And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, that He may be with you forever; the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him. You know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17 LSB

Holy Spirit, we invite you into this place! We give you permission and room to do what you want. We welcome you into this atmosphere, and we say, “Have your way in this service and in us.” Many of us are familiar with this type of practice and belief. Whether you have heard a “worship leader” say these types of things during corporate praise and worship in song, or you have heard a church leader invite the Presence of the Holy Spirit into a church gathering, this phrase has been said by many, including myself, at one point in time, “Holy Spirit, we invite you here.”

There are various examples where this type of language and practice are used, and it is not isolated to a corporate church service. Some may be familiar with it from those who teach that you should invite the Holy Spirit into your home when cleansing it of demonic objects and “open doors” for the demonic in one’s life. There are some in areas of the Pentecostal, Charismatic, and hyper-Charismatic movements that teach this in conjunction with the second blessing of a private prayer language. There may be an emphasis on an experiential component when inviting the Holy Spirit, such as testifying of feeling His Presence in a tangible way as confirmation that He has responded to one’s invitation. There are other examples that can surely be provided for this practice and belief, but regardless of the examples, there are thoughtful questions one should consider in light of Scripture.

What does the Bible tell us about the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit?

Jesus Christ told His disciples that it was beneficial for Him to leave so that the Helper could come. Jesus said in John 16:7, “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.” Jesus makes it clear that He would send the Holy Spirit after His departure and that He would be in those who would believe. He indwells believers in Christ (John 14:6-7). 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 assures those who are in Christ that our bodies are the sanctuary or the temple of the Holy Spirit and that He abides in us.

He is our Helper and our Advocate, and this gives us great comfort and joy as believers, knowing that His Spirit lives within us, and He leads us and guides us into truth. He conforms us into the image of Christ in our sanctification, and He calls to our remembrance what Jesus Christ taught in His Word. There is no need for believers to invite the Holy Spirit into a corporate gathering, private home, or an intimate setting, such as a room because for the born-again believer, He already indwells that individual.

Does the Holy Spirit Testify of Himself?

One thing that is predominant in areas of the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements is a strong emphasis on the move of the Holy Spirit. Though Scripture does not forbid praying to the Holy Spirit, it does not instruct us to do so. Jesus instructed His disciples how to pray in Matthew 6:7-9, beginning the prayer, “Our Father, who is in Heaven.” This is not to diminish the divinity of the Third Person of the Trinity. We simply need to consider the roles of each member of the Godhead in light of Scripture and what the Holy Spirit does in God’s people. In John 15:26, Jesus made it clear that the Spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit, would testify of Him. When there is an emphasis primarily on the Holy Spirit, it would seem fair to consider if this is honoring what has already been revealed to us through Scripture.

It is also worth noting that Scripture does not testify of a second blessing, such as being filled with the Spirit with the evidence of a private prayer language. Acts 2 relays the account of what took place on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out on believers, and they testified of the mighty deeds of God in known languages unknown to those speaking. Peter then ministered the gospel message to the people, whereby three thousand received salvation. This is an example of the Holy Spirit testifying of Christ and of the gospel being proclaimed in power.

Additionally, the Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance in Christ Jesus. He has sealed us for the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13,14, 4:30), and this redemption has been established by the finished work of Christ on the cross and His resurrection from the dead. 2 Corinthians 1:22 says that God has sealed us and has given us the pledge of His Spirit in our hearts. His Spirit helps us to cry from our hearts, “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:14-15, Galatians 4:6), as we are adopted into the family of God by grace through faith in Christ alone. Our faith is rooted in Christ Jesus, and the Holy Spirit does not testify of Himself, but He testifies of Christ.

Final Thoughts

Inviting the Holy Spirit is not a necessary or a Biblical practice for born-again believers. At the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit indwells those who are spiritually regenerated. Though we can certainly grieve the Holy Spirit, we are not to invite Him to fill a room, the atmosphere, or our being, and we need not seek an additional experience in order to affirm His Presence. We are to remember what the Bible tells us regarding what it means to be Spirit filled and growing in spiritual maturity. Scripture is helpful and encouraging to us in understanding the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and we can be edified in knowing that God is the One who has brought us into His Presence by sending His Spirit to indwell those who are His and who have received Christ as their Lord and Savior. We do not invite Him into our Presence, and in remembering that we can further reverence the omnipotence and sovereignty of God.

Listen to this episode discussing the practice of inviting the Holy Spirit and what Scripture has to say about it: Should We Invite the Holy Spir – The Lovesick Scribe Podcast – Apple Podcasts