By Pastor Ryan Stockstrom

Harvest Church

How much about the Holy Spirit have you heard?  For many of us, we know He is part of the Trinity, and that might be about it.  Maybe you heard “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” in a prayer. Maybe it came up once in a while. But the fullness of who the Holy Spirit is? That often gets missed. And you’re not alone in that. 

In Acts 19, the apostle Paul runs into a group of believers and asks them a straightforward question: “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” Their answer is surprising: “We haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”  So if you don’t know much of the Holy Spirit, you’re in good company, and the good news is the Bible is full of examples of the Holy Spirit and his activity in the world.

At Christmas, we celebrate ‘God with us’- in Jesus.

At Easter, we celebrate ‘God for us’ through Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection.  But after that—at Pentecost—we celebrate something just as powerful: ‘God in us’—through Holy Spirit.

That’s a game changer.  This isn’t about saying we are God. We’re not. Creation isn’t God. A tree isn’t God. But we are made in His image, and through Jesus, something incredible happens—the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of us.  Jesus said in John 14:17, “He lives with you and will be in you.”  The apostle Paul wrote, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?
You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20).

And that changes everything.

Because the truth is, on our own, we don’t have what it takes to fully live the Christian life. We can try harder, get more disciplined, follow more rules—but we’ll still fall short. But when the Holy Spirit lives in us, He doesn’t just give instructions—He changes our desires. He begins to shape our hearts so we actually want what God wants.

That’s the difference.  Over the past few weeks, we’ve been looking at who the Holy Spirit is. He sustains us. He seals us as God’s own. He sends us out with purpose. He purifies us like fire. He comforts us as a friend.

And this week, I’ll land on this: the Holy Spirit is both Author and Speaker.  In a world full of noise, false promises, and empty idols, this matters.

Scripture says idols have mouths but can’t speak. They have ears but can’t hear. And when people put their trust in them, they end up just as empty.  That still happens today. We may not carve statues, but we chase things—money, status, success—thinking they’ll satisfy. And in the end, they don’t speak life. They don’t guide. They don’t fill the void—But God does.

And here’s the good news: the Holy Spirit wants to speak to you, every day!  And the truth is: He’s already spoken to us.  We have 66 books of Scripture—words written by humans, but inspired by the Holy Spirit— written through real people, preserved across generations. This isn’t just any old book gathering dust- God’s word is living, active truth.

Think about it this way: the Bible is only ancient writing where you can actually know the author personally.  The Holy Spirit who inspired those words is still alive, still present, and still speaking today.

So when you open your Bible, you’re not just reading history, you’re reading words that are alive and active.  And sometimes, as you read, the author himself, the Holy Spirit will illuminate something to you.  A verse jumps off the page and hits your heart.  It seems like God is speaking to you: and well, He might be!

But He doesn’t just speak through Scripture—He also speaks directly. And that’s where some people get uncomfortable.  People think,“How does that even work?” “What does God’s voice sound like?”

Here’s the reality: God is spirit. He doesn’t usually speak in an audible voice. More often, He speaks inwardly to us.

It might come as a thought you didn’t expect that’s ‘higher’ than how you normally think (kinder, wiser, more loving, greater). It might come as a quiet nudge to do something loving.  His words often come with a  sense of peace and excitement. It can be a picture he gives in your mind’s eye.  

Not loud. Not overwhelming. Often just a gentle whisper.  And if you’re wondering if it’s from God, God will never speak anything against what He’s already spoken in scripture and the character revealed about Him.

In fact, in 1 Kings 19, the prophet Elijah experiences wind, an earthquake, and fire—but God isn’t in any of those. Then comes a gentle whisper—and that’s where God speaks.  That’s still the way He works most often.

And if we’re honest, we already understand this in a different way. Everyone has had negative thoughts pop into their mind—discouragement, doubt, fear. If those kinds of thoughts can show up uninvited, how much more can the Holy Spirit bring truth, encouragement, and direction? The real question isn’t ‘Can God speak’? The question is: are we listening?

Because He wants to guide and encourage you. He wants to bring peace into your situation. Sometimes even give you direction for what’s next.

So how do we respond?

It doesn’t have to be complicated. Start simple:  Put your faith in Jesus and what He’s done for you on the cross—that’s step one.  Then

Open the word of God.  God has already spoken—let the Holy Spirit bring it to life.

Quiet yourself. Even a few minutes of stillness can make space to hear that gentle nudge. Talk to God. Speak your worries out loud. Scripture says to cast your cares on Him—and when you do, His peace follows.  This isn’t about striving. It’s about relationship.

God isn’t distant. He isn’t silent. Through the Holy Spirit, He is present, personal, and still speaking today.  And for those of who are willing to listen, it changes everything.