Who is The Holy Spirit ?

Knowing more about the Holy Spirit

INTRODUCTION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

I. THE TRINITY

  • A There is one God manifested in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (1 Timothy 3:16).
  • B. I think the term "triunity" more clearly indicates the "Three-in-One" aspect of the Godhead.
  • C. In Hebrew, the singular word for God is El, the dual tense is Elah, and to indicate three or more the word Elohim is used. Elohim is the word translated "God" in Genesis 1:1.

    • II. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A PERSON.

    A. The Holy Spirit is thought by some to be an "essence" or "power" of God rather than a separate person, because "ruach", the Hebrew word for Spirit, also means breath, and "pneuma", the Greek word for Spirit, also means wind or air. We as Christians know He is a person. The early Church scholar, Arias, caused division with his declaration that God the Father was the only true God, that Jesus was a created being, and the Holy Spirit was only an essence. This doctrine is known as the Arian heresy.

    B. The Holy Spirit has the characteristics of a person
  • 1. I Corinthians 2:10-11 - the Holy Spirit searches and has knowledge.
  • 2. I Corinthians 12:11 - the Holy Spirit distributes gifts as He wills.
  • 3. Romans 8:27 - He has a mind.
  • 4. Romans 15:30 - He loves us.
  • 5. John 15:26, 16:13- He testifies of Jesus and exalts the Father and Son over Himself.
  • 6. Personal pronouns are used when referring to the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17, John 16:7-15). "Comforter" in John 14:16 is "parakletos" which means "One who comes alongside of to help". The Holy Spirit is always with us ready to help when we ask Him to.
    • C. Personal acts are ascribed to the Holy Spirit.

  • 1. Acts 13:2 - the Holy Spirit speaks.
  • 2. Romans 8:26 - the Holy Spirit intercedes for us.
  • 3. I John 2:20-27. John 14:26 - He teaches us.
  • 4. Acts 16:6-7 - the Holy Spirit guides Paul, sometimes forbidding things.
  • 5. Genesis 6:3 - the Spirit strives with man.
    • D. The Holy Spirit can receive treatment as a person.

  • 1. Ephesians 4:30 - He can be grieved by us.
  • 2. Hebrews 10:29 - We can insult Him.
  • 3. Acts 5:3 - He can be lied to.
  • 4. Matthew 12:31-32 - He can be blasphemed.
    • E. The Holy Spirit is identified with the Father and the Son as a person.

  • 1. Matthew 28:19 - He is named with the Father and Son in baptism.
  • 2. 2 Corinthians 13:14 - He is named with the Father and Son in benediction.
  • 3. Acts 15:28 - He is identified with the believers as a person.

    • THE DEITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

    I. THE TRINITY IN THE SHEMA.
  • A. The Shema, the foundation stone of Judaism, is found in Deuteronomy 6:4.
  • 1. The Hebrew word for God in the plural, "Elohim", is used here again.
  • 2. The Hebrew word for "one" is "echad" which is a compound unity rather than the word "yacheed" which is an absolute one.

    • II ATTRIBUTES OF GOD IN THE HOLY SPIRIT.
  • A. God is eternal. Hebrews 9:14 speaks of "the eternal Spirit."
  • B. God is omniscient (Acts 15:18). Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:10-11 says the things of God are known only by the Spirit.
  • C. God is omnipresent. In Psalm 139:7 David says the Spirit is everywhere.
  • D. God is omnipotent. In Luke 1:35 the angel speaks of the Holy Spirit as the power of the Highest.

    • III. WORKS OF GOD IN THE HOLY SPIRIT.

  • A. The Spirit was active in creation.
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  • 1. In Genesis 1:1 the plural word for God, "Elohim", indicates that the Trinity worked together.
  • 2. Genesis 1:2 speaks of the Spirit moving on the face of the waters.
  • 3. Genesis 1:26 gives us a glimpse of the Trinity working in harmony to create man. "Let Us make man in Our image."
  • 4. Psalm 104:30 also speaks of the Spirit's part in creation.

  • B. The Spirit gives life.
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  • 1. In 2 Corinthians 3:6, Paul says the letter of the law kills, but the Spirit gives life.
  • 2. In John 6:63 Jesus also says that the Spirit makes us alive.
  • 3. Romans 8:10.
  • C. The Holy Spirit inspired the Bible. 2 Peter 1:21 declares that "holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
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  • D. The Holy Spirit works with the Father and the Son. 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 speaks of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the ministries of the Church.
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  • IV. SCRIPTURES RELATING GOD AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.
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  • A. There are some Scriptures in the Old Testament that refer to God. In the New Testament the same Scriptures are ascribed to the Holy Spirit, which means they are one God.
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  • 1. Isaiah 6:8-10 refers to God speaking. Acts 28:25-27 quotes the same verse, but says the Holy Spirit said it.
  • 2. In Jeremiah 31:31-33 God made a covenant. In Hebrews 10:15-17 it says the Holy Spirit made the covenant.
  • 3. Psalm 95:7-11 speaks of hearing God's voice. Hebrews 3:7-9 refers to the Holy Spirit speaking there.

  • B. There are some Scriptures that refer to the Holy Spirit as God.
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  • 1. Acts 5:1-11 tells the story of Ananias and Sapphira who "lied to the Holy Ghost." Peter also says, "Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." Peter equated the Holy Spirit with God.
  • 2. In 2 Corinthians 3:17-18, Paul speaks of the Lord as the Spirit and makes a direct association of One with the Other.

  • V. GOD DEALS WITH US BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.
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  • A. We deal with God through Jesus (John 14:13 and Hebrews 4:16). God deals with us through the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:16).
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  • B. When we exist on the fleshly level, we are ruled by our bodies, and our souls and spirits are in second and third place. When we are born again, our spirits are moved to the dominant position and the Holy Spirit takes control. He helps us to conform to the image of Christ.

    • THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE LIFE OF THE BELIEVER

    I. THE HOLY SPIRIT AS HELPER

    The Holy Spirit is a helper Who comes alongside us to guide us in our Christian walk (John 14:16).

    II. THE HOLY SPIRIT AS TEACHER

    The Holy Spirit is our Teacher (John 14:26, 1 John 2:27, 1 Corinthians 2:13,14).

  • A. When we are born again, we enter the dimension of the Spirit. In this dimension, we can be taught by Him to understand the things of God that are beyond the reach of our experience or intellect (2 Corinthians 4:18).
  • B. The Holy Spirit brings the Scriptures that we have read or heard to our remembrance (John 14:26). It is so good to have the right Scripture come to mind when we need it.

    • III. THE HOLY SPIRIT AS GUIDE

    The Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth (John 16:12-13).

  • A. He will give us the discernment to judge between true and false teachings.
  • B. If we will open our hearts and read the Bible with the Spirit as our Guide, we will not stray from the truth and we will have all we need to live the Christian life (2 Peter 1:3).
    • IV. THE HOLY SPIRIT IN PROPHECY

    The Holy Spirit will show us things to come (John 16:13). The Spirit will help us to understand the prophecies in the books of Daniel and Revelation and Ezekiel. Since we are living in the last days, these prophecies are becoming more clear each day.

    THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE LIFE OF THE BELIEVER

    I. THE PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT
  • A. Acts 1:4-5 contains the promise by the Father to give the Holy Spirit to the believers.
  • B. In Joel 2:28, the Father said that in the last days He would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh.

    • II. THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT
  • A. In Acts 1:8 we learn that the Holy Spirit gives us the power to live the Christian life as a witness for God.
  • 1. It is impossible to live the Christian life without the power of the Spirit within us (Romans 7:15-25, Galatians 5:17-18, Matthew 26:41).
  • 2 Jesus Christ is our example of the witness that we should be (John 14:8-9).
  • 3. The word "power" in Greek is "dunamis" from which we derive the English word "dynamic".
  • 4. The true witness lives his faith.
  • B. Before Peter received the power of the Holy Spirit, he was afraid to be identified with Jesus (Mark 14:53-72) even though he wanted to (Mark 14:27-31). After he received the power, he witnessed boldly to the same group of people who had tried Jesus (Acts 4:5-23), even telling them that there was no salvation apart from Christ. Then when Peter went back to the Christians, they prayed for greater boldness (v. 23-31).
  • C. We must allow the Holy Spirit to change us within, rather than trying to change the outside ourselves and then hoping we will change within (Romans 8) As we yield each area of our lives to the Spirit, He conforms us into the image of Christ.