THE HOLY SPIRIT
Recently a teen aged young woman asked me, , “Who is the Holy Spirit?”
Good question. All of us Chtistians need to ponder the answer to that question. The Spirit seals us unto redemption and empowers us for service.
The biblical answer to this question is threefold. First, the Holy Spirit is divine. Second the Holy Spirit is a unique person of the Godhead. Third the Holy Spirit has a unique role in the Godhead.
John 14:25, 26 “These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which 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.”
Here, Jesusassures them that the Father will send the Holy Ghost/Spirit in Jesus’ name for the continued efforts of the disciples.Verse 26 is one of the few verses in the Bible that mentions the three persons of the Godhead–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We spend a lot of time learning about God the Father. We spend a lot of time learning about Jesus the Christ.We don’t spend as much time studying about the Holy Spirit.Perhaps this is the reason that this subject is so misunderstood in the religious world today.
A brief word about the Godhead. The word “Godhead” refers to all three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It comes from “Godhood” and it refers to the Deity of God.They are ONE. All share the same purpose. So it is sometimes difficult to see the distinctions between the three.
4) The Holy Spirit is a person with personal characteristics. The Holy Spirit is refered to in the New Testament with masculine gender pronouns. The Holy Spirit is not an “IT.”
Who is the Holy Spirit?
I. First, the Holy Spirit is Divine–He is God/Deity.
1. The Holy Spirit shares all the attributes of God.
1) Omnipresence — Psalm 139:7-12 “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.”
2) Omniscience — Isaiah 40:13, 14 “Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?”
3) Grace — Hebrews 10:29 “Spirit of Grace”
4) Powerful — Romans 15:19 “Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.”
5) Eternality — Hebrews 9:14 It was through the “eternal spirit” that Christ offered himself to God.
The Holy Spirit is mentioned as being in a divine relationship with the Father and the Son.
1) Ephesians 4:4-6 as there is one Lord and one Father, there is one Spirit as well. They are all three mentioned together as part of the godhead.
2) The Holy Spirit is one with the Son.
a. Isaiah 11:1-4 “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.”
b. John 1:33 “And 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.”
c. John 3:34 — Spirit given without measure. “For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.”
3) The Holy Spirit is one with the Father.
a. Isaiah 48:16 when the Father sends, the Spirit sends as well. “Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me.”
b. Matthew 10:19, 20 when the Spirit speaks, the Father is speaking. “But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.”
3. The Holy Spirit is worthy of Worship.
1) Praise for His goodness. Psalm 143:10 “Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.”
2) Praise for His work in creation. Psalm 104:30 “Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.”
II. The Holy Spirit is a unique person of the Godhead.
1. He manifests the attributes of an individual personality.
1) He speaks. 2 Samuel 23:2; Ezekiel 11:5; Matthew 10:20; Acts 8:29; Acts 10:19; Acts 13:2
2) He acts. Acts 8:39 Took Philip so that the Eunuch saw him no more.
3) He leads. Matthew 4:1 Lead Jesus to be tempted of Satan.
4) He calls. Acts 13:2 Called Paul and Barnabus unto a specific work.
5) He guides. John 16:13; Acts 11:12 Guide the Apostles into all truth. Guided Peter to the house of Cornelius.
6) He forbids. Acts 16:7 Forbade Paul and company to go into Asia.
7) Can take a unique form. Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22 (bodily shape)
8) He makes intercession. Romans 8:27
9) He knows. 1 Corinthians 2:11 Knows the mind of God.
10)Makes decisions. Acts 15:28 Seemed good to us AND the Holy Spirit.
2. Although he is part of the godhead, he stands in distinction to the Father and Son.
1) Isaiah 61:1 and Luke 4:21– To the son. “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”
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