David Diga Hernandez - Holy Spirit: Faithful Friend

I love the Holy Spirit, and I love being associated with Him. However, people often ask me why I focus so much on the person of the Holy Spirit. I can give you several reasons. Firstly, God gave me a clear mandate: «Introduce my Holy Spirit into your generation.» Now, of course, as an evangelist, I preach the gospel message of salvation as my primary message, but when it comes to building up believers, this is my area of grace—to teach on truths concerning the Holy Spirit, healing, faith, prayer, spiritual warfare, and similar themes. I often focus on the Holy Spirit because that is what I have been directed to do.

Secondly, when I was born, my parents prayed a very special prayer over me. They asked that God would make me sensitive to the Holy Spirit. I believe the ministry I serve in today is an answer to my parents' prayer. But there’s another reason why I am so passionate about teaching and preaching on the Holy Spirit—He is my friend. This Bible verse absolutely changed my life: «May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.» That is 2 Corinthians, chapter 13, verse 14. Think about that: the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. This means that we commune with Him or share a friendship with Him. The Holy Spirit helps us to pray, to worship, to live holy lives, and to understand God’s Word. He remains with us despite our many flaws. He encourages us, helps us, inspires us, and even corrects us, and yes, He loves us. If that isn’t a good friend, I don’t know what is.

When I first learned about friendship with the Holy Spirit, I was in a very awkward stage of life, as many are in their early teens. I felt disconnected from others, lonely, and like I wasn’t accepted— insecure and full of self-doubt. I met the Holy Spirit; He is the friend above all friends. He met me when I needed a friend. That is the source of my passion for Him. Now, why doesn’t the Bible say the fellowship of the Father or the fellowship of the Son? Does this mean that the Father and the Son don’t care about us? Does this mean that we can’t be in fellowship with them? Of course, we can fellowship with them, but through the Holy Spirit. God the Father sits upon a throne in heaven, and the Son sits at His right hand. Speaking of Jesus, the writer of Hebrews says this: «Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne, ” that’s Hebrews, chapter 12, verse 2. So, where is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is the omnipresence of God. The Holy Spirit is God with us; He is God’s empowering presence within the believer. He is near to you; He dwells in you. Your very body is the host of His divine presence; His body is your body. The Holy Spirit is not off in the distance; He faithfully abides.

So, the Bible teaches us two things: number one, the Holy Spirit is a friend; number two, the Holy Spirit is close. Dare we believe it? The Holy Spirit is a close friend. This means that you can call upon Him to empower you in even the most mundane moments of life. Just as a friend is there to call upon, the Holy Spirit has made Himself available to you. When you are driving to work, He is in the car with you. When you are spending time with loved ones, He is in the midst of you. When you are carrying out an errand, He is in the busyness with you day or night, in sorrow and in joy—He is present. He doesn’t just empower preachers and prophets; He empowers us in all that we do. He wants to empower husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, businesspeople, employees, and students. The Holy Spirit is the expert Spirit, and His touch improves every action of the believer. And when we fail Him, He stays. Even when we make mistakes, He remains patient, and if you ever feel as though His patience is running out, remember this about your friend, the Holy Spirit: God desires to be in your presence more than you desire to be in His. As you go through each moment, whether you’re facing a trial or a blessing, no matter your emotional or mental state, I want you to say, as I say because it’s true: say this: „I am a friend of the Holy Spirit.“