Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.I have shared with you how I came to know and love God. I had a relationship with Jesus, but I did not know or love God, my Father. Once I really came to know Him, I found that He was kind, merciful, compassionate, and a loving Father who wanted more than anything for His creation to love and worship Him. Having a relationship with God totally changed my life.
(John 16:13)
One day while meditating on the Word, I realized that I did not know the Person of the Holy Spirit. I knew God the Father and God the Son, but I did not know God the Holy Spirit. I did not know the power of the Trinity. I had a longing to know Him too.
So, with this hunger to know the Holy Spirit, His personality and His ways, I said, "Holy Spirit, I want to know You. Please reveal Yourself to me. I want to recognize Your presence. I want to know Your voice. I want to know You so that You can lead, guide, and direct me just as You said You would."
I believe one of the greatest needs of the Church is to understand and have an individual knowledge of the Person of the Holy Spirit. He is not shapeless, a dove, or a cloud. He is not oil, fire, or tongues either.
Those are only symbols or manifestations of His personality, just as Jesus was sometimes called a "lamb." The important thing is that He is God the Holy Spirit and we can know Him. Paul said that he didn't know Jesus after the flesh, but by the Spirit, so we can know Him too.
Shortly after I asked the Holy Spirit to reveal Himself to me, Happy and I were attending a great convention. One day as someone was preaching, the Holy Spirit came upon me and covered me like a blanket with His sweet presence.
I began to weep. I couldn't help it. Tears just rolled and rolled down my cheeks. When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, it is a real and tangible presence. You can feel Him. It is the feeling of overwhelming love and compassion. It is joy unspeakable and full of glory.
Then the speaker's words faded to the background as the Holy Spirit began to talk to me. There was no doubt that it was Him.
He let me sense His presence, and then He would speak to me. Therefore, I learned what His presence felt like, because there is a counterfeit. I know His voice, and I can distinguish it from the many voices there are in the word. I learned how to listen to Him so I can be led by my spirit.
I don't have room to tell you all the wonderful things I have learned since that time. There are so many mighty manifestations of His divine works. To name a few:
- He was there when the world was spoken into existence.
- He anointed men to write the Bible.
- He plays a vital part in man's salvation.
- He is a Comforter, Teacher, Guide, and Counselor.
- He gives us strength and makes us bold.
- He has a mind, will, and emotions.
- He can be grieved and resisted.
- He is an Encourager and Intercessor.
- He is the power of the Highest.
Once you know Him, you will recognize His presence wherever you go. I remember the first time I went to Austria with Happy for a conference on the Holy Spirit. I could not speak or understand German, but I understood and recognized the tangible, unmistakable presence of the Holy Spirit.
It made me feel right at home because I knew Someone who was there! It was beautiful. In fact, when I got up to sing through an interpreter, I told them that very thing.
If you don't know the Person of the Holy Spirit, ask Him to reveal Himself to you. He will! But remember that He is very gentle and sensitive. Don't play games with Him.
If you truly want to know Him, He will reveal Himself to you marvelously and wondrously. That is His purpose on this earth, to minister life and trust to you and me.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Pastor Emeritus, founders and pastors of Agape Church from its founding in 1979 to 2014. Happy and Jeanne Caldwell.
In 1979 God spoke to Happy & Jeanne Caldwell to build a spiritual production center in Little Rock, in order to take the good news of Jesus Christ to the city, state, nation and world. Together, they founded Agape Church, a strong spirit-filled body of believers. Through a deep sensitivity to the Spirit of God, and anointed teaching - the lost are saved, the sick healed, and thousands have been blessed.
In 1988 Happy and Jeanne answered a direct call from the Lord to take His message beyond Central Arkansas. They founded VTN - the Victory Television Network. This network of 3 full power TV stations is carried on over 200 cable systems and is bringing the Gospel into more than 1.2 million households.
Jeanne's ministry transcends nationality, race, culture, and generation as her passion to see women transformed into ladies who are pruned, polished, and perfected by the Word of God and her down-to-earth presentation assist others to have a personal encounter with God's Word.
