Who Is The Holy Spirit?
Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord's favor has come."
Here Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit being upon Him. The Holy Spirit is the 3rd person of the triune Godhead. The Spirit is not an impersonal “it” or simply an influence but a personal being just as the Father and the Son. He has intelligence, emotions, and a will. (1 Cor 2:10-11, Eph 4:30) He teaches, commands, and intercedes for us in prayer.
The Holy Spirit took part in creation. He guided and protected Israel. He spoke through prophets to produce Scripture. He selectively and temporarily indwelt certain people in the Old Testament, specifically enabling each to do a particular task. The Spirit indwells all believers permanently in this age (Rom 5:5). The Spirit’s indwelling is the basis for His other ministries in believers’ lives. He teaches and illumines us about scripture, He aids in prayer, He assures us of our salvation, and enables us to grow.
The Holy Spirit “fills” believers. The “filling of the Spirit” describes the crucial work of God enabling the believer to live a transformed life. It is specifically the ministry of the Holy Spirit that gives a Christian the capability of change and growth in righteousness (Rom 8:13) The only way we grow spiritually is by the empowering work of God and it is specifically the ministry of the Holy Spirit that gives a Christian the capability of change and growth in righteousness. We are either controlled by our self-centered flesh, or we are controlled by the Holy Spirit who indwells us. Although it’s the Spirit’s power that is at work, the believer must choose to be controlled/empowered by the Spirit. It is a command to “Be filled” and likewise to “Walk in the Spirit”. The Spirit’s presence is permanent (indwelling), but we must repeatedly choose to yield to God to experience the Spirit’s transforming power to change and grow us.
Gal 5:16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves.
