The Fellowship of the Holy Spirit—Two2Grow, June 19
The Fellowship of the Holy Spirit—Two2Grow, June 19
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 Corinthians 13:14 NIV
Most churches I’ve attended in East Africa, regardless of tradition, close their services by having everyone quote this Scripture together in unison.
It is a rich text, and I particularly love the phrase, “the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.” There are two ways we can understand this.
The first is that the Holy Spirit creates fellowship among believers. It amazes me that you can meet believers from other countries and backgrounds who look different, speak differently, and even smell different. On the surface, we may seem to have nothing in common, yet we can still enjoy sweet fellowship with one another because of the Holy Spirit’s work in creating meaningful relationships. In this sense, the prayer is that we would experience the kind of rich fellowship among believers that only the Holy Spirit can create.
The second meaning speaks of our relationship with God and our invitation into a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit—that is, fellowship with the Spirit. What does that mean? It means nurturing an awareness of the Spirit’s presence, listening to the voice of the Spirit, and remaining open to the work of the Holy Spirit.
Bible scholars have not settled on which meaning Paul intended. Some—and I count myself among them—believe he meant both.
Our goal is to live in relationships with others that are fostered by the Spirit and to live in close fellowship with the Spirit. That is exactly the kind of life we see in Jesus.
What can you do today to see both of these dimensions at work in your life?
Holy Spirit, I want to know You better and be more open to Your presence and more sensitive to Your leading. I also ask You to create deeper relationships with the people You have placed in my life. Amen.
Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD
Most churches I’ve attended in East Africa, regardless of tradition, close their services by having everyone quote this Scripture together in unison.
It is a rich text, and I particularly love the phrase, “the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.” There are two ways we can understand this.
The first is that the Holy Spirit creates fellowship among believers. It amazes me that you can meet believers from other countries and backgrounds who look different, speak differently, and even smell different. On the surface, we may seem to have nothing in common, yet we can still enjoy sweet fellowship with one another because of the Holy Spirit’s work in creating meaningful relationships. In this sense, the prayer is that we would experience the kind of rich fellowship among believers that only the Holy Spirit can create.
The second meaning speaks of our relationship with God and our invitation into a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit—that is, fellowship with the Spirit. What does that mean? It means nurturing an awareness of the Spirit’s presence, listening to the voice of the Spirit, and remaining open to the work of the Holy Spirit.
Bible scholars have not settled on which meaning Paul intended. Some—and I count myself among them—believe he meant both.
Our goal is to live in relationships with others that are fostered by the Spirit and to live in close fellowship with the Spirit. That is exactly the kind of life we see in Jesus.
What can you do today to see both of these dimensions at work in your life?
Holy Spirit, I want to know You better and be more open to Your presence and more sensitive to Your leading. I also ask You to create deeper relationships with the people You have placed in my life. Amen.
Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD