The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, but perhaps He is the least understood. He is like Mr. Wilson from the show Home Improvement. Mr. Wilson was somewhat of a mystery because we never got a good look at him; he was always somewhat hidden.
The Holy Spirit seems like that-somewhat hidden. The Bible tells us stories about God, which gives Him physical qualities such as a face and arms. Jesus is even more like us because He felt hungry and sleepy. We can understand a Father and we can understand a Son, but how are we to understand the Holy Spirit? Is He like a half brother or cousin twice removed? No, He's like Mr. Wilson, always behind the fence, partially seen and seldom understood.
So, what does the Holy Spirit do?
In John 6:63 Jesus speaks of the Spirit as giving life and we also see that the Spirit empowers for life. We are familiar with TV preachers speaking of the “power of the Holy Spirit” in association with the miraculous, but the Holy Spirit empowers with other qualities as well. In Numbers 27:18, Joshua is empowered with leadership skills and the judges are empowered to deliver Israel (6:34). We also know the Holy Spirit empowers or equips believers with various gifts designed to carry out the ministry. But the Holy Spirit not only empowers believers, He also helps us in other ways: - He Purifies
The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin (John 16:8) and sanctifies us (1 Cor. 6:11). In this act of sanctification, we find the fruits of the Spirit produced within us. Ultimately, as it concerns our Christian walk and battle with sin, it is the ministry of the Holy Spirit that gains for us the victory as indicated by Paul in Romans 8:13.
| | - He Reveals Truth
The Holy Spirit makes the truths of God known to us. Second Peter 1:21 speaks of the Old Testament prophets: “men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” Jesus tells the disciples in John 16:13 that the Holy Spirit will guide them into all the truth. And the same principle applies to us today as we attempt to discern God's will with our finite minds. - He Guides Us
The Holy Spirit guides us as we strive to walk in the will of God. The Bible speaks of being led by or walking in the Spirit and we should recognize the benefits of this. In Acts 15:28 the leaders of the early church said, “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us…” The Holy Spirit works within us to lead us according to the will of God. We are not left without direction but must train our hearts to discern His leading. - He Gives Assurance of Salvation
The Holy Spirit bears witness that we are children of God (Rom. 8:16). We also know the Holy Spirit is a pledge to us from God that we are established and anointed with Christ.
But maybe the greatest thing about the Holy Spirit that is never mentioned is that He evidences God as intimate and personal. Without the Holy Spirit, God would be a far-off, distant Creator who at one time took the form of man and dwelt among us. But that would have all been in the past. Through the Holy Spirit, God is present in both time and location. This is of incomparable worth to the Christian in the struggle of life. God is not only some far off and holy creator; He is not only some bygone Messiah, He is a very present comfort to our souls that are burdened by this load of sin.
The Holy Spirit may be something of a mystery and therefore not appreciated for all that He does, but let us recognize it is the ministry of the Holy Spirit that, among other things, makes God near and makes God real. |