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The Acts of the Holy Spirit

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The following is excerpted from R.A. Torrey’s article The Personality and Deity of the Holy Spirit, available as one of the many free text commentaries at the Blue Letter Bible.

Previous posts:

  1. The Personality and Deity of the Holy Spirit (introduction)
  2. Characteristics of the Holy Spirit

From the introduction to this series:

One of the most characteristic and distinctive doctrines of the Christian faith is that of the personality and deity of the Holy Spirit. The doctrine of the personality of the Holy Spirit is of the highest importance from the standpoint of worship. If the Holy Spirit is a divine person, worthy to receive our adoration, our faith and our love, and we do not know and recognize Him as such, then we are robbing a divine Being of the adoration and love and confidence which are His due.

There are four lines of proof in the Bible that the Holy Spirit is a person (distinct from the other persons of the Trinity). In the previous post, we discussed the first line of prove: that there are distinctive characteristics of personhood ascribed to the Holy Spirit. Today, we will discuss the second line of proof: the many acts that only a person can perform are ascribed to the Holy Spirit.

Searching, Speaking and Praying

For example, we read in 1 Corinthians 2:10 that the Holy Spirit searcheth the deep things of God. Here He is represented not merely as an illumination that enables us to understand the deep things of God, but a person who Himself searches into the deep things of God and reveals to us the things which He discovers. In Revelation 2:7 and many other passages, the Holy Spirit is represented as speaking. In Galatians 4:6, He is represented as crying out. InRomans 8:26, R. V., we read, “And in like manner the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity: for we know not how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” Here the Holy Spirit is represented to us as praying, not merely as an influence that leads us to pray, or an illumination that teaches us how to pray, but as a Person Who Himself prays in and through us. There is immeasurable comfort in the thought that every regenerate man or woman has two Divine Persons praying for him, Jesus Christ, the Son of God at the right hand of the Father praying for us (Hebrews 7:25;1 John 2:1); and the Holy Spirit praying through us down here. How secure and how blessed is the position of the believer with these two Divine Persons, whom the Father always hears, praying for him.

Teaching and Guiding

In John 15:26,27, we read, “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.” Here the Holy Spirit is very definitely set forth as a Person giving testimony, and a clear distinction is drawn between His testimony and the testimony which those in whom He dwells give. Again inJohn 14:26 we read, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you.” And again inJohn 16:12-14, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for He shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” (cf. also Nehemiah 9:20). In these passages, the Holy Spirit is set forth as a teacher of the truth, not merely an illumination that enables our mind to see the truth, but One who personally comes to us and teaches us the truth. It is the privilege of the humblest believer to have a divine person as his daily teacher of the truth of God. (cf. 1 John 2:20,27).

In Romans 8:14 (“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God”) the Holy Spirit is represented as our personal guide, directing us what to do, taking us by the hand, as it were, and leading us into that line of action that is well-pleasing to God. In Acts 16:6,7 we read these deeply significant words, “Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, after they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: But the Spirit suffered them not.” Here the Holy Spirit is represented as taking command of the life and conduct of a servant of Jesus Christ. In Acts 13:2 2 and Acts 20:28, we see the Holy Spirit calling men to work and appointing them to office. Over and over again in the Scriptures actions are ascribed to the Holy Spirit which only a person could perform.

Comments

  1. I owe Father & Jesus My Salvation and My Life. Glory Be To GOD for That !!!

    I owe the Holy Spirit much Honor and Thanks for helping me change and continue to change into who Father created me to be.

    I owe them all that I am and will be along with all MY LOVE.

    See when I was born again It was a Pentecost/Fathers Day celebration. I was baptist by the Holy Spirit with Fire and Jesus by Water. It was the most spectaclar thing I ever experienced. It was also a complete surprise. Everything looked different, smelled different, it all came to life I was no longer dead and dying.

    I was NEW a brand NEW Creation. I was one with the Most High God, The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit.

    There was a moment I heard I had the first half and now He got the second of my life and I agreed. He got me in that moment!!

    That was only the beginning though..
    The Holy Spirit had His work cut out with me.I was deeply broken and didn’t even know it….

    Wow what an awakening that has been. His Purification process has been painful, delightful,wonderful,terrible, and most of all everything to me.

    I had 3 weeks of Bliss and then years of what I like to call Bible Boot Camp, up at 3 study until 6 and now live classroom or live lab I might say.

    He had to first teach me His Word.
    Then show and teach me boundries and disipline.
    Prove to me He loves me and wont throw me out when I dont do well.
    Begin to reveal to me what deliverence was and is.
    Teach me I had value.
    Reveal what my gifts are and how to use them wisely in Love.
    Show me How to Love like Him.
    Give me strength to walk out my calling.
    Teach me to allow Him to Flow without quenching Him when he rises up, wow that takes practice.
    Make me into the Body of Christ I am intended to be be….

    Have me live what it Looks Like to Trust Him (really Trust Him)with Everything in My Life.

    To move in prayer trusting Him to win those battles while I wait for Him to move instead of me on my own.

    The Holy Spirit is everything and more. I am becoming very dependant upon Him and I am learning to wait on Him to move. I say learning 🙂
    Its a new level of yielding that I have never experienced or attempted before.

    I thank you My Daddy “YHWH” for your patience, guidence, grace, and love in all your effort expended on prunning, loving and fixing me. In Jesus Name,
    Your daughter Donna 🙂

  2. Hallelujah Donna! My experience was similar. I grew up a Christian and was baptized but my church was a works church. So many years I tried to work out my salvation with fear and trembling but I always just ended up feeling like the ole filthy rags we are. Although my love for God was there I just couldn’t seem to feel worthy. I could let God forgive me but I couldn’t forgive myself. Being the “real” Christian I wanted to be was to me a goal I could not achieve no matter how hard I tried or how much I wanted it. I’d truly repented, I’d truly believe but satan had twisted the message. Probably because I’m a very determined person. But determination won’t get you saved. I knew the bible inside and out but I was stuggling always feeling it wasn’t good enough.

    Then I saw the Passion of the Christ and something happened. All of the sudden I realized I’d allowed satan to lie to me about God and works of the flesh. I suddenly thought, if Jesus could go through all of that for me how could I believe I was somehow too lousy a sinner for Him (The God of the universe) to save? I realized how sneaky satan really is. He can use even our best intentions against us.

    I’d balled like a baby during that movie. I asked God to forgive me of this kind of twisted pride and I became a new creation. Babies at church would smile at me! I mean they’d just beam! A joy that had nothing to do with me just seemed to overflow and there was a fragrance people picked up on. It was not me. It was the Spirit I just had the joy because as I allowed the spirit to take more and more of me I saw God everywhere! Those old tears of repentance gave way to tears of joy at the amazing love He was pouring into my heart. True repentance has a place and works have a place, but if they are born of obligation, guilt. and fear, and not born of love they are dead.

    Now I read the same scriptures. They take on deeper more cherished meaning. My works are products of joy and the acts of the Spirit in me are not products of a fleshly person determined to be a Christian. When you fall in love with God your works don’t disappear they just explode because He does them through you and it’s A LOVE THING.

    God is not a Baptist or Methodist or Pentecostal or Presb. or any other religion. We should be making our religion about God rather than making God about our religion. I don’t talk to people about my religion. I talk to people about my God and His love and leave “religion” to the pharisees and the thousands upon thousands who feel they need to tell you what the bible “really” says. Do they not believe the scripture that the Holy Spirit will lead you into all understanding? —>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.

    I think we all, just like Adam and Eve try to cover ourselves with inappropriate garments of “religion”. Like fig leaves. If you’ve ever harvested figs you know that fig leaves can leave a very itchy rash. We all like Cain try to offer “our works” as appropriate sacrifices. 1 Corinthians 2:13, Acts 7:51, Acts 13:52, Romans 5:5, Romans 15:13,

    I’ve found that the greatest churches are the ones where God’s love is allowed in. We need to put aside man’s denominationalism and dogma. I think it really hurts the body of Christ. We need to allow His Spirit and the glory of the gospel to reign. We need to come together to read His word and worship Him not debate scripture. God’s word is in His book and His Holy Spirit will explain it to you and should be the only one you allow authority.

    Our pastors are put there by God to minister but they are no substitute for the leading of the Holy Spirit and bible study. How many Christians do you know that study their bible for more than MAYBE 30 minutes a week? This is not directed at you but the world in general as some seem to think being a Christian means demanding that their way is the only way.

    When new Christians see scriptural hair splitting its very discouraging to them. If you’re using God’s word to prove your point you are using it the wrong way. The denominational comments are not directed at you at all. I can always hear God’s love pouring forth through you.

    So sorry to ramble but I really felt lead by the Spirit to say that. You see I’m a Librarian and I get invited to many churches. God is in alot of them and I always enjoy being with His people where ever they are but there are always some who want to insist that their way is the only way.

    Thanks Donna. You always bring such a wonderful heart felt love of God to all your posts. 🙂

    • Wow Tess, that’s some good stuff! I would say we are to “test” the spirits; only to make sure they are of God. Also I do beleive there is room for debate. The proverbs encourage us that “iron sharpens iron” The Gospel is almost confusingly simple. Jesus said; just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up. Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures, He was buried, and He was raised to life on the 3rd day according to the scriptures. This is the Gospel; take it or leave it. Everything “man” touches, he corrupts. Bless ur heart! and be encouraged! He is coming for us!!