Over the years, the Holy Spirit has become my closest friend. My wife, Debbie, is my best friend on earth, but the Holy Spirit has become my spiritual best friend. However, it wasn’t always that way.

I’ll never forget the advice my pastor gave me when I left for Bible college. He said, “Watch out for people who talk about the Holy Spirit.” He didn’t tell me to work hard or listen to my professors. This one sentence is all he gave me. I didn’t realize it at the time, because my spiritual background ignored the work of the Holy Spirit, but there’s something very wrong (yet very common) about that statement.

Let me ask you a question. Is the Holy Spirit God? Of course He is! God has three parts: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. So when I think back to what my pastor told me all those years ago, he was essentially warning me against people who talk about God. Now that I know better, that really offends me. Since that time, I’ve been on an adventure of discovering who the Holy Spirit really is. And let me tell you, He isn’t weird; He isn’t rude; and He isn’t some far off spiritual being.

The Holy Spirit is a person; He is a Spirit, and He has a soul. He intercedes for us and through us. He hears, speaks, teaches, and guides us into truth. He glorifies Christ, reveals Christ to us, and brings all of Christ’s words to our remembrance. He shows us the things to come, knows the deep things of God, searches all things, and reveals all things. Where He is, there is liberty. He inspired the writers of the Bible. He reveals the Son to us. We are convicted by Him, born again by Him, led by Him, filled by Him, and sealed by Him. Now why would anyone want to watch out for people who talk about Him?

The truth is the Holy Spirit desires a relationship with us.

Perhaps you’re like me and you grew up in a church that treated the Holy Spirit like the crazy uncle you have to endure at Thanksgiving. Or maybe you witnessed some abuse of the Holy Spirit and His gifts. Or maybe you’re a new Christian and don’t know much about Him. As you read through this devotional, it’s my hope that you can come to know how truly great He is and how victorious your Christian life can be when you have a relationship with Him.

I want to encourage you to read each day with an open heart. Listen for what the Holy Spirit might say or reveal to you. I promise you, if you will open your heart to the Holy Spirit over the next 28 days, you’ll see an increase of His presence and power in your life. He wants to do amazing things in and through you if you’ll let Him.

So please allow me to introduce you to my best friend, the Holy Spirit.