Fellowship with the Holy Spirit: What it is & How to do it

What does it mean to fellowship with Holy Spirit?

To fellowship with the Holy Spirit means to talk to the Holy Spirit in secret prayer, as well as throughout our day. It means to thank Him for things, ask Him questions, ask Him for guidance and help in a specific area. It means listening to His voice, growing in the understanding of the scriptures, and obeying His guidance.

The Bible makes it abundantly clear that we are not only called into fellowship with the Father (John 1:3-7) and with the Son (1 Corinthians 1:9), but also 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)

“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” (Philippians 2:1-2)

Both of these passages of scripture place fellowship with the Holy Spirit in high regard.

For instance, Paul places this fellowship among the love of God and the grace of the Lord Jesus. This means that just as foundational as God’s love and Jesus’ grace are so too fellowship with the Holy Spirit is foundational.

The grace of Jesus and the love of God are the beginning and the end of the Christian life, we will never outgrow those two truths. Similarly, we will never outgrow fellowshipping with Holy Spirit because that is the means by which we do grow.

The latter verses confirm these truths as well.

Paul says, that just as sure as there is encouragement in Christ, comfort in love, fellowship with Holy Spirit, and affection and mercy, so too we as the body of Christ should be like-minded in our conduct, with the same goal.

Paul places the “fellowship of the Spirit” on the same level as encouragement in Christ and comfort of love.

In other words, you can’t have the Spirit without also having the availability to commune with the Spirit.

Similarly, you can’t have Christ without also having the availability to receive encouragement from Him, and you can’t have love without also having the ability to receive comfort from love.

How to fellowship with Holy Spirit (4 Keys)

Be aware of His presence

The Holy Spirit is with us at all times. In fact, Holy Spirit is the presence of God upon the earth, for He is God being present.

Jesus promised us that He would never leave us nor forsake us (Matthew 28:20, Hebrews 13:5). This is only possible through the agency of Holy Spirit, because we know that Jesus is sitting at the right hand of the Father in heaven right now (Acts 1:9-10, Acts 2:33).

This is why Jesus said, “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 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 14:16-17)

This verse reveals that Holy Spirit is with us and He is in us, but not only that; He will never leave us, for He will abide with us forever. How amazing!

We have God’s Spirit dwelling inside of us at all times. He is with you right now, if you are a believer. And just like we mentioned before, you can’t have the Spirit without also having the availability to speak with Him. Philippians 2 reveals that this is impossible.

If He is with us then we can speak with Him, and Him with us. We only need to develop our faith in this area and grow in the consciences of His indwelling.

Engage with Him as you read the Word

The Bible is the Holy Spirit’s textbook, and He is the author. Every word He inspired and breathed upon. There is not one jot or tittle that He did not guide the writers to write.

So since we have Him always with us, it would be silly to desire to grow in the knowledge of the Word without asking Him for understanding, guidance, and clarity.

Holy Spirit is meant to guide us into all truth (John 16:13), and we know that the word of God is truth (John 17:17).

So let’s allow Holy Spirit to teach us by engaging with Him as we read.

Let’s talk to Him before, during, and after we read. If we become curious about something, let’s ask Him a question. When He reveals something to us, let’s thank Him. Then let’s continue reading again.

This is what it means to engage with Him as we read the Word, and it is incredibly beneficial to our walk with God.

Pray in the Spirit

Speaking in tongues is praying in the Spirit and it is a key to being aware of His presence and receiving revelation from Him.

“For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.” (1 Corinthians 14:14-15)

Notice how Paul uses praying in tongues interchangeably with praying with the Spirit. That is becasue they are the same thing.

Now many will say, “ya but Paul said in these verses that speaking in tongues is praying with his spirit (lowercase s), but prayig in the Spirit (uppercase S) is different.”

Well said, but the Bible also reveals that our spirit and His Spirit are one so it makes no difference if sometimes Paul says, “I pray with my spirit” and other times he says, “I pray with the Spirit” for they are both true at the same time.

“But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” (1 Corinthians 6:17)

Therefore, speaking in tongues is the same as praying in the Spirit.

And the more we pray in the Spirit, the more we become aware of Him within us for the Bible says that we receive edification (1 Corinthians 14:4).

In addition to this, the Bible tells us that tongues are mysteries spoken directly to God (1 Corinthians 14:2), that when tongues are divinly interpreted they are equivalent to prophecy (1 Corinthians 14:5), and that we should pray and ask God for interpretation as we speak in tongues so that our minds can receive edification as well (1 Corinthinas 14:13).

This means that if we speak in tongues and ask God for the interpretaton as we speak then we will be receiving divine revelation on the mysteries of God. How powerful!

So not only wil we be cooperating with Holy Spirit to commune with God in the Spirit, but we will also be hearing the Holy Spirit reveal divine truths to us.

Talk to Him throughout the day

We all have moments in our day where we do activities that don’t rquire much brain power. Things like; sweeping, taking out the trash, dishes, mowing the lawn, driving, etc.

We can use these activitites to talk to Holy Spirit and fellowship with God.

Similarly, we also have moments where our mind wanders from the truths of God’s Word and into things that are carnal and ungodly. The best way to correct these wandering thoughts is to use them as springbard to commune with Holy Spirit.

For instance, let’s say you had a passing thought of worry and fear. You can say something like, “Holy Spirit I so appreciate that I don’t need to be fearful and full of worry anymore for You are not a Spirit of fear but a Spirt of power and love and a sound mind. Thank you for this sound mind surrounding me at all times and enabling me to live above the desires of the flesh.”

Or say you have a thought of doubt. You can say something like, “Holy Spirit I know that doubt is not a Godly thing for the Father is a God of faith and He is only delighted by faith. So right now I release faith and I thank You that You are with me enabling me to increase in faith every day. Grow Your word in me so that faith becomes as natural as breathing. I love you Holy Spirit.”

Every opportunity to decieve or disable your walk with God can be flipped into a time of communion with Him. Simply thank Holy Spirit for the opposite and ask Him to enable God’s Word in your life.

Benefits of consistent fellowship with the Holy Spirit

Each one of these benefits are benefits of walking in the Spirit, and since having intimacy with the Holy Spirit would cause us to walk in the Spirit, these benefits are lsited. [Related article: 26 Benefits of Walking in the Spirit (+ Consequences)].

Freedom from condemnation and law. Romans 8:1 says that those who are in Christ Jesus and walk according to the Spirit will have no condemnation in their lives.

Freedom from “the body of death”, which is the flesh. Romans 7:24 says that Christ Jesus delivers from “this body of death” which the context suggests that this body of death is our flesh and its desires. Immediately after he says this, he explains walking in the Spirit in Romans chapter 8.

Able to bear the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, etc. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Able to have a renewed mind. Walking in the Spirit is setting our minds on the things of the Spirit (Romans 8:5), which is the exact process that is required for us to renew our minds. [Related article: How to Walk/Live in the Spirit (Complete Guide)]

Unbelief will be less prevalent in your life. When the disciples couldn’t heal a young boy and Jesus could, they asked Him why they couldn’t do it in Matthew 17:20-21. Jesus replied by first saying because of your unbelief, then after this, he explained to them that they need to consistently be in a place of fasting and prayer to rid unbelief in their lives. Fasting and prayer are activities that cause us to walk in the Spirit.

Faith will grow. One of the fruits of the Spirit is faith (Galatians 5:22). Many people don’t know this because the translators translated pistis to “faithfulness”, but everywhere else in the Bible, it translates to faith.

Walking in love becomes easier. The first fruit of the Spirit is love. The reason for this is to walk in the Spirit you have to be walking in a relationship with God, and God is love. So when we grow in knowing the God of love, loving people becomes easier.

You will find good success. God told Joshua to meditate on the Word of God day and night then he will have success (Joshua 1:8). Meditating on the Word of God simply means to ponder over the word of God, this is an act of setting our minds on spiritual things, which is walking in the Spirit.

You will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16)

You will grow closer to God. Walking in the Spirit is the process of a relationship with God, for you cannot set your mind on the things of God without also knowing Him.

You will be satisfied with long life. (1 Peter 3:10 and Psalm 91:16)

You will have the fear of the Lord, thus producing wisdom. (Proverbs 9:10)

You will be filled with the Spirit. As you walk in the Spirit you will also be obeying Ephesians 5:18-20. You will be singing to the Lord and thanking Him which causes you to be filled with the Spirit. [Related articles: Filled with the Spirit: Does it Happen Once or Multiple Times? and 7 Tips to Staying Filled with the Holy Spirit (Continually)]

You will be edified in the Spirit because praying in tongues is an aspect of walking in the Spirit. (Related article: Praying in the Spirit: What it is & How to do it).

You will grow in the knowledge of God which gives you access to God’s Power (2 Peter 1:1-3).

The gifts of the Spirit will flow through you more often because as you walk in the Spirit, His manifestations will begin to happen through you. (1 Corinthians 12:7) (Related article: How to receive/activate the gifts of the Spirit).

You and your family will have divine health because you will be dwelling in Him (Psalm 91:10). (Related article: Dwelling in the Secret Place: What it is & How to do it)

Your prayers will be answered. (John 15:7)

Every need of yours will be supplied because walking in the Spirit produces love (Galatians 5:22), which in turn produces giving (1 John 3:17), and giving produces God’s supply for our needs (Philippians 4:19).

You will be transformed into the image of God. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

You will release a fragrance of Christ’s presence everywhere that you go. (2 Corinthians 2:14-16)

You will have boldness to preach the Gospel. All the apostles and early disciples had boldness as they preached the Gospel (Acts 4:31). This was due to their consistent walk with Him and because of His power down inside of them.

You will grow in the knowledge of the Bible. To walk in the Spirit is to set our minds on the things of the Spirit. The Bible is the most spiritual book out there. As you walk in the Spirit, you will read it and increase your knowledge of it.

You will have a closer relationship with believers because love will begin to rule your conduct.

You’ll have forgiveness for those who have wronged you so you will no longer carry the burden of unforgiveness. Since the first fruit of walking in the Spirit is love, you will have the desire to forgive those who have wronged you.

You will be led by the Spirit of God to fulfill the calling of God on your life. Walking in the Spirit is used interchangeably with being led by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-18).

I hope you enjoyed this article and that it assisted you in your walk with God.

God bless all of you!