Understanding the Holy Spirit

Recent years have seen a renewed interest in the Spirit, and rightly so. For too long the Spirit was a neglected part of our belief, something people tacked on to their creed (". . . and I believe in the Holy Spirit"). Christians across the globe have gone back to the Bible and concluded that whoever does not know the Spirit does not know God at all.

We have devoted a separate topic to gifts of the Spirit, but as you will see from the Bible promises under this topic, the Spirit himself is God's great gift to all believers.

"I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions. In those days, I will pour out my Spirit even on servants, men and women alike." Joel 2:28-29

"I baptize with water those who turn from their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is far greater than I am -- so much greater that I am not even worthy to be his slave. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." Matthew 3:11

"Those who speak against the Son of Man may be forgiven, but anyone who speaks blasphemies against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven." Luke 12:10

Jesus replied, "The truth is, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives new life from heaven." John 3:5-6

"I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.

"But when the Father sends the Counselor as my representative -- and by the Counselor I mean the Holy Spirit -- he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I myself have told you." John 14:16-17, 26

"When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not be presenting his own ideas; he will be telling you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by revealing to you whatever he receives from me. All that the Father has is mine; this is what I mean when I say that the Spirit will reveal to you whatever he receives from me." John 16:13-15

"When the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere -- in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8

Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm in the skies above them, and it filled the house where they were meeting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other tongues, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. Acts 2:2-4

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

The power of the life-giving Spirit -- and this power is mine through Christ Jesus -- has freed me from the law of sin and death.

Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace.

The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as he raised Christ from the dead, he will give life to your mortal body by this same Spirit living within you.

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God's very own children, adopted into his family -- calling him "Father, dear Father." For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God's children.

Romans 8:2, 5-6, 11, 14-16

He saved us, not because of the good things we did, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins and gave us a new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us because of what Jesus Christ our Savior did. Titus 3:5

Those who obey God's commandments live in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Holy Spirit lives in us. 1 John 3:24

The Book of God's Promises -- Copyright, 1999 by J. Stephen Lang. All rights reserved, used with permission.