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The Personal Nature of the Holy Spirit

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Francis Chan once noted that:

We are not all we were made to be when everything in our lives and churches can be explained apart from the work and presence of the Spirit of God….shouldn’t there be a huge difference between the person who has the Spirit of God living inside of him or her and the person who does not?

There certainly should be.

It’s important to remember that God the Holy Spirit is not some apathetic entity who just floats in the sky. The Holy Spirit actually resides in us and helps us throughout our Christian pilgrimage in a very immanent and personal way.

Let’s go through a few examples in Scripture.

The Holy Spirit is:*

…the Personal Comforter for fellowship:

John 14:16
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever“

…the Personal Companion to know:

John 14:17
“even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”

…the Personal Teacher to instruct:

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 that I have said to you.”

…the Personal Witness to testify:

John 15:27
“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.”

…the Personal Ambassador to represent:

John 16:7
“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 go, I will send him to you.”

…the Personal Reprover to convict:

John 16:8
“And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:”

…the Personal Guide and Revealer to direct and unfold:

John 16:13
“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.“

…the Personal Declarer of the supremacy of Jesus Christ.

John 16:14
“He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”

*this list is adapted from the notes of F.E. Marsh (coming soon to the BLB commentaries).

Recommended Resources from the bookstore: Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit

Comments

  2. ! Grin !

    How timely once again dear author of this blog! Ah yes! The Holy Spirit!

    I do not work for any publisher so may I humbly suggest this book? This book has helped me grow spiritually. I was so far off the path there-to-fore.

    _The Fruit of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Goodness, Faithfulness, Meekness, and Self-Control_
    by John W.Sanderson.

    I purchased copies for my ministers, my best friend who introduced me to what it means to be on a personal spirit lead walk with Jesus, and to a friend so hurting in the time of great family illness.

    I must admit the your post is being moderated gives me pause. To share inspiration is my aim. I hope my posts are taken in this most positive of intentions. I speak and admonish myself as I post.

    Generally I post links that direct us to, yes, The Blueletter Bible site. ! Smile !

    Rejoice each day that this is the day that the Lord has made. Rejoice and be glad in it.

  3. The Holy Spirit is living and active, and easily “quenched”. The Blue Letter Bible Institute has a study on Him.

    Thank you, Blog-writer, for the reminder of His nature and presence in my life.

    • Thank you Debi for the pointer. I certainly will go to the BLB Institute’s site study of the Holy Spirit.

      The Person and Gifts of the Holy Spirit
      http://www.blbi.org/course/enroll_course.cfm?course_ID=25

      The seed (our Spiritual study of the Word) is watered by the Living Waters of the Holy Spirit through fire. Our God is a consuming fire.

      God’s word is the seed that produces Christians, members of God’s family. This is how the seed worked in the first century; and the same seed will always produce the same results when planted in receptive hearts, even today.

      If we just follow God’s guide (the Holy Spirit) we become simply Christians, members of Jesus’ church.

      [Acts 2:38; John 3:3,5; Galatians 3:26,27; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 Cor. 12:13; 1 Tim 3:15; 1 Peter 1:3,4; Romans 8:14-17]

      Thank you Christ Jesus for the gift of the Holy Spirit!

      • God’s Sons and Daughters are Spirit Led inheritors of the Kingdom of God.

        Rom 8:14 (KJV) — For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

        Rom 8:14 (ESV) — For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

        led
        Rom 8:5,9; Psa 143:10; Pro 8:20; Isa 48:16,17; Gal 4:6; Gal 5:16,18,22-25; Eph 5:9

        they are
        Rom 8:17; 2Cr 6:18; Gal 3:26; Eph 1:5; 1Jo 3:1; Rev 21:7

      • Thank you Debi for the pointer.

        Big thumbs up. Useful.

        I completed the first lesson here:

        The Person and Gifts of the Holy Spirit
        http://www.blbi.org/course/enroll_course.cfm?course_ID=25

        Session 1 The Person of the Holy Spirit

        These words particularily grabbed my attention:

        “… Some have described just waves of glory, while still others have described just an incomprehensible peace and love filling and flooding their soul.

        I cannot tell you what experience you may have or how you might relate and how it will feel to you. That is not the important issue. It is not the feelings that are important and the Lord did not give us the Holy Spirit that we might have sensational feelings, such as electricity or liquid love. Those are wonderful! I am not discounting them, but I am just saying, do not premise your experience on the feelings or reactions that you may have to the Holy Spirit. Yours may be entirely different and it may be that you will not feel anything. But that does not negate the relationship with the Holy Spirit and the power that you will experience in your life when you come into that full, complete relationship that God wants you to have—that the Holy Spirit desires to have with you.

        *** The purpose is not that you might get more of the Holy Spirit; but the purpose is that the Holy Spirit might get more of you—that your life will become controlled by the Spirit.***

        Your character will be controlled by the Spirit, so that you will be led by the Spirit, that you will walk in the Spirit, and that you will be filled with the Spirit…”

        My sensations of the Holy Spirit have been that electrical feeling going up and down my spine as our elders laid hands upon me as I vehemently cried out for Living Water as is prescribed in James.

        Another memorable time I was alone in the ICU with my mother who was dying of horrendous bone cancer. All the large bones in her body were shattered.

        I implored the Lord, “oh please, please, please send an angel to come get my mama.” Her labored and pained breathing even within her coma slowed. Then stopped. I said goodbye Mamma as I looked toward the ceiling.

        I felt the most calming, warm touch unwrapping the layers of invisible binding blankets around my painful self. After each successive unwrapping the warm glow washed over me.

        Our minister was on his way to the hospital where his mother laid dying. He was beside himself with sobbing and gut wretching pain. A voice, more like an impression, told him “I know you love your mother, but I love her more.” Mark was able to let go, even manage a smile.

        ??? Anyone have your own personal experiences with the Holy Spirit you may relay to us ???

        • Many times I have felt the Holy Spirit with me. Most jolting was recently this year, actually earlier this month. I have had incredible evidence(s) in my life this year, but the last half of the year I was unemployed, in my own place for the first time in 10 years and wondering if God was to allow me to be homeless again (for the third time in 10 years). All of my efforts in job searching (2nd or 3rd rounds at the same places) had been taken to the point of exhaustion, I had free time on my hands to spend with a few friends that are at this moment in their last days, strangers were anonymously paying my bills. My ailing friends had more hope than I did. Faith, Hope and Charity has always been my stanza to all. Where was my hope? I woke up one day and there was a void, a vaccuum, no noise, no people, no movement, no air, and I felt NO HOPE. I was terrified, for the next 5 days I dared not be alone, but prayed continually to find understanding of that terrifying moment. Five mornings later, I was crying to God in my morning meditation asking why all of these wonderful gifts from strangers, and my dying friends had more hope than I did and I have nothing to give back … I heard a voice audible enough for me to hear … YOUR TIME … I fell to my knees and sobbed tears of Joy. God was with me, the Holy Spirit had renewed my spirit and Jesus has walked hand in hand with me ALL of this year, and more (this is only one story). How Great God IS !!!! … Gg

  4. The Holy Spirit is an awesome gift from God.It is truly a blessing to those of us that are close enough to God to be as the Pentecostals call baptised in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is with us and helps us discern what is from God and what is not and gives us scripture to help us understand God’s word. It is truly as Jesus said, a Comforter.I feel the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life every day and it keeps me going in the direction that God’s plan has for me.

    • Tommy,
      Just a word to correct your semantics. The Holy Spirit is a Person, not an “it”. Always refer to Him as He, not it.
      May our Lord continue guide you in the wonderful plan He has for your life.

    • Close enough to God? Acts 2:38 the Holy Spirit is given to all who have been baptized (water baptism/the word in the Greek literally means submersion) “in the name of Jesus Christ FOR the forgiveness of your sins AND YOU WILL receive the gift go the Holy Spirit.” not maybe or if your good enough it says you will. Acts 2:39 – the promise is for ALL who are afar off. how does the Holy Spirit give you Scripture to understand the Word of God, Scripture is the word of God which is only found in the bible and the Holy Spirit is the author of the scriptures 2Pet.1:21. the verses above in context are the words of Jesus to the apostles not all Christians or the church, sense it did not exist yet. for example John 14:26 – if the Holy Spirit gave every Christian all knowledge we would not need the bible, and no one is alive today who was with Jesus to be REMINDED of all that He said.

      • The Holy Spirit was given freely by Jesus to man kind on the day of PENTECOST. Mose per instruction started the 50 day feast on pass over and 50 days later the harvest of the field began.
        In the new testament the harvesting of souls began on the 50th day as follows. Jesus died and spent 3 days in the earth, he arose and spent 40 days on the earth, and 7 days AFTE
        R he ascended PENTECOST and the HARVEST of souls began.
        It was given freely as JESUS promised. No man was present to submerge everyone present in water.
        The Holy Spirit is free, given by Jesus and has nothing to do with water baptisim.Jesus said go to the upper room and wait for the HOLY SPIRIT.
        He did not say go to the upper room and wait for a man to come dunk you in water?

  5. “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30

    Let’s walk a walk that is worthy of our calling. Such an awesome thought to behold that the Holy Spirit truly lives in us to be our helper, comforter, counselor, teacher, encourager, our guide to the truth.

    The person of the Holy Spirit living inside of me! It’s awe inspiring! Thank you God for your gift!

  6. I can appreciate this post because growing up into the cult doctrine of the JW’s, I did not believe this truth. But to be a REAL Christian who has truly been born again, you MUST believe that Holy Spirit is God (a person within the trinity) therefore the scriptures referenced here are important, and vital to the genuine Christians pilgrimage to the celestial city, who maker and builder is our GREAT I AM!

  7. Hi Neta!

    I was wondering about the JW comment. I found this. You may find it’s explanation and many scriptural verses to be of help.

    Let Us Reason Together
    THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A PERSON
    http://www.letusreason.org/Trin4.htm

    The above page gives an explanation of personhood.

    I must confess I have problems even yet allowing myself to be led by the Spirit. Letting go of I (of me, myself and I) to give over to the I of God (I AM)

    Note to self: quit saying I this and that. Listen and be lead by the True I of the Spirit. Where is He leading?

    Be humble.

    Vanity, pride is vanity.

    “…Paul uses the spirit Gr. pnuema as The masculine pronoun He , giving him identity. The Holy Spirit is portrayed as a personal being with an identity different then both the Father and the Son. He is identified as “I” in Acts 13:2.

    As we understand that the nature of the Father and Son and Spirit have always been the same, they are all eternal. They all share in common the same essence, which is God. They also share in the divine name of YHVH. All the attributes of God that are held in common with the Father and Son are shared also with the Holy Spirit…”

  8. There are deceivers who will not proclaim the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. The Holy Spirit will always point to the Lord Jesus Christ, giving honour, glory and praises to Jesus. John 15:26-27 John 16:14-15. John 14:13
    We need to walk in fear and trembling, wary of teachings where Jesus Christ, His person is not glorified by the workings of the Holy Spirit. For apart from Jesus we can do nothing.
    It is the Lord Jesus who has sent us as God’s child into the world, and God’s children are not of the world.
    John 7:18 But he who wants glory for the one who sent him is honest, and there is nothing false in him. Always point to Jesus as Lord.
    Fear it when the Lord Jesus is not honoured in man’s teachings.
    As 1 John 4:2 writes ‘The True Sprit and the False’ we are to test the spirit of such a person by asking them to confess with their mouth fully “Jesus Christ came as a human being” Answering Yes to a question is not good enough, they must confess this fully for God’s Spirit to prove it that the person has the Spirit from God. Be warned the spirit of a deceiver is present. Mark Hayes NZ

  9. Blog people,

    What do you make of the following verses?

    Act 26:5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
    Gal 1:13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
    Gal 1:14 And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
    Jam 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion [is] vain.
    Jam 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep himself unspotted from the world.

    Does it seem to you that Paul is drawing a distinction of the Jew’s religion vs. a personal Holy Spirit walk? Is James telling us that true religion calls for Christian action?

    Had the Jewish Leaders become ritualistic separating their people from a personal relationship with YHVH?

    Just wondering. Any opinions?

  10. It is great to hear everyone talk about Him (Holy Spirit), but I can tell you my life has changed since I met Him and received the baptisim of the Holy Spirit and have come to know Him. What I was unable to do for myself before I can do because He has given me the Power, Strength and Wisdom to defend against the enemy of my soul’s tactics as well as prevent and defeat him. I had always been always been strong willed and driven to accomplish but still searching for the approval of God. Holy Spirit has opened my eyes to understand the scriptures and helped me to know the Love of the Father for ME. I do Pray you will know Him more and more because He only speaks to me what He hears my Father say and shows me what my Father is doing and what my part is for this hour, the hour before His Son, my Friend, Redeemer, Intercessor and Advocate comes to collect His Bride.

  11. Suzanne the shining light of the Holy Spirit in your personal walk post is a joy! Thank you so much for sharing.

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