Christians believe in one God – Almighty God – the Creator of Heaven and Earth. We love to discuss the Lord, tell others about Jesus and read our Bibles to learn as much as we can about God and our faith. But there is another person, the Holy Spirit, that we sometimes overlook. I think this is because the Holy Spirit and His power can be perplexing.
The Trinity is a hard concept to explain in general, but even more so to unbelievers. It's hard to wrap your head around Almighty God existing in three separate Persons, with three separate personalities, yet all being One. The Bible presents three distinct Persons of the Triune God, all having power and at the same time, specific roles.
The Trinity works like this: God the Father is fully God, yet distinct from God the Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is fully God, yet distinct from the Father. Finally, God the Holy Spirit, is also separate and distinct from both the Father and the Son. Each member of the Godhead is separate, yet all are fully God and each are distinct from one another. Another differentiation that needs to be made is that God the Father is not God the Son and is not the Holy Spirit. (I know, it's confusing!)
The diagram below gives us the relationship between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
We know a lot about Jesus and the Father being One. For example, in John 14:8-10 Jesus and the Apostle Philip are having a conversation. Philip asks Jesus “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” Jesus replied, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.”
In these verses, Jesus confirms that He indeed is One with the Father. There are many instances in the Bible that confirm WHO Jesus is as it relates to the Father but the Holy Spirit is somewhat of a mystery as the Bible tells us in Acts chapter 2.
In John 14:16-17, Jesus told His disciples: "I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever - the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you." The Holy Spirit is a promise and a gift from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
It is so important that we understand who the Holy Spirit is and to understand that He is with us from the moment we receive Christ as our Savior. In fact, we also need to realize that the Holy Spirit has always existed since time began; He didn’t just show up in the New Testament.
When we think of the Holy Spirit, we think about that still small voice that we hear or that soft nudge often described as a "check in our Spirit" (sometimes it could be a big shove as well!). This voice and nudge is meant to lead us in certain directions. The truth is, the Holy Spirit is so much more than just a quiet voice or a little nudge that pushes us.
In the Book of Acts, the Holy Spirit is described in several ways. Here is just a small example of these descriptions from the first two chapters of Acts:
In Acts chapter one:
· Verse 2 – Jesus worked through the Holy Spirit
· Verse 4 – The Holy Spirit is the promise of the Father
· Verse 5 – The Holy Spirit baptizes
· Verse 8 - The Holy Spirit gives us power when He comes upon us
· Verse 16 – The Holy Spirit speaks through us
In Acts chapter two:
· Verse 2 – The Holy Spirit is like a mighty rushing wind
· Verse 3 – The Holy Spirit gives us a new language
· Verse 4 – The Holy Spirit fills us and gives us utterances
· Verses 5-12 – The Holy Spirit is a mystery
· Verses 22-23, 36 – The Holy Spirit gives us boldness (evidenced by Peter’s speech)
I don't think most Christians realize just what an amazing gift the Holy Spirit really is. On some level, we fail to understand the power and abilities that are available to us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
To live the Christian life, it is important to understand WHO the Holy Spirit is an what He means in our lives. The truth is, we need supernatural help and guidance to walk the way the Lord calls us to walk. In addition, we need the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish the things the Lord has called us to do. Ultimately, when we understand all that we have in Christ, we will have the confidence to declare the words that Paul said in Galatians 2:20 - "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
The study of the Holy Spirit is called pneumatology, which comes from the Greek word "pneuma" meaning "breath" or "spirit." Understanding the Holy Spirit and the work that He does is important in our walk as Christians. If we don't know the Spirit living inside of us and what that means to our walk with the Lord, we will miss out on so much that Lord has for us.
The first thing we need to understand is that the Holy Spirit is not just a "being." He is a PERSON who has a will, intelligence, knowledge, love, and feelings. Not only that, the Holy Spirit sees, hears, thinks, and speaks. The Holy Spirit does so much for us including:
Placing within us the desire to serve and worship the Lord
Giving us spiritual gifts and fruits
Anointing us to do the work that the Lord calls us to do
Enabling us to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others
Preparing us for spiritual battles and helping us to defeat the enemy
Making us realize just how much we need the Lord in our lives.
There is so much to learn and discover about the Holy Spirit. Every Christian needs to be in touch with the Holy Spirit to understand the power that we have, the abilities He gives us and the peace, joy, and love that comes from knowing Him.
If you'd like to discover the Holy Spirit and what He brings to your life, consider completing this 12 day devotional study on all the gifts of the Holy Spirit. You will grow deeper in your walk and learn so much by being in tune to the Spirit's promptings in your life.
Click this link to purchase your devotional study today: Discovering the Holy Spirit a 12 Day Devotional Study
Blessings,
Amy
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