THE PERSON OF THE HOLY GHOST
Once you are saved, you have received a new life.
John 10:10 (King James Version)
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
However, it is very important to know that you cannot live this life with your own strength, it is Jesus living in you by the Holy Ghost, who enables and empowers you to live that life.
Ephesians 3:16-17 (King James Version)
16That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
The person of the Holy Spirit is vital to the existence of the Christian. Even our Lord Jesus Christ himself as a man, he had to have the Holy Ghost in order to accomplish his earthly ministry. As a matter of fact, Jesus would not have been born without the Holy Ghost.
Matthew 1: 18
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
Luke 1:35
And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
It was only after the Holy Spirit came into the life of Jesus that His ministry and the miraculous began. Jesus was 100% God, but he was also 100% man. He was THE SON of God, but he was also called the son of David and the son of man.
In John 1, after being baptized by water by his cousin John the Baptist, Jesus as a man receives the Holy Ghost.
John 1: 32-34
32And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
33And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
34And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
After Jesus receives the Holy Ghost, in the next chapter, Jesus performs his very first miracle, recorded in the Bible, turning water into wineat a marriage in Cana of Galilee.
John 2:11
This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
Today, what makes the difference between Christianity and all the religions of the world is the presence and power of the Holy Ghost that resides in the church-which is the body of Christ.
So let’s look at who is the person of the Holy Ghost and what is his ministry in and through the church of Jesus Christ. A child of God needs to know these things because they are of the utmost importance. Knowing the Holy Ghost is vital if we must walk in all the fullness of the provision of our heavenly father here on earth.
WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?
The Holy Spirit is a person; He is not some smoke or cloud. He is not a physical light. He is not a thing, He is not an animal. Yes I have said it, the Holy Ghost IS NOT A DOVE.
John 1:32
And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
What John said was that he saw the Holy Ghost descend from heaven while he was baptizing Jesus. He saw the Holy Spirit descend as a dove descends. John never said that the Holy Ghost was a dove, or looked like a dove. What he said was that the Holy Ghost descended like a dove would descend from heaven.
The power of the Holy Spirit is the power by which God made the whole world.
Job 26:13
By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed t e crooked serpent.
Genesis 1:1-3
1In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2And 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.
3And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
The Holy Ghost is the one who garnished the heavens. It is only after the Holy Ghost moved upon the face of the waters, that God spoke the world into existence. When God speaks, the Holy Spirit is the One who brings it to pass. In other words, He is the doer of the things of God. So when God wants to do something in your life today, it will have
to be by the Holy Spirit. This is why it is so vital for every Christian, man and women of God to know the Holy Ghost.
The Holy Ghost is the third person in the Godhead
Although the word “trinity” is no where to be found in the Bible, it describes a powerful truth about the nature and personality of God. The trinity depicts the Godhead that operates in three personalities yet one.
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.
John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:14
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
The Godhead comprises God the Father, God the Son (the word made flesh, our Lord Jesus) and God the Holy Ghost (the Holy Spirit). It is therefore important to note that in
discussing the person of the Holy Spirit; we are invariably discussing the whole personality of the Godhead.
The Holy Ghost is the first person revealed but the third and last person of the Trinity to be known by us. He is not the third person in rank in the Godhead. There is no competition in the Godhead. When you pray to the Father, you are praying to the Son and the Holy Ghost. When you worship Jesus, you are worshipping the Father and the Holy Spirit. When you call upon the Holy Ghost, you are calling upon the God the Father and the Son. God the Father is God, God the Son is God, and God the Holy Ghost is God. There is but ONE God.
Deuteronomy 6:4
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
The Holy Spirit is God
The Holy Spirit is the first to be introduced to us in Genesis 1:1-2.
Genesis 1:1-2
1In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2And 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.
In Verse 26 of the same chapter the Bible says:
Genesis 1;26
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Who was God the Father referring to? He was referring to the Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Ghost is one with the Father and the Son (1 John 5: 7); He is neither less important nor less powerful. He is God and co-equal with the Father and the Son. God the father is upon the throne in Heaven, so every thing He does He does by His Holy Spirit.
The Holy Ghost is omni present; He can be in different places at the same time doing different things without diminishing in quality or personality. This means He
can be fully present in one place and fully present in another all at the same time. It is this attribute that makes it possible for Him to be in you and with you at the same time. Because the Holy Ghost is omni present, He may come upon a believer in America causing him to speak in tongues and be with another believer in South America healing his body and yet with another believer in Europe giving him wisdom, all at the same time.
The Holy Spirit is a person
A human being is a spirit who has a soul and lives in a body. The mind of a person is the realm of the soul. A person has a will to determine or to take action, an intellect to understand and perceive emotions, and emotions to express feelings. Like a human person, the Holy Spirit has all three: a will, intellect, and emotions.
• His will is to dwell in us the body of Christ here on earth
2 Corinthians 6:16
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
1 Corinthians3:16
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
• He has unlimited knowledge, wisdom and intelligence
1 Corinthians 2: 10
But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
• He can be vexed, grieved, and express love and joy
Isaiah 63:10
But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.
Ephesians 4:30
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Rom 5: 5
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
He is not a cloud, smoke, fire or a tingling sensation, although we can feel his power. God the Holy Ghost is a person with feelings and emotions and He desires to have a relationship with you.
The Holy Spirit is a comforter
John 14:16
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
The words used here by Jesus, in the original Greek transcript of John is “Allos Parkletos.” The Greek words for the English word “another” are “Heteros” and “Allos.” ‘Heteros’ means ‘another of a different kind’ while Allos means ‘another One of the same kind’. The Greek word for the English word “comforter” is “Parakletos.” Jesus did not say “I will pray the Father, and he shall give you ‘Heteros- Parakletos.’ Jesus said ‘Allos-Parakletos.’ Litteraly, Jesus prayed the Father to send “Another of the same kind of comforter”. By this we understand that the Holy Spirit is Just like Jesus in character and acts: He looks like Him, loves like Him, cares like Him and talks like Him.
Colossians 3:1
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God
John 14:18
I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Matthew 28:20
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Jesus Christ sits on the right hand of God the Father. When Jesus told His disciples that He would not leave them comfortless but will come to them, when He told them that He would be with them always, even unto the end of the world, he was telling them that they will not miss His presence because when the Holy Spirit comes, He will bring to them the presence of Jesus and will continue the work Jesus started in and through the disciples. Jesus is present with us the believers through the Holy Ghost.
