"The Holy Spirit in Me, Greets the Holy Spirit in You"

Grace and peace to you, dear brothers and sisters in Christ.

There is a simple yet profound phrase that has been stirring in my spirit lately:

“The Holy Spirit in me greets the Holy Spirit in you.”

At first glance, it sounds poetic, maybe even a little mystical, but when we look closer, it’s deeply biblical and beautifully pastoral. It captures something sacred about how we, as believers, are called to recognize one another, not just as fellow human beings, but as temples of the living God.

The Spirit Who Dwells Within

The Apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 6:19,

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?”

The Holy Spirit is not some abstract force hovering outside of us. He dwells within every believer. He is our Comforter, our Guide, our Advocate. He convicts us of sin, empowers us for service, and intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26).

To be indwelt by the Holy Spirit is to carry the very presence of God with us into every conversation, every relationship, every room we enter.

Recognizing Christ in One Another

So when I look into the eyes of a fellow believer, I am not merely seeing a friend, a neighbor, or a co-laborer in the faith. I am encountering a dwelling place of the Spirit of God.

This echoes the beautiful greeting Paul often used in his letters:

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:2)

It was more than a formality. It was a spiritual acknowledgment, a recognition that the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 8:11) is alive and active in the person being addressed.

A Holy Recognition

When we say, “The Holy Spirit in me greets the Holy Spirit in you,” we are practicing spiritual recognition. It’s a way of saying:

a)     “I see you not just with natural eyes, but with spiritual discernment.”

b)     “I honor the work of God in your life.”

c)     “I acknowledge that we are both vessels of the same Spirit, united by the same grace.”

This kind of greeting disarms pride, melts division, and cultivates unity. It invites us to meet one another not with suspicion or competition, but with reverence and love.

Unity in the Spirit

In Ephesians 4:3-4, Paul urges us to

“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit…”

This unity is not something we manufacture—it is something we protect. It already exists because of the Holy Spirit in us. When we greet each other in Spirit-led awareness, we guard that unity. We celebrate our oneness in Christ.

Imagine if our churches, homes, and workplaces were filled with people who daily greeted one another like this, not just with words, but with heart-level recognition: “The Holy Spirit in me honors the Holy Spirit in you.”

What healing would flow. What grace would abound.

A Pastoral Invitation

So here is my invitation to you, dear reader: Before your next conversation, pause. Take a breath. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see the person in front of you as He sees them. Recognize His presence in them, just as surely as He is present in you.

And let your greeting, whether spoken aloud or quietly offered in prayer, be a reflection of this great mystery:

The Holy Spirit in me greets the Holy Spirit in you!

In Christ’s love and by His Holy Spirit, Amen.

Pastor Mary Kearney