The Home Christian's Handbook

Chapter 8 - The Holy Spirit, God’s Will in Action

In Hebrew, the word translated spirit is ruah. In Greek it is pneuma. These words literally mean wind—an invisible, mysterious, powerful force--or breath, or divine power^[1]. Taken together, this describes an invisible, powerful force that proceeds from God. The same words are used to describe human spirit, that is, the predominant disposition or internal motivation and personality of a man. When used with reference to God, however, it is referred to as the Holy Spirit.

In the book of Genesis, we read of God’s wondrous creative works. God’s Spirit is described as being actively involved in them.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. (Genesis 1:1-2, NASB)

The next instance of the word ruah occurs in chapter 6 of Genesis.

³Then the LORD said, "I won't let my life-giving breath remain in anyone forever. No one will live for more than one hundred twenty years." (Genesis 6:3, CEV)

We see in this verse the life-giving properties of the Holy Spirit. Unless God’s Spirit remains in a person, his lifespan will be finite. Thus we see man’s complete dependence on God’s Holy Spirit for his very life.

In addition to its creative and life-sustaining power, the Holy Spirit is described as instilling Godly wisdom in His servants. In chapter 48 of Genesis, Joseph, a loyal servant of God, has correctly interpreted the King of Egypt’s prophetic dream. He then makes a very practical recommendation to the King. The King is extremely impressed with Joseph’s God-given wisdom.

³⁸So the king said to them, "No one could possibly handle this better than Joseph, since the Spirit of God is with him." (Genesis 48:38, NIV)

From this verse, we see that the Spirit of God, or the Holy Spirit, can be given to humans by God, and can bestow wisdom on that person. The results of the Spirit’s action on a person can also be visible to others. In the case of Joseph, the wisdom given to him through God’s Holy Spirit was perceived by the King of Egypt.

From these three verses in the opening book of the bible, we have some important insights into the nature of God’s Spirit. It is an invisible, powerful, creative force emanating from God. It was used by God during creation. It can be given to humans, granting them wisdom. The absence of God’s Spirit is associated with mortality. How important, then, is it for Christians to understand the nature of the Holy Spirit of God.

A good method of understanding a biblical concept is to consider the word usage in the Scriptures. There are 378 instances of the word ruah in the FT, and 379 uses of the word pneuma in the ST. We will consider representative cases with the goal of refining our understanding of God’s Holy Spirit. We encourage you to further augment your study using a concordance, such as Stong’s Concise Concordance, and several good bible translations.

Spirit of Wisdom and Knowledge

The bible describes cases where God’s Spirit gives skills and abilities to His servants that they previously did not possess. In Exodus, we read:

See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship. (Exodus 31:3, NIV)

God chose a man named Bezaleel, and gave him the wisdom and skills necessary for the tabernacle building work. He equipped Bezaleel with these skills in order to accomplish His purposes.

James explains that it is proper to ask God for wisdom, but that we should ask in faith, believing that He will answer our prayer. He answers by giving us His Spirit.

⁵If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. (James 1:5-6, NKJV)

Jesus taught that after he returned to heaven, the Holy Spirit would be given to his disciples and would be their teacher.

²⁵ These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. ²⁶But 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 14:25-26, NIV)

During the Christian era, it is the Holy Spirit that acts as a communication channel between Jesus Christ and his followers. It proceeds from the Father in the name of Jesus. Today it acts primarily in illuminating God’s Word the bible to our mind and hearts. The Holy Spirit acts upon us as we strive to learn more of His personality and His purposes, and as we yearn to be closer to Him and His son. It is the action of the Spirit upon our mind and heart, together with our own spirit, or internal motivation, that creates spiritual growth.

Spirit of Prophesy

In chapter 11 of Numbers, we see that the Holy Spirit can be distributed among many selected people, to accomplish God’s common purpose.

¹⁶ The LORD said to Moses: "Bring me seventy of Israel's elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the Tent of Meeting, that they may stand there with you. ¹⁷ I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you carry the burden of the people so that you will not have to carry it alone. (Numbers 11:16-17, NIV)

When the Spirit acted upon these seventy elders of Israel, they began to prophesy.

²⁴ So Moses went out and told the people what the LORD had said. He brought together seventy of their elders and had them stand around the Tent. ²⁵ Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took of the Spirit that was on him and put the Spirit on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but they did not do so again. (Numbers 11:24-25, NIV)

To prophesy, according to the bible, means to speak the Word of God to men. It was the power of the Holy Spirit, acting upon these seventy elders that allowed them to prophesy in God’s name. In the bible, prophesying in God’s name implies the prophet is filled with and impelled by God’s Spirit (see 2 Chronicles 24:20, Nehemiah 9:30, Ezekiel 11:5, Daniel 4:18, Zechariah 7:12). One who is a prophet speaks God’s Words, which may include predictions of future events.

Spirit of Service

Interestingly, two of the elders were not present when Moses called the seventy to the tent.

²⁶ However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the Tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp. ²⁷ A young man ran and told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp."

²⁸ Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses' aide since youth, spoke up and said, "Moses, my lord, stop them!"

²⁹ But Moses replied, "Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the LORD's people were prophets and that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!" ³⁰ Then Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp. (Numbers 11:26-30, NIV)

What this illustrates is the Spirit of God operates independently of any human organization or human leader. Joshua felt that Eldad and Medad should not prophesy because they had not come to the tent in obedience to Moses’ command, but Moses recognized their gift was from God, and did not interfere with their prophesying. Moses recognized that the real leader of the Israelites was God, not him. We also recognize that God bestows his Holy Spirit upon whoever He pleases. We should not assume that these individuals must be associated with a particular religious denomination or religious leader.

It is true that God raises up human leaders, like Moses, for His people. In Judges Chapter 3, Israel has been subjugated by the king of Aram for eight years. They cry out to God, and He hears them, and sends them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz.

¹⁰ The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, so that he became Israel's judge and went to war. (Judges 3:10, NIV)

For the Israelites, it would be important for them to perceive God’s purposes respecting leaders He has sent them. To work against them would be to work against God. However, it would be imperative to also realize that the leaders themselves were just imperfect humans. It was God’s Holy Spirit acting upon them that allowed them to do God’s work. The leaders themselves were not to be glorified—their job was to serve. They were to be obeyed only as long as they upheld God’s righteous principles.

In the first century, God’s Holy Spirit acted powerfully upon the apostles, who were personally chosen by Jesus Christ.

The Spirit is poured out upon the apostles and other disciples at Pentecost after Jesus’ death.

¹ When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. ² And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance. (Acts 21-4, NIV)

The disciples are filled with the spirit of prophecy, and immediately begin witnessing to the many people present in Jerusalem. The Spirit miraculously allows them to speak foreign languages, since many people in Jerusalem at that time were foreigners.

Christians recognized this and were attentive to their teachings, which ultimately came from God. Although the apostles are no longer with us, we do have their teachings recorded in the bible for our benefit. We should consider these as having the authority of those whom God has chosen and given His Spirit to.

Since the first century, many men have arisen and claimed to be chosen by God for a special purpose. Many have made extravagant claims and have desired great authority over their followers and demand unquestioning obedience from them. There is no scriptural support for this position. Jesus clearly taught that unless we humble ourselves like a little child, we will not enter God’s kingdom (Matthew 18:3). He taught that we ultimately have only one leader and teacher, the Christ (Matthew 23:8-10). Men and religious organizations that demand obedience and claim divine authority should be avoided.

If we study the history of Christianity, we see that God has raised up sincere individuals to serve His people. For example, William Tyndale, in the 1500’s, suffered death on a stake for translating the bible into English. When we study his life, it is clear that God’s Holy Spirit acted upon him to get His Word into the hands of the common people. We can learn much from the writings of loyal servants of God, like William Tyndale. We recognize God acting through them by His Spirit. But William Tyndale never claimed to have divine authority over other people, and he never sought it. We should follow his example.

In our Christian home groups, the Holy Spirit will likewise appoint servants to serve depending on the needs of the group and God’s will for it.

Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. (Acts 20:28, NASB)

How does the Holy Spirit appoint overseers? It does this by developing the qualities inside the person that are necessary for this role. The members of the group recognize this appointment by the person’s fruits. A good tree produces good fruit. In time, the group will recognize those that sincerely wish to serve their brothers in Christ. These individuals will be sought by the membership when loving counsel or support is needed. Those that desire prominence or glory and who wish to have authority over others will be avoided. In time they will either learn Godly humility or they will leave the group.

The lesson here is we need to be discerning. God’s Holy Spirit is invisible. We cannot see it, but we can discern its affects. As Jesus said, a good tree is discerned by its good fruits (Matthew 7:17). By carefully evaluating the fruits, that is, the works, behavior, and disposition of a person, we can discern if they are truly motivated by God’s Spirit. And we realize that in the Christian age, God gives His Spirit to all who sincerely worship Him.

¹³ "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?" (Luke 11:13, NASB)

What a cause for rejoicing! Jesus here clearly teaches that we can petition God for His Holy Spirit. Let us make that a regular request in our personal prayers.