Who Is The Holy Spirit?

Who is the Holy Spirit

Introduction: The Holy Spirit is the third member of the Trinity. He has a personality and will on His own even though He is intimately united with the Father

and the Son. John 14:16-17

I. The personality of the Holy Spirit:

A. The Holy Spirit is Divine.

1. He is continually referred to in the Scriptures as the Spirit of the Lord, or the Spirit of God, denoting His divinity. Luke 4:18; 1 Corinthians 6:11; II Corinthians 3:17

2. He has divine attributes:

- Omnipresent (Present everywhere) Psalm 139:7

- Omniscient (All knowing) 1 Corinthians 2:10

- Omnipotent (All powerful) Luke1:35;Romans 15:19

- Eternal (Hebrews 9:14)

B. The Holy Spirit is a spirit being

1. His very name reveals this truth

2. He communicates with God, the function of the spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:10

C. The Holy Spirit has a soulical nature:

1. He has a will, part of the soulical

1Corinthians 12:11

2. He has emotions, part of the soulical realm.

- He can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30)

- He manifests love (2 Timothy 1:7)

- He groans (Romans 8:26)

3. He has a mind, also a part of the soulical realm

Romans 8:27

D.The Holy Spirit can manifest Himself in bodily form. Matthew 3:16

E. The work of the Holy Spirit:

1. He is a teacher (John 14:26)

2. He is a comforter (John 14:16)

3. He empowers (Acts 1:8)

4. He gives gifts to men (1 Corinthians 12:8-10)

5. He gives fruit to men (Galatians 5:22-23)

6. He keeps men from sin (Galatians 5:16)

7. He reproves the world (John 16:8)

8. He helps Christians pray (Romans 8:26)

9. He helps Christians praise (1 Corinthians 14:15)

II.Jesus Christ was totally dependent on the Holy Spirit.

A.Acts 10:38 - For His earthly ministry, God anointed Jesus with the

Holy Spirit and with power.

- “To anoint” = to rub with oil (an emblem of the Holy Spirit) => to be filled with the Spirit.

- The words “Christ” (Gk.) and “Messiah” (Heb.) = “the anointed one”

B.John the Baptist saw the Holy Spirit descending, and remaining on Jesus

John 1:32-33

-Now, in historical experience, Jesus became the Christ, or Messiah, after this experience here in John 1 … He was now anointed.

-That is why immediately following that experience, the bible says…

-Luke 4:1,14 – Jesus was filled, empowered

-V.18 – it was the Holy Spirit that was now enabling Him to preach and minister to those in need.

C.It was by the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus said He cast out devils.

Matthew 12:28

-It is God’s purpose that the same anointing of the Holy Spirit should be found in all Christians.

-We are to be dependent upon the Holy Spirit as Jesus Himself was. 2 Corinthians 1:21; 1 John 2:27

-The next best news in the gospel after the news that Jesus came to provide salvation for us all = the promise that He would send the Holy Spirit to us. John 14:16,26

D.To describe the Helper, Jesus used 2 expressions:

-“The Holy Spirit” (John 14:26)

-“The Spirit of Truth” (John 15:26)

III.How will the Holy Spirit help you?

When the Holy Spirit comes, He will do the following things:

A.He will TEACH you all things. (John 14:26)

B.He will REMIND you of all things that Jesus said to you. (John 14:26)

C.He will TESTIFY of Jesus. (John 15:26)

D.He will GUIDE you into all TRUTH. (John 16:13)

E.He will show us the GLORY of Jesus. (John 16:14 TLB)

When the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, they immediately received a better knowledge and understanding of Jesus Himself…

…more than when Jesus was physically present with them on earth!

IV.The giving of the Holy Spirit is a promise.

-This promise is repeated at the forefront of all the 4 gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

-Therefore, we can see that the New Testament places the greatest possible emphasis on this aspect of Jesus’ ministry.

-The fulfillment of this promise was of utmost importance to the disciples. (Luke 24:49)

-The Gospels open and close with the promise of the Holy Spirit

-Why wasn’t the Holy Spirit given to the disciples during the earthly ministry of Jesus? John 7:39

-Jesus was “not yet glorified” => our sin problem was not dealt with.

-Only on His death on the cross was Jesus able to purchase for every believer the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 3:13-14)

-So after Jesus had returned to His position of glory at the right hand of the Father…

-Acts 2:33 – He received the promise of the Holy Spirit.