Who is the Holy Spirit?
Many people have heard of Jesus and the Father, but what about the Holy Spirit? Who is this Helper Jesus promised to send His disciples?
The short answer is the Holy Spirit is God. The Bible tells us that God is triune, or three persons described as the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit.
“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”
Matthew 28:18–19 (ESV)
“There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope at your calling—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.” Ephesians 4:4–6 (CSB)
“…according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.” 1 Peter 1:2 (ESV)
God the Helper
The closer Jesus got to the cross, the more He prepared His disciples for His death and departure. Even after His resurrection, Jesus promised His disciples another Helper to be with them, to help and comfort them, and we have the same promise.
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees nor knows him. You know him; he dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:16–17 (ESV)
“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.” John 16:7 (ESV)
“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.” John 14:26 (ESV)
“And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” Luke 24:49 (ESV)
Where is the Holy Spirit?
Did you catch the last part in John 4:17? “You know him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”
Because the Holy Spirit is God, He is omnipresent, which means He is everywhere simultaneously. Now, let’s go back to the promise Jesus made His disciples. Jesus told them it was a good thing He was going away because then the Holy Spirit would come.
Although the Holy Spirit is everywhere, the promise is significant because the moment we believe and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit dwells in us, making God’s presence a personal reality.
“And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” Galatians 4:6 (NLT)
“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16 (ESV)
“You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if, in fact, the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” Romans 8:9 (ESV)
What does the Holy Spirit do?
One of the greatest examples of what the Holy Spirit does involves what Jesus did while He was on the earth. The Son of God (Jesus) is mighty and powerful (Ephesians 6:10).
However, the Bible tells us that when Jesus came, He emptied Himself of divine power and became human (Philippians 2:7). To fulfill His earthly mission, Jesus had to be filled with and depend on the Holy Spirit.
“And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him” Matthew 3:16 (ESV)
“And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness.” Luke 4:1 (ESV)
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,” Luke 4:18 (ESV)
We must also be filled with and depend on the Holy Spirit to please God and fulfill our purpose. The ministry of the Holy Spirit empowers us in every aspect of our lives. Below are just a few.
Our eternal guarantee:
“In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,” Ephesians 1:13 (ESV)
Assurance of relationship to God:
“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,” Romans 8:16 (ESV)
Understanding and remembering God’s Word:
“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.” John 14:26 (ESV)
Our sanctification:
“according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you. 1 Peter 1:2 (ESV)
“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8:26–27 (ESV)
Our hope:
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13 (ESV)
Our strength:
“that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,” Ephesians 3:16 (ESV)
Reviving our physical and spiritual life:
Romans 8:11 (ESV): If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
Our witness and evangelism:
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (ESV)
How do we receive help from the Holy Spirit?
God loves us so much, and there is nothing He wants more than to empower us to live the abundant life Jesus came for us to have. Remember Jesus’ promise to send the Holy Spirit to his followers?
The Holy Spirit is responsible for convicting us. That conviction is God’s love showing us the truth about our sinful condition. When we are convicted, we acknowledge our sins and realize we need Jesus.
“And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:” John 16:8 (ESV)
Do you believe Jesus died for you? Do you believe Jesus paid the debt for your sins? Do you believe God raised Him from the dead?
If you have never received Christ as Lord and Savior and answered yes to those three questions, take the first step by praying this short prayer.
Lord, I am a sinner. I ask You to forgive me of my sins. Thank You for dying for me. I ask you to come into my life. I make You, Lord. Holy Spirit, dwell in my heart and empower me to live for God. Thank You for adopting me as Your child and bringing me into Your family. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Now that you are a follower of Jesus believe you have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you. As we draw closer to God through Bible reading, prayer, worship, and Christian fellowship, we become more acquainted and aware of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
May we endeavor to search the scriptures to learn more about the Holy Spirit and His work in our lives. After all, He is our Helper Who longs to reveal the kingdom and glory of God to and through us!
