The Holy Spirit

John 14:16-18 – And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

John 15:26-27 – But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

Of the three persons in the Godhead, the Holy Spirit is the one most misunderstood. I’ve heard someone describe Him as just a “force”; and from conversations I’ve had with people, it is obvious that people do not really understand the Person of the Holy Spirit and how He plays out or functions in the life of a believer.

I really do hope this post will bring light to someone who has only a little understanding of the Holy Spirit.

WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?

a. The Holy Spirit is GOD. He is the third person in the Trinity. He isn’t just a force or “energy”. He is God Himself. He’s not less than God, the Father or God the Son, because He is mentioned as the “third” in the Trinity. No, He is the Spirit of GOD. He is GOD Himself.

• Acts 5:3-4 – But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

• 1 John 5:7 – For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

b. He has been from the beginning.

• We see Him at creation – Genesis 1:2 - And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

• We hear of Him coming upon people of old.

• Bezaleel – Exodus 31, 2-5; Saul – 1 Samuel 10:6, 9-10; David – 1 Samuel 16:13; John the Baptist – Luke 1:41-42; Zacharias – Luke 1:67, etc.

c. He is the Spirit of God; the Spirit of the Living Christ

• 1 John 4:2 – Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

• Romans 8:9 – But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

• 1 Peter 1:11 - Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

d. He is the Spirit of Life – Romans 8:2 - For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

e. He is described as:

• A Wind – to describe His unpredictable nature

- Genesis 1:2 - And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
- John 3:8 - The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

• Water – to denote His ability to fulfill your deepest longings and thirst for God.

- John 4:14 - But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
- John 7:37-39 - In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

• A Dove – to symbolize His gentility – Mark 1:10 – And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:

…and to symbolize a new beginning – Genesis 8:8-12.

• A Covering / Clothing / “Comes upon” – refers to the power that He gives to us.

- Acts 1:8 – But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

• Tongues of Fire – representing Holiness

- Acts 2:3 – And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
- Exodus 3:2-5; Exodus 13:21-22; Exodus 24:17; Exodus 40:36-38.

• Guarantee or Pledge of our Inheritance – He guarantees that the totality of what has been promised to us someday will be fulfilled.

- Ephesians 1:14 – Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
- 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 – Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
- Romans 8:30 – Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

• A Seal – Christians are sealed by God with the Holy Spirit.

- Ephesians 1:13 – In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.
- Ephesians 4:30 – And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

WHAT ARE HIS TITLES?

• Comforter (Parakletos) – John 14:16, 26; 15:26. – also means: Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Counselor, Strengthener, Standby.

• The Spirit of Truth (Revealer) – 1 Corinthians 2:12-16; John 14:17.

• Teacher – John 14:26; 1 Corinthians 2:11-13.

• Indwelling Spirit – Romans 8:9-11; John 14:17.

• The Spirit of Christ – 2 Corinthians 3:17; Romans 8:9.

• The Spirit of Life – Romans 8:2.

• The Spirit of Holiness – Romans 1:4.

• Author of Scripture – 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21.

• Guide – John 16:13.

• Witness – John 16:13; Romans 8:16; Hebrews 2:4; Hebrews 10:15.

• Seal / Guarantor / Deposit / Earnest – Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Corinthians 5:5; 2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 4:30.

• Convicter of sin – John 16:7-11.

WHAT ARE SOME OF HIS ROLES IN A BELIEVERS’ LIFE?

• He's the reason behind our salvation.

- He is the one who convicts of us of our sin – John 16:8.
- And if doesn’t do that, we cannot come to Christ – John 6:44.
- We are saved by the renewing of the Holy Ghost – Titus 3:5; He sanctifies us – 1 Corinthians 6:11; Romans 1:4.
- Except one is born of the Spirit, He cannot be saved – John 3:5-8.

• He helps us live a godly life. He produces godly fruit in us, so that we can have godly characters – Galatians 5:22-23.

• He assures us of our salvation from time to time – Romans 8:16.

• He helps us to pray according to the will of God – Romans 8:26-27.

• He strengthens us in weakness – Romans 8:26.

• He leads and guides us – Romans 8:14.

• He teaches us – John 14:26.

• He reveals God’s detailed purpose for our lives to us – 1 Corinthians 2:9-16.

• He comforts us – John 14:26; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.

• He helps us to understand God’s word when we read it – John 16:13.

• He enables us to do special things through His coming upon us – 1 Corinthians 12:1-11.

• He confirms the truth of Jesus to us and helps us to bring glory to Him – Romans 1:4; 1 Corinthians 12:3; John 16:14.

• He assures us of our eternal security – Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 4:30.

• He refreshes us with love and hope – Romans 5:5.

• He helps to witness Christ – Acts 1:8.

Nourish Your Spirit