By Neibert David
Who is The Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit, also known as the Spirit of the Living God, is the third Member of the Godhead. This Godhead is sometimes called the Trinity in Church circles. The Godhead or Trinity is made up of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who is also known as the Holy Ghost. Together the three of them make up who Christians call God.
In Christian circles, the name God is interchangeable with the terms Godhead or Trinity. Although the term or name Trinity is not found in the Bible, Christians use it because the term correctly describes the nature of God. It describes the tripartite nature of God as He revealed Himself in the Holy Bible and in the Torah. (Genesis 1:26-27)
The concept of God being three in one is noted in the beginning in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible. “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness…So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:26-27) God said “let us make man in our image, in our likeness when He was forming humankind. The use of “us” and “our” denotes the plurality of God. Yet, in Scripture God identifies Himself as three in one.
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” (Deuteronomy 6:4) God told Israel that He was one. The fact that God noted that He is one means that there are more than one that makes up the LORD our God. Even though there are three, the three are one.
The first place in the Bible that the Holy Spirt is mentioned is in Genesis 1:2b: “and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” In this Scripture, one member of the Godhead is mentioned.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1;14) The Son, Jesus, is also known as “the Word”. The other two members of the Godhead (Father and Son) are mentioned in this portion of Scripture.
The baptism of Jesus by John is a Scripture that lists all three members of the Godhead at work: “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) This voice that came from heaven is that of the Father.
At the time that Jesus was baptized, the Spirit alighted on Him, and the Father complimented Him on being the Son that He was well pleased with. These two verses demonstrate the three members of the Godhead. The Holy Spirit is the third member, and He alighted on Jesus to be His Helper.
God’s desire is that Jesus is the ultimate example for every human being. Yet, He is the ultimate example for the ones who believe that He has been given by the Father as an answer to the spiritual healing (see article – ‘Healing the Spirit’) that the world needs.
As the example for Christians, Jesus was led by the Spirit in His life and ministry on earth. To accomplish His goal of being the “Savior” and “Redeemer” of all humans (Isaiah 49:26b), Jesus depended on the leading of the Holy Spirt and on prayer with His Father.
When He was to be tempted by the devil “Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.” (Matthew 4:1a) The Holy Spirit was an integral part of Jesus’ life and ministry while He was here on the earth. Likewise, the Holy Spirit was given to Christians to be an integral part of their lives and ministry. Like He did with Jesus, the Holy Spirit has been given to Christians to empower them in their lives and ministry.
The Holy Spirit is a Person just like the Father and Jesus are Persons. As was noted before, human beings have been made in the image and likeness of God, therefore human beings are persons just like they are Persons. Christians have been given the Person of the Holy Spirit to help them accomplish the purpose for their lives and ministries.
The Holy Spirit brings with Him heaven’s power when He enters the life of a person. Speaking to his disciples the risen Jesus Christ said, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
God’s purpose is for all of His followers (aka Christians) to be His witnesses “to the ends of the earth.” But they cannot be effective witnesses to the end of the earth without the power that comes with the Holy Spirit. Therefore, Holy Spirit, being the third Person in the triune God, should be the empowering force behind the lives and ministries of Christians. In other words, Holy Spirit desires to be the power behind the lives and ministries of all Christians. The Holy Spirit provides power!
The evidence of that power was experienced in Acts 2:1-4 when the Holy Spirit entered: “suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house”. (Verse 2) “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” (Verse 4)
The Holy Spirit came down from heaven with such power that “they saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.” (V3) The Holy Spirit’s power is like an enabling and consuming fire for believers. And the crowd that witnessed the outpouring of the Holy Spirit said: “We hear them declaring the wonder of God in our own tongues!” (Acts 2:11b) Meaning, the different languages that the disciples were speaking when they spoke in tongues were native languages to the hears who were visitors from various cities. This was an amazing sight to behold. (Acts 2:6) The Holy Spirit enables believers to speak the languages of those He wants to reach!
Nearing the end of His earthly ministry, Jesus said that He will pray and ask the Father to provide another “Comforter” (KJV – King James Version) or “Advocate” (NIV – New International Version) for His disciples. He said the Father “will give you another Advocate to help you and be with you forever – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17) The Holy Spirit advocates for Christians, and He also comforts them as they walk with Him throughout everyday life.
Once people receive the finished work of Jesus on the cross of calvary, Holy Spirt is provided by God to be their Comforter and Advocate. In addition to being the Spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit “will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:26) The Holy Spirit who is known as Advocate (NIV); Helper (AMP – Amplified Bible); Counselor (CJB – Complete Jewish Bible); Comforter (RSV – Revised Standard Version); is also the Teacher for Christians, and He will remind them of the things that they learned.
The Holy Spirit will be there to help Christians have a victorious life and ministry as He is the One who is always with them. He is their constant Companion!
God says: “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue…” (2 Peter 1:3 – NKJV – New King James Version) Although God has already released what Christians need to live a godly and victorious life, they will access it as they are led by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit also navigates the direction of the Church on earth. He is the Agent that God uses to move His Church in whatever direction He wills. “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify Me because it is from Me that He will receive what He will make known to you.” (John 16:13-14)
The Holy Spirit is also the Sustainer of the Church on the earth. He also helps Christians to serve God “For it is we…who serve God by His Spirit”. (Philippians 3:3a)
The Holy Spirit causes the Church on the earth to grow. “Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ…And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit…Those who received his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.” (Acts 2:38-41) The Holy Spirit is the active Agent that sustains and grows the Church from generation to generation, from century to century, and from millennia to millennia.
The Holy Spirit is the third Person in the Godhead, and He has been given to believers in Jesus Christ as a Comforter and a Guide for the rest of their lives. The Holy Spirit desires to lead Christians into a deeper relationship with God, the Father and God, the Son as well as Himself, God – the Holy Spirit. Shall we seek God via the Holy Spirit as He promises “you will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart!”? (Jeremiah 29:13)
