The Holy Spirit is an integral, supernatural element of the Trinity. Neither God nor Jesus created the Holy Spirit for the Spirit is One with God, yet a Divine Person, truly God, distinct from the Father and the Son. All of which is sacrosanct evidence of the Holy Trinity. As God and Jesus are eternal, so is the Holy Spirit. This, blended unity of perfection of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, is the Oneness of the Divine Godhead.
The Holy Spirit is so monumental to and for the salvation of the entire human race—that God Himself introduces Him to us in the second line of Genesis. “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” Throughout the King James version of the Old and New Testaments, the word “Spirit”—in capitalized form, appears over 520 times. Other, various titles describing the Spirit refer to particular characteristics like “Breath Of The Almighty” as found in Job 33, or “Spirit of Truth” in John 16, and “Spirit of holiness in Romans 8.
In Revelation, the last book of our Holy Bible, the Spirit and the bride say, “Come! And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.”
The Holy Spirit, also known as the Holy Ghost, is a bearer of many gifts, strength, and wisdom to strengthen and fortify Christians. These empowerments from the Spirit are obviously from God so faithful Christians can accomplish what He has called us to do. 2 Peter 1:3 says, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” Those freely given gifts of the Holy Spirit are components of everything “words, wisdom, and abilities” we need to carry out His plans for our lives and others. The Holy Spirit empowers God’s people. Zechariah 4:6 reads, “Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying, “This is the word of the Lord... ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ saith the Lord of hosts.”
1 John 5:7 says: For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. The Holy Spirit is the third person in the Godhead, and as such has many roles and purposes. So, let me share a few facts that you may or may not have known.
We need to recognize that the Holy Spirit can blend into any form, even an actual person whenever He wished to do so. Although the Holy Spirit has apparently never appeared on earth as a human, on three occasions the Spirit has entered an existing human body to speak and act to bring deliverance, affirmation, or judgment to bear in specific situations. The Bible mentions the apostles were spoken to by the Holy Spirit. Once, He spoke to separate Saul and Barnabas for the continuation of the ministry. There is also the account of the Holy Spirit forbidding Paul to go to Asia to preach the gospel. Paul also stated “the Holy Spirit was continually telling him, in city after city, what would happen if he traveled to Jerusalem. The Bible does not state exactly how that occurred.
That leads me to wonder about Balaam's donkey whom he struck three times and the animal spoke back. We can read in Numbers 22, how an angel armed with a sword blocked the path of that pagan prophet. We can read how an angel of the Lord opened the donkey's mouth, but it seems to me that the actual rebuttal from the jackass may have been spoken by the Holy Spirit. However, I admit, that there is no Scripture supporting that position, so we must leave it at that.
Do you think of the Holy Spirit as a person? Many people mistakenly believe the Holy Spirit is just a kind of unseen power or an invisible force. But the Bible tells us that he is a person, and not just any person—but God Himself. The Personhood/Godhood of the Holy Spirit is affirmed by His many works. We know this because we can label a being as a person once the attributes of a person are unmistakably demonstrated. Here are some evidentiary examples. The Holy Spirit has an intellectual mind, “Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:27). The Holy Spirit reasons with His mind and set his mind to perform God's missions. The Holy Spirit reveals He has a will. The Bible says, “One Spirit, the same Spirit, does all these things. The Spirit decides what (blessing) each person will receive” (1Cor 12:11). The Spirit decides and does what He chooses to do, just like any other person. The Holy Spirit speaks as most people do. There are several biblical references to His having spoken. One example is, Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot” (Acts 8:29).
The Holy Spirit speaks as most people do. There are several biblical references to His having spoken. One example is: Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot” (Acts 8:29). Also, the Holy Spirit has emotions similar to ours. He can feel, he can grieve, he can be saddened. The Bible says, “But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; So He turned Himself against them as an enemy, And He fought against them” (Isaiah 63:10). God warns us not to grieve Him. Zephaniah 3:17 states: In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and replied, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babies. . .”
By my way of thinking, if the Spirit can be grieved, then He can also be gladdened. He can love. However, within the pages of the Bible and internet searches, I cannot find an answer to the question of “What might gladden the Holy Spirit?” Now, as an integral element of the Holy Trinity, I can surmise that the Holy Spirit shares every joy that make Jesus or God the Father smile.
The Holy Spirit guides us, according to Romans 8:14, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” John 14:26 reports the Holy Spirit is, “...the Comforter, who is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 16:8 tells us “When the Helper comes, he will show the people of the world how wrong they are about sin, about being right with God, and about judgment.” In fewer words that means—He convicts us to have faith in Jesus.
Isaiah 59, after amplifying our many shortfalls and sin, moves to what will befall our enemies. This chapter ends with God's promise: “The Lord says, “As for me, this is the agreement that I will make with these people. I promise my Spirit that I put on you and my words that I put in your mouth will never leave you. They will be with you and your children and your children’s children, for now and forever.” The New Testament Acts 8:29-31 shows the Holy Spirit directing Philip to teach. “The Spirit said to Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” So he went toward the chariot, and he heard the man reading from Isaiah the prophet. Philip asked him, “Do you understand what you are reading?” The man answered, “How can I understand? I need someone to explain it to me.” Then he invited Philip to climb in and sit with him.
First Corinthians 2 imparts a beautiful message with verses 9-12; None of the rulers of this world understood this wisdom. If they had understood it, they would not have killed our great and glorious Lord on a cross. But as the Scriptures say, “No one has ever seen, no one has ever heard, no one has ever imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” But God has shown us these things through the Spirit. The Spirit knows all things. The Spirit even knows the deep secrets of God.
It is like this: No one knows the thoughts that another person has. Only the person’s spirit that lives inside knows those thoughts. It is the same with God. No one knows God’s thoughts except God’s Spirit. We receive the Spirit from God, not the spirit of the world. We receive God’s Spirit so that we can know all that God has given us and all that the Almighty did, does and will do for us.
The Bible says when we are baptized in water we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 2:22 tells us, “... you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is the way God lives in his children. Yes, the Holy Spirit reveals God to us, for the Spirit searches all things of God. The Holy Spirit is a Divine Being who guides believers on their path to salvation. It is impossible to find a more knowledgeable guide to Christian living than the Holy Spirit. He was there before the universe was created, before Mary had even an inkling that she was to be the Virgin Mother of Jesus. Matthew 1:18 documents the birth of Jesus Christ. After Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with the Child of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was present at the miraculous conception, of Jesus, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and He is with us today. Right here, or there, or wherever you are.
Since the Holy Spirit is One within the Trinity, our Christian customs require baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in the name of Jesus, will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Then we can go forth and take God's Word to all the people of the world.
Who gives us more gifts than the mythical Santa Claus? If you answered, “the Holy Spirit,” you are 100% correct. First Corinthians 12:1-11 informs us that the Holy Spirit gives us gifts so we can better do His work. “Now, brothers and sisters, I want you to understand about spiritual gifts. You remember the lives you lived before you were believers. You let yourselves be influenced and led away to worship idols—things that have no life. So I tell you that no one who is speaking with the help of God’s Spirit says, “Jesus be cursed.” And no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” without the help of the Holy Spirit. There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but they are all from the same Spirit. There are different ways to serve, but we serve the same Lord. And there are different ways that God works in people, but it is the same God who works in all of us to do everything.”
Something from the Spirit can be seen in each Christian believer. The Holy Spirit gives these blessings to us so we in turn can help others. Remember, the Holy Spirit, Jesus, and God are One. Let's refer to Ephesians 4:9-13 for a moment. “Christ gave these gifts to people: He made some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to go and tell the Good News, and some to care for and teach God’s people. Christ gave these gifts to prepare God’s holy people for the work of serving, to make the body of Christ stronger. This work must continue until we are all joined together in what we believe and in what we know about the Son of God. Our goal is to become fully grown—to look and act just like Christ in His perfection.” Therein, as Christ bestowed a variety of abilities on the disciples, that is the same way the Holy Spirit continues to empower us today.
Doesn't America need honest, nonpartisan leadership and judges right now? With our laws fairly applied no matter what class or color any person is and justice should be distributed equitably and consistently. America's leadership and many everyday people need a huge dose of everything the Holy Spirit has to offer. Just imagine all the strife and disagreements that could be dissolved if the Holy Spirit blessed us like he did a new king in Isaiah 11. “The Lord’s Spirit will always be with that new king to give him wisdom, understanding, guidance, and power. The Spirit will help him to know and respect the Lord. He will find joy in obeying the Lord. This king will not judge people by the way things look, he will not judge by listening to rumors. He will judge the poor fairly and honestly. He will be fair when he decides what to do for the poor of the land. If he decides people should be beaten, he will give the command, and they will be beaten. If he decides people must die, he will give the command, and those evil people will be killed. Goodness and fairness will be like a belt he wears around his waist.”
Those words describe the gifts the Holy Spirit bestowed before the time of Jesus Christ's ministry on earth, as well as the blessings that await in our future. It was the “Spirit of the Lord” that had made men true honest judges before the reign of the future King David. Many gifts were bestowed, not the least of which was wisdom. “Wisdom,” in its highest form implies a total comprehension of the secret things of God and the judiciousness to discern the right thing to do, and the right words to say in every human relationship. These gifts show that Christ's kingdom is spiritual in nature, and administered in a spiritual manner abundantly furnished by the “Spirit of the Lord.”
Please note, all are not given the same gifts and a person may receive a combination of gifts. Holy Spirit gifts can be of three types, prophecy, power, and speaking. Paul instructed, “We all have different gifts. Each gift came because of the grace God gave us. Whoever has the gift of prophecy should use that gift in a way that fits the kind of faith they have” Romans 12.
1 Corinthians 12:8-10 says, “The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak with wisdom. And the same Spirit gives another the ability to speak with knowledge. The same Spirit imparts faith to one person and to another he bestows the gifts of healing. The Spirit grants one person the power to do miracles, to another the ability to prophesy, and to another the ability to judge what is from the Spirit and what is not. The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak in different kinds of languages, and to another the ability to interpret those communications.” The Holy Spirit's offered gifts are unique skills and abilities offered to the faithful in order to serve God for the common benefit of his people and Christ's Church. That message is reinforced by Ephesians 4:7, “But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Everyone received what the Holy Spirit wanted to give them.”
Take care not to misconstrue that last sentence. It does not say “everyone got what they wanted.”
But to each of us grace is given as the Holy Spirit desires to apportions it. Prophets, evangelists, pastors, and every day peopled are equipped for works of service. All this is done so that the body of Christ may increase until all believers obtain a unity of faith and knowledge of the Father and Spirit within the comforting, protective cloak of Christ.
Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 12:3-8, “God has given me a special gift, and that is why I have something to say to each one of you. Don’t think that you are better than you really are. You must see yourself just as you are. Decide who and what you are by the faith God has conferred. Each one of us has one body, and that body has many parts. These parts don’t all do the same thing. In the same way, we are many people, but in Christ we are all one body. We are the parts of that body, and each part belongs to all the others.”
We all have different gifts. Each blessing comes through the grace God. Whoever has the gift of prophecy should use that gift in a way that fits the kind of faith they have. Whoever has the gift of serving should serve. Whoever has the gift of teaching should teach. Whoever has the gift of comforting others should do that. Whoever has the gift of giving to help others should give generously. Whoever has the gift of leading should work hard at it. Whoever has the gift of showing kindness to others should do it gladly.
The assemblage of spiritual gifts given can be weaved together in significant variations. The amount and types of gifts you receive depend on the specific nature and number of ways in which God endows you to “armor up”—to carry your personal banner of Christian service. There are some differences of opinion on the exact nature and number of gifts that can be given by the Holy Spirit. This list of spiritual gifts, with a synopsis of their essential meanings, is offered for your consideration.
The Gift of Wisdom - to make the correct choices and provide guidance according to God's will.
The Gift of Knowledge - to have a comprehensive understanding of earthly or spiritual issues.
The Gift of Faith - to trust God and inspire others to trust God, no matter the severity of conditions.
The Gift of Healing - to use God's miraculous healing powers to cure persons who are afflicted or suffering.
The Gift of Miracles - to unfold signs that give credibility to God's Word and the Gospel message.
The Gift of Prophecy - to announce messages and events directed by God.
The Gift of Discerning Spirits - to recognize whether or not something is truly righteous from God.
The Gift of Tongues - to communicate via a language of which you have no experience.
The Gift of Interpreting Tongues - to translate speech and writings of different languages to others.
The Gift of Administration - to keep things orderly and in harmony with God's principles.
The Gift of Help - is a desire and capacity to assist others and lift them out of difficult circumstances.
The Bible can be your personal treasure chest. Upon each opening, you can see different facets evidencing God’s truth. Once wedded to the Holy Spirit, you are like a precious, multifaceted gemstone reflecting beauty from every given gift and blessing. Obviously, all of these gifts, in part and parcel, help us produce good fruit. Galatians 5:22-23 speaks of “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance: against such there is no law.”
As believers, we know Jesus walked the earth as the living Word of the Gospel. He suffered much for us and when He was resurrected He didn’t just abandon us. As Jesus ascended back to heaven, the Holy Spirit was stationed here on earth. Stop a moment and consider the tremendous sacrifices the Holy Ghost endures every day that he is away from God in heaven. The Holy Spirit helps produce good fruit in our lives. When we are filled with Him, He imparts peace and joy within our every fiber so that we can best carry out His work as God's children on earth. Yes, the Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts and minds. He accomplishes God's will through dreams, visions, and voices small or loud. The Spirit himself testifies that we are God’s children, so says Romans 8:16. This is a message we are to share with the whole world.
We know that when we sin, not if we sin, God's law and the Holy Spirit convict us of our sins unless we show true repentance and faith and are made righteous by the death and resurrection of Jesus. However, the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17). Do you want to experience freedom from sin? Then when you need the Holy Spirit, ask Him to strengthen you. He brings us true freedom, and without Him we are enslaved to sin.
Paul, in writing Ephesians 4:1-7, provided this warning, “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with long suffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”
The Holy Spirit is sorrowed by our sin. When we drop our godly characteristics by gossiping, acting rudely, or mistreating others the Holy Spirit is deeply saddened by our offense. We must guard that our words and actions do not offend God and weaken our testimony before others. That the Holy Spirit is not an unemotional person, he can be saddened by our actions or inaction. Therefore, we should think twice about what we intend to say or do.
Acts 10:38 assures us, “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost, and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil for God was with him.” As it was with Jesus, it is the Holy Ghost who conveys many good things or powers upon the believers. A person's anointing breaks the impossible burden of sin's shackling damnation, thus the transformation of a Christian's soul begins.
You are included in Christ when you hear and accept the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Ephesians 1:13–14 says, “It is the same with you. You heard the true message, the Good News about the way God saves you. When you heard that Good News, you believed in Christ. And in Christ, God put His special mark on you by giving you the Holy Spirit that he promised. The Spirit is the first installment that guarantees we will get all that God has for us. Then we will enjoy complete freedom as people who belong to him. The goal for all of us is to praise God in all His glory.” When you believe, you are marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is the deposit guaranteeing our salvation at the redemption of those who belong to God.
As stated in the beginning, the Holy Spirit is the third person of God. Within the Trinity, we may know only a little about the Holy Spirit or his importance—but all that we learn about Father God and His Son comes directly through the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a real, tangible power. He is God. And if you belong to Jesus Christ, He, as God’s Spirit, is in you. This Mighty Being can change your life beyond anything you might imagine. The Holy Spirit builds the Biblical foundation for understanding the Spirit’s multiple ministries. Many do not realize this “least understood” member of the Trinity can transform marriages, parents, children, siblings, churches, working relationships, and attitudes toward every aspect of life. Therefore, you should call on Him to do so! Then He will show you how to enjoy all His wonderful empowerment and abundance.
The Holy Spirit is our link to God the Father and God the Son here on earth. And as our God, the more we listen to the Holy Spirit the more we learn about God. The Old Testament evokes rich attributes when names or descriptive phrases are used. Have you heard of these; Spirit of God, Comforter, Holy Ghost, and Advocate? Sometimes His names offer details of dimensions and characteristics you might not have considered. One of the most well-known is the dove. But there are many more. Let's review a few of the different “designations” of the Spirit. Since the total list would be quite extensive, I will provide only a smattering here: Spirit of Counsel as in Isaiah, Eternal Spirit, as in Hebrews. Psalms 51 identifies Him as the Holy Spirit and Free Spirit. Nehemiah names Him the Good Spirit to make men wise. Ephesians says He is the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, 2 Corinthians says, “...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
Luke 1 tells of an angel speaking, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.” Luke 11 says your Father in heaven will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! In Psalms 143, he is to lead people over level ground, in other words, a guide. The Holy Ghost certainly is a “pathfinder for Christians,” for He searches our hearts and minds to fill them with the Spirit per the will of God. The Spirit intercedes and imparts attributes to shore up our weakness. We might not even know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself loosens our minds and tongues to lift us past our meaningless mumbling.
God's Law incarcerates us to an eternity in the grave. Jesus died for the sin of the world. The Holy Spirit leads us to salvation. John 16:7-15 exclaims the spoken words of Jesus: “But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment because the prince of this world now stands condemned.”
“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”
Yes, the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, but He doesn’t abandon us to wallow us in unrighteousness and evil-doings. He leads us to repentance. He opens our hearts so that we, in turn, can accept our blessed salvation of the Trinity by faith Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit is an indispensable, scripturally infallible supernatural Deity. Within the Trinity, and our lives, He is not some low-powered symbolic entity. The Bible recognizes His incredibly important blessings, in addtion to His spiritual engagements with us and the enemy. Just as he performed his miraculous works in the Old and New Testament, He is, to this very moment working in our lives to mold us into better, kinder Christians capable of improving our efforts dedicated to the work of the Lord.
According to the Bible, we are living in the days of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We aren’t living under the Old Covenant, and we aren’t living in the time of the Great Tribulation. We are living in a time where the Holy Spirit offers us everything of eternal value in this life and an eternity in heaven or on the New Earth. If we want to continue to follow Jesus, the Holy Spirit is there to guide and enlighten us. God gives us His Holy Ghost if we simply ask for it and be obedient. Once we become baptized disciples, we receive the Holy Spirit, He begins a work in us, to transform us into the image of Christ. Romans 8:29, from the 1599 Geneva Bible says, “For those which he knew before, he also predestined to be made like to the image of his Son, that he (they) might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
Paul wrote this to the Galatians some twenty years after the crucifixion of Christ, “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? I only want to learn one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?”
“Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?— just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you, all the nations shall be blessed.” So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing in Abraham.”
Acts 2 tells us: “And it shall be in the last days, says God, I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh. And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. And in those days I will pour out My Spirit upon My slaves and My slave women, and they shall prophesy. And I will give wonders in the heaven above, and miracles on the earth below, blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before that great and glorious Day of The LORD. And it shall be that everyone who shall call upon the name of The LORD shall be saved.”
Yes the Power of God, the Grace of our Lord and Savior, and the blessings from the Holy Spirit are beyond compare. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be world without end.
Surely the Holy Ghost was near at hand when the Apostle Paul penned the words ending the chapter of Romans 8. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The End. Amen!
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