Is there an overcorrection of the Holy Spirit in the charismatic church?

Amid the ongoing sifting and exposure of the charismatic church, a troubling overcorrection is brewing — dispensing with the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit altogether. 

In part because of the excesses and abuses, religious spirits are still alive and well in churches that are doing everything possible to shut down our relationship with the third person of the Trinity. And for those who feel a longing in their spirit for deeper fellowship with the Lord, it is only through the Holy Spirit that a relationship with Christ can happen. And this isn't just about seeking gifts or manifestations.

It’s important to remember that the Holy Spirit is a person — not an “it,” a manifestation, or a power source. The Holy Spirit is not just a giver of gifts or a means of communication with the Father. He is fully God, equal with both the Father and the Son. And the Holy Spirit longs for fellowship. Just as our Father longs for us to come and know His heart, and Jesus longs for us to sit at His feet in conversation, the Holy Spirit also longs for fellowship. And it is only in walking by the Spirit (Gal 5:16), being led by the Spirit (Rom 8:14), and setting our minds on things of the Spirit (Rom 8:5-6) that our relationship with God has life, purpose, and power. We are not just called to believe in Him, but to have fellowship with Him. The Holy Spirit is not some accessory to the Christian life. He is the one who actually makes it possible.

Do you want a stream of Living Water to flow from your inner being? Do you feel a “draw” and a “pull” from above, inclining you that there is more to be known, experienced, and revealed concerning the fullness of our God? This is what religious spirits hate. And this is where a battle is raging within the Body of Christ today — this battle between the natural mind and the Holy Spirit. This battle is between that which can be seen and understood versus that which is by faith alone and can only be accessed through fellowship with the Spirit. 

In John 14, Jesus said He was sending the Holy Spirit as a “Helper,” but that doesn’t mean he is lesser than God. The Holy Spirit is fully God and one with the Father and Son. And He has a unique role that must be fully embraced if we are to know God as He truly is. Jesus made it clear that His departure was not the end of divine communication, but the beginning of a deeper one.

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come” (John 16:12-13 ESV). 

Religious spirits want you to believe that God is done with the supernatural. They’ll say, “Spiritual gifts ended after the last apostle died,” and “there is no longer a need for signs, wonders, and miracles like in the early church because the Word of God was closed when the written canon was finalized,” or even “there is no more ‘revelation’ or insight from above, for God already said it.”

And yet, John stated more than once that there was no way to record all that Jesus did or said while on the earth (John 20:30, 21:25). He recorded Jesus’ words, confirming how the Holy Spirit would continue to reveal things and show us “things to come.” Paul shares about this wisdom from God through the Holy Spirit, teaching us how to understand spiritual truths and rightly apply them (1 Cor 2). 

We are encouraged to pursue spiritual gifts (1 Cor 14:1), but that is not the same as pursuing fellowship with the Holy Spirit (2 Cor 13:14). There is no pattern in Scripture of pursuing the supernatural realm or spiritual experiences, for those things are merely the evidence and fruits of the Holy Spirit at work. This is actually where we fall into error if we begin to replace a relationship with the Holy Spirit with a pursuit of the supernatural. In so doing, we are no better than a religious spirit who only seeks the works of God instead of a relationship with God (Gal 2:16). 

This Holy Spirit longs for us to know Him. He is a person who speaks in His own language (1 Cor 14:2-4) and stirs us with passion and fire (Acts 2:1-4). He empowers us, fills us, and teaches us everything that Jesus said and shows us everything that comes from the Father. Jesus is the source of our salvation and focus of our gaze, but it is the Holy Spirit who draws us to Him (John 6:44). It is the Holy Spirit that even gives us the desire to know our God and pursue truth.

Can you see how central the Holy Spirit is to our walk? He is more than a divine Interpreter. He's the wind at our backs, the voice that speaks, the director of our steps, and the revealer of every truth. And His presence is more than a Bible verse; it is tangible, powerful, and life-altering for those who recognize Him and surrender to His work. This is why His enemies seek to silence His voice, disqualify His works, and discredit His presence. 

And this is why the Holy Spirit is drawing many into deeper fellowship with Him. Do not let the warring voices tell you it is unwise to follow His voice or trust His work. Do not allow the Pharisees of the day try to discourage your faith and put fear in your heart. There is yet a revealing that is to come — a fuller manifestation of the Holy Spirit to show us exactly why He came.

And we will know Him for He will not bring any glory to Himself. All glory will go to the Son and to the Father. He seeks a relationship with us so that we can know the heart of the Father and believe in the finished work of the Son. The person of the Holy Spirit will not be found in His gifts, manifestations, or works, but through fellowship with Him and allowing His life to flow through us.

Seek deeper communion with the Holy Spirit! He is a person to be known, and He longs to fellowship with you.