HOLY SPIRIT - God the Holy Spirit is a Person. He is the third member of the Trinity. He reveals Who the Savior is and opens up our minds to understand the Word of God because flesh and blood does not bring meaning to the Scripture. We cannot understand what we are reading unless the Holy Spirit teaches us and imparts meaning to us.

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The Holy Spirit

Who or What is the Holy Spirit? 

A Bible Study
by Jack Wellman

Who is the Holy Spirit or what is the Holy Spirit?  Is it a force, an energy, a power, or is He a person? 

We can find out by reading the Bible.

Third Member of the Trinity

God the Holy Spirit is a Person.  He is not a power, an effect, or just energy. 

God the Holy Spirit does have energy (limitless), can affect things, and does have power (God’s power), but He is much more than these attributes. 

Each member of the Trinity has a part
in a person’s coming to saving faith
in Jesus Christ.

Almost every single time that the New Testament mentions “the Spirit” this is in direct reference to God the Holy Spirit. 

There are three members of the God Family. This family includes God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son of God, and God the Holy Spirit.  

Each member of the Trinity has a part in a person’s coming to saving faith in Jesus Christ. 

God the Father draws them (John 6:44).

Jesus saves them (John 3:16)

And the Holy Spirit tells us Who that Savior is – Jesus of course.

God the Holy Spirit’s Work in Us

·         Bear Fruit with Him (Galatians 5:22-23)

·         Seals us and keeps us (Ephesians 1:13-14)

·         Live In Him (Galatians 5:25)

·         Evangelize with Him (John 16:13-14, Acts 4:31)

·         Renewed by Him (Titus 3:5)

·         Shapes us, molds us, and makes us conform to Christ’s image (Romans 8:1-17)

·         Be convicted Him of sin (John 16:8)

·         Sanctifies us (1 Peter 1:2)

·         Reveals Who Jesus is (John 16:8-14)

·         Helps us pray to Father (Romans 8:26)

·         Speaks to us (Acts 8:29, 11:12, 13:12)

·         Creates us as a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 2:10)

·         Helps us understand the Word of God (Hebrews 4:2)

·         Reminds us of what to say (John 14:25-26)

·         Testifies about Who Jesus is (John 15:26)

·         Leads us (Romans 8:14)

·         Imparts eternal life (Romans 8:10, 14)

·         Comforts us (2 Corinthians 1:4)

·         He will help us to overcome sin (Acts 1:5-8)

·         Prevents us from going somewhere or doing something (Acts 16:5-7)

·         We can lie to Him (Acts 5:3-4)

·         We can quench Him (1 Thessalonians 5:19)

·         We can grieve Him (Ephesians 4:30)

God the Holy Spirit’s Work in the Church

The Holy Spirit not only empowers the believer with gifts but works actively in the church and even appoints church leadership (Acts 20:28). 

Here are a few examples:

“Then the Spirit said to Philip, Go near and overtake this chariot.“ Acts 8:29 

“Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house.“ Acts 11:12 

“As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Acts 13:12 

“But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? ⁴ While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” Acts 5:3-4 

“However, as it is written: What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” the things God has prepared for those who love him— these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.” 1 Corinthians  2:9-12 

“It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.” 1 Peter 1:12 

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” Romans 8:26 

“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.” John 15:26 

“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.” John 16:13 

“Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.  When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.” Acts 16:6-7 

“Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God which he bought with his own blood.” Acts 20:28 

“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” Romans 8:14 

“When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment.” John 16:8 

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:13-14 

“Look in the scroll of the LORD and read: one of these will be

missing, not one will lack her mate. For it is his mouth that has given the order, And his Spirit will gather them together.” Isaiah 34:16 

“First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” 2 Peter 1:20-21 

Praying in the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the least understood of the Trinity of God. 

He is the most neglected even though He is involved perhaps the most in a believer’s life.

The Holy Spirit is the One Who reveals Who the Savior is and opens up our minds to understand the Word of God because flesh and blood does not bring meaning to the Scripture.

We cannot understand what we are reading unless the Holy Spirit teaches us and imparts meaning to us. 

Almost every time you read reference to the “Spirit”, particularly in the New Testament, it is speaking of God the Holy Spirit. 

The “Spirit” is the Spirit – God the Holy Spirit. 

The Spirit is not a force to be drawn upon like a power but drawing on the power of God. 

He is the very power of God. You cannot know Jesus without Him. You cannot possibly overcome sin without His power. 

You cannot have eternal life without His revealing the Source of this eternal life (John 3).

When you sit down to read the Bible, pray for the Holy Spirit to give you understanding. 

Pray that He will reveal what is being read in the Bible for part of the role of the Holy Spirit is to teach us all things, as Christ told the disciples before He departed.

The Holy Spirit is also a Helper, a Comforter and He teaches us about the things of God (John 14:26, Luke 12:12). 

God the Holy Spirit also guides us in revealing the meaning of God’s written Word (John 16:13) and reminds us of things we need to remember (John 14:26). 

If you want to know a sort of job description of the Holy Spirit, John, chapters 14, 15 and 16 will help immensely.

Romans chapter 8 is also a chapter that describes the role and work of God the Holy Spirit. It mentions “the Spirit” frequently in this chapter and this Spirit is none other than God the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is God

God the Holy Spirit brings godly repentance and brings about an awareness of when we are not doing the right thing. 

He will begin to deal with the sins in our life and help us

overcome them. 

We are not the ones necessarily that conquer sin; God the Holy Spirit is the power that dwells in us to help us do this. 

We cannot possibly overcome sin by human effort. 

This doesn’t mean that the Holy Spirit stops all the urges nor will He stop our returning to sin, but the Holy Spirit prompts and urges the believer to not engage in such behavior as well as other ungodly acts. 

God the Holy Spirit enables us to do good works – not to be saved – but because we are saved. 

The Holy Spirit also points to and always seeks to glorify Jesus Christ.  So too should we. 

In this way, we can join in purpose with God the Holy Spirit to glorify Jesus Christ. 

The next time you think of the Holy Spirit, think of Him as God Himself. For the Holy Spirit is God, was God, and will forever be God.  

The Holy Spirit also points to and always seeks to glorify Jesus Christ.  So too should we. 

In this way, we can join in purpose with God the Holy Spirit to glorify Jesus Christ. 

Jesus is also called Immanuel (God with us); God the Holy

Spirit is God in us; if we are Christians. 

That is Who the Holy Spirit is.

Would you want God to change your life? Would you want to be empowered by the Holy Spirit?

God has made it possible for you to know Him and experience an amazing change in your own life through a relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ, and have eternal life.

Say the following prayer:

“Father God, I confess I am a sinner and my sins have separated me from You.

I am truly sorry. I now want to turn away from my past sinful life and live a new life pleasing to You.

Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again.

I believe that Your Son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer.

I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Thank You that according to Your Word, I am now born again.

Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. I promise to study Your Word – the Bible.

Use me for Your glory.

In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.” 

Jack Wellman is a father and grandfather and a Christian author, freelance writer, and pastor at the Mulvane (KS) Brethren church in Mulvane, Kansas. Graduate work at Moody Bible Institute. His books are inexpensive paperbacks that are theological in nature: “Teaching Children The Gospel/How to Raise Godly Children,“ “Do Babies Go To Heaven?/Why Does God Allow Suffering?,“ "The Great Omission; Reaching the Lost for Christ," and “Blind Chance or Intelligent Design?, Empirical Methodologies & the Bible."
http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/author/jack/