The Holy Spirit as a Divine Person

How does it affect us to see the Holy Spirit as a Divine Person?

In many ways, it affects us greatly. If we think of the Holy Spirit as simply a strong force, or a powerful source, or an energy, but not a person, it can also affect our experience of the Holy Spirit. We may think to ourselves: "What can I do to possess this kind of power? How much does it cost or who do I have to pay to have these kinds of gifts? What can I do to channel this type of energy?" Certainly, this leads a consumer mentality rather than a relationship. 

On the other hand, if we understand that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, that too has some implications as well. It will definitely change our thinking, attitude and behavior. We will be asking: "How can we connect with the Holy Spirit as a person? How do we communicate to the Holy Spirit and hear the Holy Spirit? How do we relate to the Holy Spirit? How is the Holy Spirit guiding me and my life? Also, with the Holy Spirit as a person, we can also ask: "What does the Holy Spirit think when I act a certain way? Because the Holy Spirit has emotions, when I do something, does that make the Holy Spirit joyful, or does it grieve the Holy Spirit? What happens if I lie to the Holy Spirit?

It's a huge paradigm shift to think of the Holy Spirit, not simply as a force or energy, but as a Divine Person.