"You might as well try to see without eyes, hear without ears, or breathe without lungs, as to try to live the Christian life without the Holy Spirit". -D.L. Moody
Who is the Holy Spirit? The answer to this question has brought much confusion to the church (and even the secular world) in recent decades. Many have limited the Holy Spirit to speaking in tongues and outward manifestations of God's power. The Holy Spirit has become an it in some Christian circles while in others He is completely neglected and regarded as unnecessary. It is somewhat shocking how far we have strayed from God's plan for the Holy Spirit in our lives. A quick read of the book of Acts alone shows us the importance of this wonderful Person in our Christian walk. Apart from our salvation, which the Holy Spirit guarantees, there is nothing so important in our lives as knowing, loving, and yielding to the Holy Spirit. Though countless books, teachings, and sermons could be produced on Him, today we will begin by laying a foundation on this three-part series on the Person of the Holy Spirit by giving a brief overview of who He is. Next time we will seek to uncover what He does and His importance in our lives. So let's dive in...
Who is He?
Among Christians and the world alike most people would say that the Holy Spirit is the "third Person of the Trinity". This is where everyone seems to stop. Apart from this common phrase the majority of Christians seem to lack a basic understanding of who He is. Yet the Bible speaks about Him numerous times both in the Old and New Testament. The previous statement might surprise some since the Holy Spirit has been limited to the New Testament church only when in reality His fingerprints are all over the Old Testament as well. So let us dive into Scripture and look at who this wonderful Person really is.
The Holy Spirit is a Person!
First we must understand the simple yet crucial reality that the Holy Spirit is a Person. He is not an it, nor a power, nor even a dove. He is a Person no less than you and me. Though He is undoubtedly a part of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit is both different from the Father and the Son yet equal to each in power, authority, and divinity. We see this important lesson played out in the baptism of Jesus.
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” -Matthew 3:16-17
The passage above succinctly demonstrates to us the three members of the Trinity working in unison while maintaining their separate identities. First we see Jesus on the Earth in bodily form being baptized in the Jordan river. Next we see the Holy Spirit coming upon Jesus in the form of a dove. Finally we recognize that the "voice from Heaven" speaks of the Father above acknowledging Jesus as His one and only begotten son. Three individuals with different roles and personalities yet one God. This Scripture helps us understand the unique nature of the Holy Spirit. But what exactly makes Him unique from the Father and the Son?
Mind, will, and emotions = person?
The Holy Spirit is an individual with His own mind, will, and emotions. Romans 8:27 speaks of His mind by saying, "And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God." The Holy Spirit has a mind of his own that is different from that of the Father and the Son. He has the ability to think for Himself.
The Holy Spirit also has His own will. Maybe you had never stopped to consider this but the truth is that the Holy Spirit has a will and the ability to make His own decisions. However His decisions are always in agreement with those of the Father and the Son. We see the Holy Spirit's will in action in 1 Corinthians 12:11. The Apostle Paul teaching on spiritual gifts and their importance writes the following, "But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills." It is the Holy Spirit's will that decides who receives each of His gifts. In fact one of His roles is to administer and give spiritual gifts to the church for the benefit of the whole (1 Cor 12:7).
Lastly one of the qualities that makes the Holy Spirit a person is his ability to feel. The Holy Spirit has deep emotions. Isaiah 63:10 speaks of what happens when Israel disobeys God. The verse says, "But they rebelled against him and grieved his Holy Spirit. So he became their enemy and fought against them." The word grieve is not a common word in our modern day vocabulary. The English dictionary defines this word as "to distress mentally; to feel grief or great sorrow". What was it that cause the Holy Spirit such mental distress? Israel's rebellion. Imagine the mental and emotional torment that the Holy Spirit feels when we act in sin and rebellion towards God! Take a second and think on how much our words and actions have the ability to grieve such a powerful being. On the other hand, however, the Bible speaks of the great love the Holy Spirit has for us. Paul writes, "Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me" (Rom 15:30). We often speak of the love of the Father giving His only Son for us and we also speak of the great love that Jesus has for us by dying on a cross for our sins. But I've seldom heard a preaching on the love of the Holy Spirit! How sad to realize how much we've neglected Him both from the pulpit and in our daily lives.
Powerful yet kind...
As I began to study the Person of the Holy Spirit, one of the qualities that surprised me the most about the Him is how loving He truly is. He is so gentle and kind that it is easy to hurt and grieve Him. This was a wonderful discovery for me because when I realized His sensitive nature I became more aware of how much I must have hurt Him in the past (and still do at times) and how despite that He never once turned His back on me. I cannot imagine another person who could endure so much pain yet continue to love as though He felt none. There is not a greater friend than the Holy Spirit!
Reader, I want you to know that the Holy Spirit is the most wonderful, encouraging, wise, and loving companion you could ever want. He is the one responsible for making us into genuine followers of Jesus Christ. Not only this, but the Holy Spirit desires an intimate relationship with you. He wants you to spend time with Him, talk to Him, and ultimately come to love Him. He is anxiously awaiting for you to talk to Him! He craves your friendship and my prayer is that you and I would begin a life-long partnership with the Holy Spirit. Please know that the Holy Spirit loves you and He is constantly praying for you (Rom 8:26). Take a moment this week and talk to Him, ask Him to help you know Him as a person and then in simple faith wait for Him to answer that prayer.
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