Who is Holy Spirit?
Holy Spirit is considered the 3rd person of the trinity and a gift from the Father and the Son to the the body of Christ here on the earth. One cannot separate Holy Spirit from the Body of Christ because He is the one that God has sent to lead His Kingdom citizens into victory here on the earth.
Why was Holy Spirit sent to believers?
He was sent to provide guidance, to assure believers of sonship, and to reveal the will of the Father to them. We may also think of the Spirit’s relationship to the believer in terms of Him being teacher, our helper, counselor, and guider.
Matthew 28:19-20 (NKJV)
19 Go 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, 20 teaching 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”.
To experience the full power of the Holy Spirit working in us, we must connect to the risen Christ through the written Word of God. By doing so, we shall experience a peace that passes all understanding, regardless of circumstances we face here on the earth.
Holy Spirit breathes life to believers upon their confession of faith. In the Bible, Books of Genesis 1:2; 2:7 and John 3:5-8; 6:63, and Ezekiel 37:9, the breath of God is mentioned – which is the Hebrew word ruach or the Greek word pneuma.
Ezekiel 37:9 (NKJV), “Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” ’ ” 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army”.
The presence or absence of the breath of God in your life is directly connected to your engagement with the Holy Spirit. Job 33:4 States, “And the breath of the Almighty gives me life”.
Every person who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ has ongoing direct access to the breath of life that will help them live an abundant life.
When Jesus came to tell the disciples about the promise of the Holy Spirit, He found the disciples in the same position many people are in today: they were afraid. We live in a world where many people are afraid and feel like they cannot breathe due to the pressures and challenges they face each day. However, we can be encouraged because all creation exists and is renewed in life because of the Spirit of God (Psalm104:30).
Despite their fear, everyone can benefit from the life of the Spirit (breath of God) and has reason to praise God. When you cultivate a relationship with the risen Christ by actively obeying Him and listening to His word, you are positioned for His breath and therefore victory in every situation.
Many people who struggle in this life, and unfortunately live depending on their own strength and abilities instead of focusing on making a dynamic relationship with God through Holy Spirit as a way of life. The power of the Spirit requires more than a Sunday visit to church. If chaos controls you, you will not live in peace because Holy Spirit’s presence is grieved and therefore you have no power to cultivate peace.
We were designed to live an abundant life with continuous breath of life through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Ezekiel 37:1-14 reminds us that God’s Word – combined with the Spirit – can bring even dry bones to life. The Bible says in Matthew 26:19 “All things are possible with God to those that believe…”
Philippians 4-6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”.
The peace that God gives through Holy Spirit is a peace that surpasses understanding. If we are experiencing fear, we must assess whether we are living apart from the Spirit and forgetting what God says. Even the disciples who had the physical presence of the living Word got scared. This teaches us that we can be close to the presence of God and not experience the full benefits of His presence. When you find yourself in a situation where you are not experiencing God’s peace, this is an invitation to go back to the Word of God. Holy Spirit’s power works hand in hand with the God’s Word. He (Holy Spirit) will never contradict the Word of God.
How Holy Spirit helps Kingdom citizens live a successful life here on the earth.
- Holy Spirit breathes new life to all believers upon new birth
Romans 8:10, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you”.
Holy Spirit can only be involved in a believer who lives a holy life. As you submit to the power of the Holy Spirit, your desires will change, and your life will begin to produce spiritual fruit.
- Holy Spirit teaches and provides revelation knowledge to believers.
John 14:26, “But 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”.
When Jesus ascended back into heaven, He promised to send the Holy Spirit to teach the disciples what they should do.
Holy Spirit continued the work Jesus began on earth of teaching believers.
- He helps us to discern God’s will.
He also helps us discern God’s will and hear His voice as we read the Bible and pray.
Jesus said this in John 10:27-28 (KJV)
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand”.
- Holy Spirit helps us to steward our bodies towards the things of God.
Matthew 26:41 (KJV)
“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s”.
God’s temple is holy and should not be treated disrespectfully. He gave us these bodies to steward and knowing that Holy Spirit lives inside us makes it even more important to ensure that our words, thoughts, and actions glorify God.
- Holy Spirit helps us to produce fruit that pleases God.
Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law”.
The fruit of the spirit is the result of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives. These are things that every believer experiences as they submit themselves to the Spirit’s leading. He prunes and cultivates our hearts so we can produce fruit that draws people to Jesus.
- Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts.
1 Corinthians 12:4-7 and 11, “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all… But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills”.
Part of the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives is giving each believer spiritual gifts. Your spiritual gift often aligns with the talents and passions God has given you. He gives you gifts and passions to help grow His kingdom and deepen your relationship with Him as His child.
Why is identifying your spiritual gifts important?
Identifying these unique gifts can be the starting point to understanding God’s purpose for your life so you can glorify Him in the most fruitful way.They give you practical ways to walk in the Spirit and live a Christ-filled life. Although the Spirit distributes the gifts individually, God desires that all of the gifts will work together to serve the body of Christ in your local church.
- Holy Spirit convicts’ man of sin.
John 16:7-8 “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment…”.
The Holy Spirit’s role in the life of a believer is to expose and convict them of sin. Once a believer recognizes their sin, Holy Spirit’s conviction prompts them to repent and seek forgiveness from God. Believers maintain communion and a right relationship with God by the help of Holy Spirit.
- Holy Spirit gives us power to witness Christ
Acts 1:8, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth”.
Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV)
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go 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, 20 teaching 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.
- Holy Spirit gives us wisdom.
1 Corinthians 2:10-11, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God”.
He fills us with wisdom, gives us the words to speak, and emboldens us to proclaim the truth.
God’s infinite wisdom is beyond the capacity of our finite understanding. We need Holy Spirit to discern His voice and know God’s will for us.
- Holy Spirit seals believers and sets them apart for God’s purposes.
Ephesians 1:13-14, “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory”.
Holy Spirit seals believers and sets them apart for God’s purposes. However, believers must first put their faith in God and trust His Word is true. They must believe He is who He says He is and will do what He says He will do. They must have confidence in God.
1 John 5:14-15 (NJKV)
14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
- Holy Spirits intercedes for us.
Romans 8:26-27, “Likewise 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. Now 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”.
One of Holy Spirit’s role is to act as an intercessor between us and God. He knows the deep things of God and He relays them back to us as He sees fit. He intercedes for us when we do not know what to pray. He articulates the groanings in our hearts to God and searches our hearts to guide our prayers according to God’s will. (2 Corinthians 2:9-10)
