When we talk about the Holy Spirit, it can sometimes feel a bit mysterious. The Holy Spirit, also known as the Holy Ghost, is a vital part of God. But is the Holy Spirit actually a ghost? Does he have any influence on our lives?
Interesting facts about the Holy Spirit
After Jesus returned to heaven, the Holy Spirit came to dwell within believers - often referred to as our “helper” or “guide.” Understanding the role of the Holy Spirit is essential because it plays a significant role in our faith journey and helps us live out our beliefs each day.
The Holy Spirit is God
Just like God the Father and Jesus the Son, the Holy Spirit is a distinct person of the Trinity. The Trinity is simply a word used to describe how God is three in one, three persons, but still one God.
No illustration of the Trinity is perfect, but you can think of it like this: a man may have different roles in life like a father, a boss, or a husband - depending on the need and the circumstances. Similarly, God exists as three persons, each fulfilling a unique role. This way of looking at the trinity can make the concept of a triune God a little easier to grasp!
The three persons of God that make up the Trinity are:
- God the Father, our protector and provider. The Father helps us understand who we are in this world. He is completely holy, completely perfect.
- God the Son, Jesus. Jesus provides us with community and understanding, and we can share life with him. He is also Savior and Redeemer, the perfect sacrifice who took on the consequences of our sins and mistakes on the cross.
- God the Holy Spirit, our comforter who leads us in truth, and advocates for us to God. He teaches, guides, and nurtures us.
The Holy Spirit is eternal
Because God is eternal, so is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has always been around, a person of the Trinity
Hebrews 9:14 even describes the Holy Spirit as eternal: “For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.”
The Holy Spirit advocates for us
In John 14:16-17, we see something interesting about the Holy Spirit: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth.”
To advocate for us means the Holy Spirit talks to God on our behalf. Romans 8:26 tells us that “the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.” When we don’t know what to say in our prayers, especially when we’re really hurting or sad, the Spirit interprets those feelings and sends our prayers up to God. He also can guide our prayers so they better reflect God’s will.
If you’re a follower of Jesus, the Holy Spirit is in you, he will never leave you, and he advocates for you as you pray and seek to live a life that glorifies God.
The Holy Spirit was there at the start of creation
Genesis 1:2 says, “The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the water.” This shows us that the Holy Spirit was present at creation and was an active part of creating all things.
The Holy Spirit helped write the Bible
You may not think about the Holy Spirit as a writer, but he was! The Holy Spirit is the reason why we have the narratives and stories we do in the Bible. The work of 40 authors spanning 66 books weaves perfectly together to tell God’s story and show us his incredible love for us through Jesus.
Since these authors wrote over many centuries, there is no natural explanation to account for the consistency and fluidity of the Scripture. It had to be supernatural - and supernatural is exactly how the Holy Spirit operates! 2 Peter 1:21 tells us that everyone who penned what would become the Scriptures was “moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.”
The Holy Spirit was in the Old Testament
Even though Pentecost was when the Holy Spirit began to live in every believer, the Holy Spirit also shows up in the Old Testament to empower and embolden God’s people.
In Judges 14:6, the Holy Spirit empowered a young Samson to destroy an attacking lion. “At that moment the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him, and he ripped the lion’s jaws apart with his bare hands. He did it as easily as if it were a young goat. But he didn’t tell his father or mother about it.”
Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit
Because Mary was a virgin, something supernatural had to happen to conceive Jesus. In Luke 1:35, we see an explanation of how the Holy Spirit was involved in the conception of Jesus: “The angel replied, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.’ “
The Holy Spirit changes our behaviors
Trees bear fruit based on the kind of tree they are. Apple trees will always grow apples, and lemon trees will always grow lemons. You can tell what kind of fruit tree you’re looking at based on what’s growing on it.
The same is true for people who have the Holy Spirit within them. You can tell by their “fruit” by the behaviors they demonstrate. Galatians 5:22-23 says “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”
The Holy Spirit inspires these changes in our behavior by changing our hearts from within and nudging us toward making better choices. By paying attention to the gentle nudges and guidance of the Holy Spirit, we begin to see how our attitudes and behaviors can change and can become more like Jesus.
The Holy Spirit doesn’t just change our behaviors - it also gives us gifts we can use to build God’s kingdom and encourage others!
The Holy Spirit works in us
How does the Holy Spirit actually come into us? When we accept Jesus as our Savior, the Holy Spirit enters in, along with Jesus, and begins to guide us. “But when the Father sends the Advocate…the Holy Spirit, he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.” (John 14:26).
We, however, have a choice as to whether or not we will act on those nudges or ignore them. We must invite the Holy Spirit to act in our lives - to influence our hearts, words and actions. And we must obey these nudges. The Holy Spirit’s work in us and through us can help us change our behavior, overcome our addictions, and break the influence of evil in our lives.
Will you allow the Holy Spirit to work in you?
The Holy Spirit is God, who is already inside each believer, and can be called upon to help us grow in faith and overcome challenges - ultimately making us more like Jesus. The Spirit is God, so he has always been and always will be active in every aspect of time, creation, and humanity.
If you’re ready to listen to Holy Spirit, you can do it right now. Ask him to speak to you, listen for his voice, and be ready to respond to what you hear.
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When it comes to the Holy Spirit, the Bible has a lot to teach us about the influence and power of the Spirit in our lives. If you’re interested in diving into the Holy Spirit, check out this Bible Reading Plan that walks through the key characteristics of the Spirit and how it can change our lives!