How to Know the Spirit: by Andrew Murray

 

John 14:17

the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

1 Corinthians 3:16

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?

True spiritual knowledge is very important in the Christian life. A man whose inheritance comes to him is no richer if he does not know how to take possession of it. In the same way, the gifts of God’s grace cannot bring their full blessing until we truly understand and possess them.

In Christ “are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3, emphasis added).

It is the “knowledge of Christ Jesus” for which the believer is willing to “count all things but loss” (Philippians 3:8, emphasis added). It is because of the lack of true knowledge of what God in Christ has prepared for us that the lives of believers are so weak.

How do we know when it is the Spirit who is teaching us? If our knowledge of spiritual things is to be to us a certainty and a comfort, we must know the Teacher Himself. Knowing Him will be to us the evidence that our spiritual knowledge is no deception. Our blessed Lord assures us that we will know the Spirit. Messengers and witnesses do not speak of themselves.

The Holy Spirit, when He testifies of Christ and glorifies Him, must be known and acknowledged. In this way we can have the assurance that the knowledge we receive is indeed of God and not what our human reason has gathered from the Word of God. To know the King’s seal is the only safeguard against a counterfeit image. To know the Spirit is the divine foundation of certainty.

How can the Spirit be known? Jesus said, “Ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” The indwelling of the Spirit is the condition of knowing Him. As we allow Him to dwell in us, and allow Him to testify of Jesus as Lord, He will prove Himself to be the Spirit of God. 

1 John 5:6

This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.