What is the Holy Spirit, and what function does he play in our lives?
All of these questions, and many more, will be addressed in this post as we go over everything you need to know about the Holy Spirit. Yes, you read that correctly: everything.
In this post, we will be talking about
- What is the Holy Spirit?
- Who is the Holy Spirit, and what does he do?
- Is God and the Holy Spirit the same person
- Why is the Holy Spirit a person and not a force?
What Is The Holy Spirit?
To be born again, you must be baptized with water and the Holy Spirit of God. You’ve probably heard the term “Holy Spirit,” but what is the Holy Spirit, and what function does he play in our lives?
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit and presence of God.
Since the beginning of time, the Holy Spirit has been existing. The Spirit of God was introduced to us right at the beginning of the world in the book of Genesis.
The Bible says in Genesis 1:2 NLT. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.
While the earth was void and empty, the Holy Spirit was in existence with God. While many of us are familiar with God the Father and Jesus Christ.
Many Christians have overlooked God the Holy Spirit for many reasons; they do not know the Holy Spirit or have a strong relationship with him, and when they read or hear about the spirit, they wonder what is the Holy Spirit?
In Acts 19:2, we see an example of believers in the Church of Corinth who had no solid relationship with the Holy Spirit.
When Paul asked them if they had received the Holy Spirit, they wondered what is the Holy Spirit. They had not even heard of him.
“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them. “No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”Acts of the Apostles 19:2 NLT
The Holy Spirit is vital in our lives, and to be called children of God, the Spirit of God has to dwell in us. The truth is without receiving the Holy Spirit, You cannot go far in your Christian faith
Who Is The Holy Spirit, And What Does He Do?
You’ve undoubtedly heard of him once or twice in your Christian faith. But who is the Holy Spirit, and what does he do?
The Holy Spirit has been called many names; some include The Holy Ghost, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of truth, the Comforter, the Spirit of wisdom, the advocate, and the eternal Spirit.
These names give us a glimpse of what the Holy Spirit does in our lives and who he is. He provides us with wisdom, advocates, and comforts us.
We have heard a lot about the Holy Spirit and have a good sense of who he is, but what is the Holy Spirit’s function in our lives, and how can we share in God’s Spirit’s blessings for us?
Below I have highlighted some of the Holy Spirit’s roles in our lives
1. The Holy Spirit Empowers Us
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you…Acts of the Apostles 1:8 NLT One of the Holy Spirit’s tasks is empowering us and giving us the strength to persevere in our weaknesses.
The Holy Spirit did not function fully until Jesus ascended. However, there are few instances in the Old Testament where the Holy Spirit was released on a few persons to execute a specific duty.
In Judges 14:1, the Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson, and he tore open the mouth of a lion as quickly as he would open that of a young goat.
In Judges 15:4, The Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson, and the ropes he was bonded with became like burnt flax. The Spirit of the Lord gave him so much strength and power that he killed 1000 men with the jaw bone of the Donkey.
After David was anointed by Samuel, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and the next thing David did was to kill the giant Goliath
The Spirit of God came upon Gideon, and Gideon went to war. These examples show us that; what the Holy Spirit does is to empower and move us from ordinary human beings to warriors of Christ.
2. The Holy Spirit Gives Us The Boldness To Share The Gospel
After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness. Acts of the Apostles 4:31 NLT
God has entrusted us with the great commission of sharing the gospel with others for everyone to be saved.
Sometimes you may feel inspired to share the word of God with a stranger or a friend, but fear prevents you from doing so.
This is when the Holy Spirit enters the picture. The Holy Spirit gives us the boldness and fortitude we need to spread the good news.
Peter was hardly the boldest of men; he tried to walk on water and almost drowned, and he denied Jesus three times out of fear.
However, after receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, Peter became incredibly courageous, speaking to hundreds of people at a time.
He was subjected to persecution, punishment, and trials, but this did not deter him. This was due to the presence of the Holy Spirit.
3. The Holy Spirit Gives Us A New Identity In Christ
Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the spirit. John 3:5 NLT.
The water baptism demonstrates that our sinful self died with Christ and that when we have risen from the water, we are raised with Christ as new individuals.
But to see God’s kingdom, we must be baptized by both water and spirit. In this way, we are born again, born of the water and the Spirit of God, and we become new creatures.
4. The Holy Spirit Helps Us Overcome Temptation And Sin
So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. Galatians 5:16 NLT The Devil will tempt us to lead us into sin from time to time.
However, You can overcome the Devil’s temptations when the Holy Spirit guides your hearts and thoughts.
When you receive the Holy Spirit, You are no longer the same person but rather a new creature, and you no longer give in to your sinful desires.
5. The Holy Spirit Gives Us Good Fruits
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22-‬23 NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬
The Holy Spirit gives us fruits that demonstrate to the world that we are believers. The Holy Spirit replaces the old fruits of the flesh, such as anger and jealousy, with good fruits, such as peace, gentleness, and joy.
6. The Holy Spirit Brings Us Closer To God
And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:5 NLT
The Holy Spirit fills our hearts with God’s love and assists us in growing closer to Him. He accomplishes this by helping us in obeying God’s commandments and by eradicating sinful desires from our hearts.
Who better to know God’s views and expectations for us than the Holy Spirit?
7. The Holy Spirit Comforts Us
Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. John 16:7 KJV
One of the names of the Holy Spirit is The Comforter. The Holy Spirit comforts us when we are in trouble.
He helps us and gives us peace that passes all understanding even in the most turbulent situations. If someone asks you what is the Holy Spirit? Tell them the Holy Spirit is a comforter.
8. The Holy Spirit Helps In Our Prayers
And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. Romans 8:26 NLT
There are numerous responses to the question, What is the Holy Spirit? Firstly, The Holy Spirit is an intercessor, advocate, and helper.
Secondly, The Holy Spirit assists us in our prayers when we don’t know what to say or when our hearts are too heavy for words to come forth.
However, when we pray in tongues, we are strengthened. Finally, the Holy Spirit also intercedes and defends us against the enemy’s accusations.
9. The Holy Spirit Teaches Us
For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said.”Luke 12:12 NLT Another answer to the question ‘What is the Holy Spirit?’ is the Holy Spirit is a teacher.
The Holy Spirit teaches us and tells us what we need to know because the Spirit of God is the spirit of wisdom and truth.
So what he teaches us is filled with truth, wisdom, and direction. He teaches us what to say, how to say it, and the steps and the moves to make.
10. The Holy Spirit Gives Us The Gifts
A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another, the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge.
The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else, the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy.
He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit.
Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts.
He alone decides which gift each person should have. 1 Corinthians 12:7-‬11 NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ When you receive the Holy Spirit, you are given at least one of his distinctive gifts; some people are given miracles and healing, while others are given wisdom and solid advice. Each gift is equally significant in the advancement of God’s Kingdom.
11. The Holy Spirit Directs And Leads Us
All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. Romans 8:14 NLT The Holy Spirit directs, guides, and teaches us; if we follow the Spirit of God’s guiding, we will not fall into a ditch.
The Holy Spirit can reveal deep and secret things to us as well as show us the correct path to take.
12. The Holy Spirit Gives Us The Gift Of Tongues
For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the spirit. 1 Corinthians 14:2 NIV
The ability to speak in tongues is one of the Holy Spirit’s gifts. On the day of Pentecost, while the believers were gathered, they received the gift of speaking in tongues.
They began communicating in a foreign language, and individuals of other nations could tell that Jewish men were conversing in their own language. Speaking in tongues involves speaking in unknown languages that confuse the enemy.
According to the scriptures, You can speak in tongues to pray, worship God, and build yourself. The Bible instructs us not to stop at the gift of tongues but to go above and pray for the gift of interpretation and other spiritual gifts as well.
13. The Holy Spirit Frees Us
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 2 Corinthians 3:17 KJV We receive liberty when we accept the Holy Spirit.
We are set free from the enemy’s bonds of addiction, fear, disease, and other shackles. The Spirit of the Lord is not a spirit of fear but courage, boldness, and freedom.
14. The Holy Spirit Convicts Us Of Our Sin
And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. John 16:8-‬9 NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬
The Holy Spirit will convict the world of its sins. This indicates that the Holy Spirit will reveal the truth about the world’s sin, righteousness, and impending judgment.
When you receive the Holy Spirit, you strongly believe that God exists. ‬
The followers of Jesus Christ witnessed him do magnificent miracles, such as walking on water, healing the sick, raising the dead, and transfiguration.
Nonetheless, they fled during his crucifixion. They no longer believed he was the Messiah because they had forgotten everything Jesus had told them.
They watched Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead, a guy who had been dead for four days and was decomposing, but they didn’t believe Jesus could raise himself up.
The Church of Christ would not be standing today if the Holy Spirit had not come. The Holy Spirit arrived and reminded them of all Jesus had said to them.
Because of the Holy Spirit, those of us who have never met Jesus on earth believe and are convinced that he exists.
15. The Holy Spirit Adopts Us Into The Family Of Christ
So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15 NLT
When you receive the Holy Spirit, you are automatically adopted into Christ’s family and you get all of the benefits that come with being a child of God.
Is God And The Holy Spirit The Same Person?
Is God and the Holy Spirit the same person? This is a question that many people wonder about. God and the Holy Spirit are the same.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. Man is made in the image and likeness of God. This is why we have a physical body, soul, and spirit. Like our body, soul and spirit are the same, God the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit are the same
Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 NLT
The Holy Spirit can work in us because we have a spirit, an inner man; the Bible tells us in proverbs 20:27 that our spirit is a lamp for God that he uses to search our innermost being.
Why Is The Holy Spirit A Person And Not A Force?
If the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, Why is the Holy Spirit a person and not a force? We believe the Holy Spirit is a person because the Holy Spirit and God are the same.
Furthermore, the Bible uses pronouns like He, I, Him to describe the Spirit of God. In addition, the Holy Spirit, like a person, can speak and listen to us.
He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him because he lives with you now and later will be in you. John 14:17 NLT
Power Of The Holy Spirit Bible Verse
The Holy Spirit is both God’s Spirit and his presence. The Holy Spirit has the authority and power to work miracles and revive our souls.
This section contains a list of twenty power of the Holy Spirit Bible verse that shows the roles and power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
1. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere-in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth- Acts of the Apostles 1:8 NLT
2. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him because he lives with you now and later will be in you- John 14:17 NLT
3. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself- 1 Corinthians 6:19 NLT
4. “You fathers if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him- Luke 11:11-‬13 NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬
5. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you- Romans 8:11 NLT
6. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God- 1 Corinthians 2:10 KJV
7. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own spirit- 1 Corinthians 2:11 NLT
8. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him- Ephesians 1:14 NLT
9. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability- Acts of the Apostles 2:4 NLT
10. And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: and the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD- Isaiah 11:1-‬2 KJV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬
11. The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified- Isaiah 61:1-‬3 KJV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬
12. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them- Ezekiel 36:27 KJV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬
13. And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions- Joel 2:28 KJV
14. Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he became very angry. He took two oxen and cut them into pieces and sent the messengers to carry them throughout Israel with this message: “This is what will happen to the oxen of anyone who refuses to follow Saul and Samuel into battle!” And the Lord made the people afraid of Saul’s anger, and all of them came out together as one- 1 Samuel 11:6-‬7 NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬‬
15. But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him- 1 Samuel 16:14 KJV
16. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions- Galatians 5:17 NLT
17. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline- 2 Timothy 1:7 N
18. Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit- Acts of the Apostles 2:38 NLT
19. “I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am so much greater than I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire- Matthew 3:11 NLT
Conclusion
As long as you are willing, You too can receive the Holy Spirit. The gift of the Holy Spirit is available for whoever wants it, but you must first give your life to Christ and be saved.
Secondly, you must have faith, and thirdly you must be willing to receive. Look at the ways the Holy Spirit has come through for you today and ask yourself what is the Holy Spirit to me.
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