Practical Theology About The Holy Spirit Series:

Meet The Holy Spirit

 

 

                                                                                                                                                           

The Holy Spirit is a Person

 

A. First, what we believe about the Holy Spirit

 

1. Lots of people believe lots of different ideas about the Holy Spirit

 

a. Some believe the Holy Spirit is a “cosmic force” or “positive energy” in the material universe

 

b. Others believe the Holy Spirit is an “impersonal power” that emanates from God

 

c. For these people, the Holy Spirit is an “it”, not a “who”

 

2. We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Person

 

a. He is not a person in the sense of a “human with a human body”

 

b. He is a personal spirit possessing personality—intelligence, will, and emotions

 

B. Next, why we believe the Holy Spirit is a Person

 

1. First, He possesses the characteristics of a person:

 

a. He possesses intelligence

 

i. He has a mind

 

Romans 8:27

27Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

 

ii. 1 Corinthians 2:10-11 tells us the Spirit “searches the deep things of God” and “knows the mind of God”—these require intelligence

 

b. He possesses a will

 

Teaching on the subject of spiritual gifts, Paul wrote this:

 

1 Corinthians 12:11

11But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

 

c. He possesses emotions

 

i. He loves—

 

Romans 15:30

30Now 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…

 

ii. He grieves—

 

Ephesians 4:30

30…do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

 

2.  Second, He performs the acts of a person:

 

a. He speaks

 

Acts 13:2

2As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

 

b. He intercedes

 

Romans 8:26

26Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

 

c. He teaches

 

John 14:26

26…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 things that I said to you.

 

 

d. He commands

 

Acts 8:29

29Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.”

 

e. He guides

 

Romans 8:14

14…as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

 

3. Third, He receives treatment as a person:

 

a. He can be grieved

 

Isaiah 63:10

10…they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; so He turned Himself against them as an enemy, and He fought against them.

 

b. He can be insulted

 

Hebrews 10:29

29Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?

 

c. He can be lied to

 

Acts 5:3

3Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit…?

d. He can be blasphemed

 

Luke 12:10

10…anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.

 

                                                                                                                                                           

The Holy Spirit is God

 

A. First, what we believe about the Holy Spirit

 

1. We believe that Holy Spirit is God

 

2. The Bible teaches us that there is one God eternally existent in three Persons: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

 

3. Being God, the Holy Spirit is eternal and uncreated; He is holy, sovereign, and supreme; He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and everywhere present at the same time; He is the maker and sustainer of all things created; He is worthy of all worship and worthy of all obedience

 

B. Next, why we believe the Holy Spirit is God

 

1. First, He is called “God” in the Bible

 

Acts 5:3-4

3…Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? 4While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”

2. Second, He possesses the attributes of God

 

a. He is omnipotent—“all-powerful”

 

Luke 1:35 refers to the Spirit as “the power of the Most High”

 

b. He is omniscient—“all-knowing”

 

1 Corinthians 2:10-11 tells us that the Spirit searches all things and knows the all-knowing mind of God

 

c. He is omnipresent—“everywhere present at the same time”

 

Psalm 139:7 tells us that man cannot escape the Spirit’s presence

 

d. He is eternal—“had no beginning and has no end”

 

Hebrews 9:14 calls the Holy Spirit, “The eternal Spirit”

 

3. Third, He performs the works of God

 

a. He was active in Creation

 

i. The creation of the universe

 

Genesis 1:1-2

1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

 

Psalm 104:30

30You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; and You renew the face of the earth.

 

ii. The creation of humanity

 

Job 33:4

4The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

 

b. He regenerates believing sinners

 

Titus 3:5-6

5…according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior…

 

c. He gives spiritual life

               

John 6:63

63It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

 

d. He inspired the Bible

 

2 Peter 1:21

21…for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

 

 

 

4. Fourth, statements God made in the Old Testament are ascribed to the Holy Spirit in the New Testament

 

a. For example, in Jeremiah 31:31-34 God speaks about His New Covenant with His people, then in Hebrews 10:15-17 the same words of Jeremiah 31 are quoted and ascribed to the Holy Spirit

 

b. Some more examples of this are found in (1) Isaiah 6:8-10 and Acts 28:25-27 and (2) Psalm 95:7-11 and Hebrews 3:7-9

 

5. Fifth, He is listed with God the Father and God the Son in Trinity

 

Here are two examples of this (there are many more in the Bible):

 

i. From the Old Testament—

 

Isaiah 61:1

1“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me…

 

ii. From the New Testament—

 

Matthew 28:19-20

19Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

 

 

                                                                                                                                                           

Conclusion

 

A. The Holy Spirit is both a Person and God

 

1. Knowing the Holy Spirit as a Person will impact how we relate to Him on a personal level—

 

R.A. Torrey (1856-1928): “If we think of the Holy Spirit as so many do as merely a power or influence, our constant thought will be, “How can I get more of the Holy Spirit,” but if we think of Him in the Biblical way as a Divine Person, our thought will rather be, “How can the Holy Spirit have more of me?”

 

2.  Knowing the Holy Spirit as a God will impact how we relate to Him on a doxological level—

 

R.A. Torrey (1856-1928): “It is of the highest importance from the standpoint of worship that we decide whether the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, worthy to receive our adoration, our faith, our love, and our entire surrender to Himself, or whether it is simply an influence emanating from God or a power or an illumination that God imparts to us. If the Holy Spirit is a person, and a Divine Person, and we do not know Him as such, then we are robbing a Divine Being of the worship and the faith and the love and the surrender to Himself which are His due.”

 

B. I invite you to meet the Holy Spirit today