Holy Spirit - Part 2: Who is the Holy Spirit?

The Bible teaches us that the Holy Spirit is a person. Jesus, who introduces us in large part to the Spirit, never refers to the Spirit as “IT”. In John 14, 15, & 16 when He speaks of this one, He speaks of “HE”. The Spirit is not a force or a thing but is a person in His own right.

We see from the Bible teaching that He has intellect, emotions, and will. In addition, scripture also attributes to Him the acts we would expect of someone who was not simply a force of nature, but rather of someone who is a real and active person.

What can we say that scripture teaches us about this mysterious third person of the Trinity, also known as the Godhead? We have quite a few serious and direct teachings to help us to understand Him.

He speaks (Rev 2:7)

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches...”

(Acts 13:2)

“... the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them'”.

He intercedes (Rom 8:26)

“And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words”.

He testifies (John 15:26)

“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness of Me”.

He leads (Acts 8:29)

“And the Spirit said to Phillip, 'Go up and join this chariot'”.

(Romans 8:14)

“For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God”.

He commands (Acts 16:6-7)

“And they passed … having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the Word in Asia... the Spirit suffered them not”. (The Spirit did not permit them to go).

He guides (John 16:13)

“When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth; … He will declare to you the things to come”.

He appoints (Acts 20:28)

“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood”.

He can be lied to (Acts 5:3-4)

“But Peter said, 'Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back some of the price of the land...?'”

He can be insulted (Heb 10:29)

“How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God … and has insulted the Spirit of grace”?

He can be blasphemed (Matt 12:31-32)

“Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven … whoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.”

He can be grieved (Eph 4:30)

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom ye were sealed for the day of redemption.”

Each of these instances or emotions are characteristics of a person. The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force, like gravity or natural forces. He is a person, with all of the attributes of a person. Not only is He a person, but He is a divine person. He is God.

Throughout the Bible it is clear that the Holy Spirit is God Himself. Without a single exception, these attributes are those of God Himself.

He is eternal (Heb 9:14)

There never was a time when He was not.

“How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God...”.

He is all powerful (Luke 1:35)

“And the angel answered and said to her, the Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you...”.

He is everywhere present (Ps. 139:7)

“Where can I go from the Spirit? Or whither can I flee from Thy presence”?

He is all knowing (1 Cor 2:10-11)

“For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God … the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God”.

He brings the glory of God (2 Cor 3:18)

“We all beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into His likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit”.

He is the creator (Genesis 1:2)

“And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters”.

We know that John's Gospel teaches that the Word made all things, but the Spirit was there moving in power at creation. All these characteristics and Holy scripture provide us a view of this one who is so very important to our faith. Paul teaches us in Ephesians 4:4 that there is one body and one Spirit. 

We also know that this third one has the overwhelming power over all things, as Paul teaches in 2 Cor 3:6 “... but the spirit giveth life”. His position among the Godhead is so important that Paul also finds it necessary to warn all believers in

1 Thess 5:19 “Quench not the Spirit”.

There is proof of the closeness of the connection between the persons of the Trinity in scripture, proving for us that there exists only one God, who speaks to us through the Holy Spirit.

Isaiah 6:8-10 says that the prophet heard the voice of the Lord commanding him to go and serve. Acts 28:25 shows us the Apostle Paul quoting the exact words of these verses and telling us that in these words “...Well spake the Holy Ghost...”.

In Jeremiah 31:31-33 God makes a covenant with His people with Jeremiah teaching us that these words “... saith the Lord...”. In Hebrews 10:15 the writer reveals to us that the Holy Ghost spoke those words.

In Psalms 95:7-11 we are given the teaching of the wonderful greatness of God, using the specific words of “Lord” and “God”. Hebrews 3:7 retells the very same verses except assures us that the words were spoken by the Holy Ghost.

We are clearly given the purpose of the direction of the Godhead in both John 14:13 and Hebrews 4:14-16 both of which teach us that we deal with God through Jesus while we are also taught in Romans 8:16 that God deals with us through the Holy Spirit.

Before we are born again, we live and are ruled by the flesh with our souls(spirits) remaining in second place. At the moment of conversion there is an instant change in order within us, with our spirit moved to the dominant position for the rest of our lives, and at that moment the Holy Spirit takes control, helping us to become conformed to the image of Christ for the rest of our mortal lives.

We have the most wonderful teaching of 1 John 2:27 which summarizes the importance of this Holy one:

“... the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you...”.

The Holy Spirit does indeed come into each believer at the conversion moment, but it is also important that one more lesson on this matter be seen. 1 John 3:12 is very clear on the added command for each heart which seeks the Lord:

“If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and love is perfected in us”.

How did Jesus teach us that we would be known as His?

John 13:35 “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another”.