Holy spirit in philippians

HOLY SPIRIT IN PHILIPPIANS
WRITTEN AND EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
CONTENTS
1. PROVISION OF THE SPIRIT, PHIL. 1:19
2. FELLOWSHIP OF THE SPIRIT PHIL. 2:1
3. WORSHIP BY THE SPIRIT. PHIL. 3:3
1. PROVISION OF THE SPIRIT, PHIL. 1:19
Philippians1:19 New International Version
19 for I know that through your prayers and God’s
provisionof the Spiritof Jesus Christwhat has
happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.[a]
Amplified: For I am well assuredand indeed know
that through your prayers and a bountiful supply of
the Spirit of Jesus Christ (the Messiah)this will turn
out for my preservation(for the spiritualhealth and
welfare of my own soul) and availtoward the saving
work of the Gospel. (Amplified Bible - Lockman)

Young's Literal:For I have known that this shall fall
out to me for salvation, through your supplication,and
the supply of the Spirit of Christ Jesus,
Paul is saying that he experienced a form of salvation due to two factors, the supplication of
the saints and the supply of the Spirit. Another way of saying it is, by the prayer of the
saints and the provision of the Spirit. Paul had both human and heavenly help in his
deliverance. Fellow believers and the Holy Spirit can become partners and bring about
marvelous things in the lives of those they love.
Wuest in his word studies wrote, "Paul makes it clear that while we have the responsibility
to do the actual intercession, it is the Spirit Who enables our supernatural communication
with the Father. And so we read in Ephesians 6:18 (note) "With all prayer and petition
pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance
and petition for all the saints." Notice that phrase "in the Spirit" which means "in the
sphere of the Spirit, that is, directed and empowered by the Spirit." (Wuest Word Studies)
Effective prayer is prayer in the Spirit, for it is the Spirit who supplies what is needed for
the prayer to be fulfilled. He takes your intercession and conveys it to the Father with
proper interpretation that fits the will of God, and thus it is answered. John MacArthur
put it this way-,"..because our prayer will then be in harmony with His. As we submit to
the Holy Spirit, obeying His Word and relying on His leading and strength, we will be
drawn into close and deep fellowship with the Father and the Son. So the only way we can
truly intercede is when we are filled with, controlled by and enabled by the Holy Spirit. If
prayer is our wartime walkie talkie, the Spirit is the "battery power" and the enabler of
the transmission of the "radio signal" so to speak. Beloved, begin each morning seeking His
filling, by confessing sin and acknowledging your need for His supernatural power all
through the day. When you fail and fall, depending on your strength when the test comes,
then get back up, tell Him of your failure and repeat your cry of dependence upon Him and
His power. He is faithful to forgive and to fill! (1Jn 1:9-note, Eph 5:18-note). How else
could we possibly obey the command (present imperative) to "Pray without ceasing?"
(1Thes 5:17-note)
Jamieson says their is a direct connection between the prayers and the provisions. He
wrote, " on through your prayers....provision of the Spirit - The Greek intimately joins the
two nouns together, by having but one preposition and one article: “Through your prayer
and (the consequent) supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ (obtained for me through your
prayer).”

"In the book of Acts we have numerous examples of the church praying for boldness and
endurance in trial (e.g., Acts 12). Paul told the Corinthians that God was using their
prayers to help them in his great trials (2 Cor 1:5,8-11). He also implored the Romans, the
Ephesians, the Colossians, and the Thessalonians to pray for him (Ro15:30; Eph 6:18-19;
Col 4:3-4; 1 Th 5:25; 2 Th 3:1). So this reference to the Philippians isn’t some passing
comment. Paul really believed, like the other apostles and early saints, that God uses the
prayers of His people to provide strength to His servants. So then, let’s ask others to pray
for us. And let’s pray for others. What an encouragement it is to know that people are
praying for you, and how important it is that you are praying for others."
The Bible Knowledge Commentary-The Holy Spirit will supply and support us. He was
sent to this world so that we might enjoy several things.
A. His Companionship = John 14:16
B. His Counsel = John 14:26
C. His Courage for Witnessing = John 15:26-27 D. His Conviction in Ministry = John 16:7
E. His Calling or Prayers for Us = Romans 8:26 F. His Communication or Words =
G. His Care or Provision of Power = Ephesians 3:20, Philippians 4:19
Paul alluded to one aspect of the provision of the Spirit in Romans 8 writing "And in the
same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should,
but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who
searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the
saints according to the will of God." (Ro 8:26-27-note) And so here we see that the Spirit
enables believers to pray when they are weak and not sure what to pray. The Spirit is also
the source of the believer's power, a power that especially is made effective in our weakness
(2Cor 12:9, cp Eph 3:20 where the power that works within is the Spirit). And of course the
Spirit would enable the fruit of Galatians 5:22-23 even(especially) in adverse
circumstances.
Either the supply furnished by the Spirit, or the supply which is the Spirit. It is better to
take it as including both. The exact phrase, Spirit of Jesus Christ, is found only here. Spirit
of Christ occurs Romans 8:9; 1 Peter 1:11. The Holy Spirit is meant; called the Spirit of
Jesus Christ, because through the Spirit Christ communicates Himself to His people. “The
Spirit is the living principle and the organ of the proper presence of Christ and of His life
in them” (Meyer).
EADIE, "It is the Holy Spirit-who is here called the Spirit of Jesus Christ. The reason of
such an appellation, it is not difficult to discover; for it does not rest on any dogmatic
grounds, or any metaphysical views of the distinctions and relations of the persons in the

Trinity. The genitive is that of possessionor origin, the spirit which Jesus has or dispenses.
The exaltation of the Redeemersecured the gift of the Holy Ghost, which it is His exalted
prerogative to bestow. The Spirit represents Christ, for He comes in Christ's name, as
another Paraclete, enlightens with Christ's truths, purifies with Christ's blood, comforts
with Christ's promises, and seals with Christ's image.
Wiersbe observes that "Paul was not depending on his own dwindling resources; he was
depending on the generous resources of God, ministered by the Holy Spirit." (Bible
Exposition Commentary) We need to adopt the same approach when we find ourselves in
difficult circumstances! We need to renounce self-reliance and rely on the Spirit's
sufficiency!
In the present context epichoregia refers to the gift of God's Holy Spirit, Who was "poured
out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by His grace we
might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:6-note, Titus 3:7-note)
The root of epichoregia is the Greek choregia. In the ancient Greece at the great festivals
the great dramatists like Euripides and Sophocles presented their plays and all had a
chorus. But to equip and train a chorus was expensive, and public-spirited Greeks
generously offered to defray the entire expenses of the chorus. That gift is described by the
word choregia. Later, in war time, patriotic citizens gave free contributions to the state and
choregia was used for these gifts. In later Greek papyri the choregia was common in
marriage contracts where it described the support that a husband, out of his love,
undertook to give to his wife. Choregia in the present context underscores the generosity of
God, a generosity which is born out of His love, even as the love of a citizen for his city or of
a husband for his wife were but faint shadows by comparison.
The only other NT use of epichoregia is by Paul describing the building up of the body of
Christ explaining that it is Christ "from Whom the whole body, being fitted and held
together by that which every joint supplies (epichoregia), according to the proper working
of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
(Eph 4:16-note)
Barclay gives us his version of the historical background on this word group, writing that
epichoregeo "is one of the many Greek words which have a pictorial background. The verb
epichoregein comes from the noun choregos, which literally means the leader of a chorus.
Perhaps the greatest gift that Greece, and especially Athens, gave to the world was the
great works of men like Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides, which are still among its most
cherished possessions. All these plays needed large choruses and were, therefore, very
expensive to produce. In the great days of Athens there were public-spirited citizens who
voluntarily took on the duty, at their own expense, of collecting, maintaining, training and
equipping such choruses. It was at the great religious festivals that these plays were

produced. For instance, at the city of Dionysia there were produced three tragedies, five
comedies and five dithyrambs (a passionate choral hymn in honour of Dionysus). Men had
to be found to provide the choruses for them all, a duty which could cost as much as 3,000
drachmae (Ed note: A drachma was a Greek coin made of silver, roughly equivalent to the
Roman denarius, and one denarius was approximately one day's wage, which makes 3000
drachmae equate with a relatively large sum of money, so large that only a very wealthy
person could provide...which is an interesting thought when we look at the use in Peter.
Certainly all who are in Christ now have access to "all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge." Col 2:3, and have abundant spiritual riches accessible for the "production" of
abundant life and godliness as Peter explained in 2Pe 1:3 [note]; 2Pe 1:4 [note]). The men
who undertook these duties out of their own pocket and out of love for their city were
called choregoi, and choregein was the verb used for undertaking such a duty. The word
has a certain lavishness in it. It never means to equip in any cheese-paring and miserly
way; it means lavishly to pour out everything that is necessary for a noble performance.
Epichoregein (Ed note: note the prefix preposition epi which means "upon") went out into
a larger world and it grew to mean not only to equip a chorus but to be responsible for any
kind of equipment. It can mean to equip an army with all necessary provisions it can mean
to equip the soul with all the necessary virtues for life. But always at the back of it there is
this idea of a lavish generosity in the equipment. So Peter urges his people to equip their
lives with every virtue; and that equipment must not be simply a necessary minimum, but
lavish and generous. The very word is an incitement to be content with nothing less than
the loveliest and the most splendid life." (Daily Study Bible) (Bolding added)
Vincent on the provision of the Spirit - Either the supply furnished by the Spirit, or the
supply which is the Spirit. It is better to take it as including both. The exact phrase, Spirit
of Jesus Christ, is found only here. Spirit of Christ occurs Ro 8:9; 1Pet. 1:11. The Holy
Spirit is meant; called the Spirit of Jesus Christ, because through the Spirit Christ
communicates Himself to His people. “The Spirit is the living Principle and the Organ of
the proper presence of Christ and of His life in them” (Meyer).
A. B. SIMPSON, "The word for “supply” employed here is a very unusual one, and has a
special and strongly figurative significance. It is the Greek word, Epichoregos, and it refers
to the Epichoregos, or chorus leader in ancient Greece. On a great festival occasion it was
customary for a certain man, as an act of public generosity and also a distinguished honor
to himself, to provide for the public entertainment of the people by an elaborate musical
exercise, consisting of a great many pieces, a great variety of music, musical instruments
and performers; it was his business to supply all that was necessary for this performance,
to meet all the expenses of the occasion, to secure all the performers, instruments,
assistants, etc., and see that everything was supplied and also to lead the chorus. From this
old word, our expressions chorus, and chorus-choir are derived. Now this word conveys the
idea of supplying, but also of supplying especially the parts in a musical chorus; and it

carries along with it the idea of something harmonious and glorious. It is a very abundant
supply and it brings a very triumphant result.
This word is used in a remarkable passage in the first chapter of 2 Peter, “Add to your
faith courage, knowledge, temperance, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity.” This word
“add,” is the same Greek term, Epichorego. It means, “chorus into your faith and life these
beautiful graces”; bring them all into tune, and work them out in harmony and praise, so
that your life shall be a doxology of joy and thanksgiving. And then, at the close of that
paragraph, the word reappears, “For so shall an entrance be ministered unto you
abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Literally it
might be translated, “So an entrance shall be chorused unto you.” That is, the very graces
that were wrought into your earthly life and attended you as a heavenly choir shall wait for
you at the gates of heaven and sing you home to your coronation. The love and gentleness,
the faith and patience that you exercisedin your earthly pilgrimage shall be waiting
yonder, as a train of musicians, and shall celebrate your victory and your recompense.
Now this is the word used in the passage in Philippians, “the supply of the Spirit of Christ
Jesus.” The Holy Ghost is the choir leader, and He is bringing into the apostle’s life all the
supplies of grace he needs to make his life not only tolerable but triumphant, and turn
everything into a chorus of praise.
The apostle had just been telling us before of the peculiar trials through which he was
passing and the subtle foes that were distressing and harassing him, by evenpreaching the
very Gospel that he loved so well, for contention and strife, “Supposing,” he says, “to add
affliction to my bonds.” Yet so abundant was the supply of the Holy Ghost, as the Choir
Leader of his victorious life, that he rose above their jealous hate, turned the very trial into
a triumph and was enabled to bring blessing out of the devil’s blows and to exclaim in a
chorus of praise, “What then, notwithstanding every way, whether in pretense, or in truth,
Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice; for I know that this shall
turn to my salvation,” that is, my complete and full salvation, “through your prayer and
the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.”
And so for us, beloved, the Holy Ghost is able to provide so fully, that
“Ills of every shape and every name,
Transformed to blessings, miss their cruel aim.”
Gilliland, David, " He is being sustained by the supplication of the saints and the ongoing
supply of the “Spirit of Jesus Christ.” The resources required by one in such circumstances
as Paul’s can only be supplied by a divine person. Indeed, the exact title, “Spirit of Jesus

Christ” is unique to this passage. It may well be that the apostle indicates the very same
Spirit who operated in the ministry of One Who was known as Jesus in humiliation but
who is now the exalted Christ, is the Spirit available for the support of those who are now
suffering for Christ’s sake. In Galatians 3:5, using a verb related to the noun here, God is
described as, “He that supplieth the Spirit” (RV). This word “supply” in both passages
indicates a liberal endowment, and the supply once given is never withdrawn. The
superiority to the crushing and cramping circumstances of Paul’s service is not attributed
to a rigid, stiff upper lip determination. Neither is it an unfeeling stoical resolve. This is not
natural bravery, but the supernatural supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Such divine help
will enable Paul to achieve his unwavering ambition to “magnify Christ in his body,
whether by life or by death.”
2. FELLOWSHIP OF THE SPIRIT PHIL. 2l:1
Philippians2:1 1Thereforeif you have any
encouragement from being united with Christ, if any
comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the
Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,
New Living Translation
Is there any encouragementfrom belonging to Christ?
Any comfort from his love? Any fellowshiptogether in

the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and
compassionate?
Amplified: So by whatever [appeal to you there is in
our mutual dwelling in Christ, by whatever]
strengthening and consolingand encouraging[our
relationship]in Him [affords], by whatever persuasive
incentivethere is in love, by whatever participationin
the [Holy] Spirit [we share], and by whatever depth of
affectionand compassionatesympathy, (Amplified
Bible - Lockman)
Barclay:If the fact that you are in Christhas any
power to influenceyou, if love has any persuasive
power to move you, if you really are sharingin the
Holy Spirit, if you can feel compassionand pity,
(Philippians2 Commentary)
KJV: If there be therefore any consolationin Christ, if
any comfort of love, if any fellowshipof the Spirit, if
any bowels and mercies,
Phillips:Now if your experience of Christ's
encouragement and love means anything to you, if you
have known something of the fellowshipof his Spirit,
and all that it means in kindness and deep sympathy
(Phillips:Touchstone)

Wuest:In view of the fact that there is a certain
ground of appeal in Christwhich exhorts, since there
is a certain tender persuasionthat comes from divine
love, in view of the fact that there is a certain joint-
participationwith the Spirit in a common interestand
activity, since there are certain tender heartednesses
and compassionateyearnings and actions.
“If there be therefore any consolationin Christ, if any
comfort of love, if any fellowshipof the Spirit, if any
bowels and mercies, fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like-
minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of
one mind.” Phil. 2: 1-2.
A B SIMPSON, "II. THE COMMUNION OF THE
SPIRIT. PHIL. 2: 1, 2.
This passageis a very exquisiteone. It touches the
most delicateshades of Christianfeeling. It speaks of
“consolationin Christ,” the tenderness of His
comforting love. It speaks of the “comfort of love,”the
sweet and healingbalm of sympathy and holy
affection. It speaks of the “fellowshipof the Spirit,”

the communion of the saintwith God, and with his
brethren in the holy Ghost. It speaks of “bowels of
mercies,” the finer chords of spiritual sensitiveness,
which thrill responsiveto every touch of pain or joy in
each other’s hearts. There is something about it so
refined and exquisitethat the rude, coarsemind
cannot grasp it, and it is literallytrue, “that none but
he that feels it knows.”
It is especiallyof this third phrase that we are to speak
— “If there be any fellowshipof the Spirit.” The
Greek word is Koinonia, which might be literally
translated,in common. It really means to have things
in common.
1. It is used first of our fellowshipwith God. “Truly,
our fellowshipis with the Father, and with His Son,
Jesus Christ.” “The communion of the Holy Ghost.”
Our communion with God is the basis of all other
communion. And communionwith God is not merely
external worship and articulateprayer but it is really
oneness with God, and having everything in common
“with Him.” Just as oil and water cannot mix, just as
iron and clay cannot blend, so there can be no
communion between God and the sinful soul. We must

be reconciledto Him; we must be at one with Him; we
must be conformed to His image and partakers of His
very nature and filledwith His Holy Spirit.
There must be in us the organ of intercourse. It is not
enough to have a telegraphwire reachingyour office
from the distantcity, but you must also have a battery
here in order to receive the message of the wire. And
so we must have with us the spiritual organs of
communion with God, in order to enter into His
fellowship.
We may have such fellowship. The Holy Ghost is the
channel and organ of this communion. He is at once
the electric current that conveys and the battery that
interprets the message both ways. “Through Him we
have access unto the Father.” We can pour out our
heart into His and He can pour in His heart into ours.
We can ask Him for the things we need and get them.
But more than all the things we get, is the answer of
His own heart to ours. And more than all the words
which He speaks to us, or we speakto Him, is the deep
and silentcommunion of the heart that is in accord
with His holy will, and living in the consciousness of
His delightful presence.

It is not necessaryto be always speaking to God, or
always hearing from God, to have communion with
Him; there is an inarticulatefellowshipmore sweet
than words. The littlechild can sit all day long beside
its busy mother and, although few words are spoken
on either side, and both are busy, the one at his
absorbingplay, the other at her engrossingwork, yet
both are in perfect fellowship. He knows that she is
there, and she knows that he is all right. So the saint
and the Saviorcan go on for hours in the silent
fellowshipof love, and he be busy about the most
common things, and yet consciousthat every little
thing he does is touched with the complexionof His
presence, and the senseof His approval and blessing.
And then, when pressedwith burdens and troubles too
complicatedto put into words and too mysterious to
tell or understand, how sweet it is to fall back into His
blessedarms, and just sob out the sorrow that we
cannot speak!
“Too tired, too worn to pray,
I can but fold my hands,
Entreating in a voicelessway

Of Him who understands.
“And as the weary child,
Sobbing and sore oppressed,
Sinks, hushing all its wailings wild
Upon its mother’s breast,
“So on Thy bosom, I
Wouldpour my speechlessprayer;
Not doubting Thou wilt let me lie
In trustful weakness there.”
2. This also includes our communionwith one another.
“The fellowshipof the Spirit” means fellowshipin the
Spirit with spiritualminds. Thank God for the article
in the creed which binds together the Church of every
age and clime, “I believe in the communionof saints.”
This must, of course, be first of all, communionin the
Spirit. It is not the fellowshipmerely of natural
affectionbut it is the communionof hearts that have a
divinelife in common. Of course, it is dearer and
closerwith those that are dearestto us but, even in the
case of our nearestfriends, our love must be

transformedor it cannotbe lastingor bring us into
spiritualcommunion.
Then it is communion in the truth, and the closerour
agreement in the truth, the closerwill be our
communion in the Spirit. Therefore as God leads us on
to deeper teachings and higher truths, He intensifies
our fellowship.
We can remember the time when we were first saved
and were brought at once into the same fellowship
with all others that were saved. Our littlenote was
“Jesus saves me,” and every savedman was a brother
beloved. We just wanted to take him by the hand and
tell him we were brothers. But it was just one littlein
the chorus. It was the soprano, and soprano alone
makes very thin music.
After a while we learnedthe deeper basis of
sanctification,and then we got a new note, and a new
part to our song. And our music grew richer, and our
harmony fuller.
We can remember the first time we met another
Christianwho had also learnedthe blessedtruth of
Christour Sanctifier. He was not only a brother, but
he was doubly a brother. And oh, how delightful it was

to find one that could understandour deeper feelings
and teachings in the Spirit, and how much closerwas
our communionin the fullness of the truth!
After a while we added a third part, the triumphant
tenor of divine healing, and the Lord’s supernatural
life in our body. Shall we ever forget the first time we
were thrown into the societyof those who understood
and believedthese things? We had been standing
alone, misunderstood, misrepresented, perplexed, and
as we found some other heart that was treading the
same lone way and livingin the same blessed
experience, it was a threefold chord, and a divine
fellowship.
And yet there is one more part in perfect music, the
soft suggestiveundertone of the alto, that carries our
thoughts afar and wakes up the chords of memory and
hope. And so we came into the fourth truth of this
blessedgospel — the Coming of our Lord, and the
glorious hope of His return. Need I say that this
brought a deeper fellowshipstill with those who stand
together in this holy expectationas the waiting Bride
of the Lamb? And so God makes us one in the fullness
of the truth. Let us not lightly think of any truth which

He has given us, or fail to be true to His testimony and
our mutual fellowship.
Then again, we have fellowshipnot only in the truth,
but in the life of the Spirit. All the platforms in the
world will not make us one without oneness of heart.
The fourfoldgospel is not any better than the thirty-
nine articles withoutthe Holy Ghost. The true secret
of Christianunion is the baptism of the Spirit and the
fullness of the life of Christin all who believe.
And this is the fellowshipof prayer. It makes us
sensitiveto each other’s needs and burdens and it
binds us all together, like travelers in the mountains,
so that ifone falls the others hold him up, and if one
suffers all suffer together.
Let us ask God to show us all that this ministry means
for us and for His servants;let us each be so “fitly
framed” in the body of Christ, that we shall carry
upon our hearts the very ones the Spiritwould assign
to us, and the very burdens which He would have us
share with them.
Finally, it is fellowshipin service. We are called
together for a common testimony and a common work
in these last momentous days. It is not accidental that

the Holy Spirit has given us a common experience and
has led us out in similarlines of truth and life. He is
preparing a mighty spiritual movement in these last
times for the special preparationof the Master’s
coming, and we cannot miss His special callingwithout
great loss to ourselves, and great hindrances to His
purpose for our lives and for His church.
W hen God brings into our life a special experienceof
truth and blessing, we cannot go on as heretofore, but
there is always some special ministryand testimony
for which we have been prepared, and we are to stand
together for the propagationof these present truths,
and the help of other lives that need the very blessing
that has come to us.
How solemnlysome of us feel that if we had faltered in
our testimony, when God first spake to us these
deeperthings, not only should we have lostthe best
work of our life, but multitudes of other lives might
have missed their blessing, too.
Whateverelsewe do, beloved, let us be true. Let no
coward fear, let no compromisewith popularopinion
and halfheartedrespectabilitymake us falter in our
high calling, or be faithless to the bonds of fellowship

in the little flock that the Master is preparing for His
kingdom.
“If there be, therefore, any consolationin Christ, if
any comfort of love, if any fellowshipin the Spirit, if
any bowels and mercies, fulfill ye my joy, that ye be
like-minded, havingthe same love, being of one
accord, of one mind.”
Gilliland, David
Unity
Withthe secondreference to the Holy Spirit in this
letter, the apostlehas turned from his own difficulties
to those of the Philippianassembly. As well as the
problem of persecutionwithout, there is dissension
within. The apostleis appealingfor their unity. If
unity is to exist, there must also be humility since
pride and partisanshipgo together. He has already
calledfor their oneness in gospel testimony in ch 1:27
and now he prefaces his passionate fourfoldappeal for
this solidarityin ch 2:2 by a fourfoldreminder of their
Christianexperience in 2:1. As believers, they have

enjoyed “consolationin Christ, comfort of love,
fellowshipof the Spirit, and bowels and mercies.”
Given four such compellingencouragements, could the
Philippianspossiblyresist the apostle’srequest for
their “oneness of mind and Spirit?”One of their
common blessings has been “fellowshipof the Spirit,”
an expressionoccurringelsewhere in the NT only at 2
Cor 13:14. But what exactly does this mean? The
alternativesare broadlytwo. Firstly, it may well refer
to that communionof saints which has been produced
by the Holy Spirit. There is no fellowshipso sweet and
sublime as this, and certainlythis “fellowshipon earth
begun” is in itself a strong argument for the practical
harmony of saints. Alternatively, the word
“fellowship”can be understoodin its very normal
meaning of “common share.” In this case, the
expressioncomes to indicatethe participationwhich
all believers havein the Holy Spirit. Such a deep and
rich mutual involvementon the part of the saints in
this divine personis surely a strong incentiveto their
harmony. Either understandingof the expressionis
effectivein the present context, but the latterprobably
best fits the demands of language. Saints are expected
to live in unity, despite differing temperaments,

abilities, and personalities becausethey sharethe
indwellingand energy of the same Holy Spirit.
WhatIs the Fellowshipof the Holy Spirit?
BiblicalAuthority Devotional:Authority of the Spirit,
Part 9
by Jeremy Ham on October 6, 2010
Share:
The Bible mentions a concept known as the fellowship
of the Holy Spirit. Jeremy Ham explains this concept
in today's devotional.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christand the love of
God and the fellowshipof the Holy Spirit be with you
all. (2 Corinthians 13:14,ESV)
Today’s big question:what is the fellowshipof the
Holy Spirit?
In today’s passage, Paul closedhis letter to the
Corinthiansby writing “the fellowshipof Holy Spirit
be with you all.” We can have fellowshipwith the

Spirit becauseof the grace of Jesus Christand loveof
God. Fellowshipof the Spirit is more than a simple
friendly relationship.
In order to fully understandwhat Paul meant by the
fellowshipof the Spirit, we shouldlook at other
passages with the same word. The Greek word for
“fellowship”is koinonia¸which can also mean
communion, and the same Greek word is used in the
epistleto the Philippians:
Therefore if there is any consolationin Christ, if any
comfort of love, if any fellowshipof the Spirit, if any
affectionand mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-
minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of
one mind. (Philippians2:1–2)
The Spirit dwelling within believers is a part of this
concept, as all believers havethe same Spirit dwelling
within them. Paul wrote in Ephesians4:4–6 that
“there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were
calledin one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith,
one baptism.” Believersare “baptized into one body”
(i.e., the church of which Christis the head) by the one
Spirit (1 Corinthians12:13).

Just as believershave one Spirit, we shouldalso have
one mind working toward the one goal—“striving
together for the faith of the Gospel” (Philippians1:27).
The fellowshipof the Holy Spirit unifies believers,
since we all have the one Spiritdwelling within us.
Paul concludedhis epistlewith an exhortationof unity
through the Holy Spirit.
Furthermore, just as Christloved us, we shouldalso
walk in love (Ephesians 5:2)—notonly lovefor Christ
but for others as well. Loving others just as Christ
lovedus will help us be of one mind (2 Corinthians
13:11). Loveand fellowshipof the Spiritgo hand in
hand, and participatingin the fellowshipof the Holy
Spirit with fellow believers is a reasonto rejoice.
Today’s big idea: believers are of one body and one
Spirit.

Paul says, in effect, “If there is any such thing as communion with the indwelling Spirit, or
if your consciousness of fellowship with the Holy Spirit who dwells within is a reality in
your life, and it most certainly is, then fulfill my joy by your love for one another.”
"We are reminded that we share in the fellowship with the Spirit. The Greek word
translated “fellowship” (koinonia) is the same word as in Php 1:5. The Spirit unites us as
brothers and sisters (Php 1:27), partners in the gospel, and the Spirit helps in our
weaknesses (Rom 8:26). Later Paul says that Christians worship God “by the Spirit” (Phil
3:3). Paul is aware that disunity threatened the Philippian congregation, so he reminds
them of the Spirit-produced fellowship they share." (Hanson, Letter, 106).
"Fellowship=koinonia from koinos = common, shared by all) means a close association
involving mutual interests and sharing (communion, fellowship, partnership). Koinonia is
an intimate partnership, a common eternal life or joint participation with common
interests and mutual, active participation. This dynamic is effectedby Holy Spirit’s
working in and through individual saints in the body to produce unity (1Co 3:16, 12:13,
2Co 13:14,cf 1Jn 1:4-6) Thus each and every believer has personal fellowship with the Holy
Spirit in his or her private life and in turn all believers are united by the same Spirit in
fellowship. The practical application of this truth is that factions or divisiveness should
have no place in the body of Christ." PRECEPT AUSTIN
"Fellowship with the Holy Spirit involves sharing our lives in common with him. It means
opening up the deepest parts of our personality to the influence and direction of God’s
Spirit. Our thoughts, motives, feelings, attitudes, decisions must be laid bare in his
presence." UNKNOWN
Pastor Adrian Rogers on fellowship - What is fellowship? Fellowship is not coffee and
donuts. Fellowship is not as some people cutely say two people, two fellows in the same
ship. What is fellowship? This is a very technical word, "that you may have fellowship with
us." It is the Greek word koinonia. Now get that word in your heard and in your mind.
That needs to be in your vocabulary. It is the Greek word koinonia and it means to hold
things in common. That is, this Jesus, this established fact, because of this established fact
that is established, there is a fellowship that is experienced that we can have fellowship one
with another. It literally means to have something in common. Now notice who we have
fellowship with. Notice he says in 1 John 1:3: "Our fellowship is with the Father and with
his Son, Jesus Christ." Well, that brings up a real question. How, what do I have in
common with the Father? Nothing, nothing. He's holy, I'm unholy; He is almighty, I am a
worm. And, how can Adrian have fellowship with God? But yet the apostle John says,
"Our fellowship is with the Father." I have nothing in common with the Father. Notice in 1
John 1:5, 6. "This then is the message which we have heard from him and declare unto

you, that God is light and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship
with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth." We're in the dark, he's in the
light. I mean there's a great chasm between us and almighty God, so how can I have
fellowship with almighty God? Here's how. This God, who knows that there's a chasm
between Adrian and himself and between you and himself, sent the Lord Jesus Christ to
take something that is common between us, human flesh. Jesus becomes a man and now he
never discards his deity, but now he takes humanity and now we begin to have likeness, we
become together. He takes on the nature of man that I might take on the nature of God and
he says in Second Peter 1:4, you're gonna love this, "We have now become partakers of the
divine nature." Now, partakers of the divine nature, and the word partaker that is
translated there, Peter translates it there, is exactly the same word that is translated
fellowship over here in First John. Huh, we have the fellowship of the divine nature. You
see, Jesus took humanity and, and therefore he became like I am that I might become like
he is that we might have that he took the very nature of man that we might take the nature
of God and so I have fellowship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. I mean, a worm
like I am can walk and talk and can fellowship with him and can sing, I come to the
Garden alone, when the dew is still on the roses and the voice I hear, falling on my ear, the
Son of God discloses, and he walks with me and he talks with me and he tells me I am his
own. That's the fellowship, the koinonia that we have with him because of the incarnation
and that's the reason old John is saying, Look, he's a man, he's a man, we saw him, we
touched him, we hurt him. He took the nature of man that we might take the nature of
God. And, and we have become partakers of the divine nature and then you see, look. Not
only then do we have fellowship with God, but it follows as night follows day, that we must
have fellowship with one another because when I am born of God and you are born of god,
the same nature that's in Adrian is in you and the Jesus in me is gonna love the Jesus in
you. We have the same nature, we're born from the same womb, from the womb of grace
and that's so important. That's the reason why the Bible calls that in Philippians 1:5 the
koinonia of the gospel or the fellowship of the gospel. That's the reason in Philippians 2:1
it's called the koinonia or the fellowship of the spirit." PRECEPT AUSTIN
by Rudi Swanepoel
The last verse of 2 Corinthians is a powerful one: The grace (favor and spiritual blessing)
of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the presence and fellowship (the
communion and sharing together and participation) in the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Amen. (2 Corinthians 13:14)

Everything in this verse points to a 3 fold companionship with God. Remember one of His
names is Emmanuel which means “God with us.” All three Persons in the Godhead,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, are active in providing this companionship with us. Jesus
brings grace and the Father brings love. Both, grace and love are so potent they can only
originate from God. “By grace we are saved. . .” (Eph. 2:8) and “For God so loved the
world. . .” (John 3:16) His grace allows us entry into companionship with God. His love
keeps this companionship alive and vibrant. The Holy Spirit also plays a vital role in
ensuring our companionship with the Almighty, and His contribution is what I want us to
focus on in this study: The fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
The Greek word for fellowship here is koinonia. It literally means communion,
communication, distribution, joint participation, intimacy. Koinonia has three wonderful
applications:
Active Participation
The fellowship of the Holy Spirit is not one-way traffic. It is a sharing of wills, feelings, and
knowledge. You share what you have and know with Him and He shares what He has and
knows with you! Remember what Jesus said about the Holy Spirit? “He will tell you
whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him],
and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in
the future]. He will honor and glorify Me because He will take of (receive, draw upon)
what is Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you. (John 16:13b-14)
Compared to our knowledge His is infinitely greater! He knows the secrets of Heaven. He
has access to the heart of the Father. Whatever the Father speaks, He hears and will
communicate it to you! That means that you can be up to date with whatever is current in
the throne room of heaven. The Holy Spirit prepares your heart for what is to come. You’ll
be able to anticipate and prepare your heart for future events. He is heaven’s Distributor!
Through Him you are well equipped to face any challenge. You are resourced for whatever
life throws at you! Not only that, but within the fellowship of the Holy Spirit you can
communicate your needs, desires and heart with the Lord. His fellowship is not a
dictatorship. It is not a monologue. We should welcome the Holy Spirit into our lives. We
should appreciate Him, adore Him and recognize Him.
Partnership
The fellowship of the Holy Spirit represents a potent partnership. Partnerships are formed
in the business world to enhance growth, productivity and profit. Partners strategize
together and share in all successes andfailures. When we consider the fellowship of the
Holy Spirit He will always be the Senior Partner and we the junior partners because He
brings so much more to the table than us. His resources are infinite, His knowledge Divine,
His strategies perfect, His methods above reproach. He outranks everyone but always

secures a place at the table for us! We will do well to allow Him to strategize, plan and plot
directions and determine destinies. We should follow and listen and be prudent to execute
His plans with precision and passion. As partners we will share in all His victories. He
never fails. We will see our lives grow into all the heaven intended. The Holy Spirit
specializes to transform the written instructions of the word of God into practical
applications and demonstrations of success. Partner with Him on every level. Get His input,
advice and suggestions before making decisions. Remember the door to His “office” is
always open to you. Not only do we share in the victories and successes the Holy Spirit
generates in us as a result of our obedience to His instructions, He also shares in our
failures and challenges we face in real life situations. (Romans 8:26 “So too the Holy Spirit
comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness”) He is our Comforter. He brings joy in
the place of sorrow and gives beauty for ashes. In this amazing fellowship with Him all
things work together for good for those who love God. In fact one of the greatest chapters
in the Bible describing this tremendous partnership we have with the Holy Spirit is
Romans 8. Go ahead and read the entire chapter today!
Transportation
Another translation of the fellowship of the Holy Spirit is “moving together with”. It makes
me think of transportation. Did you know that the progress of a civilization has always
been marked by their transportation system? The Egyptians integrated land and water
ways, the Romans had their roads and chariots and modern society have excelled in
transportation development. Spiritually have the fellowship of the Holy Spirit! Remember,
He excels in distribution. Did you know He “transports” our prayers from our hearts to the
heart of the Father? (Romans 8:26b “. . .we do not know what prayer to offer or how to
offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and
pleats in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance.”)
Another “Holy Spirit transportation system” example is tongues. This amazing gift
available to all who are baptized in the Holy Spirit provides us with a safe and secure way
to communicate with the Lord. Eliminating any fleshly or evil interference, we can pray
effectively by utilizing the heavenly language the Lord gave us.
Thank God for koinonia! The greatest honor and privilege we have is companionship,
relationship and intimacy with Almighty God. To know Him is to love Him! So the next
time you read or hear 2 Corinthians 13:14 thank Him for His grace, love and fellowship in
your life!
Cultivating Daily Fellowship with the Holy Spirit – Part 2
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n the first part of this series, we looked at the biblical identity of the Holy Spirit and the
ministry of the Holy Spirit for the believer today. It is impossible to have fellowship with
someone that we don’t know anything about. This is why knowing the Holy Spirit and how
he desires to minister in us and through us is critical to know before we can understand
fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Now let us look into the biblical mandate for fellowship
with the Holy Spirit and how to cultivate this fellowship in our daily lives.
What is Fellowship with the Holy Spirit?
The New Testament Greek word ‘koinonia’ basically means ‘sharing in common.’ We get
our English word ‘coin’ from here. J.H. Thayer points out that it is ‘fellowship, association,
community, communion, joint participation, intercourse.’ Christians are partakers in
common of the same mind as God, Christ and the Holy Spirit and of the blessings arising
there from. It is also commonly used of the intimate bond of fellowship which binds
believers together in Christ.
1 John 1:3 NKJV “that which we have seenand heard we declare to you, that you also may
have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus
Christ.”
1 Corinthians 1:9 “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord.”
2 Cor. 13:14 “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion
of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.”

What does fellowship with the Holy Spirit involve?
Fellowship with the Holy Spirit involves sharing our lives in common with him. It means
opening up the deepest parts of our personality to the influence and direction of God’s
Spirit. Our thoughts, motives, feelings, attitudes, decisions must be laid bare in his
presence. He must have a say in our future plans, fears, hopes, passions, visions and
choices. We should seek his counsel and wisdom in all things and submit to his promptings,
urges and nudges. We share with him the choice of a marriage partner, of career and
profession, the details of our relationships and intimate friendships, and you name it.
Fellowship with the Holy Spirit means taking pains to find out and do what pleases him.
(Acts 15:28) It means avoiding the sins against the Spirit and majoring in the character
traits that reflect the fruit of the Spirit. (Gal. 5:22, 23) We cultivate intimacy with the Spirit
of God on a daily basis when we invite him to help us in our day-to-day decision-making.
Here is a list of the sins against the Holy Spirit we must watch and avoid as we seek to
fellowship with him:
Grieving the Spirit (Eph. 4:30)-making him sad by behavior contrary to the fruit of the
Spirit-anger, hatred, bitterness, unforgiveness, etc.
Quenching the Spirit (1 Thess. 5:19)-putting out the fire of the Spirit by refusal to pray and
be on fire for the gifts and anointing of the Spirit to work through you.
Insulting the Spirit (Heb. 10:29)-Living a life of continual deliberate sinning after receiving
the knowledge of truth.
Resisting the Spirit (Acts 7:51)-Going in the opposite direction to the definite guidance of
the Spirit.
Vexing the Spirit-(Is. 63:10)-Living in deliberate rebellion against the leadership of the
Spirit.
Lying to the Spirit (Acts 5:3)-Telling intentional untruths and half-truths to anointed
men/women of God with the intention of deceiving God’s people.
Tempting/Testing the Spirit (Acts 5:9)-Teaming up to provoke God’s Spirit to do things he
would not normally want to do.
Blaspheming the Spirit (Matt. 12:31, 32)-Attributing the works and words of God’s Spirit
to Satan and demons when you have a clear witness within yourself.
Striving with the Spirit (Gen. 6:3)-Walking in the flesh continually against the promptings
of the Spirit.

Rebelling against the Spirit (Ps. 106:33)-Refusal to do what God’s Spirit expressly
commands.
Why is it important to cultivate fellowship with the Holy Spirit?
The Christian life is a supernatural life. Fallen man is indwelt by a sinful nature which
fights him evenafter he is born again. (Gal. 5:16; Rom. 7:14-22) Therefore the new
creation in Christ Jesus must constantly be empowered from within and above to be able to
live and walk worthy of his calling as a child of God. This is what the fellowship with the
Holy Spirit does for us.
He is our teacher
Jesus explained that the Holy Spirit will teach us all things and bring to our remembrance
all he has taught us. God’s Spirit knows the past (Jn. 14:26), the present (1 Cor. 2:10,11)
and the future (Jn. 16:13). Every teacher works best with attentive students eager to learn,
who have time for him and ask the right questions for better understanding of the subject.
If we do not spend time to cultivate fellowship with the Spirit, we cannot understand his
symbols and teaching methods, or grasp the deeper meanings of the lessons he desires to
teach us. We frustrate him by our dumbness.
He is our guide
Our Lord explained that the Spirit will guide us into all truth and give us ability to cope
with life and its stresses. We needto cultivate a lifestyle of keeping our eyes on our guide in
order to avoid the doctrinal pitfalls and wiles of the enemy. Our invisible adversary the
devil is going about as a roaring lion seeking whom to devour and we must keeppace with
the Paraclete to outwit him. (1 Pet. 5:8; Jn.16:12-13)
He is our Helper
The Holy Spirit helps us with our weakness in prayer (Rom. 8:26-27); he pours the love of
God into our hearts when we need it most (Rom. 5:5); we put to death the deeds of the flesh
through his empowering (Rom. 8:13); he gives us the counsel we need to succeed; he
conforms us to the image of Christ from one degree of glory to another. (2 Cor. 3:18)
How do we cultivate daily fellowship with the Holy Spirit?
Our hunger for growing intimacy with the Holy Spirit can be best seenwhen we commit
ourselves to building a life of daily fellowship with him. Give yourself plenty of room to fail
and make mistakes. Just as the marriage relationship becomes more rewarding as you
work on knowing and understanding one another more intimately, so it is with the Holy
Spirit.

1. Developsensitivity to the Holy Spirit. The dove from heaven is so gentle and sensitive he
will never force himself on you. Moses’ face shone and he did not know it (Ex. 34:29); the
Lord left Samson and he did not know it, Judges. 16:20. In the same way, the Spirit comes
as a dove to rest upon us and we need to spend time in his presence to detect what grieves
or pleases him. He soothes, he comforts, calls by name and can evengive you a pet name.
Daily times of devotion, silence and solitude are indispensable, Ps. 46:10. Practice living in
God’s presence moment by moment.
2. Cultivate fellowship with the Spirit through conversation. Greet the Holy Spirit each
morning. Ask him questions. Invite him to help you constantly as you face your challenges.
Freely share your joys and sorrows with him. Build a habit of referring decisions to him. At
first it may look awkward as you seemto hear no reply. Understandably, it will be slower
for you to make decisions, but it is just because you have not yet learnt to identify his
language and symbols. He communicates all the same, and you grow gradually into
understanding what he is saying.
3. Grow in daily fellowship with the Spirit as you read and react to the scriptures. Invite
him to open your understanding whenever you turn to the scripture. (Eph. 1:17) Discipline
yourself to have a daily quiet time of meditating on the scriptures. Satan blinds our
understanding. (2 Cor. 4:4) The Holy Spirit opens it. He gives deeper insight and
conviction. Invite him to empower you to obey the scriptures.
4. Build intimacy with the Holy Spirit through prayer. Invite him to help your weakness
during times of prayer. He knows and prays according to the will of God. Ask for his
anointing to make two-way praying possible. He helps to intensify your prayer. Pray in the
Spirit. (Jude 20, 1 Cor. 14:2, 13-15)
5. Increase your friendship with the Holy Spirit through passion for him. Love God’s Spirit
for himself. Be more interested in the Spirit than in his gifts and what you can get out of
him. Tell him you love him. Sing songs to him as you would to a friend. Enjoy his company.
Get interested in his interests and avoid grieving and quenching him. Commit yourself to
cultivating the fruit of the Spirit. Do not love the world.
6. Partner with the Holy Spirit in ministry. Invite him to minister with you as you preach,
teach, witness, or lead the people of God. Ask for his anointing and words taught by the
Spirit. (1 Cor. 2:3-5, 13) Co-operate with him concerning your fields of ministry. (Acts
16:6, 7; 8:29) Invite him to chair your meetings. (Acts 15:28) Spend time in the company of
those filled with the Spirit. Let spiritual songs be around you and in your heart.
Cultivating daily fellowship with the Holy Spirit is an exciting adventure that takes time
and effort but is worth it.

Previous post: Cultivating Daily Fellowship with the Holy Spirit, part 1
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How You Can Have Intimate Fellowship With The Holy Spirit
Helen Calder 30 May 2016 4 Comments
on How You Can Have Intimate Fellowship With The Holy Spirit
Does your heart yearn to know the fellowship of the Holy Spirit and to discover what that
means at its deepest level? Do you long for greater sensitivity to the Holy Spirit?
As prophetic people, we are wired for a close relationship with God. This is the place where
we become acquainted with Him, His ways and His voice.
That drawing and pull you feel towards Him, is a gift from your Heavenly Father; it is your
invitation to fellowship with Him.
The Fellowship of the Holy Spirit
Paul’s second letter to the church in Corinth closes with this word of blessing (2 Cor
13:14):
‘May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the
Holy Spirit be with you all.’
Our first clue to what the ‘fellowship of the Holy Spirit’ means, comes from the Greek
word translated ‘fellowship’ in this Scripture verse. It is ‘koinonia’, which means:
communion, partnership and participation. [1]
There is a meaning, inherent in this verse, that the Holy Spirit is commonly shared among
all believers. On a personal level, to have fellowship with the Holy Spirit is to commune
with Him. It is to be actively engaged in relationship with Him. It is to partner with Him.
Following are 3 keys to help you have intimate fellowship with the Holy Spirit, and go
deeper in your relationship with Him.

1. Fellowship with the Holy Spirit by Appreciating Him as a Person
Have you ever noticed how many movies portray ordinary people, who have supernatural
powers? It is interesting that science fiction writers point to some physical, impersonal
thing, like radiation or a mutant gene, as the source of a superpower.
At Pentecost, the believers were not waiting for a power, a radiation or an ability—they
were waiting for a Person. The power came with the Person of the Holy Spirit—someone
with Whom they could fellowship and do life, ministry and mission together.
‘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, NKJV)
When Jesus said ‘another’, the Greek word ‘allos’ meant ‘another the same as’; ‘the same
sort’. [2] He went on to say, ‘I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.’ (John 14:18)
Jesus was saying, ‘the Holy Spirit will be with you just as I have been with you.’
Throughout the Book of Acts, we see the Person of the Holy Spirit actively present—
leading, speaking, and manifesting.
‘And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealedfor the day of
redemption.’ (Eph 4:30)
The Holy Spirit has a mind, will, emotions, and a voice. The Holy Spirit is God, up close
and personal. And we can have a relationship with Him.
2. You can Fellowship with the Holy Spirit Because of What Jesus has Done
‘May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the
Holy Spirit be with you all.’ (2 Cor 13:14)
Here are three contexts to help us experience the fellowship of the Holy Spirit:
A. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Spirit of God is a Holy Spirit. The reason He can dwell in us is because Jesus has
sanctified us (made us holy) through His sacrifice on the cross. (see 1 Cor 6:11, Heb 10:29)

This is great news! Your worthiness to fellowship with the Holy Spirit is not because of
what you have done. Righteousness is yours through the grace of Jesus, and what He has
accomplished.
However, your ability to enjoy the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, will be determined by your
confidence in the power of Jesus’ sacrifice, and His shed blood, as it relates personally to
you.
We do not have to be ruled by temptation, or live conscious of sin. We can live every day
aware of, and rejoicing in, our righteousness in Christ. (Romans 8:1-14)
B. The love of God (the Father).
The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the
Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba,
Father.” (Rom 8:15)
The Holy Spirit is a gift to you from your loving Father, just as Jesus was sent from the
Father (Luke 24:49, John 3:16). As the Spirit of adoption, the Holy Spirit is not only God’s
expression of love, He is the One who continually reveals the Father to you.
C. Shared Experience with Others.
It is important to note that the context of this verse is also corporate. ‘…be with you all.’
We are not meant to live a lonely spiritual walk. The grace, love and fellowship of God is
not only a personal experience; it is also a rich shared experience with others in the church,
the body of Christ.
3. To Fellowship with the Holy Spirit Means to Share with Him
As we fellowship with the Spirit, there is a mingling of our lives with His life. Remember,
the Greek word translated ‘fellowship’, ‘koinonia,’ means communion, partnership and
participation.
Among the things the Holy Spirit shares with us are His companionship, His gifts, access to
the resources of Heaven, His guidance and help, His anointing and power.
What does the Holy Spirit desire to give to you, that you can can simply receive from Him
right now?
True fellowship (communion) goes both ways. We in turn give the Holy Spirit our love and
honour. His interests become our interests. In order to receive the Spirit’s help and
comfort, we must surrender our weakness and need to Him.

We surrender our wills in order to receive His guidance.
We yield our tongues in order for Him to pray and speak through us.
We give Him our bodies to express the love of the Father and grace of Jesus through us.
Is the Holy Spirit putting His finger on something, that you need to yield to Him at this
time?
Today, allow the Holy Spirit to draw you closer into fellowship With Him. Meditate on this
study, and the Scriptures mentioned. Journal and ask,‘Lord, how can I experience more
fellowship with You?’
SELAH! Pause - reflect- just think of that!
Selah Alphabetical Index
Fellowship of the Holy Spirit
“The fellowship of the Holy Spirit” is a blessing for all believers in Christ (2 Cor. 13:14;
Phil. 2:1).
We do not need any new baptism of the Holy Spirit to enjoy this blessing. All things are
ours in the Christian life when we believed on Christ and received Him. The apostle Paul
tells us we are heirs and joint-heirs with Christ. Every believer has received the indwelling
of the Holy Spirit from the moment he believed on Christ. The baptism of the Spirit placed
us in the body of Christ. We can now enjoy the communion of the Holy Spirit.
The only thing that can now mar this fellowship with the Holy Spirit is unconfessed sin. We
abide in communion with the Spirit of God as we abide in the finished work of Christ on
the cross. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9, NASB 1995).
We live in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, which is the fellowship or communion of the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The fellowship of the Holy Spirit is so important that to blaspheme Him is to suffer eternal
judgment. Every other sin can be forgiven with the exception of speaking evil of Him
(Matt. 12:31-32). To blaspheme the LORD God was punishable by death in the Old
Testament (Lev. 24:15, 16). In the New Testament to blaspheme the Spirit results in eternal

judgment. To blaspheme against the Holy Spirit is to blaspheme against the very essence of
the Spirit of God. It is a sin against the constant striving of the Holy Spirit for us to repent
and believe on Jesus Christ. It is a defiant attitude until the very end of this life.
The fellowship with the Spirit is so important because we are united to Christ in the bonds
of the Holy Spirit. We communicate with Him and He with us. He is our teacher and guide.
He leads us. He is our advocate within who interprets the desires of our heart and the will
of God. He gives us the power to do the will of God. He convicts us of sin and exhorts us to
go to the cleansing fountain.
Our fellowship with the Spirit is of utmost importance because He seeks partnership with
us in life and ministry. His resources are unlimited, inexhaustible, and His power is
invincible. He longs for our intimate fellowship with us. He longs to be admitted to the
inner life of the soul.
However, there are attitudes, reservations, interests, unbelief, prayerlessness, selfish-
ambitions, arrogant pride, anger, bitterness, etc. that grieves and quenches His work.
When we are in agreement with Him the personality of the believer is quickened and
sanctified. Our desire is to be in constant fellowship with Him.
When we cooperate with Him He comes to give us a daily life that overflows with the fruit
of the Spirit. When we are in agreement with Him there is His power operating in and
through us. Ministry becomes a daily adventure with Him at the helm. Our empathy for
the needy are deepened and enlightened. Our compassion for the lost soul is strengthened
and we pray with passion that they will be saved. Ordinary Christians become empowered
when clothed with the Spirit of God.
The fellowship, joint-participation, partnership and communion, with the Holy Spirit is
communion with the LORD God. It should affect everything we do in our Christian life
and ministry.
True spiritual unity comes from within; it is a matter of the heart, and is based on this
relationship. That is why Paul in Philippians 2:1 appeals to believers on the strength of this
unique relationship with the Spirit. We could translate “if” with “in view of the fact that,”
or “since” you enjoy this “fellowship with the Spirit” as a result of the Spirit’s permanent
indwelling ministry (1 Cor. 6:19). This may refer, however, to fellowship that comes from
the Holy Spirit, just as encouragement comes from Christ and comfort comes from love.
Let us not neglect the sweet fellowship of the Holy Spirit in life and ministry.
Selah!

Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006
Fellowship with the Holy Spirit
Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise
2015
23 Mar
COMMENTS
0
“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…. But you know Him, for He
dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you” (John
14:16).
Dear Intercessors,
We all want fellowship. We feel sad when we get lonely. We all want relationship with God,
but how many of us know how to really fellowship with the Holy Spirit? Multitudes of
believers never develop a relationship with the very one who dwells inside of them. So
many of us feel like orphans all alone with no Father, no one to guide and help us through
life.

The Holy Spirit wants our friendship! We are His temple (1 Cor. 3:9, 16-17; 6: 17, 19). He
knows everything about everything.
He wants to reveal the deep things of God to us (1 Cor. 2:9). He wants to gives us His power
and strength. A lady went to a jeweler to get her watch fixed. He disappeared and came
back quickly with her watch running perfectly. She asked him,“How could you fix it in
such a short time?” He told her that it only needed a small battery. All this time the lady
had been trying to wind the watch. She didn’t know she only needed a battery to keepit
running.
This is so much like the Christian life. Many times we do not realize the inner power that
we have in the Holy Spirit. He can run everything in our life, but so often we think we have
to take matters into our own hands. So we live a powerless life. The lack of reality,
godliness, power, and fruit in our lives is due to unbelief and our lack of fellowship with the
Holy Spirit. We need to go deeper in partnership with the Holy Spirit if we want to live
powerful lives.
Many of us are living life with a dead battery. We feel dead inside. We must begin
fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit. He will bring life to our hearts! He will show us the
way to really live and find fulfilment.
How to Learn to Fellowship with the Holy Spirit
Fellowship with the Holy Spirit is not complicated. It’s all about a two-way dialogue. We
learn to share our hearts freely with the Spirit. We start the conversation, and He speaks
back to us. But we must stay engaged. He wants our heart connection. Out of our abiding
connection with the Holy Spirit will flow all the issues of life (love, joy, peace, etc.) or death
(Proverbs 4:23, Song of Songs 4:12, 16; 5:1; 6:2, John 7:38).
Learn to linger in His presence without rushing. Speak affectionately, slowly, softly, and
briefly with short phrases to Him. Pause and listen to His still, small voice. Journal your
thoughts and what you believe He is saying to you.

One way to enhance your fellowship with the Holy Spirit is by using these 5 practical
phrases using the acrostic T-R-U-S-T.
T - Thank you -Thank the Holy Spirit for His indwelling presence. We approach God
through thanksgiving (Psalm 100:1-5). Pray, “Thank you Holy Spirit for your presence in
me, for your guidance, etc. I love your leadership…”
R - Release revelation - Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you His heart and open your eyes to
the realm of His glory. Ephesians 1:17-19 is a great prayer to pray. Pray, “Holy Spirit,
open my eyes to see the realm of God’s glory. Open the eyes of my understanding, give me
the spirit of wisdom and understanding, etc.”
U - Use me - Ask the Holy Spirit to use you more and more. Put your sails up and expect
Him to use you every day. Pray,“Thank you Holy Spirit for releasing your power and gifts
through my life. Use me fully for your glory…”
S - Strengthen me - Ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen your mind, will, and emotions with
His divine might so that you may contain more of His wisdom, fruit, and gifts. See
Ephesians 3:16. Pray, “Thank you Holy Spirit for your love, patience, joy, etc. Increase my
capacity to contain more of your wisdom, gifts, and fruit…”
T - Teach me - Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you about God’s Word and ways. Ask Him to
manifest His leadership in every area of your life. He will order your steps and give you
new and creative ideas. See John 14:26 and 16:13. Pray, “Holy Spirit let me see what you
see and feel what you feel. Release it with power through my life…”
The river that flows from the throne of God is the Spirit. Jesus said that out of your
innermost being shall flow rivers of living water (John 7:38). The Bible describes 5 facets of
the Holy Spirit’s activity in us as light, wind, fire, wine, and a river. In John 3:8 and Acts
2:2, the Spirit is described as the sound of a violent, rushing wind. My husband, Norm, is

from Buffalo, New York where Niagara Falls is located. We often visit the falls and are
always amazed at that violent, gushing waterfall. It is powerful and sounds like the violent,
rushing wind. Look at the activity of the Holy Spirit in our lives as we fellowship with us:
Bright Light -gives life (John 1:4; 8:12), purifies, unifies, empowers (1 John 1:5-7),
illuminates mind with revelation, truth, and direction (Psalm 43:3; Luke 12:35-36; John
8:32; 2 Cor. 4:4, 6), and overcomes the works of darkness (John 1:4-5; 3:19-21; Acts 26:18;
2 Cor. 4:3-6; James 1:7).
Mighty Wind -gives divine strength, stirs hunger, imparts desire (Phil. 2:13), releases fresh
creativity (John 3:8), and inspires, directs, and empowers the Church (Acts 2:2-4; 8:26-40).
Consuming Fire -energizes (Acts 2:4), tenderizes our hearts, devours that which hinders
love (Hebrews 12:29, Luke 24:32, John 5:35), and imparts God’s jealous affection for us
(Deut. 4:24; Psalm 79:5; Song of Songs 8:6; Ezek. 23:25; 38:19; Zeph. 1:18; 3:8).
New Wine - awakens the sleeping and revives (Song of Songs 7:9), imparts the Father’s love
(Song of Songs 2:4-5), strengthens heart, refreshes soul (Isa. 28:12), releases joy and
thanksgiving (Mt. 9:17; Mk. 2:22; Lk. 5:37-38; Acts 2:13; 15; Eph. 5:18-19).
Flowing River -invigorates, rejuvenates, restores, and satisfies the soul (John 7:37-39).
An author named Jamie Buckingham visited a dam on the Columbia River. He thought
that the water spilling over the top gave the dam its’ power, but he was absolutely wrong.
That was only the froth. The turbines and generators deep within transformed the power
of tons and tons of water into electricity. All of this was happening quietly and without
notice deep within.

In the same way, it is the Holy Spirit who is working deep within each of our lives. He gives
us the power. It isn’t the flashy froth like in this dam, but it is His deep work in our lives
that gives us real spiritual power and makes us like a river of living water.
Without the Holy Spirit, we can do nothing. Our life depends on it. We must know His
power!
“It must be perfectly obvious to anyone that what the whole church needs from top to
bottom is a deeper conversion, a profounder experience of the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Samuel Shoemaker
The Holy Spirit wants to fellowship with us in life in a deeper dimension than we have ever
experienced or dreamed possible. He wants to have His strength and power operating
within us—He wants to give us His wisdom—He wants to participate in everything we are
doing. When we pray, He wants to pray with us and through us. He wants to transform
everything that we do with His glorious power. We must learn to fellowship with the Holy
Spirit every day in order to go deeper in our prayer lives. This is an absolute necessity.
“This is more than the Spirit with a portion of Christ’s influence and power. This is the
Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the glorified Jesus in His exaltation and power, coming to us as the
Spirit of the indwelling Jesus, revealing the Son and the Father within us (John 14:16-23).
This Spirit cannot simply be the Spirit of our hours of prayer. It must be the Spirit of our
whole lives and walks, glorifying Jesus in us by revealing the completeness of His work and
making us wholly one with Him and like Him. Then we can pray in His name, because we
are truly one with Him. Then we have the immediate access to the Father of which Jesus
said, “I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you” (John 16:26). Andrew
Murray
BENNY HINN, "Four days before Christmas 1973, I went with a friend of mine, Jim
Poynter, on a charter bus trip from Toronto to Pittsburgh for a Kathryn Kuhlman
meeting. It would be a day that would change my life forever!

I knew very little about her ministry, yet when we arrived at the First Presbyterian Church
in downtown Pittsburgh, hundreds of people were already there, though the doors
wouldn’t open for several hours.
As I stood in line, I suddenly began to quiver. Nothing like that had everhappened before.
It didn’t stop. I was too embarrassed to tell Jim or anyone around me. Even when we got to
our seats on the third row in the auditorium, the shaking continued. The longer it
continued, the more beautiful it became.
Then Kathryn Kuhlman appeared on stage. The atmosphere in the building changed
immediately. Everyone began singing, “How Great Thou Art.” Tears gushed down my
face. It was a feeling of intense glory. I was literally singing the words from my soul.
“Can I meet You? Can I really meet You?”
In my young Christian experience, God had touched me before, but never as He was
touching me that day. It was as if the waves of a gentle breeze were flowing around me.
As the evangelist began ministering to the crowd, I was so lost in the Spirit that all I could
whisper was, “Dear Jesus, please have mercy on me.” I felt so unworthy. Again and again, I
said the words. During the next three hours, the service may have seemedlong to some, but
it seemedlike a fleeting moment. I saw the deaf hearing, people rising from wheelchairs,
and so much more.
Then everything stopped. I prayed silently, “Please, Lord, don’t everlet this meeting end.”
I suddenly noticed that Kathryn was burying her head in her hands, sobbing so loudly that
everything came to a standstill. Then, standing just a few feet in front of me, her eyes
seemedaflame as she took on a boldness I had never seenin anyone before.
She began pleading as she looked out over the audience, “Please, don’t grieve the Holy
Spirit.”
Even today, more than 43 years later, I can still see her eyes. It was as if she was looking
straight at me.
Then she said, “Don’t you understand? He’s all I’ve got!”
I thought, “What is she talking about?”

She continued speaking, “Please! Don’t wound Him. He’s all I’ve got. Don’t wound the One
I love!”
I will never forget those words. I can remember the intensity of her breathing when she
said them. Those moments are etched permanently into my memory. Then she pointed her
finger down at me and said with such powerful clarity, “He’s more real than anything in
the world!”
At that moment, I cried and said, “I’ve got to have this!”
Within moments, the service was over. I was shaken to the core. God had used that service
and that mighty evangelist to reveal His power that day. All the way back to Toronto, I
kept thinking, “What did she mean? What was she saying when she talked about the Holy
Spirit?”
I was totally exhausted when I arrived home, but I couldn’t sleep. As I lay on my bed, I felt
as if someone was pulling me off the mattress and onto my knees. It was a strange
sensation, but I didn’t resist. I had never spoken to the Holy Spirit before. I didn’t know
He could be addressed that way.
Finally, I prayed, “Holy Spirit, Kathryn Kuhlman says You are her Friend. I don’t think I
know You. Now, before today I thought I did. But after that meeting, I realize I really
don’t. I don’t think I know You.”
Then, like a child with my hands raised, I asked, “Can I meet You? Can I really meet
You?” A few brief moments passed, then like a jolt of electricity, my body began to quiver
all over again, exactly as I had experienced at the church in Pittsburgh.
I was afraid to open my eyes. I felt like a warm blanket of God’s power was wrapped all
over me. That continued until I finally dropped off to sleepthat night. Even then, I still
didn’t realize all that had happened to me.
A New Intimacy
The next morning, three days before Christmas, I awoke, and the first words I spoke to my
newfound Friend were, “Good morning, Holy Spirit!”

At that instant, I knew He was there with me. As I opened my Bible, He was there sitting
beside me. From that moment, everything about the Bible, my prayer life, my worship, and
my relationship with God took on an entirely new dimension.
For the next eight hours I had an incredible experience with the Holy Spirit that changed
the course of my life forever. Tears of wonderment and joy coursed down my cheeks.
I had just turned 21. Christmas was approaching, yet I had already received the best
present ever!
Less than a year later, God would open the door for me to step behind a pulpit to preach
for the first time, and in that moment He would simultaneously heal a life-long stuttering
problem and give birth to a ministry that would eventually reach around the globe.
That’s why, more than four decades later, I can tell you with every fiber in my being that
the Holy Spirit desires to have an intimate relationship with you. It’s possible! And it
begins with a hunger to know Him—to really know Him!
7 Keys to an Intimate Relationship with the Holy Spirit
Walking intimately with the Holy Spirit is not something unique to only a few passionate
believers. Far from it!
In fact, I truly believe that every Christian is to be thirsty and hungry for God’s presence
and power. The psalmist wrote, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my
soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God” (Psalm 32:1-2).
We must be thirsty and hungering for Him, knowing that only He “satisfieth the longing
soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness” (Psalm 107:9). Unfortunately, we often try
to fill that longing with substitutes.
Believe that the Holy Spirit Himself desires to fellowship with you. Jesus promised, “And I
will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you
for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seethhim not,
neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you”
(John 14:16-17). God loved you so much that He gave His Son, then sent the Holy Spirit to
dwell with you!

Accept that only God—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—can satisfy your hunger and
thirst. He created each of us with this longing, and He is the only Answer for that desire.
Jesus Himself spoke of the first and greatest commandment: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matthew 22:37). This
is as it was meant to be, and this is why the Holy Spirit was sent to us. We were made for
God and created with a continual longing to be with Him.
Avoid putting barriers between you and the Holy Spirit. We are told, “Quench not the
Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19). We are also warned to “grieve not the holy Spirit of God”
(Ephesians 4:30). This means more than just avoiding a sinful life, but also means to
“present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God” (Romans 12:1). He is
holy. The vessel that seeks to be filled with His holiness must be presented for cleansing by
His shed blood continuously.
Ask, seek, and knock. Jesus said, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find;
knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that
seekethfindeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened” (Luke 11:9-10). He then asks,
“If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more
shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (Luke 11:13).
Experience the Lord’s goodness. “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8). How
can anyone develop a taste for anything—food, drink, music, conversation—if they don’t
experience it? One delicious taste leads to a meal, then becomes a banquet. The same goes
for “tasting” our Lord. A little develops into a desire for more, and the hunger grows ever
greater. You get to know Him as you spend time in His presence. You receive more
revelation of His Word as you practice His presence hour by hour, day by day! God
promises to satisfy, yet each taste should lead to a greater desire for more of Him, to feast
at His table!
Welcome the Holy Spirit into your life. This goes beyond simply asking. He promises to go
where He is specifically invited. In our crusades, services, and broadcasts, we sing. We
consciously and purposefully invite Him. We welcome Him. And He is faithful, again and
again.
Pursue the Holy Spirit. This requires a conscious and ongoing decision to “yield yourselves
unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of
righteousness unto God” (Romans 6:13). Many are the gifts of God, but none is greater
than the gift of the Holy Spirit. Through pursuing Him, we have access to our Comforter,
Helper, and Counselor. This requires an active desire to pursue Him.
Do you hunger and thirst for more of the Holy Spirit? Do you sincerely desire to be
controlled and empowered by Him? Then welcome and pursue Him!

The Believer’s Life Depends on the Power of the Holy Spirit
The Lord is our pattern for total dependence on the Holy Spirit, and the Lord promised
that we would receive the same Holy Spirit that had empowered Him:
In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst,
let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of
his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (John 7:37-39)
He is our limitless resource. Consider John 7:38: “He that believeth on me, as the scripture
hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” “Out of his belly” refers to your
innermost being. The Holy Spirit is your limitless resource, an everlasting fountain. All you
will everneed will be completely fulfilled and satisfied by the Holy Spirit—every longing
and every desire in your life.
Jesus was anointed by and dependent upon the Holy Spirit. God the Father was with Him
by the Spirit. This is crucial for us to understand. The apostle Paul preached that message,
and the known world was revolutionized. Even during my lifetime, I have seenwith my
own eyes how Kathryn Kuhlman preached the message of utter dependency on the Holy
Spirit, which is why God used her so dramatically. David Wilkerson preached that same
message, and that is why God shook New York City to its core. Ralph Wilkerson preached
that message, and God used him to reach Southern California. I could go on and on.
If you ever get away from depending on the Holy Spirit, you will die. Without His power,
you cannot do it. You will not do it. You will fail and fall back into bondage, just like you
were before you were saved. We know this because the Word of God tells us that where the
Holy Spirit is (not was) “there is liberty” (2 Corinthians 3:17).
Only the Holy Spirit can draw you into His presence, fill you with God’s power, and guide
your steps. That is why God the Spirit is here on the earth. That is why we must seek Him.
Others are desperately seeking Him!

We must also seek to share the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others,
wherever they are, whenever they are ready to receive Him.
As a crucial part of this, just before the start of the New Year, we launched Phase 1 of our
new 24/7 network, which includes streaming and on-demand play of our This Is Your Day
programs on our website and our mobile app. We’ve also been broadcasting live events on
the network.
We are receiving heartwarming reports from people around the world who are thrilled
with this new outreach, many from places where there are no churches or Christian
television stations! And the testimonies of healing and salvation are pouring in.
Now get ready for Phase 2! We’ll be launching our programs soon on YouTube, Periscope,
Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
And in the coming weeks, we’re planning to unleash our programs on platforms such as
Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast, Amazon Fire, App Store, and more!
At no time on earth has more information, content, and entertainment been available at the
touch of an iPad, mobile device, or computer, and I am certain that nothing I’ve done in
my past ministry—not evenpreaching the Gospel face-to-face and through television to an
estimated 1.5 billion people—has the potential of our new Atmosphere for Healing
Network as we share the Good News of salvation and the visual demonstration of the Holy
Spirit’s power!
It’s not too late to be an Atmosphere for Healing Network Founders Club Member. Go to
www.MyHealingNetwork.tv for details about joining your faith with mine and others
around the world who are taking the healing and saving message of the Gospel to the
nations.
Whether you desire to be one of the AFHN Founders or not, I’m asking you to plant your
most generous seedinto the fertile soil of this ministry.
Today, as never before, act on your growing hunger to have an intimate relationship with
the Holy Spirit and to be all God wants you to be, do all He desires for you to do, and as
you grow in Him, reach out to the lost and hurting around the globe with the life-saving,
miracle-working message of the Gospel!
Thank you for standing with me at this crucial hour. I look forward to hearing from you
today!
For the glorious and eternal cause of our precious Lord Jesus Christ,

PHILIPPIANS 3:3
Philippians 3:3 3For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who
boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh-
Amplified: For we [Christians] are the true circumcision, who worship God in spirit and by
the Spirit of God and exult and glory and pride ourselves in Jesus Christ, and put no
confidence or dependence [on what we are] in the flesh and on outward privileges and
physical advantages and external appearances— (Amplified Bible - Lockman)
Lightfoot: for we are the true circumcision, we offer the genuine service; we—you and I—
Gentile and Jew alike—who serve by the Spirit of God, who place our boast in Christ Jesus
and put no trust in the flesh.
iving Bible: For it isn't the cutting of our bodies that makes us children of God; it is
worshiping him with our spirits. That is the only true 'circumcision.' We Christians glory
in what Christ Jesus has done for us and realize that we are helpless to save ourselves.
Phillips: We are, remember, truly circumcised when we worship God by the Spirit, when
we find our joy in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in what we are in the flesh (New
Testament in Modern English)
Wuest: For, as for us, we are the circumcision, those who by the Spirit of God are
rendering sacred service and obedience, and who are exulting in Christ Jesus, and who
have not come to a settled persuasion, trusting in the flesh [human worthiness and
attainment]
REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST:
THE TRUE CIRCUMCISION

For (gar) is a term of explanation which introduces Paul's explanation of why the false
teachers (probably Judaizers) just described have no right to claim they are the true
circumcision. In that sense it in effect creates a striking contrast between the false and the
true circumcision.
Observe that Paul's claim that he and the believing readers were the true circumcision is
based on the three differences: (1) "who worship in the Spirit of God" (2) "and glory in
Christ Jesus" (3) "and put no confidence in the flesh" These 3 characteristics distinguish a
true believer (true circumcision) from a false believer (false circumcison - trusting in
anything by Christ Alone!).
Spurgeon notes "These are three marks...have you all of them: worshipping God in the
Spirit, rejoicing in Christ Jesus, and having no confidence in the flesh?
John MacArthur on Php 3:3 - A number of years ago I decided that that verse might be my
favorite description of a Christian. What is a Christian? We could say he's a believer. What
is a Christian? We could say he's a child of God. What is a Christian? We could say he's a
disciple. We could say he's a follower. He is one who loves God. But how could we say it
better than to say a Christian is one who worships in the Spirit of God, glories in Christ
Jesus and puts no confidence in the flesh? What a surpassing definition of the true
Christian. (Sermon)
F F Bruce: "External ceremonies are henceforth irrelevant. Physical circumcision has been
replaced by the circumcision of the heart which 'is the work of God's Spirit, not of the
written Law' (Ro 2:29-note). The word rendered external ceremonies is literally translated
'flesh' (Gk. sarx); Paul uses this word not only in its ordinary sense but also to denote
unregenerate human nature and sometimes to include practically everything, apart from
God, in which people mistakenly put their trust."
We - This pronoun is first in the Greek sentence adding emphasis. Paul is including himself
with the saints at Philippi, many of whom were undoubtedly Gentile (see Acts 16-note for
his first European converts - Lydia, the Philippian jailer, both Gentiles as far as we can
discern)
A T Robertson agrees writing that we refers to…
We believers in Christ, the children of Abraham by faith, whether Jew or Gentile, the
spiritual circumcision in contrast to the merely physical (Ro 2:25, 26, 27, 28, 29; Col 3:11-
note Ep 2:11-note).
Romans 2:25-29-notes Ro 2:25; 26; 27; 28; 29
25 For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor
of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.

26 So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his
uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?
27 And he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who
though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a transgressor of the Law?
28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in
the flesh.
29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by
the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.
As Paul wrote to the saints at Colossae, when one is in Christ by grace through faith…
there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian,
Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all. (Col 3:11-note)
Similarly writing to the Galatian churches he explained that…
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male
nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28-note)
The true circumcision - The NAS translators added the word "true" which is not in the
Greek but it fits well with the context (as an aside this is why I recommend using a Bible
translation which is literal and which uses italics so that you know what they have added to
the original Greek text - NAS, KJV, NKJV, Darby, et al, use italics. The ESV and NET are
both excellent translations but neither use italics) What Paul is saying here is that the
circumcision God has always desired is not an external physical circumcision but an
internal spiritual circumcision of the heart (notice this command for a "spiritual
circumcision" given even in the OT - Dt 10:16 = ""Circumcise then your heart, and stiffen
your neck no more.")
Spurgeon - This is the real circumcision, which is of the spirit, and not of the flesh. The
men who have abandoned all confidence in themselves, the men who have come to rely
upon Christ alone, the men who “rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the
flesh,” those who care not for outward rites and ceremonies, but who worship God in the
spirit, — these are the true circumcision.
Addressing primarily the Jewish readers in his letter to the Romans (but applicable to all
unsaved readers) Paul explains that "he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is
circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and
circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter (~ the Law); and
his praise is not from men, but from God." (Ro 2:28, 29-notes) Stated another way every

genuine believer has undergone an INTERNAL circumcision of their heart by the Spirit
and so they are part of the "true circumcision."
Circumcision (4061) (peritome from perí = around + témno = cut off) refers literally to
cutting and removal of the foreskin. Both the Old and New Testament also use the concept
of circumcision in a figurative or metaphorical sense (Click for in depth word study of
peritome) (See also discussion of Scriptures on Circumcision)
The circumcision here is spiritual (figurative not literal) as elaborated elsewhere where
Paul explains that now because of our union with and position "in Him (Christ) (we, the
moment we believed in Him) were also circumcised with a circumcision made without
hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh ("you were made free from the power of your
sinful self" [ICB], "of the corrupt nature" [GWT], "… of your sinful nature" [NLT]) by
the circumcision of Christ". (Col 2:11-NOTE) which parallels perfectly with God's charge
in the OT to "Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart" (Dt 10:16KJV), for God has
always been more concerned with our INTERNAL heart condition than the dead
EXTERNAL works, whether physical circumcision the Jews believed in or human works of
(so-called) righteousness performed in a vain attempt to merit favor with God or to be
pleasing to Him. (Click for analysis of circumcision). (Click for another discussion on
circumcision in context of the study of covenant)
and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the
removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; 12 having been buried with
Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of
God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 When you were dead in your transgressions and
the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us
all our transgressions, (Col 2:11-13-note)
Ray Pritchard - Evidently they were professing Jewish Christians who taught that you had
to keepthe Law of Moses inorder to be saved. They claimed that circumcision was
necessary in order to be accepted by God. To the Apostle Paul this was nothing less than
heresy. It’s one thing for a man to decide he wants to keepthe Law of Moses forhimself,
it’s something else to demand that everyone else do as he does. It’s evenworse to say that if
you don’t do as I do, you can’t be saved. To say that you must keepthe law in order to be
savedis to deny the gospel of grace. These men were mutilating the souls of the people they
claimed to be helping. Notice Paul’s answer in Phil 3:3. When he says “we … are the
circumcision,” he means that true believers have been circumcised in their hearts through
faith in Jesus Christ. We don’t need a physical operation because we’ve had a spiritual
heart transplant. As a result, we worship in the Spirit, we give glory to Jesus Christ, and we
put no confidence in the flesh.

Let me be clear about this. Religion without Christ is dangerous. Millions of people today
are trusting in their religion to get them to heaven. They believe because they were
baptized as an infant (or as a child or as a teenageror as an adult) that they are going to
heaven. Or they think that because they were raised as a Baptist (or Methodist or Lutheran
or Church of Christ) they must be born again. It’s not so. Religion without Christ will send
you to hell. You can say your prayers five times a day, you can be baptized, you can listen
to Billy Graham, you can take the Lord’s Supper, you can light the Advent candle, you can
evendrop a million bucks in the offering plate, and if you don’t know Jesus, it’s won’t do
you a bit of good. Many religious people have “Christ-plus” faith. They are trusting in
Christ plus baptism or Christ plus church membership or Christ plus going to Mass or
Christ plus good works or Christ plus giving money. They love to sing that old gospel song:
“Jesus paid almost all of it” because they think they’ve got to add their part to what Jesus
did.
Don’t trust in your religion! It can’t save you.
Don’t trust in your parents’ religion! It can’t save you.
Don’t trust in your baptism! It can’t save you.
Don’t trust in your church attendance! It can’t save you.
Religion is good and so is baptism and church membership and many of the other outward
trappings of Christianity. But if your heart has never been circumcised by faith in Christ,
you are not saved and you are not going to heaven. That’s the warning Paul wants you to
understand. (Philippians 3:1-11: From Rubbish to Jesus)
WHO WORSHIP IN THE SPIRIT OF GOD: oi pneumati theou latreuontes (PAPMPN):
Mal 1:11; Jn 4:23,24; Ro 1:9; 7:6; 8:15,26,27; Eph 6:18; Jude 1:20
Philippians 3 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries
those who by the Spirit of God are rendering sacred service and obedience, and who are
exulting in Christ Jesus, and who have not come to a settledpersuasion, trusting in the
flesh [human worthiness and attainment] (Wuest)
John MacArthur writes that "True worship goes beyond praising God, singing hymns, or
participating in a worship service. The essence of worship is living a life of obedient service
to God. "Do not neglect doing good and sharing,” exhorts the writer of Hebrews, “for with
such sacrifices God is pleased (Heb 13:16-note). True worship involves every aspect of life.
(Philippians 3:1-3 Qualities of True Christian)
Strauss - In contrast to the worship of the Old Dispensation, which was chiefly ritualistic in
character, the true believer, having been born of the Spirit, from above, worships God

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