfort. John prays for grace and peace from the seven Spirits that are before the throne, or the Holy Spirit, whose works are perfect and complete.

Consider the Holy Spirit as the one sent from the Father and the Son to be our Comforter. We should pray daily for the Holy Spirit from the Father in the name of Jesus Christ. This is the daily work of believers. They look upon, and by faith consider, the Holy Spirit as the one promised and as the one sent. In this promise, they know, lies all their grace, peace, mercy, joy and hope. For by him, as the one promised, and by him alone are these things communicated to believers. If, therefore, our living to the glory of God or the joy of such a life is important to us, then we are to ask for him from the Father as children ask their parents for their daily bread. It is in this asking and receiving of the Holy Spirit that we have communion with the Father, who in his love sent the Holy Spirit to us….