Understanding Holy Spirit

Introduction

The third Person of the Blessed Trinity is none other than Holy Spirit, who is one with God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son. How exactly does this “third Person of the Trinity” work? As a prelude to what follows, I invite you to first read The Mystery of the Divine Trinity Revealed. link here.  It is a brief reflection that will serve as a foundation for what we are about to study.

In earlier years, when I called myself a Christian, yet had not truly grasped what it meant to be Born Again, Holy Spirit remained, to me, the most hidden of the Three. He was seldom spoken of, as if His presence were secondary or somehow less than that of the Father and the Son. And yet, I knew—because the Nicene Creed declared it—that all three Persons are co-equal, co-eternal, and to be equally adored:

“… I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified…”

Still, His role seemed veiled in mystery. What is His purpose? How does He move and work within us and in the world we live in? These are the questions I hope to explore in this paper. And perhaps, as we walk this somewhat dusty path together, we may uncover a deeper awe and clearer understanding of this wondrous Person—Holy Spirit—who is not a shadow but the living breath of the one true God.

Side Note: I refer to the Holy Spirit as Holy Spirit. My reasoning for this is that I don’t refer to our Heavenly Father as The Heavenly Father, nor do I refer to Jesus Christ as The Jesus Christ. Holy Spirit, His name without the adjective “the”, is one of the names of the third person of the Trinity.

History of Holy Spirit per The Word of God

Holy Spirit has prominence in the Bible in that He is mentioned first as the supreme element of power in creation in Genesis 1:2 and elsewhere.

“… the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”

From this observation alone, we see that Holy Spirit is the power behind all of God’s creations. It seems that when God speaks, Holy Spirit delivers power, calling “into existence the things that do not exist” (Romans 4:17)

It also appears that Holy Spirit entered into man on many occasions, for a short duration. When the supernatural was needed to assist mankind for the purposes and plans of God the Father, Holy Spirit was manifested. Reading about His influence in the Prophets and Kings in the Bible gives evidence to that fact.

It is only after the crucifixion of Jesus that we find that Holy Spirit calls us His tabernacle and He enters into us permanently. No longer is He residing for a short duration, but He takes up residence in us permanently until our final residence with Him, our Father and the Son, in Heaven. His residing influences all our actions and thoughts.

The Seven Spirits of God

Revelation 3:1 and 4:5 references the seven spirits of the Lord. It is safe to say that we identify the “seven spirits” as Holy Spirit. The question remains, why are there “seven” of Him? The Bible, and especially the book of Revelation, uses the number seven to refer to perfection and completion. John’s vision includes a picture of the perfect and complete Holy Spirit by defining His nature. Isaiah 11:2 does the same using a seven-fold description, calling Holy Spirit as follows:

1. “And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him,
2. The Spirit of wisdom
3. and understanding,
4. The Spirit of counsel
5. and might
6. The Spirit of knowledge
7. and the fear of the LORD”. Isaiah 11:2

Make no mistake, there is only one Holy Spirit, and that which is spoken of above is a description of Holy Spirit and His nature. His nature is not our nature. It is what He imparts to us in times of need. 

In addition to the above, there are other names by which we describe Holy Spirit’s attributes and functions.

Names

Here are a few names of Holy Spirit you may not be aware of.\:

We are a Temple

First Kings describes the construction of the temple in Jerusalem and shows the importance of proper worship. In the New Testament, we clearly see that we are now the Temple of Holy Spirit.

“…do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? 1 Corinthians 6:19 ESV

The Law of the Temple

From the days of Noah’s Ark to the grandeur of Egypt’s pyramids, sacred and monumental structures alike were measured in cubits. A cubit was the length from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, while a handbreadth was the width of the hand across the knuckles with the thumb folded in. By this measure, one cubit equaled six handbreadths. Today, that is approximately 18 inches.

Yet, when God revealed the design of Ezekiel’s temple, He established a new law—a divine distinction. The temple was still to be measured in cubits, but not the ordinary cubit of six handbreadths. Instead, God commanded a cubit and a handbreadth—seven handbreadths in all.

“Behold, this is the law of the temple… the cubit being a cubit and a handbreadth.” Ezekiel 43:12–13

Six is the number of man—completion within the bounds of humanity. But the seventh handbreadth signifies something greater: mankind infused with the touch of God.

So it is with us. When we look upon our own temple—the life entrusted to us—we may see only the world and its measure. But when we allow the hand of God to rest upon it, the ordinary becomes holy. The temple is no longer ours alone; it is the dwelling place of Holy Spirit, the hand of God in our lives.

*Note: Reference Smith’s Bible Dictionary under “Weights and Measures” for approximate measurements.

Cleaning the Temple

Before we could truly encounter the presence of Holy Spirit, as in the baptism of Holy Spirit, the temple of our heart must first be cleansed.

Scripture declares that we are temples—but the piercing question remains: whose temple are we? Before the Spirit unveils the truth that God calls us, many of us were nothing more than dens of thieves—corrupting His Word to justify our wants, our desires, and our ambitions, with little thought for the will of our Creator. Others wandered in careless indifference, drifting aimlessly in unbelief, passively waiting to see if God might reveal Himself, yet refusing to bend the knee in surrender.

John records a moment that captures the heart of this truth when Jesus cleanses the temple in Jerusalem:

“The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple, he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, ‘Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.’ His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’” John 2:13–17 (ESV)

This dramatic scene mirrors the reality of our new birth. Before the Spirit of God can dwell within us, there must first be a cleansing—our sins forgiven, our hearts purged, our idols overturned. The same zeal that consumed Jesus for His Father’s house is the zeal He still carries for the temple within us. In essence, we are Born Again.

In these latter days, corruption, decay, and open rebellion against holiness have multiplied to an unprecedented extent. Humanity cannot free itself from this bondage of sin. Only the Holy Spirit has the power to cleanse, renew, and keep us holy.

But cleansing is not a one-time act; it is an ongoing work. For the Spirit’s presence to remain, the temple must be kept clean. By His power, our minds are continually renewed, our wills aligned with His, and our hearts guarded from the world’s defilement. As many say, “We may be filled with Holy Spirit, but we leak”.

As Paul reminds us:

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” —Romans 12:2 (ESV)

The Spirit cleanses. The Spirit renews. And the Spirit keeps the temple holy, so that God may dwell within us unhindered.

If we are a “clean” temple, we have only one purpose. As in the Old Testament “tabernacle,” we are to worship our Creator. This worship comes from a very intimate, internal connection we have with Jesus and our Father. It is accomplished through Holy Spirit and is very personal. Seldom can I accomplish this deep worship in today’s churches, where we are often reminded and compelled to worship from the pulpit. Ask yourself, if the pastor or worship leader tells you to raise your hands and worship the Lord, and you obey, are you really worshiping from your heart? And for what purpose? To obey the leader? To be seen by others? I feel today’s church falls far short of the intent and ways of our Lord. 

To better understand what I am saying, please read my paper on “The Power of the Pulpit”. Click the link here. This is not a great paper, but it makes my point. 

Power

From God the Father, through Jesus Christ His Son, and by the commission entrusted to us, Holy Spirit has revealed His power. It is the power that brought the universe into existence, the power that holds it together, the power that breathed life into mankind, the power that sustains us still—if we so desire—and the very power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead.

Yet in all this, Holy Spirit never violates the sacred gift of choice. What we call “free will” is reserved by a greater power still: the power of love. Holy Spirit could compel, but He will not, for forced love is no love at all. True love must flow freely, chosen by the heart of the giver. This alone gives meaning to our giving—whether in prayer, grace, sacrifice, or the pouring out of our lives for others. Love is not merely one of God’s attributes; Scripture declares that God is love itself. And Holy Spirit, being God, can never exalt Himself above His own being.

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:7–8 ESV

From the witness of Scripture, the love of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and history, one divine trait of Holy Spirit shines with particular brilliance: power.

“But you will receive power when (the) Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” —Acts 1:8 ESV

The Giver of Glory and the Reveler of Truth

The Spirit’s mission is never self-serving. He always magnifies Jesus, lifting Him in glory.

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” John 16:12 – 15 ESV

Note the List

1. He will guide you.

2. He will not speak on His own authority but only what He hears from our Father.

3. He will declare to us things that are to come. [Do we listen for this?]

4. He will glorify Jesus.

Here we see another of Holy Spirit’s roles: the Revealer of truth, the Giver of glory, the One who directs all honor to the Father and the Son. And every time we pray “In Jesus’ name,” it is by Holy Spirit that glory ascends to Christ.

The Revealer of Sin, Righteousness, and Judgment

A world without God knows nothing of sin, being right or wrong, or that they will be judged for their actions. There are at least thirty-four verses in the Bible (ESV) that say, “they did what was what in their own mind”. Without God, there is no standard or marker by which the world assigns laws. Freedom means that each individual can do what they please without consequences to others or themselves. But Holy Spirit raised a standard. Tie a chain about your ankle and drive that stake (standard) deep into the ground in such a manner that you will never depart from it.

“And when he comes, he will prove to the people of the world that they are wrong about sin and about what is right and about God’s judgment.” John 16: 8-9 GNB

“So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.” Isaiah 59:19 KJV

The Power Behind Jesus

Here is a truth both surprising and sobering: Jesus, in Himself, did nothing. He declared it plainly in John 5:19 (ESV):

“Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing.”

However, in John 15:5, it says, “…for apart from me you (we) can do nothing.”

This doesn’t seem very clear. There is only one conclusion to this paradox. It must be Holy Spirit through Christ who lives in me. This confirms that there is only one God expressed as a Trinity of beings desiring to be one with us. The apostle Paul expresses it well. 

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Jesus lived in perfect obedience and complete dependence. The Son saw the Father’s works, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, He accomplished them. Though He healed the sick, opened blind eyes, and made the lame walk, these miracles were not His ultimate mission. Signs were pointing to something greater. His true purpose was to lay down His life—the perfect sacrifice—so that our souls might be redeemed and restored to eternal fellowship with the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit.

Everything else was secondary, flowing from His intimate union with the Father. And so it must be with us. The harvest of souls and the redemption of God’s creation is our primary calling. All else follows from the depth of our relationship with Him. If Jesus, the eternal Son, looked continually to the Father, how much more must we? For only when our fellowship with the Father is right will everything else fall into place. And this fellowship comes through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Did Jesus not say Pray this way: ‘Our Father…”

Jesus promised us the Helper—the Paraclete, the very power of God—because Jesus knew He would soon depart. Contrary to what many of us learned as children, it is not Jesus who dwells within us, but Holy Spirit. He is the power alive in us, enabling us to overcome every unholy, ungodly obstacle we face.

Alone, Jesus did nothing. Alone, we can do nothing (Why do we keep trying?) But through Holy Spirit, the power of God rests upon us, and in Him, everything becomes possible.

Summary

It is safe to say that every evil in this world exists because of our own undisciplined, unwilling, and selfish human nature. This is true from Adam to the present. There is a devil in this world, and he was the ruler of this world, but no longer rules. However, if we have not surrendered to God our Father and Jesus Christ, His son, Satan remains our father, and salvation from all the work of the devil is not possible.

Jesus is the one who baptizes you in Holy Spirit.

“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Matthew 3:11 ESV

However, Holy Spirit comes from Our Father and is given to us by Jesus.

But when the Paraclete cometh, whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceedeth from the Father, he shall give testimony of me. John 15:26 DRB

This power to survive, seek God’s will, and do the works of Jesus comes from our Father, through the Son, to us. Even so, the power to glorify Jesus and the Father, the power to worship, is Holy Spirit’s labor.

Conclusion

All that is done on this Earth, prayer and praise, ministry and witness, healing and every act of faith, and all that has been accomplished in creation, flows from the Father’s will. It is then carried out through Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit quickens God’s will within us, bringing it from intention into life. By every work He accomplishes, He magnifies and glorifies both Father and Son.

Seeing the Spirit only as a distant or secondary presence diminishes who He truly is. Holy Spirit stands with the Father and the Son—co-equal, co-eternal, and essential to every movement of redemption and grace. To understand this is to lift your perception of Him from a peripheral force to His rightful place at the heart of the Trinity.

Everything we do, say, and think reveals our character. If that character has not been formed and guided by Holy Spirit, we forfeit our usefulness to God and lose the witness we were created to bear. In such a state, existence itself becomes a tragic waste of what we might have been.

Enough Said

“Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.” Jeremiah 15:16 ESV

We are not called to make a decision to follow Jesus; we are called to make a way for Him, powered by Holy Spirit. Therefore, YIELD!”