What does it look like to walk so closely to the Lord that He dictates all our actions?
We see this in Acts as the people were filled from a baptism of the Holy Spirit. As commentary notes, a genuine baptism in the Holy Spirit will cause us to have a more conscious awareness of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. [1]
“More precious than gold and silver, I want You” sings in the background.
The Holy Spirit loves to take us on adventures. It was the Holy Spirit that told Phillip and to run alongside a chariot of a Ethiopian ruler who was reading Isaiah and did not understand it. (Acts 8:29) Later, after this ruler was baptized, the Holy Spirit took Phillip up into spiritual realms and transported him to a different location. And it was the Holy Spirit that allowed Peter to see ministering angels that guided him out of prison and into freedom in Act 12:7-11.
Just recently, as I was waking up, he gave me a picture of an older man to pray for. In the picture, he was happy and thriving, smiling ear to ear. Then later that day, I saw this man in a store. He was sad and looked so unhappy and miserable. I approached him and asked if he would like prayer for anything and he shook his head at me. But I know God has good things for him and in His relentless love, is chasing this man down.
Holy Spirit is our best friend. He is always there for us at every turn. When we go the wrong way, He helps turn us around and get us back on track. There was a time that I lost my way. In a dream, it was the Holy Spirit that came and got me. He got in the car with me and reminded me of what was most deeply treasured. He then took me back through an unexpected path to pick up what was so treasured. And in my dream, with a gleam in His eye, He kept turning the power on even though I was shutting it off at the time.
He is our song in the night. I just went on a retreat with some precious women friends over the weekend. They spoke about times of being woke up in the middle of the night speaking something out as a proclamation, praying or singing. I love when He gives me a song that just sets my heart right or fills me with worship, awe and wonder. He reminds us of and turns our hearts toward God. Asaph, in Psalm 77:5, remembers the songs he would sing in the night prompted by the Holy Spirit and his heart began to fill again with thoughts of God.
He can be more real to us that the world around us. When He is our best friend, death doesn’t give us the same fear or have a sting because we know eventually, He will wrap us up in His love tightly like a warm whole-body hug and take us home. We can trust Him because we know Him so well.
Paul prays for the church in 2 Corinthians 13:14 that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of Father God and the communion of the Holy Spirit would be with the church. Commentary notes that Paul desired the Corinthians [the church] to have a continually deepening companionship with the Holy Spirit. [2]
So what does it look like to have this kind of deepening and intimate companionship with the Holy Spirit? Wisdom says to train your heart to listen when He speaks and open your spirit wide to expand your discernment—then pass it on to your sons and daughters (Proverbs 2:2).
Jude gives the wisdom, “But you, my delightfully loved friends, constantly and progressively build yourselves up on the foundation of your most holy faith [in faithfulness] by praying every moment in the Spirit.” (Jude 20)
We see this kind of walking with God with Elisha. In 2 Kings 6:12 (WEB) someone told the king of Aram when he thought one of his men were spies, “Elisha somehow knows everything you say—even the secret things you whisper in your private chambers.”
Paul says that we should deeply desire the gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. Commentary notes, “Prophecy is a valid gift of the Holy Spirit needed by the church today. There is no place in Scripture or in church history that indicates the gift of prophecy has ceased or disappeared… We must not ignore, despise, or scorn any true gift of the Holy Spirit.” [3]
We are meant to spend every waking and sleeping moment with God. There is not one moment that we are meant to be separate from Him. He delights that we love to spend our time with Him. But it is not only spending our time with Him but communicating with Him and walking in Him and with Him. We need to listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. He is the Spirit of wisdom and revelation and will help us through all situations we face. When we welcome Him and embrace Him and His gifts he brings to us, our steps will be ordered by Him.
Dr. Charles Karuku, in his book, Tangible Evidence of the Holy Spirit, writes “He reveals what is in the mind of God… and He will tell us things to come. The Holy Spirit knows your future, He is willing to reveal it to you!” [4]
Sometimes, it seems that we go along in our own sufficiency and don’t look for the Holy Spirit’s guidance until we run into trouble and need help. Difficulty often draws us closer to God. Each difficulty and test in an opportunity to trust him more and grow in faith. Brother Lawrence notes that “we should rejoice in difficulties, bearing them as long as the Lord wills, because only through such trials will our faith become purified, more precious than gold (1 Peter 1:7; 4:19).”
David Wilkerson writes,
“Eventually, we will not just come to him for help when we are at the end of our rope; instead, we begin to walk with him so closely that we hear warning of trials ahead.
The trusting heart always says, ‘All my steps are ordered by the Lord. He is my loving Father, and he permits my sufferings, temptations and trials but never more than I can bear. He always makes a way of escape. He has an eternal plan and purpose for me. He has numbered every hair on my head, and he formed all my parts when I was in my mother’s womb. He knows when I sit, stand or lie down because I am the apple of his eye. He is Lord not just over me but over every event and situation that touches me.’
True trust releases in the heart the greatest power God can assign to mankind, greater than power to raise the dead or heal sickness and disease. When we are truly relying totally upon God, we are given a power that restores broken hearts and lives, a power that brings a special kind of glory and honor to our Lord.”
Isaiah 50:5-9 proclaims, “The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.” Paul demonstrates this kind of faithfulness in hearing of difficulty ahead. In Acts 20:22-24 he says to his disciples,
“Now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what shall befall me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. But none of these things deter me. Nor do I count my life of value to myself, so that I may joyfully finish my course and ministry which I have received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”
More than anything, Paul wanted to be faithful in accomplishing his mission. Difficulty did not detour him at all. When he was stoned to death and resurrected, he was willing to get up and go back and still testify (Acts 14:19-20).
The Holy Spirit not only revealed things to Paul, but because his heart was surrendered, the Holy Spirit influenced his passion and guided his heart. The deepening relationship with the Holy Spirit gave Paul a passion for the purposes of Jesus to the point seeing them accomplished was more important than his own life. 1 John 4:17 says that by living in God, love is brought to its full expression through us so that as Jesus is in the world, so are we.
Deepening companionship with the Holy Spirit, as the song sings in the background, involves walking with God in the cool of the day (Genesis 3:8), meditating on His glorious splendor and gazing on the beauty of all that He does.
The Holy Spirit is the agent of Father God and Jesus who enacts the will of God. He brings to manifestation the words and purposes of the Father. As Charles Karuku notes, “He creates, he forms and he reforms.” [5] He was active in creation, imparts life, inspires prophets and apostles, anoints pastors to preach with power, brings signs, wonders, healing and miracles, prays through us, touches hearts, comforts and births God’s plans forward to name a few of the ways He enacts God’s purposes.
Wisdom says that “the one who always listens to Him will live undisturbed in heavenly peace. Free from fear, confident and courageous, you will rest unafraid and sheltered from the storms of life.” (Proverbs 1:33)
We were meant to walk with God in the cool of the day but sin drew us away and caused us to hide in fear instead. Walking in the “cool” of the day at face value looks to be speaking about walking together late in the day. The word here is actually “ruach” and speaks of the Wind of God, breath of God or Spirit (Strong’s Hebrew #7307).
Interestingly enough, the word “ruach” also can mean “wrath.” This paints a different picture of the bowls of wrath that are poured out in Revelations looking at them from this perspective: An outpouring of the Holy Spirit with lightening and peals of thunder (power of God) upon the people.
These bowls are also referred to as the seven plagues. What is clear about these bowls of wrath is that, just like the plagues in Egypt, they cause separation and dividing of the people of God from the worldly order and sin, eventually leading them out completely into new found freedom.
“Do not be afraid of what comes, for what comes to you will be more of Me, My Child.” [6]
Song of Songs 6:12 says, “Then suddenly my longings transported me. My divine desire brought me next to my beloved prince, sitting with him in his royal chariot. We were lifted up together!”
It is the Holy Spirit that now not only empowers believers for ministry work, enables us to live holy lives, convicts and disciplines us, comforts us, reveals His plans and purposes to us, glorifies Jesus through us but also prays through believers for His return. It is the Holy Spirit that gives us a longing for Him to return and establish His Kingdom order. The Holy Spirit gives a deep yearning for Christ’s return.
“O Lord, it is You who are my portion and cup; it is You Yourself who secure my destiny. Pleasant places are marked out for me: a fair heritage indeed is my lot! I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel, who even at night directs my heart. I keep the Lord before me always; with God at my right and, I shall not be moved. And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad; even my body shall rest in safety. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor let Your Holy One see corruption. You will show me the path of life, the fullness of joy in Your presence, at Your right hand, bliss forever.” (Psalm 16:2,5-11)
1-3. Fire Bible: (MEV) Modern English Version. Life Publishers International, Springfield, Missouri. 2015.
3-5. Karuku, Dr. Charles. Tangible Evidence of the Holy Spirit: Moving you from common to uncommon. Exponential Group Publishing, Tampa, Florida. 2017.
6. Simmons, Brian. I Hear His Whisper. 52 Devotions.
