2 Corinthians 13:14 – The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.

In ending his letter to the Corinthians, Paul includes the community of the Godhead. The grace of Jesus speaks of the one who is a gift from God. The love of God addresses the Father’s heart. The “fellowship” of the Holy Spirit reveals how the Spirit is the part of the Godhead with whom we develop intimacy. Out of God’s love, Jesus came as the Father’s gift so we might have the continual fellowship in the Holy Spirit. Many times we hear of receiving Jesus into our hearts, but the only way we can receive Jesus and know the Father is through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of the Father and the Spirit of the Son, has come as the “promise” of the Father for each one who would receive God’s gift, Jesus. Jesus said to His disciples, “Behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49).

The Holy Spirit has been the “neglected” part of the Godhead. In the Apostle’s Creed, all we find is the statement “I believe in the Holy Spirit.” Part of the message of the gospel is that Jesus came so that true fellowship with God could be restored to all mankind through faith in Jesus as the “sin bearer.” That fellowship is found in the Holy Spirit. Many of God’s people have not been taught to nurture their relationship with the Holy Spirit. One reason is a misunderstanding of Jesus’ statement in John 16:13 (KJV) “. . . for He will not speak of himself . . . “A better translation is “. . . or he will not speak on His own initiative . . . .”  Just as Jesus Himself, did nothing out of His own initiative, the Holy Spirit only does the Father’s bidding.

Our great need is to spend time in fellowship with the Spirit. This means that we must become familiar with His voice and learn how to follow His leading. Only fellowship with the Holy Spirit can bring us into an ever-increasing relationship with the Father and the Son.

How much of our time and energy is spent in the natural realm trying to develop our relationship with God? We can only know Him by the Spirit. Today, ask the Father and the Son to fill you afresh with their Holy Spirit and begin to nurture a daily fellowship with Him.