The Holy Spirit
Who is the Holy Spirit and why did God send Him ? What is the role and function of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer, and in the church, and in God’s kingdom work ?
We will look into God’s word to find the answers to these and other questions about God’s Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity in Christian belief, alongside God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son. Often described as a counselor, comforter, and guide, the Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in the life of believers. He empowers and equips individuals for service, convicts hearts of sin, and helps in understanding and applying Scripture.
The Holy Spirit also fosters spiritual growth, producing qualities such as love, joy, peace, and patience in the lives of believers. Through His presence, the Holy Spirit connects Christians to God, providing assurance, guidance, and strength in their faith journey.
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Trinity – God The Father, Jesus The Son, and The Holy Spirit
When you study the entirety of God’s word the Bible, you clearly find the 3 distinct parts of the Trinity. First is God the Father, and then Jesus the Son of God. The Holy Spirit makes up the 3rd part of the Trinity. Each is a distinct part of who God is. The Holy Spirit is a Person, not just an invisible force or source of power. He is the Living Spirit of the Living God.
Here are some Bible verses that show the 3 parts of the Trinity:
Luke 1:35 “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.”
2 Corinthians 13:14 “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.”
Matthew 3:16-17 “After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “ This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”
Matthew 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
What Jesus Said About The Holy Spirit
Here are some things Jesus said about the Holy Spirit in John 16:5-7:
“But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper (the Holy Spirit) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.”
Jesus promised that after He died on the cross and rose again to heaven He would send the Holy Spirit to all believers. This was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2.
Jesus added these things about the Holy Spirit in John 16:12-15:
“I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.”
The Spirit Of Truth
In John 14:6 Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Truth is not a concept or a series of religious beliefs or rules. Jesus is truth. In John 16:12-13 Jesus said that after He returned to heaven He would send the “Spirit of Truth”. The Holy Spirit has many functions and roles, one of which is to guide us into all the truth.
One of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to reveal and teach us the many great truths of God’s word. He also reveals to us the Person who is truth – Jesus. Since Satan is a master at deceiving people and the father of all lies, it is important for us to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will help us to discern between what is right and what is wrong. He will also help us to discern what is truth and what is not. And what is false teaching and truth. The Bible warns us that there will be many false teachers in the end times. We are surely in the end times now, and we very much need the help of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit Reveals or Discloses To Us What Is To Come
In John 16:13 Jesus says “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.”
2 Peter 1:21 ” for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”
Another role of the Holy Spirit is to reveal to us the plans and will of God the Father. The Spirit reveals what God’s will is for your life, your ministry… The Holy Spirit also reveals or discloses to us the things God wants us to know about the future and the end times. The Holy Spirit takes the word of God and reveals the wisdom and truth of God to us. He also reveals and gives us discernment to understand the prophecies in the Bible and what is come.
God Reveals His Wisdom & His Will Through The Holy Spirit
In 1 Corinthians 2:9-11 Paul says “But just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him. For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.
Verse 9 tells us that no one has seen or heard all that God has prepared for those who love God. First of all, who are “those that love God” ? All people that go to church ? No. All Christians ? Not necessarily.
Here are the people Paul is talking about… “those that love God”:
1 John 5:13 – “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.”
John 14:15 Jesus – “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”
The Holy Spirit will reveal all that God has planned to the people who love Him and obey His commands. The Holy Spirit will reveal God’s plans and His will to them, through the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:10-11 shows us that it is the Holy Spirit who reveals these things to us.
“For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.” – 1 Corinthians 2:10-11
The Holy Spirit
Who Knows The Thoughts And Will Of God ?
1 Corinthians 2:11 “Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.”
The Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit. God’s wisdom and His will, and the great truths in God’s word are hidden and concealed, like buried treasure. We need to seek God and His will, and God needs to reveal His wisdom and His will to us. God will reveal these things to those “who love God”, through His word and His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit reveals the great truths of God, and His plans and will, as we humbly obey Him and seek Him.
God Speaks To And Leads His People By The Holy Spirit
God mainly speaks through His Word and through the Holy Spirit. When we prayerfully study God’s word and when we prayerfully seek God, God uses the Holy Spirit to speak to us. God guides and calls His people using His word and His Spirit in combination with each other.
When you prayerfully seek God and His will & calling on your life, God will speak and guide you. You need to be careful to make sure that what you sense that God is saying in your heart lines up with the Bible. The guidance from the Holy Spirit will never conflict with God’s word.
Acts 13:2 “While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
Other Things That The Holy Spirit Does
The Holy Spirit Comforts God’s People
Acts 9:31 “So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria [ a ] enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.”
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”
Matthew 5:4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
The Holy Spirit
God Strengthens Us Through The Spirit
2 Corinthians 12:9 “And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness ” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”
Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
The Holy Spirit Helps Us To Pray As We Ought To (According to God’s Will)
Romans 8:26-27 “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.”
The Holy Spirit Empowers Us To Love Others Like God Does
Romans 5:5 “and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
The Holy Spirit Empowers Us To Serve God And Others
1 Corinthians 12:4-6 “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.”
1 Corinthians 12:11 “But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.”
The Holy Spirit – Part 2
We Must Trust God And The Holy Spirit When Sharing The Gospel
Trusting in God and in His Spirit is extremely important when you share Jesus with others. God’s Spirit plays a vital role in the process of sharing the Gospel and reaching lost people for Christ. Without the Holy Spirit we will never see fruit and victories when we share Christ with others.
Apart From Jesus & His Holy Spirit We can Do Nothing
In John 15:5 Jesus said “apart from Him we can do nothing.” We can not do anything of eternal value or produce eternal spiritual fruit without the Holy Spirit. Eternal spiritual fruit is salvations when we share the Gospel, and spiritual growth when making disciples.
God Uses The Holy Spirit To Empower Us To Share The Gospel
In Matthew 4:19 Jesus said “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men”. He did not say to try our best to be “fishers of men”. Jesus said that He will “make us fishers of men”. He is saying that if we will faithfully follow and obey His command to be fishers of men and share the Gospel with others, then He will empower us by the Holy Spirit. Jesus will not leave us alone in this mission, He will send the Spirit to empower us to accomplish the mission.
Jesus says it a different way in Acts 1:8. These are Jesus’ last word on Earth to His disciples before He ascends back into heaven. Because they are His last words on Earth, they are very important words that he wants to share with His followers. In Acts 1:8 Jesus says “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit Provides Everything We Need
We don’t need to worry about our weaknesses. The Holy Spirit will provide everything that we lack in order to faithfully share the Gospel with others. He will provide power, words, boldness, and courage to do the job. Whatever you lack the Holy Spirit provides in order to fulfill God’s kingdom work and mission.
The Holy Spirit – Part 2
If You Do Not Know What To Say Or How To Say It When Sharing The Gospel
If you lack confidence about what to say or how to say it, do not let that stop you from obeying Jesus’ command to be a fisher of men. In Mathew 10:18-20 Jesus says “Because of me, you will be brought before rulers and kings to tell them and the people about your faith. Don’t worry about what you will say or how you will say it. At that time you will be given what to say, it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you!”
If You Are Afraid To Share Jesus With Others
If we are afraid to share Christ or you lack courage or confidence:
Acts 4:29-31 “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus. After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”
Don’t let your fear cause you to disobey Jesus’ command in Matthew 4:19. The Holy Spirit can and will help you to turn your fear into boldness and courage for sharing Christ with confidence.
Step Out In Faith To Share The Gospel
If you step out in faith and share Jesus, the Holy Spirit will use you and empower you as His instrument. You can always trust in the Holy Spirit. God is always at work through His Spirit in the life of every person. He is trying to draw people to Himself and wants them to be saved and have a reconciled relationship with Him, peace with Him, and eternal life in heaven with Him.
In John 5:17-20 Jesus said “To this very day My Father is at His work, and I too am working… Truly, truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself, unless He sees the Father doing it. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does. The Father loves the Son and shows Him all He does. And to your amazement, He will show Him even greater works than these.”
Jesus is saying that God goes ahead of us and is working in the hearts and lives of lost people. When we pray for opportunities to share Christ (“divine appointments”), He will lead us to the people He is preparing. And God, through the Holy Spirit, will empower us to share the Gospel.
Knowing that God is going ahead of you and will be with you when you attempt to share the Gospel will help you in sharing Christ with confidence. The Holy Spirit will provide you with Power, Words, Boldness & Courage, or whatever you lack, to powerfully and effectively share Christ with others.
The Holy Spirit – Part 2
How The Holy Spirit Works
When we share Christ with others, the Holy Spirit works in 2 places at the same time. First the Holy Spirit works to enable and empower us to share the powerful Word of God, the Gospel.
As we are sharing the Gospel in the power of the Spirit, at the same time He works in the heart of the unbeliever and moves them toward conversion. The Holy Spirit convicts of sin, righteousness, and judgement. The Holy Spirit convinces the person that he/she needs Jesus. He also opens their spiritual eyes, and releases them from the darkness to the light, and takes them from the power of Satan to God (Acts 26:17-18). And the Holy Spirit reveals truth to them and the truth of the Gospel.
It is not our job to convict people of their sin. And it is not our job to try to convince them that they are sinners and need a Savior. And convince them that Jesus is the only One who can save them from their sins and eternal punishment. It is not our job to reveal the truth of the Gospel, or to try to produce results and salvation for the people we are sharing with. These are the jobs and role of the Holy Spirit. We just need to be faithful and do our part… share the Gospel with others.
For the last 21+ years God has called us to serve Him as self funded missionaries. In our missions ministry we have seen God do immeasurably more than we could have ever asked or imagined. We always have to fully depend on God and the Holy Spirit in our ministry. We need the Holy Spirit to go ahead of us and touch and prepare and open the hearts and minds and spiritual eyes of the lost people that we will be sharing the Gospel with.
And we have to completely rely on the Holy Spirit to empower us to clearly and powerfully share the Gospel message. And to move inside their hearts and souls, convicting of their sins, and righteousness, and of God’s upcoming judgment. And to fully convince them that they are sinners and have a broken relationship with God because of their sins. And that they are already under the coming judgment, and need a Savior. And that Jesus is the only Savior. Only God can do these things through the Holy Spirit.
It is not our job to convict them. Or to convince them that they need Jesus. Or to save and transform them. That is the Holy Spirit’s job. The Holy Spirit takes care of the result. We only need to fulfill our duty – to faithfully share the Gospel with as many others as possible. And God and the Holy Spirit will take care of the rest.
Pursuing Intimacy With God
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Other Links
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Prayer Is Passion To Seek & Know God
God’s Purpose & Mission For You And Your Church
Spiritual Gifts: All Christians Have Gifts
Jesus Wants To Heal You & Set You Free
Salvation & The Gospel Of Jesus Christ
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Kevin Bart has been a follower of Jesus for over 40 years. Kevin has taught Bible study classes, small groups, and discipleship classes for many years. He developed Pursuing Intimacy With God Bible studies website and book after many years of seeking God and studying His word. Kevin and his wife Nancy have 3 sons and 2 precious grandchildren.
Kevin is a former business owner, and current international missions ministry leader with more than four decades of combined business and ministry experience. After building and running a successful business for 23 years, with God’s guidance and blessings, he sold his company to dedicate himself to full-time global missions.
For over 20 years, Kevin and his wife Nancy have led a self funded international missions ministry. Utilizing learned business and financial management skills, as well as knowledge and experience in travel points and miles, to date they have had more than 5o mission trips to 36 countries in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
After many years of studying the Bible and the Book of Revelation, and writing many Bible studies and articles, Kevin finally finished Unraveling The Mysteries of the Book Of Revelation. Hopefully it will be a blessing to many people.
