There is much said today - and rightly so - about God the Father and Jesus the Christ the Son. But often it seems that he third member of the Godhead is missing. Could it be that there is a lack of spiritual energy and power because we have inadvertently “grieved the Holy Spirit” by neglecting or ignoring Him? We do so at our spiritual peril (Ephesians 4:30). Could it be that we are among those to whom Paul addressed saying that he could not communicate to them spiritual things because they were yet carnal (1 Corinthians 3:1)? There are many references in 1 Corinthians 3 to the spiritual. The Corinthians considered themselves to be very “spiritual”.
However, the congregation was burdened with failures in morality, idolatry, etc., due to the rampant pagan environment in which they existed. Paul makes it plain that the problem, in the main, was their lack of a spiritual solution. Paul found it difficult to communicate spiritual things to so many who were so very unspiritual. He had a very strong response to the situation in Corinth. The root of the problems in Corinth was the lack of spirituality. The solution to those problems he traced to the lack of spiritual mindedness in them. Hence, the difficulty of communicating to them spiritual things, which would solve the problem. Therefore, he felt compelled to administer strong remedial correction, which included the admonition to become spiritually minded, rather than responding to life in a carnal, fleshly way.
The only real way to comprehend spiritual things is through our Intercessor, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the real answer to all question regarding understanding of the scriptures. Christ, by and through the Holy Spirit, will interpret the Word to the spiritual mind of each individual. The Spirit of God will interpret spiritual to spiritual. Which is another way of saying that the Holy Spirit will reveal its application. This is the ultimate solution to the enigma of Bible translations. The words can only be understood and applied by the Holy Spirit to our spirit. This is why Jesus said that His words are spirit and life. Therefore, when we read the Bible, we are experiencing the very spirit and life Jesus Christ - if we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. This is the reason that so much can be said, but so little actually heard.
We must understand and believe that God knows the original intent of the Holy Spirit when the words of the Bible were first written. He is the only One still around Who was there. Therefore, we must look to Him to communicate to our spirit what was originally inspired. Equally important is the wisdom of how to apply what was originally inspired. Times have changed. Circumstances have changed. Again, the Holy Spirit in our spirit is the ultimate solution to understanding and applying the Word of God. From there on, it becomes a personal matter between us and the Holy Spirit residing within each believer. He will lead us, if we will follow. The struggle between translations, literalism, legalism, liberalism, the operation of words, etc. must be solved by the Holy Spirit, Who leads into all truth (John 16:13). Otherwise only mass confusion will result, which God never intended. The words that Christ spoke are Spirit, therefore they are Life (John 6:63).
During the time that the disciples were with Jesus, there was apparently much envy and jealousy, and competition between them. This is rather shocking in view of all the time that they spent with Jesus. However, even more shocking is to realize that the disciples were not converted. In that entire three and half years with Jesus, they were still not converted! Jesus plainly says as much when he says to Peter : "I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not: and when you are converted, strengthen your brethren" (Luke 22:32) Thus far, they had not received the Holy Spirit. They were not “converted”. The Holy Spirit is a down payment of the full payment of complete maturity in Christ to come later. Therefore, the Holy Spirit is the Facilitator of all real fellowship and companionship between the children of God. He is also the constant Companion of all of them, individually. He is always with us. We are never alone.
The Holy Spirit is the Love Giver. He imbues us with the Love Of God in our hearts (Romans 5:5). The Holy Spirit is the key to prayer. In our life of prayer - I pray that we all have a life of prayer - the Holy Spirit is our Audience, and our Witness even in our prayer closet. We do not pray alone. He is there. He is in us, with us, and knows what we feel when even we do not know what we feel. He knows what we mean even when we do not know what we mean. When we are striving in prayer, He is the divine Messenger who holds our prayer messages that we cannot express. The Father knows the mind of the Spirit Who knows that which we cannot express, and communicates it to the Father (Romans 8:26).
The Spirit in the written Word is greater than the letter of the written Word. This is the reason that the Law of Christ is greater than the Law of Moses. Although the Law is spiritual, it will not administer the Spirit of the Law’s intent (Romans 8:3). By the Law we know what sin is, but that is all (Romans 3:20). It cannot minister God’s righteousness. It is the Holy Spirit working in us, and with us, that we are being sanctified and recreated in Christ’s image. When Jesus was resurrected, and before He ascended into heaven to sit on the Father’s right hand, He promised to send the Holy Spirit to be with us always. He is Christ living in us, One in the same Spirit.
May we never grieve the Holy Spirit, the Administrator of God’s love (Romans 5:5), purpose and will. He is the Gift of the Father to us, Who is the Guarantor of our salvation (Ephesians 1:13). He is our Comforter in time of sorrow. He convicts us when we sin or are in the wrong, He convinces us of a truth that we may resist, so that we may grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). He is our Educator, our Sustainer, and very eternal life in us. Lets us all come to acknowledge and respond to the Member of the Godhead that constantly ministers to us, works with us and in us all that is pleasing to Jesus Christ and God the Father. Christ by the Holy Spirit will interpret the spiritual to the spiritual mind.
If you not know the Holy Spirit in these ways, just ask your heavenly Father to minister more of Him to you. He will. He has promised (Luke 11:13).
"But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. For he will not speak on his own authority, but will speak whatever he hears, and will tell you what is to come. He will glorify me, because he will receive from me what is mine and will tell it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; that is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what is mine and will tell it to you." - John 16 :13-15 (NET)