There has been much confusion over the identity of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps some of this dates back to the King James translation of the Bible, where the word “spirit” or “ghost” was used instead of “breath” or “wind” of God.
Many people throughout the ages have thought of the Holy Spirit more as a thing than a person. Nothing could be further from the truth.
In fact, as we begin to know the personal person of the Holy Spirit, we will want to have a closer relationship with Him just as we would the Father or Son.
Although the word Trinity is not mentioned in the Bible, we know God is three in one. They are three very distinct persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. And they are all omnipotent.
Only the Holy Spirit can overcome the deceitfulness of the sinful human heart and cause a man to realize the greatness of his own iniquity.
As Christians we must rely upon the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to be able to resist evil. Our bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us. Because of this, we are not our own.
When we commit ourselves to God in Christ by faith, God enters into our hearts in the person of the Holy Spirit and transforms our nature. The Holy Spirit makes such a radical change in us that our whole personality is bent on doing the will of God.
The Holy Spirit is an active agent in our progress toward God. We can enjoy the gracious ministry of the Holy Spirit as we believe God’s word and yield to the Holy Spirit. We do things through the power of the Holy Spirit rather than through our own abilities.
The ministry or work of the Holy Spirit is not as visibly prominent as that of the Father and the Son, because His work is never to call attention to Himself.
Consider these
passages:
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.”
John 16:8-11: “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world
is judged.”
John 3:5: “Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.’”
John 14:6: “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’”
Ephesians 4:30: “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. and an initiation into the body of Christ.”
1 Corinthians 12:13: “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one bodywhether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.”
Although the baptism by the Holy Spirit is the initial experience of all believers, it is commanded that Christians keep on being filled by the spirit.
If you want God to be in control of your life, you must be willing to let go of your plans and be willing to follow God’s plans.
We must be willing to let the Holy Spirit make the necessary changes in our lives in order to turn us around from the world’s way of thinking to God’s plans and purpose for
our lives.
We must quit holding onto our own plans. Ask yourself this question: Are you willing to let the Holy Spirit lead you and guide you? Are you willing to trust that God will lead you through all
situations?
We must truly believe that the Holy Spirit is the power of God. We are nothing without God, but through the Holy Spirit we can do all things.
Henry Miranda is a Christian writer.
