Hillsong Worship - Oh Holy Spirit Lyrics
Lyrics
Oh Holy Spirit
Spirit of God
Purifying fire
Transforming power
Oh Holy Spirit
Overwhelm my heart
And let Your presence fall
Lord let Your power fall
Let Your presence fall on me
Oh Holy Spirit
Spirit of grace
Sanctifying fire
Refining flame
Oh Holy Spirit
Saturate my soul
Video
Open Heaven (River Wild) Lyric Video - Hillsong Worship
Meaning & Inspiration
Hillsong Worship's "Oh Holy Spirit," featured on their 1993 live album *Stone's Been Rolled Away*, stands as a profound invocation and celebration of the Third Person of the Trinity. While specific detailed accounts of the song's origin story are not readily available, its enduring presence within the Hillsong repertoire and its widespread adoption in worship settings speak to a powerful, universally understood need to acknowledge and invite the presence of the Holy Spirit. The song’s core message resonates deeply with the scriptural emphasis on the Spirit as the active, empowering force of God in the lives of believers. From its opening, the song directs our focus to the very essence of God's ongoing work among us, moving beyond the historical events of salvation to the present reality of His indwelling power.
The lyrical and thematic depth of "Oh Holy Spirit" centers on recognizing the Holy Spirit not as a passive concept, but as a vital, dynamic presence essential for Christian life and witness. The song articulates a desire for the Spirit’s fullness, echoing the apostles’ plea for boldness and empowerment as recorded in Acts 4:31, "After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly." This yearning for a tangible experience of the Spirit's presence is a recurring theme, reflecting the promise Jesus made to His disciples that the Holy Spirit would come and be with them forever (John 14:16). The song, in essence, is a prayer for this promised indwelling to manifest in transformative ways, enabling believers to live lives that honor God and reflect His kingdom.
Further exploring the message, "Oh Holy Spirit" underscores the Spirit’s role in both personal sanctification and corporate worship. It speaks to the internal work of the Spirit in transforming hearts and minds, aligning with Paul’s description in 2 Thessalonians 2:13 where he thanks God for choosing believers to be saved through the Spirit’s work of sanctification. Simultaneously, the song’s context on a live album suggests an outward expression of this inner reality, a collective outpouring of worship prompted by the Spirit. This resonates with the New Testament understanding of the Spirit as the source of spiritual gifts that build up the church (1 Corinthians 12:4-11). The song’s direct address to the Holy Spirit invites a response, a visitation that would equip and inspire those gathered, mirroring the fervent prayers for divine intervention found throughout Scripture. It’s a humble and direct appeal for God’s presence to move through His people, enabling them to be witnesses and conduits of His love and truth, a calling that echoes the Great Commission itself.