How to Know and Understand the Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit is a way of describing God by the Christians. Their holy book, Bible describes the Holy Spirit as the "breath" of God.

The Holy Spirit is the source of new life God places within you. God is not just a higher power outside you but he is also present in you. God transforms you from within so that you can become more like Jesus.

The Bible contains many references to Holy Spirit that helps us to understand the mysteries of the concept of Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is a person

Generally, people describe the Holy Spirit as a presence or an "it." But the Holy Spirit is a person, not a thing. The Holy Spirit is God. The Holy Spirit has thoughts and a will.

The following verses of the Bible proclaim the individual nature of the Holy Spirit:

· "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." (2 Corinthians 3:17)

· "'What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived' — the things God has prepared for those who love Him — these are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person's thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us" (1 Corinthians 2:9-12).

· "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honour God with your bodies." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

· "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption" (Ephesians 4:30).

· "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever." (John 14:16)

· "And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." (Romans 5:5)

· "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst?" (1 Corinthians 3:16)

The Holy Spirit is God Himself

The Holy Spirit is an equal among and a true member of what is known as "the Godhead." That's just another way of describing the three-in-oneness of God.

The Godhead is made up of three equal persons living in perfect unity with each other. Believing this is vital to understanding the powerful role the Spirit plays in the lives of Christians and the way God is active in the world.

The Bible verses in this section help us understand that the Holy Spirit is God. They describe the connection and harmony between Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit.

· "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 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" (Genesis 1:1-2).

· "At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, He saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "'You are My Son, whom I love; with You I am well pleased'" (Mark 1:9-12).

· "God, who knows the heart, showed that He accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as He did to us" (Acts 15:8).

· "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all" (2 Corinthians 13:14).

· "God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Exalted to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear" (Acts 2:33).

The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is God. If you are a follower of Jesus, these verses prompt you to thank God for giving you His Spirit and help you see the Holy Spirit as worthy of your honour and love.

Role of the Holy Spirit

The main role of the Holy Spirit is to bind the believers of Jesus with God and help them become more like Him. As per the Christian belief, the experience of eternal life does not begin at death but when they trust in Jesus and God places His spirit within them.

As per the Bible, the Holy Spirit equips people for ministry and provides specific insight and wisdom. It teaches people to interpret God's Word and communicates with the Father on people's behalf, and empowers Christians to live according to God's design.