God’s desire is for the world, in general, and His children, in particular, to experience the joy of His love as well as the grace of the Lord Jesus (2Cor 13:14). However, this is possible only through “the fellowship of the HolySpirit” (2Cor 13:14). God Himself has ordained that anything of eternal value can only be accomplished by the HolySpirit: “So he answered and said to me: “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts.” (Zech 4:6). This is because the HolySpirit is the person of the Godhead on earth today, who embodies and executes the will of the kingdom of God (Rom 14:17). It is, therefore, imperative that we find out who the HolySpirit is and how to cooperate with Him in order to effectively fulfil our share of God’s kingdom and will on earth.
WHO IS THE HOLYSPIRIT?
The HolySpirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity, which comprises God the Father, God the Son and God the HolySpirit. Based on the above, we can see that the HolySpirit is both a person and God. It is necessary to make this fact clear because there are people who think the HolySpirit is an impersonal force. They do not consider Him a person.
THE HOLYSPIRIT AS A PERSON
We need to know that the HolySpirit is an actual person, though a Divine one. We know that a being is a person if the being possesses and manifests the exclusive attributes of a person. The following attributes prove that the HolySpirit is a person:
He has a mind, “Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” (Rom 8:27). The HolySpirit thinks. He reasons with His mind.
Secondly, the HolySpirit has emotions. He can feel. The Bible says, “But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; So He turned Himself against them as an enemy, And He fought against them.” (Isa 63:10). God warns us not to grieve Him. If the Spirit can be grieved, then He can also be gladdened. He can love and hate.
Thirdly, the HolySpirit has a will. The Bible says, “But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” (1Cor 12:11). He decides, He chooses, just like any other person.
Lastly, the HolySpirit speaks. He articulates. There are several references to His having spoken, in the Bible. “Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.”” (Acts 8:29).
THE HOLYSPIRIT AS GOD
Much as the HolySpirit is a person, He is not a human but a Divine person. The HolySpirit the third person of the Godhead and as such on the same level as God the Father and God the Son. He is a different person from the Father and the Son, yet as much God as either of them. Peter while addressing Ananias in Acts 5:3,4, referred to the HolySpirit as God. The following attributes of the HolySpirit portray Him as God.
The first among them is that the HolySpirit is omnipresent. Omnipresence is one of the exclusive attributes of God. It means to be present everywhere at the same time. The Psalmist puts it this way, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.” (Ps 139:7-10).
Secondly, the HolySpirit is omniscient. This, also an exclusive attribute of God, means that He knows everything about everything. Nothing is beyond His awareness. Nothing ever surprises the HolySpirit. The Scripture says, “But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.” (1Cor 2:10-11).
Thirdly, the HolySpirit is omnipotent, which means He is all-powerful. He is equal in power with both the Father and the Son. Apostle Paul explained it this way, “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.” (1Cor 2:4,5). He equates the power of the HolySpirit to God’s power.
Finally, the HolySpirit is eternal—without beginning and without end (Heb 9:14). Shalom.
