Whilst Dr Walter Wilson was saved December 21st, 1896, he did not personally become acquainted with the Holy Spirit until January 14th, 1914. After he was saved, Walter had a deep love for the scriptures yet it bothered him that his life did not seem to bear spiritual fruit. In 1913 he was challenged by a missionary with the question  “What is the Holy Spirit to you?” Wilson answered “He is one of the persons of the Godhead, a Teacher, a Guide; the third person of the trinity”.

“He is just as great,” the missionary said, “just as precious, just as needed as the other two Persons  of the Trinity. But you still have not answered my question, What is He to you?”

“He is nothing to me”, Wilson said, surprised at his own candour. “I have no contact with Him, no personal relationship, and get along quite well without Him”. His visitor replied, “it is because of this that your life is so fruitless even though your efforts are so great. The missionary’s words taunted Wilson into the next year. He wanted to bear the fruit of the Spirit but feared becoming a fanatic, giving an inferior place to Jesus Christ by overly exalting the Holy Spirit. On January 14th, 1914 everything changed when Wilson heard Dr James Gray, later to become President of Moody Bible Institute preach a sermon on Romans 12:1

Gray asked, “Have you noticed that this verse does not tell us to whom we should give our bodies? It is not the Lord Jesus…..He has his own body. It is not God the Father….He remains upon His throne. Another has come to earth without a body….God gives you the privilege and indescribable honour of presenting your bodies to the Holy Spirit, to be His dwelling place on earth”.

Wilson reported later that he said to the Holy Spirit, “My Lord, I have mistreated You all my Christian life. I have treated you like a servant….I shall do so NO more. Now I give you this body of mine ; from my head to my feet……………., I hand over to YOU for YOU to live in it the life that YOU please.

Walter Wilson , the “beloved physician” often testified, “With regard to my own experience with the Holy Spirit, I may say that the transformation in my life on JAN 14th 1914, was greater , much greater than the change that took place when I was saved DEC 21st 1896.

Dr Wilson died in 1969 after a life of amazing service as a physician (1904 – 1912), General Manager (1912 – 1920) and then President (1926 -1928) of a major corporation. He founded the Kansas City Bible Institute in 1932 which became the Kansas City Bible College when he became President. He hosted a daily Bible exposition broadcast on two radio stations in Kansas City 1933-1944, one rated the most popular radio program in the area. But above all he considered Holy Spirit guided “soul winning” his prime task since handing over his life to the guidance of the Holy Spirit in 1914.

What is your answer to the question, “What is the Holy Spirit to you?”