The Holy Spirit

The Trinity Part Three is the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost. The Trinity is made up of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  Yes, the Holy Spirit is just as much God as Jesus is.  However, this part of the Trinity is talked about or discussed the least.  Could it be the name or just our misunderstanding of His role in this whole God/Jesus thing?  Or has He been written off as just our subconscious directing us to do good?  Similarly, to the devil vs the angel on our shoulder promoting us to decide about good or bad choices.  Regardless, let’s explore who and what is the Holy Spirit?

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

John 14:26

Is the Holy Spirit a person?

The Holy Spirit is a person.   As God and Jesus are persons so is He. However, they are not human beings. Having a personality, a mind, emotions, and a will per gotquestions.org makes them a person. Since God exists as three persons – The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit is a person as well.

Like God and Jesus, the Holy Spirit has a role.

In Heaven – God – mainly spoke through the prophets and leaders. Also, in the cloud, a flame, as a voice.  With us but still dwelling in Heaven. Always on high. Above us but visiting from time to time.

In-person – Jesus – begotten by God and sent to be amongst us to serve. To become our sin, separated from God, and Resurrected.  Thereby, conquering death forever. He is God with us, Immanuel. Matthew 1:23.

In Spirit – The Holy Spirit – God dwelling in believers.  To be our guidance and comforter.

We were visited by God, Jesus lived amongst us, and the Holy Spirit dwells within us forever.

Understanding the Holy Spirit and His role is complicated in its simplicity.  Let’s review who He is and his role amongst believers in Jesus Christ. We must understand that Jesus promised Him because we were going to need Him to continue the walk in the truth.

even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

John 14:17

The Holy Spirit illuminates Truth

First, and for most, He is divine truth. God’s truth comes from heaven.  It is a far cry from the world’s truth. It speaks consistently of God’s plan and purpose for this world. God’s plan will not be obstructed by mere mortals.  For God’s ways are higher than ours where His wisdom has no limits. His power is without boundaries. He created the world and everything in it.

He is the spirit given to believers when our ability to be spiritual is dead.  This ability died when man sinned. Only by the power of God, we can have the Holy Spirit again. Without this ability, man can only know about God. Man cannot truly know God. Only believers indwelled with the Holy Spirit can know God.

When the Spirit enters the heart of man, then a part of the man can begin to see and know God on a much deeper level.  He develops a personal relationship with God. He will transcend all understanding based on reason to a place of inner satisfaction. It allows God to reason with us beyond our reasoning. “Come now and let us reason together” Isaiah 1:18 This divine illumination is the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of Truth leads us to power.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

Romans 8:26

The Holy Spirit is Power

Jesus spoke of the coming of the Holy Spirit and power.  The Holy Spirit is the power that we so desperately need to sustain us through life. This power is of God and is not indivisible.  Nothing can be added nor taken away.  He is three in one and all-powerful. “I Am That I Am” Exodus 3:14. And Jesus said we would receive this power from God. This power of the Holy Spirit will enter us replicating God inside of us. Helping us to become more like God from the inside out. This is what divides us from being a Christian and being any type of ancient or modern-day cult. A cult that promotes self-help and affirmations that advise us to center on inner self to find our potential. This is not Christianity that teaches us to rely on the power of God.

There will be no self-help but the power of God. This power is sufficient for the powerless. The Holy Spirit of God comes within our weakness when we need grace and mercy to meet our moral needs. It is not physical or mental power but a power that is working on and through us. Growing us spiritually allows us to achieve spiritual and moral goals. It is a spiritual power that allows us to build Godlike attributes while we are bent towards living in our evil ways. It is the work of the Spirit.

How This Power Works

The Spirit works directly with our spirit pressuring us towards being more Christlike in all our actions and deeds. He is not our conscience rather He is working with our conscience.  Changing and directing us to listen to His whispers. I often fret that in my busyness I might neglect to take the time to listen to the Holy Spirit. If this is done too often, I might not hear Him in the future. This is my fear. For I know the sin before my eyes.  Sins that belong to another.  Also, sins that I would not think of doing.  However, I am always mindful of the temptation of other sins. 

The sin that the Holy Spirit prompts me to pause and reconsider my next action.  Then there is sin that I do not see, the sin lurking just behind my ear.  The sin that I struggle with daily, the sin that I commit that the Holy Spirit convicts me of. 

This type I must work harder to bring to my ears to be able to hear the Spirit before I fall into it.  To bring this sin before my eyes so I am no longer tempted to do it. This is where I strive to have all my sins.  I want these sins right before my eyes so that I can see them before the temptation. Before I fall again.  It is my separation from God.  My need to repent and sin no more. This is how I need the power of the Holy Spirit to press into my conscience. This power of the flame allows me to do more than I am capable of on my own.

And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.

Acts 2:3

The Flame of the Holy Spirit

God’s favorite description of himself is likened to fire. “For our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:29.  Also, “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” Deuteronomy 4:24. He even communicated to Moses via a burning bush.  Fire is mentioned throughout the Bible to describe God and His actions. It is no wonder that the Holy Spirit would appear as tongues like a fire. Acts 2:3. God would indwell believers with a flame. It is the God in me and you. 

Through the atonement of the blood of Jesus, man would be reconciled to God.  Thereby, receiving the Deity of God indwelling in us all. However, this flame of the Holy Spirit is moral. It is a moral purity of God. The Spirit, who is God, is, unequivocally pure, and infinitely pure.  Therefore, we must be overjoyed to have the Lord reside inside of us.  We must seriously consider the magnitude of accepting Christ into our mind, body, and Soul.  Into our very souls. To have this spiritual flame will ignite all Christians to a true level of worship. We now can commune with God on a spiritual level.  Worship in spirit. “God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:24.

And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Acts 13:52

Dwelling inside us

The Holy Spirit was sent to indwell us.  Therefore, upon accepting Christ in our life we must carefully examine all that it entails.  We must allow a full examination of our hearts no matter how painful.  The Holy Spirit is absolutely and infinitely pure. His presence in our hearts should be life-changing.  He cannot dwell in a heart that harbors mortal sin.  That would be a contradiction of his purpose in our life. Therefore, we must judge our life, motives, and hidden sin. We should boldly and courageously begin our walk with God.

Who is the Holy Spirit given to? To believers. Those wanting to receive the Holy Spirit and accept His power to change them from the inside out.  I must admit this was the most painful part of accepting Christ in my life.  After ruthlessly examining my life, I was sick of myself.  However, there was peace and joy on the other side. The Lord healed my spirit and allowed me to begin my walk with Him. 

The Flame is Intellectual

This flame is intellectual and allows Christians to surrender to God. Read Surrender to God for more insights on what this looks like. We can reason and learn about God, Jesus, the resurrection, and salvation. The ability to reason is a divine attribute of the flame of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit speaks reason into our thoughts. A person of high intelligence without the reasoning of the Spirit may use that intelligence against mankind and shed needless blood. Or release ungodly ideas into the world that last for many lifetimes. However, the intellect filled with the love of God uses his intellect to spread joy and love. He or she seeks one more for Jesus.

However, the Holy Spirit is for all. He does not make super Christians. The flame is for every child of God. Anyone that accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will receive the flame of the Holy Spirit to dwell inside of them. This flame is a real thing. It is not just a feeling.

The flame is volitional

The holy spirit is a volitional flame. This is one of the characteristics of His personality. He has a will of God.  Upon entering humans, He does not lose any of His Godly attributes. The Holy Spirit does not surrender to man nor any part of His holiness. He is still Lord. The Athanasian Creed declares, “So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, and the Holy Spirit is Lord. And yet not three Lords; but one Lord.” Our Faith requires that we accept this fully.  God is three persons in one. Therefore, when God enters into the man he is still who He says He is. “I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no Savior.” Isaiah 43:11.

The flame is spiritual

This flame allows us to worship God in the spirit. “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. John 4:24. The Holy Spirit allows us to transcend into spiritual worship. A type of worship where we commune with God. An experience that you feel deeply in your soul. It feels almost supernatural. This mysterious elevation can be found in Acts. When the Holy Spirit comes upon the disciples it is a heavenly sensation.  The spirit filled them with tongues and utterances. Acts 2:4

The Last Quality of the Holy Spirt – Emotions

The last quality of the Holy spirit flame is emotions. The Bible attests to the emotions of God. God is love. (1 John 4:8) He feels sorrow. (Matthew 26:38) God is joyful. (John 15:11) All these emotions and others are like ours but not exactly like our emotions.  Since we are made in His image. Our descriptions of these emotions are but a fraction of His. Never forget, God is not like us. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9.

God is infinite (limitless), immutable (never changes), omniscient (perfect knowledge), omnipotent (having all power), omnipresent (everywhere), and transcendent (exalted above all).  Therefore, God is self-existing and self-sufficient.  In addition to being love, He is wisdom, truth, trust, justice, merciful, and gracious.  He is Holy and we are not.  However, we are called to be holy because God is. Since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16

The work of the Spirit is to bring all these emotions in line with God. So that we may rejoice in all our circumstances.  May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13. To help us find pleasure in Godly pursuits rather than sinful pleasures.  These sinful ways are pleasurable for the moments but eventually bring sorrow, hurt, and even destruction. But the pursuit of God leads to hope, peace, and joy. What purpose does the Holy Spirit serve?

What is the purpose of the Holy Spirit?

The main purpose of the Holy Spirit is the healing of our will. When He enters the heart of a believer it is to turn that heart to joyful and voluntary obedience to God. To the will of God for our lives. The cure for sin must be dealt with from within the heart. No outward interference will change us. We must not conform to this world but allow the renewing of our hearts towards God. The Holy Spirit will guide you, push you, and comfort you to this end. His purpose is not to break you but to encourage you to a deeper relationship where you joyously surrender to the will of God for you.

Living your life for the will of God will lift you above the mundane day-to-day disappointments as your focus will be on God’s will. It is believing that God is in control and regardless of your current circumstance this is His will for you.  It is accepting that God is in control and understanding His reason is beyond you but always trustworthy.  It is only when we have reached this level of acceptance can we truly be at peace. Sadly, many Christians do not reach this level of peace. Therefore, they will continue to feel dissatisfaction, with no inner peace, and a sense of powerlessness.

Gifts of the spirit

The seven gifts or fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23.

You may already have some of these gifts.  Others you will need to work on.  However, the benefit of each will help you enjoy life to the fullest. They will help you during bad times as well as, the good times. They can help you avoid certain painful circumstances and comfort you during the midst of your trials and tribulations. Each gift is needed to get through life daily. 

They can also, lead to other gifts such as the word of knowledge, generosity, increased faith, the gift of healing, the gift of miracles, prophecy, the discernment of spirits, diverse tongues, and the interpretation of tongues.

Living In the Spirit

Finally, living by the Spirit allows us to keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:25. Let’s all strive for this by not becoming conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another. (Galatians 5:26) We are all God’s children, and He provides each of us with our blessings. What God has for you is yours and what He has for others is theirs.  Amen.

Additional Reading:

Why Jesus Is Important

Faith, Hope, And Trust

Signs of Growth

Love, peace, and joy,

Sabrina