I like that last thought of yours that "the word is the vehicle for the spirit." The Holy Spirit doesn't impose or override our own spirit and life as a unique human being. It works in partnership with us to wash away our sinful nature and replace it with the nature of Christ. We have a responsibility to stir up the gift of the Holy Spirit within us (II Tim. 1: 6-7) by consuming God's Word, the Holy Bible and the Word (Jesus Christ). We can't just sit back and expect transformation to happen without doing our part in the process.
And you're right - we can reject the Holy Spirit or just cause Him to be inactive or dormant in our lives through own free will choice. God will never force us to choose life, and His way of life is not for everyone.
We need to allow the Word of God to shine the spotlight on our sinfulness, seek forgiveness and repentance, and allow the power of God within us to transform our thoughts and hearts. That's what true life is all about: the Holy Spirit unites with our spirit to produce the fruits of God's character (love, joy, peace...).
I think where we struggle, at least where I struggle, is our relationship with Jesus is unlike any other relationship we have in our lives. He is not physically here talking to us, encouraging us, and embracing us like He did when He was in the flesh with the original disciples. It is a spiritual relationship because "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24) as you noted in your posting.
We commune with God in the spiritual realm by the power of His Spirit living within us. The Comforter is there to help us absorb the Word of God that yields faith in our hearts and minds to believe and obey our Lord and Savior. He will answer all our prayers and questions in due time, and we can have an interactive conversation with Him at all times in our hearts and minds. As we take in more of God's Word and really allow it to change us, we become more At-One with Christ Jesus - it's a relationship completely different from any other we experience in this life.
Wonderful truth brother think in all the Bible how God does his work with mankind
He creates in his own image and likeness and then blesses Adam and Eve gives them the entire earth as a home to rule and thrive upon where they can fellowship with him but even from the e beginning we see the vehicle he has always and forever used
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
John 1:1 KJV
in all of creation mankind is who words are for we communicate by words , hear and grasp and understand concepts through words . Convey information in words ect
sire animals can indersrsnd us on some level but not like humans and God use and rewuire words to communicate
we are uniquely designed to operate only by hearing the lord trusting him and following after his voice knowing it’s the truth
this is and has always been our life when we refuse his word we surely die this also has always been
“And the LORD
God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but
of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou
shalt surely die.”
Genesis 2:16-17 KJV
Thisnword is meant to keep him safe because he’s designed to just trust what he’s been told by God if he does he would. Ever eat the fruit it’s certain death God said but there’s always a deception which follows his word
“And
the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
And when
the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and
a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
( thier perception of God changes instantly )
And
they heard the voice of the LORD God ( still the word they are hearing ) walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and
Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And the LORD
God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And
he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.”
Genesis 3:4-6, 8-10 KJV
remember just before this
“And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and
brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.( he gave Adam dominion you can see his agency here god is operating creation through Adam and his will being in fellowship with God teaching man but letting man rule his kingdom as well guiding them if only they would heed him )
And
they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.”
Genesis 2:19, 25 KJV
now all the sudden they are ashamed and afraid of gods presence. god has just blessed them and given the dominion to rule came and fellowshipped with them
It’s always been the same from Eden to the law to the gospel of we will hear what the lord is telling us will save our lives it really will it’s just hard for us to accept what he’s saying it’s always been an issue since he told Adam about the forbidden fruit
he hears it but then another option comes along more liberal but the trick is whatever God said is the one sure outcome
for us we find it here in what he’s said to all of us
“And he said unto them,
Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;
but he that
believeth not shall be damned.”
Mark 16:15-16 KJV
adam he told about the fruit , israel he told about good and evil sin and death blessing and cursing the gospel he’s told everyone his words of eternal life and he has shouted from the ends of the world proclaiming “ hear me and believe and live “
“But he answered and said, It is written,
Man shall not
live by bread alone, but by
every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
Matthew 4:4 KJV
Its the source of mans life and his mouth has spoken we can eat from the tree of life again now all through the hearing of faith
“Verily, verily, I say unto you,
He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me,
hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
John 5:24 KJV