Holy Spirit - Explained

I like to share This approved notes on the Holy spirit by mentors and teachers with you!

 Is also called as the third person of trinity!!

In several passages of scripture we see the name Holy Spirit being used

John 14:26 – The comforter who is the Holy Spirit…

Matthew 28: 19 – Baptizing them in the name of the Father, son and the Holy Ghost

He is also called by other names which we will see in detail later!!

Firstly, since there are quite a few misunderstandings on the Holy Spirit we will first establish from scripture his deity and personality!!

1.    First let us establish His personality from scripture because many don’t perceive it properly!!

Some only see him as a force or others refer to him as an it (non living thing)

These common misunderstandings are as a result of not properly interpreting scripture!

They think He is a wind, water or fire or even a dove! If we read those passages carefully we will understand that all of it refers to his characteristics but not to who He is!

Matthew 3:16 Spirit of God descending LIKE a dove! LIKE but not a dove itself!

Acts 2 - like a wind, seemed like tongues of fire! 

The Spirit's characteristics or His workings seem like fire or a dove but that does not mean He is that literally!

Sehwag {a cricket player} was called a tornado once because of his destructive game! We liken people to certain things or even beings but that does not mean they are that literally!

The righteous are bold as a lion- Proverbs 28:1- If a person is bold we liken him to a lion that does not mean he is a lion.

In the same way the Holy Spirit is not some force or wind or fire or dove! His personality and workings are referred to that way…

 

He is a person!!

Let us establish this further..

A person or individual has a will, emotions and thinks!!

He has a will!

1 Corinthians 12:7 to 11- (highlight on verse 11 -as He wills ) shows that He has a will!

The Holy Spirit of God has feelings (emotions) ! A thing cannot as some refer Him too!!! –

Ephesians 4:30 says we can grieve the Spirit!

They vexed His Spirit - Isaiah 63:10 says!     Grief and being vexed are emotions only an individual can have not a force or a thing!

Romans 8:27   shows that the Spirit has a mind meaning He can think!

All of this shows that He is a person or an individual!!

2.    Secondly we need to establish from scripture His divinity!!

In Acts 5:3,4 – Peter starts off by saying that Ananias lied to the Holy Spirit and finishes the thought by saying he has lied to God which shows that

 Holy Spirit = YHWH God

Spirit of God / the Lord / Christ: (Matthew 3:16; 2 Corinthians 3:17; 1 Peter 1:11) These names remind us that the Spirit of God is indeed part of the triune godhead and that He is just as much God as the Father and the Son.

Further we can understand His divinity by His characteristics…

We must first understand what characteristics make God as God! Just as there are characteristics that distinguish humans from animals there are characteristics that distinguish God from human beings…

We are going to look at three very basic qualities from scripture!!

God is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient!!

In scripture we see Jehovah God parting the seas, bringing FIRE from heaven…

When it comes to the Spirit

HE IS ALL POWERFUL

Zechariah 4:6- It is not by might, nor by power but by my Spirit sayeth the Lord!

Every miracle Jesus did was by the power of the Spirit!!

Acts 10;38 says that Jesus did the miracles by the power of the Holy Spirit!!

He is the almighty Holy Spirit !!

In the Old Testament men and women filled by the Holy Spirit did extraordinary things for God, examples are Samson, David ,Moses, Daniel… etc

Romans 8:11 The Spirit of God raised Jesus from the dead!! HE is all powerful!

HE IS PRESENT EVERY WHERE!!

Firstly let us look at a few scriptures that show that God and Jesus are omnipresent!

God fills all in all!!

1 Kings 8:27 – the heavens cannot contain you..

Jeremiah 23- 23, 24- A man cannot hide , I fill the heavens and the earth!!

In Ephesians 1:23 and Ephesians 4:10 – Jesus ( will) fills everything !

Jesus when was on this earth was limited because of His earthly body . However before coming to this earth and once He has ascended He has all the capabilities of the Godhead!!

Psalms 139- 7 to 12!- We can see from these verses that God’s Spirit is everywhere!

 

HE IS ALL KNOWING !!

1 Corinthians 2:10 – the Spirit knows even the deep things of God!!

All of these show that the Spirit is divine in nature!

HOLY SPIRIT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

The first mention of the Holy Spirit is in Genesis 1:2!

God’s Spirit was involved in creation and everyone filled with the Spirit would have this creative capacity in them!! (Also refer to Job 33:4 & Psalms 104:30)!

Some of the greatest scientists like Thomas Alva Edison and Sir.Isaac Newton were firm believers!!

Now in scripture in the Old and the New Testament we see the Spirit was always given or was there to accomplish God’s purpose.

The first mention of a person being filled with Spirit is in Exodus 31:3

God filled Bezalel and his helpers (verse 6) with the Spirit for the purpose of building the tabernacle!

An important point to understand here is His purpose has not changed in the New Testament God gives us His Spirit so that we can build His body which is the living church!!

Also in another context, God’s Spirit was given for carpentry work! In the New Testament in Acts 6 people filled with the Holy Spirit were chosen to serve tables!! This shows that any work we do for God however inconspicuous it might be God’s Spirit is there to enable us!!

Usually, since we don’t consider important cleaning, cooking or sweeping or administrative work  we struggle when we are doing those work not knowing that God’s Spirit is there to enable us even there!

In Numbers 11 we find the second time the Spirit is mentioned in filling people . Moses was finding it difficult managing people and so God gave His Spirit to 70 elders /leaders! It was enabling them to counsel people! His Spirit is the same.. He is STILL THE counselor in the New Testament!!

Then throughout scripture in the Old we see the Spirit coming upon men enabling them for the purposes He had for them. Samson, Saul, David, Elijah and the prophets were all filled with/enabled by the Spirit!!

One final example is Daniel! In Daniel chapter 1: 17 to 20 and Daniel 4:9 we see that Daniel had wisdom from the Spirit that He was 10 times wiser than everyone! This shows that the Spirit empowers us even for every secular work that the name of Jesus can be glorified!!

Now, before we go into the New Testament there are several truths we need to understand about the Spirit of God and His work in the Old and the New Testament!

In the Old Testament the Spirit of God was given to only a few very consecrated people!! His infilling also could not be experienced to it’s fullness! His manifest presence was rare amongst the people

However even the Old Testament there are scriptures pointing to the general outpouring of the Holy Spirit!

Joel 2:28 talks about the general out pouring of the Spirit in the New Testament !

HOLY SPIRIT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

In the New Testament however, He the Spirit of God is given to every believer!! He fills every believer and He can be manifest every where and all the time!!

The reason for that being the blood of Jesus has been shed for our sins and we have been washed clean by His blood, therefore His Spirit can reside in anyone who believes the finished work of the cross!!!

 

He dwells in us: - (Romans 8:9-11; Ephesians 2:21-22; 1 Corinthians 6:19) The Holy Spirit resides in the hearts of God’s people, and that indwelling is the distinguishing characteristic of the regenerated person. He provides the intimate connection between God and His children.

In the New Testament the main purpose the Spirit is here or is given is to reveal Jesus to us, establish us in Christ and to present us before the father blameless!!

John 15:26, Acts 1:8 – the Spirit testifies about Jesus

John 14:26 – He reminds us of Jesus teachings

John 16:14  -He will glorify Jesus

Now in the New Testament every believer can experience a close walk with the Spirit ! Get to know Him in an intimate way!

As a matter of fact He is the one that is with us! Jesus is in heaven seated at the right hand of the Father! Before leaving this earth He said in John 16:7 it is better for me (Explain the word better) to go away that the Spirit might come. He came during Pentecost in a powerful way like never before and He still is working among-st us!!!

We can get to know Him intimately, as a matter of fact God wants us to come to the place where we walk and  work with the Holy Spirit as our senior partner!!

2 Corinthians 13:14 - Talks about Fellowship or Communion of the Spirit  ! 

We commune with others (people) whom we love. In the same way the Spirit is our companion, counselor and guide on this earth. We can fellowship with Him and He will in turn reveal Jesus to us and lead us to Jesus!

In Acts the Spirit was an integral part of the Apostles lives. Let us look at a few passages!

Acts 15 : 28 , It seemed good to the Spirit and to us ! They decided with the consent of the Spirit!

The Holy Spirit says in Acts 13:2 to separate Paul and Barnabas!

These passages and  others show that the Spirit was closely involved in the disciples lives and he wants to be involved in yours too!

 

         THE WORKINGS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN A BELIEVER

This is a very important subject as because this has not been understood properly, there has risen some disagreements!!

1)   The working of the Holy Spirit in and after salvation in a believer!

2)     The empowering of the Spirit for ministry purposes ( anointing)

3)     The baptism of the Holy Spirit

1)   The working of the Holy Spirit during salvation

He is the one who brings the sinner to God- John 16:8 – He convicts the world of the sin of unbelief (verse 9)

It’s through His working we call Jesus as Lord- 1 Corinthians 12:3

He witnesses with our spirit that we are children of God- Romans 8:16

He is already inside from salvation- Galatians 4:6 : God has sent forth His Spirit in our hearts crying abba father !

(The context of the verses is salvation)

Romans 8:15 –We’ve received the Spirit of adoption.

2)   The anointing of the Holy Spirit

It is the empowerment of the Holy Spirit for the specific purpose that God has called us for

In the Old Testament we see this pattern when individuals were empowered to fulfill certain tasks or roles!! Examples are Bezalel, Samson , David, etc….

This pattern carries in the New also, especially prominent in those who do not have the baptism of the Spirit or do not believe in it!!

Examples are Billy Graham, Martin Luther.. etc! The reason they accomplished great things for God even though they did not know or believe in the baptism of the Spirit  is because they had the empowerment for work as those in the Old Testament! They were anointed for the purposes God called them not necessarily baptized in the Spirit!!!

3)   The baptism of the Holy Spirit

We will look in detail on this a little later but first let us establish this is a separate experience apart from salvation from scripture !

Many of the occasions in Acts we see that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit was a separate experience apart from salvation.

One such example is Philip ministering in Samaria, people already believed and were baptized  but only after Peter and John came they received the Holy Spirit! ( Acts 8)

Most people argue that baptism of the Spirit is during salvation itself from Cornelius and his household receiving the Spirit when the word was preached!  One very basic thing to note there is they spoke in tongues which those who argue don’t believe in, secondly it was God’s way of showing the Jews that the grace had been given to the Gentiles for salvation ( Acts 10)!

Another example that people argue from is Acts 2:38 where Peter says that people would receive the Spirit after baptism in water! People relate it to the Spirit coming in salvation and that there is no necessity for another experience! While it is true that a person truly saved can be filled in the Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues immediately, it does not mean it automatically happens during salvation as several other passages ( like Philip in Samaria, and the one in which people did not even know the Holy Spirit but where later baptized) show otherwise ! While the Spirit comes during salvation, His total infilling is a separate experience with the evidence of speaking in tongues!! It can happen immediately after salvation or a little later!!

One of the examples to differentiate the Holy Spirit during salvation and during baptism is by  looking into the lives of the disciples!!

John 20:22 – Jesus breathed on His disciples and said receive ye the Holy Spirit, the context of that passage is salvation as it talks on forgiveness (in third person).

Acts 1:8 and Acts 2- we see Jesus asking them to wait for the Spirit further and then the disciples receiving baptism, so they are two separate experiences!!

Now during the baptism of the Holy Spirit God starts a lot of work in a believer but the main work is mentioned in Acts 1:8 – Ye shall be my witnesses. Actually the word witness means martyrs. Jesus was saying they will have power to be faithful even to the point of death!!

The baptism of the Spirit is the empowerment to be a witness for Jesus in every situation!!

Examples of disciple Andrew and James half brother of Jesus as they were killed in the early church!!!

  

Characteristics and workings of the Holy Spirit

Usually in scripture the characteristics of the SPIRIT or either referred to by names or by symbols!

Prior to learning about the characteristics of the Spirit in relation to symbols, we need to understand two things in that light which will help us properly understand scripture and also in this context the nature of the Holy Spirit!

In scripture often symbolism is used! The purpose was twofold, one to convey a certain specific meaning to those who heard or read through which the symbol stood for in those days!

In Joseph’s time cows stood for prosperity! So Joseph was able to use God given wisdom and enlightenment to interpret!

In Nebuchadnezzar’s time trees stood for rulers in Hebrew culture (Psalms 1) .

Jesus is signified as the lamb, as Jews related a lamb with sacrifice!!

Even in Jesus ministry, in the gospels he used symbols.

The second reason why symbols were used was because there was no other way to communicate what prophets saw or heard! What they saw was not on the earth and could not be described adequately by our vocabulary!

Therefore they used very close representatives of that on the earth so that people would understand!!

A lot of John’s visions were like that!!

Now when it comes to the Holy Spirit, He is referred to as the wind or water or fire or even unto a dove!!!! All of these on one hand represent His characteristics and workings at the same time prophets were grappling to describe what they saw and experienced therefore they did their best to relate it in symbols.

God or His workings cannot be described in human terms but need to be described as much as possible so men can understand!!!

LIKE A DOVE- HIS PURE GENTLE NATURE!!

We see a reflection of it in Genesis 1:2. In reading that scripture if we look to the original we would get the picture of a mother hen brooding over her chicks!! The Spirit of God was brooding over the waters to hatch God’s plan in the beginning!

In the New Testament in Luke 3:22 and John 1:32, we see the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus like a dove! Dove denotes purity and gentleness!!

The Spirit of God descended or filled Jesus gently!!

He is a gentle person which means we can grieve Him by our words or actions easily! (Ephesians 4:30)! Matthew 12:31 says that the sin against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven; presuming Jesus was being protective of the Spirit due to His gentle nature!!

 

HE IS LIKENED TO RIVERS!!

Isaiah 41:18 to 20, Isaiah 43:19 to 21 – TALK about rivers in the dry and desert places!! We know from John 7 and Isaiah 44:3 that the rivers talk about the Holy Spirit!

 In John 7:37 to 39 we see rivers flowing ( John 7) as a result of the Holy Spirit!!

Dryness and Deserts speak of desperate places in our individual lives or in a community!! When we turn to God with a true longing God will change circumstances and situations by the outpouring of His Spirit!

Not only that when we long for the power of God and His Spirit He will use us to minister to many who are afflicted and needy!!

The Holy Spirit of God satisfies the longing soul, He is a God of compassion!

HE IS THE FIRE OF GOD!

He purifies us!!

One of the main working of the Spirit is that He purifies and this working is often referred to as fire!

Matthew 3: 11, 12 and Acts 2:8

We see in Matthew that God’s fire purifies us! FIRE in scripture mainly talks about the cleansing work of the Lord!

So with the baptism of the Spirit also comes a holy cleansing!!

 

He is the breath of GOD LIKENED to a wind that gives us life

When God breathed into Adam, It was His Spirit that gave life and even in Ezekiel 37:1 to 14 it was the breath, the wind of God that brought life!! In Acts 2 also He was the mighty wind that gave life to the disciples to stand for God!! In relation to this we see Him being referred to as the Spirit of Life: (Romans 8:2) The phrase “Spirit of life” means the Holy Spirit is the one who produces or gives life!

He is like the new wine that produces joy

In Matthew 9: 16, 17 we see Jesus talking about new and old wine!! Wine is often symbolic of the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18)! The infilling of the Spirit removes all depression and He is the fountain of joy in our hearts!!

The anointing oil

Oil is often representative of the anointing of the Holy Spirit in scripture! It is the empowering work of the Spirit for ministry. Aaron, David, Saul and others were anointed by oil and the Spirit empowered them …

The early and the later rain

Joel 2:23 to 32- The work of the Spirit accompanied by manifestations of prophecy, dreams and visions is referred to as rain!!

The Holy Spirit is also known by many names and titles, most of which denote some function or aspect of His ministry! Here are a few!!

Comforter / Counselor / Advocate: (Isaiah 11:2; John 14:16; 15:26; 16:7) All three words are translations of the Greek parakletos, from which we get “Paraclete,” another name for the Spirit. When Jesus went away, His disciples were greatly distressed because they had lost His comforting presence. But He promised to send the Spirit to comfort, console, and guide those who belong to Christ. He is our counselor and guide even today!

Deposit / Seal / Earnest: (2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:13-14) The Holy Spirit is God’s seal on His people, His claim on us as His very own. The gift of the Spirit to believers is a down payment on our heavenly inheritance, which Christ has promised us and secured for us at the cross. It is because the Spirit has sealed us that we are assured of our salvation. No one can break the seal of God.

Revealer / Spirit of Truth: (John 14:17; 16:13; 1 Corinthians 2:12-16) Jesus promised that, after the resurrection, the Holy Spirit would come to “guide you into all truth.” Because of the Spirit in our hearts, we are able to understand truth, especially in spiritual matters, in a way that non-Christians cannot. In fact, the truth the Spirit reveals to us is “foolishness” to them, and they cannot understand it. But we have the mind of Christ in the Person of His Spirit within us.

HERE ARE A FEW MORE OF HIS CHARACTERISTICS!!

Intercessor: (Romans 8:26) One of the most encouraging and comforting aspects of the Holy Spirit is His ministry of intercession on behalf of those He inhabits. Because we often don’t know what or how to pray when we approach God, the Spirit intercedes and prays for us. He intercedes for us “with wordless groans,” so that when we are oppressed and overwhelmed by trials and the cares of life, He comes alongside to lend assistance as He sustains us before the throne of grace. 

Convicter of Sin: (John 16:7-11) The Spirit applies the truths of God to men’s own minds in order to convince them by fair and sufficient arguments that they are sinners. He does this through the conviction in our hearts that we are not worthy to stand before a holy God, that we need His righteousness, and that judgment is certain and will come to all men one day. Those who deny these truths rebel against the conviction of the Spirit. 

Guide: (John 16:13) Just as the Spirit guided the writers of Scripture to record truth, so does He promise to guide believers to know and understand that truth. God’s truth is “foolishness” to the world, because it is “spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Those who belong to Christ have the indwelling Spirit who guides us into all we need to know in regard to spiritual matters. Those who do not belong to Christ have no “interpreter” to guide them to know and understand God’s Word

Teacher: (John 14:26; 1 Corinthians 2:13) Jesus promised that the Spirit would teach His disciples “all things” and bring to their remembrance the things He said while He was with them.

 The writers of the New Testament were moved by the Spirit to remember and understand the instructions Jesus gave for the building and organizing of the Church, the doctrines regarding Himself, the directives for holy living, and the revelation of things to come. 

Witness: (Romans 8:16; Hebrews 2:4; 10:15) The Spirit is called “witness” because He verifies and testifies to the fact that we are children of God, that Jesus and the disciples who performed miracles were sent by God, and that the books of the Bible are divinely inspired. Further, by giving the gifts of the Spirit to believers, He witnesses to us and the world that we belong to God.

Author of Scripture: (2 Peter 1:21; 2 Timothy 3:16) The Bible is inspired, literally “God-breathed,” by the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity. The Spirit moved the authors of all 66 books to record exactly what He breathed into their hearts and minds. As a ship is moved through the water by wind in its sails, so the biblical writers were borne along by the Spirit’s impulse.

The Baptism of the Spirit

The word baptism is from Matthew 3:11,12 where John talks about Jesus baptizing people with the Holy Spirit and fire. The word baptism signifies a total immersion of spirit soul and body of a person under the Spirit’s power!!

In Acts 1:8 there are three thoughts we can focus on:

After the Holy Spirit has come upon you , ye shall receive power to be witnesses!

The Spirit has come upon you…

The baptism of the Spirit is the infilling of God 

(Spirit) Himself! From the beginning God had wanted to dwell with man and the baptism of the Spirit is the closest possible experience of God indwelling man in fullness!!

Secondly we receive power through it. Power- Dunamis (supernatural power) ! It is the same power that rose Jesus from the dead ( Eph 1:17 to 20)!!

Thirdly the purpose of the baptism is so that we are witnesses for Jesus!! The word witness in original reads martyrs! It means the power to be a witness in all circumstances even until death!!

Further in Acts 2:38,39 we see that it is a gift from God. We cannot earn it but only receive it by faith. Even our prayers and fasting will not or cannot earn us God’s free gift! Prayer and fasting helps us prepare our hearts for the free gift God gives!! 

In Acts 2:39 and Luke 11:11 to 13 or two more important scriptural truths!!

The baptism of the Spirit is a promise made to us by God and He will definitely give!

Secondly when seeking Him for the Holy Spirit there is no need to fear we will receive something evil. If we as earthly parents cannot give bad things when our children ask, how much more will our heavenly Father make sure we receive the Spirit when we ask and not any other wrong spirit!!!

Another important truth to know from John 7:37 to 40 is that only when we thirst we can receive from God. David, Moses and many other saints in the New received God’s power because they had a longing for it!! 

It’s over the thirsty God pours out His floods, His Spirit!!

Let us examine our life to see how clean and empty our vessel is? If our vessel is clean (not having any unconfessed sin inside ) and we have given our selves to God totally emptying ourselves of pride then God can fill us completely with His Spirit!!

There is a world out there that is lost ,hurting and on the wrong track in bondage to sin and all kinds of evil and we as children of God with the power of the Spirit can set many free and lead them to Jesus Christ! Amen!!

  

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