Who Is The Holy Spirit?

Scripture Reading: John 14:26

Many people are confused about who the Holy Spirit is. Some think the Holy Spirit is a mystical force, others think the Holy Spirit is a power that God makes available to followers of Christ. What does the Bible say about the identity of the Holy Spirit? The Bible tells us the Holy Spirit is God. It also tells us that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, a being with a mind, emotions, and a will.

How Do We Know The Spirit Is God?:

The Holy Spirit is God, it is clearly seen in many Scriptures:

Acts 5:3-4 Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God."

Peter confronts Ananias as to why he lied to the Holy Spirit and tells him that he had “not lied to men but to God.” A clear declaration that lying to the Holy Spirit is lying to God.

The Holy Spirit possesses the characteristics of God. His omnipresence is an example.

Psalm 139:7-8 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

The Holy Spirit is omnipresent, everywhere, all the time, no escape from His presence. He is God.

The Holy Spirit has the characteristic of omniscience.

1 Corinthians 2:10-11 “But God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.”

The Holy Spirit is a divine person, He possesses a mind, emotions, and a will.

The Holy Spirit thinks and knows 1 Corinthians 2:10 but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

The Holy Spirit can be grieved. Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

The Spirit intercedes for us. Romans 8:26-27 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

The Holy Spirit makes decisions according to His will.

1 Corinthians 12:7-11 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, o another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

The Holy Spirit is God, the third Person of the Trinity. As God, the Holy Spirit can function as Comforter and Counselor just as Jesus promised.

John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever … 14:26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. … 15:26 "When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.

One of the least talked about members of the Trinity. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. Yes, the Holy Spirit is God. He dwells inside of believers. He is always with us. He knows our thoughts. He intercedes for us. He can be grieved. He thinks and knows. The Holy Spirit is God and should not be considered anything less than God. He is not a mystical force or a power given to us by God. He is God indwelt within us. We struggle to fight the principalities of the air. The Holy Spirit is inside us to help defeat those principalities. Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to help make the decisions in your life?