Bible Studies

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The Holy Spirit
The co-equal and co-eternal divine being who inspired Scripture and brings new life to the people of God. The Spirit of God is often portrayed in Scripture in terms of “breath”, “life” or “wind”, indicating His role in sustaining and bringing life to God’s creation.

The first reference in the Bible to the Holy Spirit is in Genesis 1:2: "The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the spirit of the deep, and the SPIRIT OF GOD was moving over the surface of the waters."


What is the difference between the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit? As Christ was the Word of God, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. The Father and Son are also spirit. The Holy Spirit is a separate entity, one with the Father and the Son, who manifests as a unique being that does specific work throughout the earth in god’s people.

The Holy Spirit’s attributes and activities are always those of God. The titles used of the Holy Spirit identify him as part of the triune nature of the divine being. Like the Father He is present everywhere. Psalm 39:7-10 says: “Where can I go from Thy Spirit? Or where can I flee from Thy presence? [presence in the Greek is Parousia]. If I ascend to heaven, Thou art there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, Thou art there. If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Thy hand will lead me” (see also John 14:7).

The Holy Spirit, like the Father and Son, knows all things. Isa 40:13-14 questions: “Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, Or as His counselor has informed Him? With whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge, And informed Him of the way of understanding?” He has infinite power. “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts” (Zech 4:6).

As we’ve pointed out the Holy Spirit is unique. “Therefore I make known to you, that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Co. 12:3). The Holy Spirit is the seal of ownership marking those who belong to God. “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory”...” And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30).


The Holy Spirit performs divine works and also creates like the Father (Ps 104:30; Ge 1:2; Job 26:13; 33:4; Ps 33:6). He gives life (Eze 37:14 ). The Holy Spirit is identified with the person and activity of the Godhead. “Holy Spirit” and “God” are used interchangeably. “But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back some of the price of the land? “While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God” (Acts 5:3-4; See also 1Co 3:16).

The Spirit is called Lord. “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” (2 Co. 3:17-18). The Holy Spirit is Divine. It is possible to blaspheme the Spirit. “And whoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age, or in the age to come” Matthew 12:32; Mark 3:29; Luke 12:10). This statement is remarkable because one of the glories of the Biblical faith is the great emphasis Scripture lays on the graciousness and wideness of God’s forgiveness (e.g., Pss 65:3; 86:5; 130:3–4; Isa 1:18; Mic 7:19; 1 John 1:7). The blasphemy against the Son of Man is rejection of him by nonbelievers, and this is clearly forgivable when a person becomes a Christian. But blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is committed by a Christian (Christians after Pentecost would understand that only believers enjoy the Spirit) and is equivalent either to apostasy or to rejection of a Christian prophet’s inspired message. For this there is no forgiveness (Carson, D. A. (1984). Matthew. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Vol. 8, p. 291). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House).

The Spirit is sent by the Father and/or the Son. “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness of Me” (John 15:26).

The purpose of the Holy Spirit, as it pertains to believers and Jesus Christ, is discussed most frequently in the Gospel of John. At the Last Supper in John 15:5-15, Jesus says this about why He must go to the Father and why the Holy Spirit must come:
"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] shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, He will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you no longer behold Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. "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 shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall 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 Holy Spirit does not minister on His own initiative but, as Christ, is the representation of the Father on the earth. The Holy Spirit takes of Christ and ministers the things of Christ to believers. The things of Christ come directly from the Father through Christ to us by the H.S.



Thus, the Holy Spirit is our helper (Paraclete in Greek). He will help us by revealing the things of Christ to us. Remember, Christ had a limited ministry of 31/2 years on the earth and He ministered in an area not more than a short distance from Nazareth His home town. He had more to tell us while he was here, but at the current state of the disciple’s growth they could not bear such truths then. So He sent the Helper to guide believers into ALL the truth.


The Holy Spirit also came as the Parousia (Greek) which means: “the presence of God’. Suffice it to say that when we feel God's presence, receive a revelation of Him, exercise a gift of the Spirit as prophecy or worship in the Spirit, most of this is initiated and directed by the Holy Spirit. We can also have revelation directly from the Father. The Holy Spirit is one with the Father and Jesus Christ, but the Father has turned all things over to the Son and the Son is at His right hand. Christ went away, out of physical sight, so He could send the Helper, a manifestation of God, to guide us in our Christian walk.


After Jesus’ death and resurrection the disciples were confused. They had received the Great Commission but were unsure how to go about fulfilling it. They needed instruction and Jesus gave it to them.


Before Jesus was taken up to the Father He instructed the disciples: “And gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:4-5). “And so when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you shall 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” (Acts 1:6-8).


So rather than sending the disciples out to be His witnesses in the earth He instructed them to wait for the Holy Spirit to be revealed and change them into vessels of His power. “Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying” (Acts 1:12-13). This is the same upper room where the last Supper took place. “These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers” (Acts 1:14-16). So 120 men and women waited in the upper room for the Holy Spirit to endue them with power.


After Jesus was taken to the Father the Holy Spirit fell on many believers on the day of Pentecost (50 days after Jesus’ resurrection). The Book of Acts describes this event which launched the ministries of the Apostles: “AND when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent, rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance. Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were bewildered, because they were each one hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and marveled, saying, “Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? “And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? “Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God.” And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others were mocking and saying, “They are full of sweet wine.”


This was a momentous occasion. Cloven tongues of fire rested upon the disciples. Many languages were being spoken but all people could understand each other no matter what language they were speaking. A violent rushing wind swept over them and entered into the surrounding houses. The net effect was a meeting with the Holy Spirit which changed them from disciples (those that followed Jesus) to Apostles carrying the word to the ends of the earth themselves.


Peter’s Sermon
Peter stood up and explained to the multitude what was happening and what was to come: “But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea, and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give heed to my words. “For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day; but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel (2:28-32): ‘AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,’ God says, ‘THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT UPON ALL MANKIND;
AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY,
AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS,
AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS;
EVEN UPON MY BONDSLAVES, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN,
I WILL IN THOSE DAYS POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT
And they shall prophesy.
‘AND I WILL GRANT WONDERS IN THE SKY ABOVE,
AND SIGNS ON THE EARTH BENEATH,
BLOOD, AND FIRE, AND VAPOR OF SMOKE.
‘THE SUN SHALL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS,
AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD,
BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD SHALL COME.
‘AND IT SHALL BE, THAT EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED.’ This is word for word Joel’s prophecy in Joel 2:28-32 et. sq.


So the Apostles went forth in the power of the spirit and ministered the word to many countries of the world.



Jesus own ministry began with the Holy Spirit: “Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased” (Luke 3:21-22).



The Holy Spirit is an extremely important part of the God-head for us. It relates us to Christ, and all He said and did. Christ in turn mediates on our behalf to the Father. The Holy Spirit carries all the power and wisdom of the trinity and acts as our personal helper in all things. To be “full of the Holy Spirit” is to be full of everything Christ is; full of all the wisdom, knowledge, power and authority available in the universe.

©Kenneth B. Alexander
[email protected]
Scriptures unless otherwise noted: New American Standard Bible, 78/86 ed.

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