We all know the famous saying in the Christian community; In the name of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. But who is this Holy Spirit exactly?
We know God the Father, the first person of the Holy Trinity. He is the Almighty Father, the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth, He is the giver of life. We also know God the Father as Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent.
God the Son is known as Jesus Christ, the second person of the Holy Trinity. He is the incarnation of God (human representation) and He came to die for our sins and wash us clean.
God the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity but this doesn’t make Him less important. Some know Him as the Holy Ghost, the Breath of life or the Comforter.
These 3 have been present since the Beginning and the Holy Spirit is mentioned throughout the bible as the Spirit of the Lord;
Genesis 1: 1-2
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
This week I want to explore the identity and the power of the Holy Spirit. What role does He play in my life and how can I improve my relationship with Him.
The Holy Spirit plays many roles in our lives; these roles differ depending on the season and circumstances we find ourselves in.
- He Helps us
- Through Him we receive salvation
- He gives us life
- He sanctifies us
- Through His gifts we bear good fruits
- He empowers us
The Holy Spirit as our Helper
John 14: 25-27 (NKJV; The Helper, KJV; The Comforter, NIV; The Advocate)
25 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you.
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.
27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
In this bible passage Jesus told His disciples to not be afraid or worried for After His departure, He will send someone to help them as they continue the heavenly task given to them.
The Holy Spirit helps us by reminding us of the things God the Father and God the Son have said in the past. He uses the power of the scripture (the written word of God) to convict us and to direct our way of thinking. This way He can mold us into the goldy people we were meant to be.
2 Timothy: 16-17
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Salvation through the Holy Spirit
John 3: 5-8
5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Salvation = to be saved from sin and its consequences (= to be saved from hell fire). We are saved by believing in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and this allow us to enter into the kingdom of God.
BUT we need to be born again/born of the Spirit to be able to enter the kingdom of God because we (the flesh) are sinful by nature (Galatians 5:19-21).
Once we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, once we are willing to put away our earthly desires, once we are prepared to follow the path our Heavenly Father has designed…then the Holy Spirit can come into us and manifest in our lives. The Holy Spirit helps us in awakening our spiritual self for it is impossible to do this by our own strength.
Life in the Holy Spirit
As mentioned before, to be able to enter the kingdom of God, we need to be born of the Spirit. This means we are able to live as spiritual beings because we have the Spirit of the Lord living in us.
Romans 8: 5-13
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.
8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 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.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.
13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
To live in the Holy Spirit means to surrender to Him so that He can mold us into the people we are supposed to be and so that we can fulfill our divine destiny.
We can either be a natural man (one who hasn’t received Christ), a carnal man (one who knows Christ but tries to live by his own strength), or we can be a spiritual man (one who is directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit).
Spiritual beings live amongst other spiritual beings so if we want to enter the kingdom of God, we’ll need to become a spiritual man by surrendering ourself to the Holy Spirit. This way we can gain eternal life.
He sanctifies us
Before something can be clean, one has to acknowledge that it’s dirty. After that the dirt needs to be removed so that which was dirty can become clean again. The Holy Spirit sanctifies us by revealing our sin and showing us the right actions to take so that we can become clean again. Through the word of God, He shows us our wrongdoings and through that same word of God, He shows us the path to righteousness.
Only after proper sanctification can we be truly ready for the work of God.
1 Thessalonians 5:23
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Fruits of the Spirit
Galatians 5:22-26
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
The fruits of the Holy Spirit are character traits of true believers. According to Matthew 7:17-20
17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
By maintaining our relationship with the Holy Spirit, He will change our character into one that is benefitting for a child of God and by bearing good fruits, we’re saved eternally after this world passes.
Empowerment of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit gives us (children of God) the power to spread the word as was commanded unto us. We are able to perform actions we normally would not be able to take and we receive supernatural confidence from Him.
2 Timothy 1:7
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind
The Holy Spirit gives us power, self-discipline, boldness, wisdom…to do the will of God. This is why it is important for Christians to not rely on themselves but rather rely on the Spirit of the Lord.
To round up; the Holy Spirit is a very important companion in our journey to salvation. The stronger our relationship with Him is, the more powerful we are. Through His guidance we can do great exploits.
Stay Blessed x
