Koulianos Michael - Holy Spirit: The One Who Makes Jesus Real

HOLY SPIRIT

OTHER BOOKS BY MICHAEL KOULIANOS
The Jesus Book
Jesus 365
Healing Presence

Copyright 2017 - Michael Koulianos

All rights reserved. This book is protected by the copyright laws of the United States of America. This book may not be copied or reprinted for commercial gain or profit. The use of short quotations or occasional page copying for personal or group study is permitted and encouraged. Permission will be granted upon request. Unless otherwise identified, Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE. Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.TM Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV Permanent Text Edition (2016). Copyright by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All emphasis within Scripture quotations is the authors own. Please note that Destiny Images publishing style capitalizes certain pronouns in Scripture that refer to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and may differ from some publishers styles. Take note that the name satan and related names are not capitalized. We choose not to acknowledge him, even to the point of violating grammatical rules.

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ISBN 13 TP: 978-0-7684-1168-3
ISBN 13 EBook: 978-0-7684-1169-0
LP ISBN: 9 7 8 - 0 -76 8 4 -1 5 3 7-7
HC ISBN: 978-0-7684-1536-0

For Worldwide Distribution, Printed in the U.S.A.
1 2 3 4 5 6 / 20 19 18 17

First and foremost, this book is dedicated to the Holy Spirit. You are the One who makes Jesus real to me.

To my wife, Jessica, who I love more than words can explain.

To my children, Benny, Theo, and Sofia, you will carry on this message and power of the Holy Spirit to the world for the rest of your lives. The nations are crying out for the reality of Jesus. This only comes by His Spirit. Walk in the presence and power of God in your generation. I love you and believe in you more than you know. You can do it. I know you can.

Contents

by Bill Johnson

by Bill Johnson

I n recent years, Michael and Jessica Koulianos have become personal friends of mine. This has been a great privilege and joy for me, as they are amazing and very real people. I have loved seeing how the message theyve declared from the pulpit is lived out when the crowds are gone. Ive also enjoyed watching them put absolute trust in God when theyve faced some pretty rough situations. The idea of surrendering all to Jesus is not just a good idea; it is their realityand wonderfully so. Truth must go beyond concepts and principles and go deep into the heart so it can be measured. And the most practical place to see the impact of truth upon a life is in ones relationships. Of all the relationships that matter, family is first. They have done family so well.

Authenticity is one of the primary things I look for in a person who stands in a pulpit declaring what God is saying. Its important for me to know whether they preach ideals theyve not yet practiced or whether they speak from their own experience. Its not that Id find fault with or accuse those who arent quite what they teach, as we all see things that are beyond our own experience. Its just important for me to know what has been proven through the test of a life lived well and what remains an unproven idea. Authenticity is one of the building blocks of trust in ministry. And its a joy to say this family is genuine and trustworthy.

One of the other things I look for in a persons life is joy. This has become more and more important to me as I get older. My own weakness in my early years has made this a personal priority. I certainly knew joy and enjoyed so many of the blessings in Christ. But I also knew too well how to be intense, often draining the joy out of the delightful journey of following Jesus. Perhaps the greatest feature of the author and his family is this qualityjoy! They know how to enjoy family, friends, ministry, and life itself, celebrating the goodness of God throughout the journey. Its beautiful to watch. From a life lived well, Michael has written what will ignite the hearts of many, encouraging them to draw near to God at any price. Holy Spirit is a tool that God will use to transform many lives.

The following pages are rich in history, brilliant in practical insights, and filled with a whole bunch of inspiration for anyone who hungers for more of God. Many years ago, Michael said yes to an invitation given by the Holy Spirit Himself. This book is the product of the journey that came from that yes. He writes with authority because it comes from his own fruitful experience. He discovered that to follow Jesus well, we have to become sensitive to the Holy Spirit, for Jesus is Lord of our life only to the measure that we respond to the leadings of the Holy Spirit.

Throughout this book, the author gives us compelling reasons to live a life full of the Holy Spirit. And while in this kind of life we find out who we are and how God wants to use us, the real prize is God Himself. We all want to be used by God to affect humanity. We all desire to impact the course of world history. But knowing God is the main thing, from which the rest of life is to f l o w.

The simple but profound conclusion is that life is all about Jesus. Michael came to realize and believe wholeheartedly that the Christian life is the life of Jesus in us and through us by the Holy Spirit. He speaks of the Bible as much more than a book. Its an experience and adds, Did you know that the church fathers called the Holy Scriptures the book of experience? But they were after something more. They were after the Person of the Bible. God gave us the Bible to bring us to Himself. I love this, and you will too.

Ready yourself to enjoy this encouraging and instructional book that will impact your own relationship with God, leading you to a more fulfilled life.

Bill Johnson

Bethel Church, Redding, CA

Author of When Heaven Invades Earth

and God is Good

I t was a dark and gloomy night in Tarpon Springs, Florida, in 1984. My uncle had just passed away from cancer. The family had gathered in his wifes home for a meal and a time to remember his life. This is very common in my Greek culture. I vividly remember everyone wearing black to show their mourning. The house was packedso packed there was no room to sit in the living room so I sat there on the floor, taking in the somber and tear-filled atmosphere. The women were serving the men their food, which is the way things are in our culture. There I was, sitting at my dads feet. I felt safe there. My dad is a strong mana military man with a law degree and a successful business. He is a mans man, raised in Gary, Indiana, which was one of the toughest and most dangerous cities in America at the time. I still remember hearing the wailing over my deceased uncle coming from the women. It was such a sad moment. Death has its way of lingering and permeating the lives of those who dont know Jesus. Its darkness is feared for that reason. Death can be felt.