The Encounter Podcast with David Diga Hernandez

Episode: The Truth About Not Feeling the Holy Spirit
Date: February 16, 2026
Main Theme: Exploring what it means to not "feel" the Holy Spirit, and what God is doing during seasons of perceived spiritual distance.

Overview

In this episode, David Diga Hernandez addresses a common struggle among believers: periods when they do not "feel" the presence of the Holy Spirit. He unpacks why these seasons occur, what God is accomplishing in them, and how Christians can respond faithfully. Rooted in scripture and deeply pastoral in tone, David encourages listeners to rely not on emotion, but on steadfast faith, while offering rich biblical insight into spiritual growth through trials.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Why Don’t You Always Feel the Holy Spirit?

• [00:16] David opens by confronting the worry and confusion many experience when they don't sense God’s presence.
• He questions common fears (“Is God mad at you? Was everything before just emotion?”) and reassures listeners that the Holy Spirit never truly abandons us.

2. Living by Faith, Not Feelings

• [01:30] “He’s teaching you to live by faith. You can’t live by faith if all you’re ever doing is relying upon your feelings.”
  • Scripture Reference: James 1:2-4—trials are opportunities for joy and growth.
• Faith is what remains when feelings and enthusiasm wane. God matures believers through difficulty, allowing them to develop endurance and a stable identity in Him.
• Notable Quote:

  “Faith is what remains when feeling fades away. Faith is what remains when enthusiasm fades away. Faith is what remains when your emotions are no longer stirred.” (03:45)

3. Growth Through Trials

• [04:15] Personal anecdotes illustrate how overcoming trials increases faith, which makes subsequent challenges appear less overwhelming.
• “As your faith grows, your problems begin to shrink.” (05:42)

4. God Is Drawing You into Deeper Awareness

• [06:01] David clarifies that though believers are always united with the Holy Spirit, trials deepen awareness, surrender, and love for God.

• “You’re working from union with God, not for union with God.” (06:24)

• God’s seeming withdrawal is not abandonment, but an invitation to deeper intimacy.
• Scripture Reference: Acts 17:27 - God desires all to seek Him.
• Scripture Reference: Jeremiah 29:13 - “If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.”

5. Correcting Negative Attitudes and Bitterness

• [09:11] Sometimes disappointments produce bitterness or feelings of entitlement; David urges listeners to return to God’s promises.
• Notable Quote:

  “If you search for Him wholeheartedly, you will find Him. No disclaimers, no explanations, no cheaping out on you. That is a promise you can bank on.” (10:04)

• Any claims of seeking but not finding God contradict His word.

6. The God Who Speaks in a Whisper

• [12:00] Scripture Reference: 1 Kings 19:11-12—God appeared to Elijah not in wind, earthquake, or fire, but in a gentle whisper.
• Notable Reflection:

  “If God was in the wind, the prophet would have no choice but to be blown away... But God was in the whisper. And because He whispered, the prophet had to choose to respond.” (12:24)

• The whisper requires closeness and attention; God leads, not leaves, during these times.

7. From Desperation to Holy Desire

• [13:45] David distinguishes between spiritual hunger and spiritual desperation, emphasizing pursuit out of love rather than lack.
• Notable Quote:

  “As a lifestyle, I believe in spiritual hunger, not spiritual starvation.” (14:23)

• God uses “holy desire” to draw believers back to fervent prayer and uncompromised devotion.

8. Seasons of Purification

• [15:06] Scripture Reference: Hosea 10:12—Seeking God brings mercy and righteousness.
• Seeking God weakens the sin nature and transforms one’s character. Distraction and boredom in prayer are symptoms of a strong flesh, which diminishes as one persists in seeking God.
• Notable Quote:

  “For every moment you are seeking Him, you are being transformed... Whether you feel it or not, whether you realize it or not…something is changing.” (16:05)

• God sometimes withdraws emotional or sensory “feeling” of His presence to prompt deeper pursuit and purification.

9. The Divine Test: Revealing the Heart

• [17:00] Scripture Reference: 2 Chronicles 32:31—God withdrew from Hezekiah to test him.
• Scripture Reference: Psalm 105:19—God tested Joseph’s character before fulfilling his dreams.
• These tests reveal true motives and faithfulness: do we love God for God, or only for pleasant experiences?
• Notable Reflection:

  “What you do when you feel like God is at a distance reveals who you truly are in your character, in your nature.” (17:16)

Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “Faith is what remains when filling fades away.” — David Diga Hernandez [03:45]
• “…You’re working from union with God, not for union with God.” [06:24]
• “If you search for Him wholeheartedly, you will find Him. No disclaimers…” [10:04]
• “If God was in the wind, the prophet would have no choice but to be blown away… But God was in the whisper. And because He whispered, the prophet had to choose to respond.” [12:24]
• “As a lifestyle, I believe in spiritual hunger, not spiritual starvation.” [14:23]
• “For every moment you are seeking Him, you are being transformed.” [16:05]
• “What you do when you feel like God is at a distance reveals who you truly are…” [17:16]

Important Timestamps

• [00:16] - David opens the topic: “Why don’t I feel the Holy Spirit?”
• [01:30] - Teaching on faith vs. feeling, James 1:2-4
• [06:01] - On “getting closer to God” and union with the Spirit
• [09:11] - Addressing spiritual discouragement and bitterness
• [12:00] - Teaching from 1 Kings: God speaks in a whisper
• [13:45] - Spiritual hunger vs. spiritual desperation
• [15:06] - Purification through seeking God, Hosea 10:12
• [17:00] - God’s purpose in testing, 2 Chronicles 32:31, Psalm 105:19

Conclusion

David Diga Hernandez’s episode powerfully reframes seasons of spiritual dryness as essential times of growth, purification, intimacy, and testing. Listeners are encouraged to trust God’s nearness, rely on faith rather than emotion, and pursue Him relentlessly, knowing that “every moment you are seeking Him, you are being transformed” (16:05). The episode is deeply pastoral, rooted in scripture, and offers tangible hope and direction for anyone struggling not to “feel” the Holy Spirit.