God the Holy Spirit

“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him, but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” (John 14:16, 17)

An explorer was traveling in Africa. One day some hostile people attacked the weary traveler. They drove off his carriers and robbed him of everything. Then they left him injured, without food or equipment. He lay helpless beside the trail, hurt, discouraged, and completely lost. Utterly hopeless, he waited for death to come.

Feeling uncomfortable, he turned his body. Suddenly, he noticed a beautiful flower growing beside his head. All his life, he’d loved nature, and the exquisite color and form fascinated him. He studied its beauty for a long time. Then to his mind came a message his mother taught him years ago: “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow...shall he not much more clothe you... For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things” (Matthew 6:28-32).

Through that little flower, the Holy Spirit seemed to say, “God sees you. He cares. There’s hope for you.” His fear left him, and he began to relax. His mind grasped the thought, “I shall not die, but live.”

The weary man sat up. Gradually, he dragged himself to his feet, found a stick to steady himself, and slowly pushed down the trail. A power outside of him gave strength to his wobbly legs and a determination to press on. He knew someone else was in control.

Stopping often to rest, he remembered the words, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” About two miles down the trail, he heard voices. Trusting in God, he hid his fear and pressed on to a little village. These Africans were friendly. Seeing that he was alone and injured, they guided him to a home, where he was cared for until he was well and could continue his exploration.

The Holy Spirit used a frail flower and Bible promises he had learned long before as messages of hope. Jesus said: “He [the Holy Spirit] shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26).

Preview

Is the Holy Spirit truly God? The Bible makes it plain that the Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Godhead, coequal with the Father and the Son. The baptismal formula in Matthew 28:19 tells us that we are baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. See also the apostolic blessing in 2 Corinthians 13:14.

As part of the Godhead He is... Romans 8:2. Christ called Him... John 16:13. His love and holiness are expressed in Romans 15:30 and in Ephesians 4:30. The Holy Spirit gives each of us spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:11). He is present everywhere (omnipresent; John 14:16). He knows all things (omniscient; 1 Corinthians 2:10).

Points to ponder

1. Was the Holy Spirit involved in creation?

Job 33:4.

2. Will He be involved in the resurrection, too?

Romans 8:11.

3. How did the Holy Spirit descend on Jesus at His baptism?

John 1:32.

4. What is one of the most important works of the Holy Spirit?

Jesus said of the Holy Spirit, “He shall glorify me” (John 16:14). The Spirit takes the precious gifts from the Father and Son and gives them to us. Jesus also said, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God” (John 3:5). The Holy Spirit is the agent of new birth and sanctification.

Nuts & Bolts

(This is a Questions and Statements section condensing the SDA Believe chapter God the Holy Spirit. Make sure you read the chapter first.)

1. What do we know about the Holy Spirit’s personality?

Genesis 6:3. This shows that the Spirit pleads with sinful mortals to come to repentance.

Luke 12:12

John 16:8

Acts 13:2. The Holy Spirit thus directs the affairs of God’s church.

Romans 8:26

2 Peter 1:21. The Spirit was instrumental in inspiring the writings of the Bible.

Ephesians 4:30. The Spirit has feelings that can be hurt. Only a divine person can possess all these attributes!

It’s impossible for our human minds to understand the mystery of the Holy Spirit. But perhaps we can get a vague idea of how He touches our lives from the tiny, glistening drops of dew that sparkle like diamonds on a sunny morning. Formed from moist, cool air, dew forms best on dark objects or materials that radiate heat best but quickly lose it and become chilled. That’s why God wants us to be either hot or cold. Only then can the dew of the Holy Spirit fall on us. Dew and the Holy Spirit both refresh and revive, each in its own way. Both promote growth and originate in the heavens. Neither ever destroys, but both always restore and gently heal.

Dew can’t form on windy nights because the moving air doesn’t stay in contact with any object long enough to cool it to the dew point. Conditions must be just right. The dew or rain of the Holy Spirit will fall only on lives that are just right, too, in harmony with heaven.

Dew forms after the sun sets and disappears soon after sunrise. Could the dew be revealing to us a blessed secret? The best time to receive the blessings of the Holy Spirit is in the stillness of the evening and in the early morning hours before we’re engrossed in the day’s activities.

Dew penetrates and saturates all it settles upon with quiet, gentle thoroughness. There is no limit to the heavenly dew that you may constantly receive, if you will only stop and let it fall on you.

2. Everything the Holy Spirit does centers on Christ’s mission of salvation.

Because of this, before the Spirit could be poured out in His fullness, Christ had to come to this earth, carry out His great sacrifice, and be glorified, (Matthew 3:11).

3. What did Jesus promise would happen after His resurrection?

Luke 24:49

4. What happened in heaven that enabled Jesus to send the Holy Spirit in His fullness?

Acts 2:33

5. What happened at the same time on earth while 120 believers were gathered for prayer?

Acts 2:4.

Note: The mission of both Jesus and the Holy Spirit is totally consistent and dependent on each other.

6. Notice how Jesus needed the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 1:18-21

Luke 1:41,67; 2:25,26;

Mark 1:9, 10;

Luke 4:1;

Matthew 12:24-32,28;

Romans 8:11.

7. Jesus has promised to give us the Holy Spirit.

John 14:16

John 16:7

8. What are some of the functions of the Holy Spirit?

John 16:8-11

John 16:13

Matthew 28:20. The promise of Jesus to be with us always is fulfilled through the Holy Spirit, in whom we can experience Jesus’ presence at all times.

Acts 15:28. The Holy Spirit guides in all the affairs of His church on earth, from selecting missionaries to solving differences of opinions.

1 Corinthians 12:11

Titus 3:5

Words to Remember

The Holy Spirit is a vitalizing, sustaining, stimulating, enabling power who always works with the Father and the Son.

• Vitalizing: Energizing.

• Sustaining: Supporting, giving life and nourishment.

• Stimulating: Encouraging to action.

• Enabling: Giving power and ability to accomplish objectives.

• Blasphemy: Speaking against the rejecting the Holy Spirit.

The Difference Between

"Justification" and "sanctification"

• • • Justification is the change God makes in us from unrighteousness to righteousness at the moment we receive the Lord Jesus Christ. It is also called the moment of new birth.

    • Sanctification is a lifelong walk with God, away from sinfulness into holiness.

I Truly Believe

Without Christ, and without the power of the Holy Spirit, I can do nothing (John 15:5). I am powerless to overcome sin. I cannot help others to come to Jesus. However, if I’m connected to Jesus through the Holy Spirit, I “can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).

Think carefully about each statement below. If, in your heart, you agree with the concept of each statement, please place a check in the box.

My Prayer

Dear Father,

Thank You for the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit that enables me to become so intimate with Jesus that I will become one with Him. Thank You for the fruits of the Spirit that will transform me into Your divine likeness. Fill me with the Holy Spirit’s power, that I may glorify Your name.

Amen.