Knowing the Person of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is a part of the Holy Trinity with the Father and Son. In the Old Testament the Hebrew word 
(ruwach, pronounced roo’-akh) was used when talking about the Spirit. This word literally means WIND, even the wind associated with a BREATHE! In the New Testament the Greek word
(pneuma, pronounced pnyoo’-mah) was used which means the BREATHE or a BREEZE! We can literally think of the Holy Spirit as the“Breathe of God!”
Most Christians today understand Jesus the Son, and God the Father as two very distinct Persons within the Godhead; however, there has been much confusion over the identity of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps some of this dates back to the King James translation of the Bible where the word “Spirit” or “Ghost” was used instead of “Breathe” or “Wind” of God. In any case, many people throughout the ages have thought of the Holy Spirit more as a thing than a Person. Nothing could be further from the truth, and in fact as we begin to know the Person of the Holy Spirit we will want to have a closer relationship with Him just as we would the Father or Son.
Although the word Trinity is not mentioned in the Bible, we know God is three in one. There are three very distinct Person’s that make up the Godhead. They are all equal in every way.
They (The Father, Son and Holy Spirit) are all:
Omnipotent – All powerful. Luke 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God.
Omnipresent – At all places at once. Psalms 139:7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? or where shall I flee from your presence?
Omniscient – All knowing. 1 Corinthians 2:10 But God has revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God.
Eternal – Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Equal – Acts 5:3-4 But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land? While it remained, was it not your own? and after it was sold, was it not in your own power? why have you conceived this thing in your heart? you have not lied unto men, but unto God.
The Holy Spirit was part of all things, from the very beginning of scripture to the very end of scripture
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God (elohiym (pronounced el-o-heem’) created the heaven and the earth.
- Elohiym is the plural form of God. Therefore, as scripture was inspired and man began to write the Word, it was evident to the writers that God was made of more than 1 Person but at the same time there was one Godhead.
There are many scriptural references that show the coexistence of the the entities within the Trinity
Luke 3:22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
- Here we see the evidence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all mentioned within one verse. We also see the same reference elsewhere in the Gospels.
Matthew 3:16-17 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Mark 1:10-13 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness. And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.
Deuteronomy demonstrates the God Israel served was one Godhead made of a plurity of entities within that Godhead.
Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD (Y@hovah (pronounced yeh-ho-vaw’) our God (elohiym) is one LORD (Y@hovah)
It is important to understand the Holy Spirit is truly God because of the fact that if we are born again He lives in us.
- What we allow ourselves to be part of we are inviting God to be part of..
1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
Four important principles to remember
1) The Holy Spirit is God, but He is a Person, not a force
2) We cannot focus on the Holy Spirit too much. Why? What is the Holy Spirit’s mission? To reveal Jesus. What is Jesus mission…to reveal the Father. What about the Father…to send Jesus and the Holy Spirit so we can come to Him. Perfect Harmony. They never had a crisis management meeting in Heaven. They never tried to sit down and work things out. They never had a power struggle amongst themselves.
3) The Holy Spirit gives gifts for use in ministry and empowers effective ministry
4) The Holy Spirit is a distinct Person within the Godhead, not a force, a thing, or an “it”
Qualities that a person has…(a force or thing does not)
1) The Holy Spirit has intellect. 1 Corinthians 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
2) The Holy Spirit has knowledge. 1 Corinthians 2:11 even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
3) The Holy Spirit has emotions. Ephesians 4:30 And grieve (lupeo (pronounced loo-peh’-o)); to make sad or sorrowful, heavy of heart) not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
4) The Holy Spirit has his own will and he makes decisions. Acts 16:6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia (pronounced froog-ee’-ah) and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,
5) The Holy Spirit Loves. Romans 15:30 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;
Things only a person would do (a force or thing does not)
1) He teaches you things about God and yourself. John 14:26 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.
2) He tells the truth. John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
3) He guides. John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
4) He convinces. John 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
5) He prays for you. Romans 8:26-27 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
6) He commands. Acts 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
The Holy Spirit was on the scene long before the day of Pentecost
- He moved upon the face of the waters and was the active agent in creation. Jesus was the Word, the Holy Spirit moved.
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God (elohiym el-o-heem’) created the heaven and the earth.
Genesis 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
Genesis 1:27 So God (elohiym again) created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
- The Holy Spirit gave us the Word of God. 2 Peter 1:20-21 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
- The Holy Spirit regenerates our spirit when we accept Jesus Christ into our life. John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
In fact, the Holy Spirit has always worked hand-in-hand with Jesus Christ
- His Birth – Matthew 1:20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
- The life and ministry of Jesus – Luke 4:1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness AND… Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
- His death and offering Himself as the perfect sacrifice- Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
- The resurrection of Jesus – Actually all 3 members of the Godhead had a part in the resurrection!
- Father – Ephesians 1:19-20 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
- Son (He had the power to take His own life up again) – John 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
- Holy Ghost – Romans 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
- In fact, the main purpose of the Holy Spirit is to tell us about Jesus and Glorify Him. John 16:13-14 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
What All Happened on the Day of Pentecost?
- Jesus said it was imperative that He go or the Spirit would not be sent
- Jesus felt it important enough for them to wait until the Spirit came to empower them
- Jesus own mother needed the baptism of the Holy Spirit to be an effective witness.
On the day of Pentecost, the believers who were assembled in the Upper Room experience a new Baptism, the one which John referred to. For an in depth study on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, click here to go to that section of study.