KNOWING THE HOLY SPIRIT
In these last days, many people repeatedly cry out, “Holy Spirit!” and call upon the Holy Spirit to perform miracles and heal the sick. Yet why does the Holy Spirit seem not to respond to their cries and petitions?
John 14:15–17
Jesus said:
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, because He abides with you and will be in you.”
From this passage, we see that when Jesus was with His disciples around the time of the Passover, He told them, “You know Him, because He abides with you and will be in you.”
This raises an important question: What does it truly mean to know the Holy Spirit?
I. Those Who Know the Holy Spirit
Only those who truly know the Holy Spirit can understand what it means to live in fellowship with Him. How, then, does Scripture describe those who truly know Christ?
1 John 2:3
“By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.”
1 John 2:4–5
“The one who says, ‘I know Him,’ but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, the love of God has truly been perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.”
From these passages, we see that keeping the commandments of Christ is evidence that a person truly knows Him. Those who know Christ, abide in His word, and obey His commandments are called to live in fellowship with the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, those who refuse to obey Christ’s commandments yet repeatedly cry out, “Holy Spirit!” and ask the Holy Spirit to perform miracles and heal the sick should seriously examine themselves.
If a person refuses to obey Christ and His word, how can that person presume to rely upon the Holy Spirit to perform miracles and heal diseases?
Merely calling upon the Holy Spirit does not demonstrate that a person truly knows Him. Knowing the Holy Spirit must be inseparably connected with knowing Jesus Christ, abiding in His truth, and obeying His word.
II. The Manifestation of the Holy Spirit
John 14:21
Jesus said:
“Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. And the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
From this passage, we see that those who continually receive the commandments of Jesus and faithfully keep them are those who truly love Him.
Jesus promises to manifest Himself to those who love Him and keep His commandments.
Through the presence and work of the Holy Spirit, believers may personally experience the reality of Christ’s presence, His guidance, His truth, His power, and the mysteries of His work.
Therefore, the genuine manifestation of the Holy Spirit should never be separated from Jesus Christ, His commandments, His truth, and obedience to the will of God.
III. The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit
John 14:23
Jesus answered:
“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him.”
From this passage, we see that those who truly love Jesus will keep His word, and God promises to dwell with them.
Those who abide in Christ and receive the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit are called to submit themselves completely to the will of God.
Miracles are not performed according to human desire, ambition, or command. Genuine works of divine power occur according to the sovereign will of God.
Therefore, no one should regard the power of the Holy Spirit as something that can be controlled, manufactured, or summoned for human purposes.
IV. Walking With the Holy Spirit
Luke 9:1–2
Jesus called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases. He then sent them out to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
Matthew 10:1
Jesus called His twelve disciples to Him and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and sickness.
Matthew 28:16–20
The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him, although some doubted.
Jesus came to them and said:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
From these passages, we see that Jesus sent His disciples to fulfill the Great Commission and promised to remain with them.
Jesus gave His disciples authority to proclaim the Kingdom of God, preach the Gospel, confront demonic powers, and minister healing to the sick.
This authority does not originate in human beings. It comes from Christ and is exercised through the power and work of the Holy Spirit according to the will of God.
Therefore, those who serve God must never regard spiritual authority as their personal possession or power. They are servants through whom God accomplishes His purposes.
V. False Christs and False Prophets Will Perform Great Signs and Wonders
Matthew 24:24
“For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”
Matthew 7:15
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
From these passages, we see that Jesus explicitly warned His followers that false christs and false prophets would arise and that some would perform extraordinary signs and wonders.
Therefore, the appearance of supernatural power does not, by itself, prove that a person has been sent by God.
God’s children must remain watchful and discerning. They must examine not only supernatural manifestations but also the person’s teaching, character, fruit, relationship to Jesus Christ, and obedience to the Word of God.
VI. Do Not Believe Every Spirit
1 John 4:1
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
2 Thessalonians 2:9–10
“The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, false signs and wonders, and with every kind of unrighteous deception among those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth that would save them.”
From these passages, we see that not every spiritual manifestation or supernatural sign comes from God.
Scripture warns that Satan can work through counterfeit signs, wonders, and deception. False spiritual leaders may use such things to mislead people and draw them away from the truth.
Their deception may cause people to abandon the truth, disregard the Word of God, turn away from God’s way, and place their trust in human personalities rather than in Jesus Christ.
For this reason, Christians must not believe every spirit.
Every spiritual claim must be tested according to Scripture.
Does it glorify Jesus Christ?
Does it agree with the Word of God?
Does it lead people to repentance and obedience?
Does it produce holiness, humility, love, truth, and the fruit of the Spirit?
Or does it lead people away from Christ and His commandments?
These are far more important questions than whether something appears miraculous.
VII. Miracles of Divine Power Recorded in Scripture
The Bible records many extraordinary miracles through which God manifested His divine power. The following are twenty-eight examples:
1. When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, God divided the Red Sea for them.
2. When the Israelites lacked water in the wilderness under Moses’ leadership, God caused water to flow from the rock.
3. When Joshua led Israel across the Jordan River, God stopped the waters of the Jordan so that the people could cross on dry ground.
4. When Joshua led Israel against Jericho, God caused the walls of Jericho to fall.
5. When Joshua fought against the Amorites, God caused the sun to stand still.
6. When Gideon led only three hundred men against the vast Midianite army, God gave them victory against overwhelming odds.
7. When Samson confronted the Philistines, the Spirit of the Lord empowered him with extraordinary strength.
8. When Samuel and Israel faced the Philistines, God thundered against the Philistines and threw them into confusion.
9. When David confronted the giant Goliath, God gave him victory as he struck Goliath down with a stone.
10. When the prophet Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, God answered by sending fire from heaven.
11. When Elijah prayed for the dead son of the widow of Zarephath, God restored the child to life.
12. When Elijah prayed after a prolonged drought, God sent rain upon the land.
13. When the prophet Elisha helped an indebted widow, God multiplied her small supply of oil until all her vessels were filled.
14. When Elisha prayed for the Shunammite woman’s dead son, God restored the child to life.
15. When Elisha instructed Naaman, who suffered from leprosy, to wash seven times in the Jordan River, God cleansed Naaman of his disease.
16. When King Hezekiah became gravely ill and prayed to God, God healed him and gave him the sign of the shadow moving backward.
17. When the prophet Daniel was thrown into the lions’ den because of his faithfulness to God, God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions so that Daniel was unharmed.
18. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace because they refused to worship the golden image, God preserved them in the fire so that they were not harmed.
19. When the prophet Jonah was thrown into the sea, God appointed a great fish to swallow him, preserved his life, and eventually returned him to dry land.
20. When Jesus and His disciples encountered a violent storm at sea, Jesus rebuked the wind and the sea, and the storm immediately became calm.
21. When thousands of hungry people gathered around Jesus, He multiplied five loaves and two fish and fed more than five thousand people.
22. When the disciples encountered strong winds on the sea, Jesus walked upon the water, and Peter also walked toward Him upon the water.
23. When Lazarus had been dead for four days and was lying in the tomb, Jesus called him forth and raised him from the dead.
24. When Jesus encountered a man who had been blind from birth, He healed him and gave him sight.
25. When Peter and John encountered a man who had been unable to walk from birth, God worked through Peter as he commanded the man in the name of Jesus Christ to rise and walk.
26. When Peter prayed for Tabitha, also known as Dorcas, after she had died, God restored her to life.
27. When Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to God while imprisoned, a great earthquake shook the prison, the doors opened, and their chains were loosened.
28. When Paul was bitten by a venomous snake on Malta, God preserved him from harm.
These biblical accounts reveal a fundamental truth:
The miraculous power belongs to God.
Moses did not divide the Red Sea through his own power. Elijah did not bring fire down from heaven through his own human ability. Peter did not heal the lame man by his own power.
God’s servants obeyed, prayed, spoke, and acted in faith, but the power belonged to God.
Conclusion
In these last days, Scripture warns us that Satan may use counterfeit signs, wonders, and spiritual deception to mislead people.
Therefore, when people refuse to obey the commandments of Christ yet repeatedly cry out, “Holy Spirit!” and claim that the Holy Spirit is performing miracles and healings through them, believers should not automatically accept such claims.
Instead, every claim must be tested according to the Word of God.
There may be cases in which supposed spiritual manifestations are deliberately staged or manipulated. For example, if people were intentionally instructed beforehand to pretend that they had been “slain by the Spirit” merely to create the appearance of supernatural power, such conduct would be deception rather than a genuine manifestation of the Holy Spirit.
In some churches, assistants stand behind people who may fall during prayer in order to prevent physical injury. The presence of such assistants does not, by itself, prove that an experience is fraudulent. At the same time, falling to the ground does not prove that the Holy Spirit is present.
The true biblical test is not whether someone falls down.
The true questions are:
Does this manifestation glorify Jesus Christ?
Does it agree with the Word of God?
Does it lead people into truth and obedience?
Does it produce holiness, love, humility, repentance, and the fruit of the Spirit?
Does it lead people to follow Jesus Christ rather than a human personality?
A person must wholeheartedly abide in the words of Jesus and submit to the will of God in order to walk faithfully with the Holy Spirit.
No human being can manufacture the genuine work of the Holy Spirit.
Those who deliberately fabricate miracles or spiritual manifestations and falsely attribute them to the Holy Spirit are engaging in spiritual deception. Scripture gives serious warnings concerning false prophets, false signs, and those who misuse the things of God to deceive others.
Therefore:
To know the Holy Spirit is to know Jesus Christ.
To walk with the Holy Spirit is to abide in the words of Jesus.
To be led by the Holy Spirit is to walk in truth and obedience to God.
The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus Christ, not human personalities.
The Holy Spirit leads people into truth, not deception.
The Holy Spirit produces holiness and obedience, not spiritual fraud.
And the genuine manifestation of divine power occurs according to the sovereign will of God—not according to human performance, manipulation, or command.
For this reason, every believer should remember the warning of Scripture:
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” — 1 John 4:1
