And in 15:26 he is a witness in his own right, "When the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness to me." The book of Acts tells numerous stories of the apostles performing miracles by the power of the Holy Spirit. Is the Holy Spirit an “it”? Eyes meet with silent excitement. These early creeds show that Christians have always believed in the Holy Spirit as God. The Holy Spirit is a real Person, not just a force or a presence or a power. . And when he calls him "another Counselor," he means, "He will be a counselor like me." Then in verse 25 he says, "I have spoken to you while I am with you." What is the “baptism of fire”? Understand that the Holy Spirit is a real Person, not just a force or a presence or a power. The Holy Spirit: is God: As Eternal . (Hebrews 5:7-9.) The name is given with unusual fullness, in order to show the magnitude of the sin - τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, "The Spirit, the Holy Spirit of God. But once Jesus paid the penalty for sin, the curtain to the Holy of Holies was torn. Throughout the Bible the Holy Spirit is spoken of in the Bible as being God's divine power. I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. If Jesus has sent us even as the Father sent him (John 20:21), then should we not be able to say with Jesus, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. 2. 1) Jesus calls him "another Counselor" in 14:16, "I will pray the Father and he will give you another Counselor to be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth" (14:26; 15:26; 16:7). He shares the strengths of God the Father and Jesus, such as omniscience, omnipotence, and eternality. Find out more about her here and on social media @alyssawrote. Picture a great army asleep with mighty weapons in their limp hands and armor in their tents. Related Items. The Holy Spirit was involved in creation. 2) In John 14:17, Jesus says, "You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you." The second truth is that the Holy Spirit is God not a creation of God. The Holy Spirit moved the prophets of God with the words of God (2 Peter 1:21). He spoke personally to me. What Is the Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. The writers of the epistles (the New Testament books comprised of letters), constantly reference the Holy Spirit, His power, and His importance. If this were not so, we would have to imagine that there was a time when the Son had no Spirit and the Father had no Spirit. Therefore, at the top of my agenda these days has been the question: how can I get myself and the church awake to a wartime mentality? The light in the commander's tent goes on, the generals gather and the strategy for the attack is laid. . At least three things in these chapters confirm that Jesus thinks of the Holy Spirit as a person not a mere force. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. The Spirit then is God giving true wisdom to Christians in the Church of Christ. in a day when the fullness of God's nature as three in one has been revealed and when the various ministries of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have been displayed and offered for our experience. At least three things in these chapters confirm that Jesus thinks of the Holy Spirit as a person not a mere force. We are dealing with Fact. In this way, the power of the Holy Spirit is different from any other kind of power. Jesus was clear that to be “born again,” to become a Christian, one must be born “of the Spirit… 5 The Holy Spirit … The Holy Spirit is the powerful means by which the two members of the Godhead revealed in the Bible—God the Father and Jesus Christ, the Son of God—project Their will, Their influence, Their nature and Their creative power throughout the universe, including affecting the minds of human beings. . 1. The Holy Spirit is not simply an illumination that enables the believer to testify about Jesus Christ. Come, Holy Spirit, preach yourself to this people. "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light . The Holy Spirit is often misunderstood. One way to partially visualize this concept is to examine the nature of water (H2O). The Transforming Power of God's Spirit. and take the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God . It is perhaps the most difficult Christian doctrine to wrap one’s head around, but this is to be expected. Apart from Christ, we were so sinful, so wicked, so rebellious that Scripture called us children of disobedience. We can praise God that He, as the Holy Spirit, is always with us, and worship Him in awe of the glory of the Holy Trinity. Therefore, we live in a unique, climactic period of redemptive history, the days of the Spirit. . Let me draw this introductory message to a close with two truths about the Holy Spirit that we need to have clear from the beginning. You won’t find the actual word “Trinity” in the Bible. There is a peculiar responsibility upon us today to know and experience the Holy Spirit. So too there are not three uncreated or immeasurable beings; there is but one uncreated and immeasurable being… Thus the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God. . . - And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit is a counselor like Jesus is—he is a person. The Holy Spirit gives confirmation when we are following the will of God for our lives. But, when we start on page one of the Bible, before creation ever even began, we see a depiction of the spirit of God hovering over the dark, disordered waters of … The Bible shows us that God wants to give us the greatest gift you can think of: He comes to live inside of us with his own holy, almighty, wonderful Spirit. The life of my people hangs on a vital experience of the Spirit. Is the Holy Spirit a mystical energy, like “the force” in the Star Wars franchise? the prominence of God the Holy Spirit. If we could fully understand God, what sort of God would He be? The Holy Spirit: is God: As Directing where the Gospel should be Preached. Thus, they held councils of the wisest leaders from across the Christian world to discuss the Bible and determine the truth. 8:13). If I love the glory of God, I will work to overcome the worldwide ignorance and belittling of that glory. Jesus virtually identifies the Spirit with himself. If the Holy Spirit lives in us, then are we human and divine? Picture them sleeping in the fields all around one of Satan's strongholds. The Holy Spirit: is God: As Convincing of Sin, of Righteousness, and of Judgment. Christians believe that one God exists in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Throughout Scripture, the arm of the Lord is a direct reference to Jesus (Yeshua), while the hand of the Lord refers to the Holy Spirit. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. It captures the teaching of Scripture about the Trinity, including the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit's name describes his chief attribute: He is a perfectly holy and spotless God, free of any sin or darkness. Christianity.com is a member of the Salem Web Network of sites including: Copyright © 2021, Christianity.com. If I love the lost, I will seek to save them from perishing. He wants us to receive the Holy Spirit so we can experience heaven on earth, God’s kingdom becoming reality in our life.. When / How … Muscles are flexed. Armor fitted. Spread out for us all to see and to marvel at is the history of revelation of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He spoke through the prophets. Before Christ's coming . The Spirit is "of God" not because God created him, but because he shares God's nature and comes forth eternally from God (see 1 Corinthians 2:10–12). This is not because the Trinity isn’t biblical; it’s because “Trinity” is a word we have developed to succinctly express the unique nature of God. On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. More than ever in my life the stark reality of thousands of people groups unreached by a "peaceful" western church has been branded on my brain. The Holy Spirit is God, the third Person of the Trinity. The most glorious of all truths that we will discover in the next 20 weeks is that when the Holy Spirit comes into our lives, he comes not merely as the Spirit of the Son, nor merely as the Spirit of the Father, but as the Spirit of infinite love between the Father and the Son, so that we may love the Father with the very love of the Son, and love the Son with the very love of the Father. . The logic of love is irresistible. She is a literary agent at C.Y.L.E., the publicity manager at Mountain Brook Ink, and a freelance editor with Sherpa Editing Services. God is the Father, Jesus is the Son, and the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. The first truth is that the Holy Spirit is a person not an impersonal force. He teaches us, comforts us, and even helps us to pray (Romans 8:26). I recorded three reasons in my journal: 1) If I am burdened for the vital experience of God missing in many of our people and for the present power of godliness, it makes sense to preach not just on what God has done or what he will do or what we must do, but on what God is now doing and how he is now experienced—i.e., the Holy Spirit. the prominence of God the Father; during the days of Christ's earthly life . When a person becomes born again by believing and receiving Jesus Christ 4, God resides in that person through the Holy Spirit. This article explores 10 ways the Spirit interacts with us. The Holy Spirit Is a Seal in the Lives of Believers In the ancient world, a seal was a “legal signature” attesting ownership and validating what was sealed. But the Counselor, 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. . 3) There are miracles which God may be willing to perform if we sought his Spirit and were filled anew. On the morning of December 10 (about eight weeks ago) I was praying earnestly about these things and seeking the Lord for direction in my ministry. The Bible instructs believers to examine themselves, but does it tell us to what extent or how often we should question our salvation? In the Old Testament, the Glory of God was separated from a sinful people, residing among the people in the Holy of Holies, the innermost part of the temple, only to be visited by the high priest once a year. This is not because the Trinity isn’t biblical; it’s because “Trinity” is a word we have developed to succinctly express the unique nature of God. And when he comes, he will convince the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. "I am with you and will be in you" is the same as saying, "I am with you and the Spirit will be in you." These three are each God, equal in power, nature, and attributes, and worthy of the same worship. But they are three persons. The Holy Spirit: is God: As Dwelling in Saints. In Genesis 1:2 at the creation of the world, the Bible records, “The Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” In Genesis 1:26, God says, “Let us make mankind in our image.” God wasn’t talking to Himself like a weirdo; He was creating man in the image of all three members of the Trinity, each of whom was present at creation. Separate, yet united as one. Article Images Copyright © 2021 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. When the Holy Spirit falls upon this congregation, the undeniable sign will be the impulse and power to invade Satan's prisoner camps and release the captives. And these miracles may win for him glory that is now denied him . If the Son of God is equally eternal with the Father, as John 1:1–3 makes clear that he is, then so is the Holy Spirit equally eternal with them both, because, according to Romans 8:9–11, the Spirit of Christ is one and the same with the Spirit of God. O, how favored we are as a people to be living in the age of the Spirit. and help each other be bold" (Ephesians 5:14, 18; 6:11, 17–19). I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary… I believe in the Holy Spirit. For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. But I want to try to show in this week's STAR that the Holy Spirit is essential to the relationship between the Father and the Son. Picture the Allied troops landing in Germany, marching victoriously toward the smoke from the ovens of Dachau, and then stopping at the gates, setting up camp, and having a big Bavarian beer bust to celebrate while the Gestapo finishes murdering 5,000 Jews behind the gates. The Holy Spirit acted so strongly upon them that he seemed to have been 'poured out,' as was foretold by the prophet Joel. (Hebrews 5:7-9.) In Abrahamic religions, the Holy Spirit is an aspect or agent of God, by means of which God communicates with people or acts on them. Put on the whole armor of God . What Pronoun Is Used for the Holy Spirit: He, She, or It? In short, the Spirit is God's life, energy, power, vigour for action, wisdom, fire of emotion, God's tender and strong love. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. 9 He will teach you what you need to know. Satan is satisfied with all our religious activity as long as it does not move us to break down those gates to rescue the perishing. Handley C.G. The Holy Spirit is God. 2) The sentence is stunning and full of ominous warning: "If you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live" (Rom. Moule, the former bishop of Durham who died in 1920, gave witness to the importance of the Spirit's personality: Never shall I forget the gain to my conscious faith and peace which came to my own soul, not long after a first decisive and appropriating view of the Crucified Lord as the sinner's sacrifice of peace, from a more intelligent and conscious hold upon the living and most gracious Personality of that Holy Spirit through whose mercy the soul had got that blessed view. There is a spiritual war to be won. Whatever God does, the Spirit does, since in all God’s works all three persons work together inseparably, whether in creation, providence, or salvation. And all the divine attributes ascribed to the Father and the Son are equally ascribed to the Holy Spirit. Romans chapter 8 is also a chapter that describes the role and work of God the Holy Spirit. It was a new development of insight into the Love of God. In the early centuries of Christianity, church leaders wanted to be certain they had a correct understanding of God. So for three days in the third week of January at Shalom House I spent about 30 hours praying and thinking about a series of messages on the Holy Spirit. “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit … Likewise, he is all-loving, forgiving, merciful and just. As far back into eternity as God the Father has been generating or imaging forth the Son, there has been an infinite Holy Spirit of love and delight between them, who is himself a divine Person. The Holy Spirit: is God: As Inspiring Scripture. There are attacks to be resisted. . The Holy Spirit is our mark of adoption as God’s children. And the Lord gave me, I believe, the over-mastering conviction that I should preach on the Holy Spirit. There was no longer a separation between God and man. Very solemn and emphatic counsel. The Holy Ghost, as he is called in early New Testament texts, is a mystery. The Bible portrays for us a history of redemption with three major divisions that reveal progressively the three persons of the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. It also doesn’t mean that these are just different forms of God; each is His own Person. . Both God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ speak often in Scripture, but the Holy Spirit directly speaks only in the Acts of the Apostles (8:29, 10:19-20, 13:2). The Bible declares that the Holy Spirit is the power of God (2 Timothy 1:7), that it leads us into all truth (John 14:17, 26), that it enables us to discern spiritual things (1 Corinthians 2:11, 14), that it is our guarantee (“seal”) of eternal life in the resurrection (Ephesians 1:13-14), and that without it we are “not His” (Romans 8:9, emphasis added). Before the first coming of Christ, the great testing truth was "the oneness of God's nature and his monarchy over all," especially with respect to the person of the Father. 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