The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen(2 Corinthians 13:14).

The foundational principles of developing a personal and intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit is through the Word of God and prayer. It’s important to yield to Him through the Word and deepen your relationship with Him through prayer. Every relationship without communication dies, irrespective of what that relationship is, whether it’s the relationship between parents and their children, spouses, co-workers, etc.

On the other hand, good communication nourishes and enhances relationships. If you’re going to have a richer fellowship with the Holy Spirit, you need to commune effectively with Him in prayer. He’s a person, and you’ve got to relate to Him as a person. Read our opening scripture again; it indicates the kind of relationship we’re supposed to have with the Lord.

The Father is in heaven, and Jesus has gone to heaven; only the Holy Spirit is here with us. The God we know and relate to today is the Holy Spirit. He makes the presence of the Father and the presence of Jesus real to you. So, learn to talk to Him. That’s why speaking in tongues is also vital. Speak in tongues often.

The Apostle Paul serves as a great example of a successful Christian and minister, and one of his secrets was fellowship with the Holy Spirit through prayer. He said, “I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all” (1 Corinthians 14:18). If Paul realised it was necessary for him to speak in tongues so much that he could say he spoke with tongues more than the whole Corinthian church, then you must recognise its importance. Speak in tongues every day and every so often, and build a sturdy relationship with the Holy Spirit.

Listening to the Holy Spirit and following His leading and guidance is so important in the life of every child of God. Many today have gotten into the wrong jobs, wrong relationships and made terrible decisions because they ignored the counsel of the Holy Spirit. God the Father is in heaven, and so is the Lord Jesus. But the Holy Spirit is here with us, as the administrator of the grace of Jesus Christ and the love of God in our lives today. He’s the one that makes the presence of the Lord Jesus real to us. He communicates the mind of the Father to everyone who has received Him.

No wonder Jesus, before His ascension said, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abode with you for ever” (John 14:16). Those who ignore the Holy Spirit can’t experience God’s love in reality. Life, without the Holy Spirit, is unexciting, hard, rough and tough. Someone once said, “The Christian life is very challenging; it’s fraught with too many problems.” Well, that’s for the one who ignores the Spirit. I’ve been a Christian for a long time and for me, it’s been a smooth sail, from glory to glory! My experience of life has been that of consistent progress, unending success and recurrent victory. It’s an awesome, wonderful and glorious experience, if you learn to walk with the Holy Spirit.

When you’re acquainted with the Holy Spirit, you won’t consider any challenge you might face as obstacles to your faith; you’ll see them as bread. James 1:2 says count it all joy when you fall into divers tests. Why? There’s one living in you that helps you win and puts you over all of life’s challenges: “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). The Holy Spirit was sent to help you live the overcoming life, and bear you up in times of weaknesses and limitations (Romans 8:26); never ignore him.

Recognise the personal ministry of the Holy Spirit in your life and learn to walk with Him. He’s more concerned and passionate about your success than you could ever be. And as you yield to Him, He’ll perfect all that concerns you and lead you from glory to glory.

7 Ways to Grow in Intimacy with the Holy Spirit

1. Study what the Bible says about Intimacy with the Holy Spirit

God’s anointing, gifts, and power are not sourced in an impersonal force or ability. They are the manifestation of a Person—the Holy Spirit.

• ‘May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.’ (2 Cor 13:14, NLT)

Being grounded in Scripture ensures that we have a strong foundation for developing an intimate relationship with the Spirit. The Bible reveals that He has a will and emotions. He has a voice and communicates in many different ways.

In your quest for intimacy with the Holy Spirit, take time to study what the Bible says about the Holy Spirit as well as hw people in Scripture lived and walked in an intimate relationship with God.

2. Discover how you Uniquely Connect with the Holy Spirit (and put it into Practice)

Every relationship requires communication, and intimacy grows when we have special times together. Our relationship with God will benefit from learning how we personally relate best to Him. [1]

I value walking and praying outdoors. In the wide-open spaces of creation, I have the freedom to talk to my Father and listen to the Holy Spirit without interruptions. However, it will be different for you.

Do you enjoy quiet times alone with God, or do you encounter Him best in the company of others? Do you connect with Him in an intellectual way, or in the context of worship and music?

Your Father created you the way you are and loves and relates to you in your individuality. In the Bible, every person was unique in the way they journeyed and related with God (for example, look at Jesus and His disciples).

Give yourself permission to explore an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit in the way that suits you and never be intimidated by another person’s relationship with God.

3. Pay Attention to, and Cultivate an Awareness of the Holy Spirit

Cultivating an awareness of God’s Presence does not mean that we will always feel Him physically. In fact, this begins with the revelation of His nearness. The Bible says that the Holy Spirit is present in and with us. So, we can be assured He is our constant Companion.

Throughout Scripture, we learn of how God spoke to people at many different times—not only when they were waiting, but also when they were traveling and working.

The Holy Spirit will communicate with you ‘on the go’. He desires to be a part of your life in busy times, as well as in quiet spaces and in the night hours.

No moment of our day should be ‘off-limits’ to the Holy Spirit. We can anticipate the communication of the Holy Spirit and tune in.

Operating in a spiritual gift is also a powerful opportunity to seek and lean in closer to an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit.

You can grow in sensitivity to Him!

There are many ways that the Holy Spirit communicates, and He longs to share what is on the Father’s heart for you. Primarily, this will be through the Bible. You will also discover that there are one or more ways that you mostly hear from the Holy Spirit. [2]

I love the expression Bill Johnson often uses: ‘turning our affection towards God.’ All it takes is a moment to respond. This helps us develop an intimate love relationship with His Spirit, and be aware of His Presence with us.

4. Relate to the Holy Spirit in a Natural Way

There should be nothing strange or weird about our intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit. It should provoke others to desire what we have, not put them off.

Our relationship with the Spirit should be natural and life-giving, just as our relationship with Father and Jesus is. [3]

The Bible is our guideline for our intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit.

Some of the ways we can intimately relate to the Holy Spirit include:

• As Helper and Comforter—the One who comes alongside us. (John 14:16)
• Our teacher and guide (John 16:13)
• The revealer of Father’s purpose and everything God has made available to us (John 16:14-15)
• The Anointing who is within and upon us (1 John 2:27, Acts 10:38, Luke 4:18)
• As our prayer partner (Rom 8:26)
• As God’s intimate Presence with us (John 15:15-18)

5. Be Real and Authentic with God

In our intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit, we have nothing to hide. And, we have no need to perform. A helpful word-play on ‘intimacy’ is ‘in-to-me-see.’ You can be yourself, with both your strengths and your weaknesses.

The Holy Spirit is our Comforter and Helper—but if we are not vulnerable and authentic with God, we cannot receive the assistance He desires to give us.

In our leadership culture today, we tend to deny emotions we perceive as ‘weak’ and strive to always act in a strong, faith-filled way. But Father’s arms are waiting. He longs for us to express our grief or distress to Him and receive His comfort. (2 Cor 1:3-4) Faith then arises out of that encounter with the Comforter.

Don’t hold God at arm’s length when you need His love, grace, and comfort. The presence of weakness does not diminish the quality of your faith—it enhances it and is a powerful witness to others.

6. Practice Accountability in Your Spiritual Experiences

Intimacy with the Holy Spirit is not about having a relationship in isolation. The New Testament demonstrates a life with God that is lived in the context of community, with accountability. [4]

We must never make the mistake of thinking that we can grow past accountability in our intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit.

I regularly share descriptions of my encounters with God with my leaders and fellow team members. They help clarify what God is doing in my life and provide a means of accountability and growth. This is not always comfortable. However, I recognize that it is one of the most beneficial (and biblical) things I can do. As a result, there is no ceiling on my ministry and intimate relationship with God.

7. Pray and ask for Greater Intimacy with the Holy Spirit

Does the desire to have an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit resonate with you? Today, take time to pray and ask God to stir up the desire for a greater level of encounter and intimacy with Him. (Luke 11:9-13)

Finally, remember that ‘praying in the Spirit’ is one of the most intimate encounters you can have with the Holy Spirit. In those moments of prayer, you unite with the Holy Spirit to establish Father’s purposes for your life and those who are in His heart. (Jude 1:20, 1 Cor 14:2, Rom 8:26)