We seem to talk a lot about God and Jesus, but what about the Holy Spirit? Understanding how exactly the Trinity works can be confusing. Who is the Holy Spirit? It is easy to take Him for granted and not see how important He is to our daily faith. Let's take a look at what the Bible says about who He is and hopefully clear up any confusion.
Who Is The Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is the third Person who makes up the Trinity. We must remember that He is not a thing or an "it," but that He has a separate personality just as God and Jesus do. He is not just a force or some sort of power like electricity. We know this because of the characteristics that the Bible says He has.
He Speaks-"And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”' Acts 8:29
He Thinks-"All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills." 1 Corinthians 12:11
He Has Emotions- "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." Ephesians 4:30
He Has Relationships- "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." 2 Corinthians 13:14
The Holy Spirit Is Fully God
The Holy Spirit is God, not just a part of God. He has always been with the Father and Son in eternity. He is everywhere and has always existed.
He Was A Part Of The Creation Process- "The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." Genesis 1:2
He Is Referred To As God- In Acts 5:3-4 Peter says this to Ananias and Sapphira when confronting them about lying: "But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” Acts 5: 3-4
"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." Romans 8:14
The Bible Was Written Through Him- "For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." 2 Peter 1:21
What The Holy Spirit Does
The Holy Spirit has many jobs that He fulfills in our lives. He helps us more than many of us realize. His role in our spiritual lives can often be overlooked, but there is no mistake that He makes a difference in us!
He Convicts Us Of Sin- “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.”John 16:8
He Regenerates The Repentant- "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” Titus 3:5
He Helps Us Understand The Bible- "The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Corinthians 2:14
He Guides Us- “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth.” John 16:13
He Helps Us In Our Weakness And Intercedes For Us In Prayer- "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." Romans 8:26
By Him, We Can Bear His Fruits- "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23
He Gives Us His Power To Live For God And Witness To Others-“That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man.” Ephesians 3:16 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8
He Bears Witness For Us-“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” Romans 8:16
He Seals Us For Heaven- "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." Ephesians 4:30
How does knowing Who the Holy Spirit is, change us and how we live? When we become Christians, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us, and through Him, we are capable of resisting temptations and understanding God's Word. He also gives us hope for our future in Heaven with God. When we listen for His voice and let Him guide us we can live a joy-filled life for God!
Take a listen to this beautiful song about the Holy Spirit and share this post with friends you know who need to hear this truth!