The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit: A Biblical Review of Who He Is and What He Does

Digging Deeper

Plead Holy Spirit

Scripture presents the Holy Spirit as the third person of the Trinity – fully God, equal with the Father and the Son.   The Spirit possesses divine attributes and performs divine works.  The Spirit can be related to personally.  The Holy Spirit’s relationship with Jesus was essential throughout His earthly ministry.  Similarly, the Spirit is active in empowering you in every stage of your salvation just as the Spirit empowers the church.  Ultimately, the Spirit’s purpose is glorifying Christ and conforming believers into His image.

The Holy Spirit was active in creation.   Genesis 1:2 describes: “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”   Job 33:4 declares: “The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”  The Spirit is the divine agent of creation and life.  Throughout the Old Testament, the Spirit came upon individuals for specific reasons.  In Exodus 31:3, He equipped craftsmen: “I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills”  

He empowered judges and strengthened Samson when he faced a lion.  The Spirit anointed kings: “So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David.”   1 Samuel 16:13  The Spirit inspired prophesy and even spoke of His own future work at Christ’s second coming.   Joel 2:28-29 records: ““And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.  Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.  Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”

Isaiah 11:2 prophesied the Spirit resting on the Messiah: “The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him – the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord.”    Jesus’ birth was a direct action of the Holy Spirit.  Luke 1:35 notes the angel telling Mary: ““The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.”

Throughout his earthly ministry, Jesus and the Holy Spirit maintained an intimate relationship, just as with the Father.  All four Gospels record the Spirit descending upon Jesus at His baptism by John: “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.”  Matthew 3:16   This indwelling of the Holy Spirit marked the beginning of Christ’s earthly ministry.

The miracles of Jesus were performed in the Spirit’s power.  Acts 10:38 recalls “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.”  Jesus declared in Luke 4:18, quoting Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.”  Christ’s entire ministry was Spirit-empowered.

John 14-16 records Jesus’ extensive teaching about the Holy Spirit, promising the Spirit would be sent after His departure: “But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.”  John 16:7   This gift of the Advocate should not be trivialized.  “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”  John 16:13-15

The Spirit represents and mediates Christ’s presence in the lives of believers.  Romans 8:9 says: “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.”  The Spirit living in you testifies to truth and reveals Christ.  John 14:17 calls Him “the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”

The indwelling of the Holy Spirit seals each believer.  Romans 8:16 declares: “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”  As the Spirit works within you, He is transforming you into the image of Christ.  Galatians 5:16-18 instructs: ”So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.  For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

The Holy Spirit is referred to in Greek as a “parakletos” – a counselor, advocate, comforter and strengthener.  Even when you do not know how to pray or what to pray for, the Spirit intercedes with groans too deep for words.  Always pointing to Christ, the Holy Spirit draws you closer to Christ, deepening your love and devotion.  John 7:37-39 quotes Jesus declaring: “’Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.’   By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.”

In the course of your sanctification, the Spirit develops Christ-like qualities in you defined as “the fruit of the Spirit … love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”  The Spirit also equips you with gifts for service – teaching, healing, administration, prophecy and more.   Each of the gifts are tools for building up the church and extending God’s kingdom. 

The Spirit also protects you from deception and false training by authenticating Scriptural teaching.  The anointing from the Holy Spirit empowers you to rightly interpret and understand the truth.  “As his anointing teaches you about all things … just as it has taught you, remain in him.”  1 John 2:27

Being filled with the Holy Spirit means yielding to Him, confessing and forsaking sin, immersing yourself in Scripture, praying persistently and walking in obedience.  The Spirit-filled life produces Christlike character and effective ministry.  He doesn’t draw attention to himself, but, as Jesus promised, “He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”  John 16:14

Therefore, plead the Holy Spirit constantly to be in the Father’s will doing His will. Plead hidden sin be revealed and released through your repentance. Plead the Spirit that seeds be planted, watered and bear much fruit. Plead strength and stamina in the face of Satan’s attacks. Plead comfort and peace for all afflicted or troubled. Plead rebirth for those lost.