It seems the church is quite uniformed as to who or what the Holy Spirit really is. Some think “it” is just another name for God; others feel it is an eminence or power projected from God, not a real person! Jesus Christ not only calls the Holy Spirit a person but gives Him another name as well:

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He (Akinios – That Person) will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

John 14:26

But is he Christ in the Spirit, come back to teach us? Absolutely not! Jesus calls Him another counselor other than himself:

And I will pray the Father and he will give you another counselor to be with you forever, even the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him …

John 14:16-17

Could this be God Himself? For God is Spirit! No, for God always speaks on His own Authority!

For He (Holy Spirit) will not speak on His own authority, but whatever he hears, He will speak and He will declare it to you, things that are to come.

John 16:13

If he is a counselor, how do we communicate with Him? Paul tells us we must interpret Spiritual Truth spoken in a spiritual language taught by the Spirit.

Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might understand the Gifts bestowed on us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom, but taught by the Spirit, Interpreting Spiritual Truths in a Spiritual Language.

1 Corinthians 2:12-13

For he who speaks in a tongue (Spiritual Language) speaks not unto men but to God. For no one understands him, but he utters Mysteries in the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 14:2

He who speaks in a tongue (Spiritual Language) edifies himself.

1 Corinthians 14:2,4

Therefore he who speaks in a tongue (Spiritual Language) should pray for the Power to interpret. For if I pray in a tongue my Spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful, what am I to do; I will pray with the Spirit and I will pray with the mind (Interpretation) also!

1 Corinthians 14:13-14

This is a way of communicating, having fellowship, and being taught by the Holy Spirit! But how do we get in a position to receive this? After Salvation, we become a candidate for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit (see subject on Baptisms). After our Spiritual Baptism we have a Spiritual Language given to us by God. This is not the Gift of Languages. This is a language for our self edification; with the power of interpretation, we can now ask questions and receive answers through the Holy Spirit. This is also a prayer language:

…pray in the Holy Spirit.

Jude 1:20

We do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Holy Spirit himself intercedes for us…

Romans 8:26

The unspiritual man (nominal Christian) does not receive the Gifts of the Spirit of God, for they are Foolishness to him, and he is Not Able to understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

1 Corinthians 2:14

But I brethren could not address you as Spiritual Men, but as men of the flesh, as Babes in Christ.” …For one says: “I belong to Paul”, and another says “I belong to Apollos” (I belong to Wesley, the Methodist church and another, I belong to Calvin, the Baptist church) are you not merely men?

1 Corinthians 3:1,4

So be careful your “Religion” does not ROB you of becoming a Spiritual Christian.