essay on the holy spirit

ESSAY SAUCE

FOR STUDENTS : ALL THE INGREDIENTS OF A GOOD ESSAY

Essay: The Holy Spirit

Essay details and download:.

Subject area(s): Religious studies and theology essays
Reading time: 9 minutes
Price: Free download
Published: 23 March 2018*
Last Modified: 23 March 2018
File format: Text
Words: 2,617 (approx)
Number of pages: 11 (approx)

Text preview of this essay:

This page of the essay has 2,617 words. Download the full version above.

The Holy Spirit is here to spiritually guide us now today just like He was in the book of Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor,” He is upon us no matter what the anointing or guidance we need (Isaiah 61:1). While in relationship to the Father and Son, the Holy Spirit has divine nature, divine works, authority, equal in power, and glory to the Father and Son. The Holy Spirit has the most beautiful characteristics, which can be exemplified in this verse, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” He is everywhere all the time while being all-knowing no matter what the case (Psalm 139:7). He is Third in the Trinity, performs the work of God, inspired the Bible, is the life of Christ, and is the Eternal Spirit “who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death so that we may serve the living God” (Hebrews 9:14). How much more extraordinary can the Holy Spirit get, He is 24/7 surrounding you keeping you safe and being your answer to so many of your questions guide you to what He knows is the best for you.

What is the activity of the Holy Spirit? “He is involved in the creation, involved in regeneration, active in giving us the Scriptures, and involved in the resurrection from death,” says Dr. George from His writing regarding the topic of the Holy Spirits functions in this time. The Holy Spirit was present in the Old Testament and is still present today, one of His functions and purposes is simply to be present, that is why we are told to sit in His presence during our quiet or chair time if He can be present for centuries then you can be present for a short period of time in your day. Remembering back to the Holy Spirit and His name, “Helper,” “Comforter,” and “Teacher,” these characteristics that have turned into names give guidance, encouragement, and reassurance in times of need. Similarly stated in 2 Timothy, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). It is not simply the aspect of guiding a believer in life, it has an emphasis on guiding a believer into the Truth and helping the believer understand the Truth and glorifying God. The Holy Spirit has a certain role and purpose Here on earth; He is Here to comfort, convict, convince, correct, and continue while always being at work and He was sent to earth to Help believers and work in believers to bring them purity, passion, purpose, and power. He is not here to tell a believer or non-believer that they are awful sinners, but to “give a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws (Ezekiel 36:26-27). He is the one out of the Trinity that is personally today Here on earth alongside all of us teaching us the significance of knowing how to actively follow God. He is constantly convicting us of our sins and showing us the many reasons as to why we cannot live without Jesus and revealing the importance of the time of judgment that will eventually come among us.

Not only does the Holy Spirit have an important role on earth, more specifically He has a great role in the church. He has a lot of input in the church when it comes to keeping unity among any and all Christ followers in the church and also is a huge source to believers evangelizing to the world. And one this the Holy Spirit has a large role in is giving Spiritual Gifts, now that function can honestly be put under the topic of his role on earth, role in the church, and in the lives of the believers. But specifically, the role in the church of receiving a Spiritual Gift is that it can be an aid to the church in working together to glorify God, help others, and make disciples. Within simple fellowship between believers, which is known as the church, the Holy Spirit gifted them to worship God in another way, not everyone has the same Spiritual Gift, but in this case, they all were gifted with speaking in tongues. “Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” (Acts 2:2-4). This verse fits in perfectly because when a whole house is full of believers sitting, most likely in His presence it can simply be tied to the reason of “when two or more are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). The church is simply described as the body of Christ no matter who is in it, whether from the past or present, they are God’s people. “If you want to know the Holy Spirit, you must be in the church where He does His work and you must read the Scripture to hear the words He gave the apostles and prophets,” says Wes McAdams. It is there where the presence of the Holy Spirit dwells and sets upon all those believers who are gathered there to worship our God.

Most importantly the kind of role the Holy Spirit has in the believer is where the start of the growth of God’s kingdom all begins. “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you (Romans 8:11). Of course, all the characteristics, personalities, functions, and purpose of the Holy Spirit have already been discussed, so the ideas of the Holy Spirit being a comforter, revealer of truth, teacher, gift-giver, and harvester does not seem very new. He uses all these functions in the believer and well as in the church and on the earth, but the one function that is more specific to the Holy Spirits role in the believer is Him being a gift-giver. He bestows every believer on this earth with a Spiritual Gift, some do not receive it right away, the gifts are given according to God’s timing and choosing, “but earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way” (Corinthians 12:31). Our Spiritual Gifts are the gifts God gives us to expand His kingdom and bring His glory and holiness to any and every one we seek to serve God to bring glory to His name and church. The other significant role in producing the Fruits of the Spirit in us is striving towards more love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, which helps all believers grow from life in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit aids in producing these fruits because it projects a sign of spiritual maturity and spiritual growth, which pushes one further down the path of God’s Truth for His believers and follower’s lives.

Throughout our history, there have been many characters from Church History that have made an impact on the Church and on hundreds of people. Martin Luther was one of those characters that were used and led by the Holy Spirit in his life and ministry. Martin Luther originated as a German Catholic theologian and was also considered a reformer specifically because of his Holy Scriptures encounters that are stated in the Bible and other historical writings. Luther had also entered into the monastery during his career as a biblical lecturer at Wittenberg, his career as a professor and his teachings took him down a road that places a huge focus on him and his age. One of the more specific moments Martin Luther had felt led by the Holy Spirit was when he had been given the assurance he was looking for, which was very similar to Paul’s situation, “the Apostle Paul saw the need for the Holy Spirit’s ministry of revealing God’s truth to His people and so he praying in this manner.” When he was too looking for assurance from the Holy Spirit in Romans and both of their assurances were given with this statement, “They just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17). Martin Luther once said, “Nobody who has not the Spirit of God sees a jot of what is in the Scriptures. All men have their hearts darkened, so that, even when they can discuss and quote all that is in Scripture, they do not understand or really know any of it. . . The spirit is needed for the understanding of all Scripture and every part of Scripture,” stated by Pastor Ventura. A part of Martin Luther’s ministry led by the Holy Spirit was his bold declaration of the 95 These Wittenberg, Oct. 31, 1517; which boldly taught the principles of grace alone, faith alone, and scripture alone. The only way Luther was able to do this courageous act was by allowing the Holy Spirit to lead him and to stand his ground, his purpose behind the 95 These were to express his concerns and discrepancies about the certain practices of the Catholic Church.

The Lutheran Movement is considered Martin Luther’s significant push and development in ministry that was led by the Holy Spirit. This movement continued to change the structure and dynamics of the churches during and even after his death on February 18, 1546. A German church historian, once R. Kuntze wrote: “Luther was easily the greatest evangelical man after the apostles, full of inner love to the Lord like John, hasty in deed like Peter, deep in thinking like Paul, cunning and powerful in speech like Elijah, uncompromising against God’s enemies like David; prophet and evangelist, speaker in tongues and interpreter in one person, equipped withal the gifts of grace, a light and pillar of the church.”

Throughout my journey with the Holy Spirit, I have not had a lot of interactions with the Holy Spirit of really known 100% what is the Spirit and what is not. I think the reason behind that is because I had not had a genuine relationship with God until the end of my senior year. One of the most significant experiences I have had with the Holy Spirit was when I was in the crazy journey of choosing a college, I was originally going to school to play tennis and for some reason not one of the school I had looked at or visited I had liked or had peace with. It was probably two weeks until graduation that one of my friends had told me that she was applying to ORU, which was a place I told myself I would never go to. But then thought about it and realized I seriously don’t have any other choices right now and had a slight urge in my heart saying “what harm could applying to one more school do?” That night after small group I applied for ORU and for some reason was extremely nervous and excited to see if I got accepted or not. Soon after that I had received my acceptance letter with so much excitement and decided to go to the Quest Whole Person Scholarship meeting to simply see if there was any humanly way possible for me to be able to afford this school. Little did I realize that the approach of me getting this scholarship in a “humanly” way was for sure impossible, which immediately snapped me out of it and made me realize I can’t do any of this, it’s the Holy Spirit that is going to be getting me this scholarship. I laid it at His feet and simply knew ORU was where I was meant to go, even though I had not received my scholarship yet the Holy Spirit had assured my heart.

After going through the whole process for ORU by listening and trusting God and the Holy Spirit my relationship with Him had grown to heights I didn’t even know was imaginable. My trust and my longing to constantly be in the Holy Spirits presence grew to great amounts, He was always on my mind and I had never been so invested in growing my relationship with Him in that way. It was that one experience that truly brought me so much closer to the Holy Spirit because He showed himself to me and he showed His works proving He is everywhere all the time to listen and guide me. In the future, as I continue on my path to pursuing my vocation as an Exercise Specialist I know the way to be better led by the Holy Spirit is to lay it all at His feet. I know I can do my part by trying my hardest in school and worshiping him day and night, but when it comes to the end of it and I am getting ready to enter my vocation, I know the Holy Spirit will still be there with me, teaching me and guiding me just as He was since that Wednesday night at small group to the day I graduate college. God has a plan for me, and that is what I intend to follow.

...(download the rest of the essay above)

About this essay:

If you use part of this page in your own work, you need to provide a citation, as follows:

Essay Sauce, The Holy Spirit . Available from:<https://www.essaysauce.com/religious-studies-and-theology-essays/the-holy-spirit/> [Accessed 08-08-24].

These Religious studies and theology essays have been submitted to us by students in order to help you with your studies.

* This essay may have been previously published on Essay.uk.com at an earlier date.

Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is co-equal with God the Father and God the Son and is of the same essence. Yet He is also distinct from them.

Scripture describes the Holy Spirit in personal terms, not as an impersonal force, when it says that He teaches, guides, comforts and intercedes. [1] He possesses emotions, intellect and will. [2] The Holy Spirit spoke to Philip and gave counsel to the church at Jerusalem. [3] He was sinned against and lied to. [4]

The Scriptures also attest to the deity of the Holy Spirit. He is spoken of as God and is identified with the title of Jehovah. [5] The Christian who is indwelt by the Spirit is indwelt by God. [6] The Holy Spirit possesses the attributes of deity, such as omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence and eternality. [7] He does works only God can do, such as creating, regenerating and sanctifying. [8] He is equally associated with the other members of the Trinity. [9]

The work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament differed somewhat from His work in the New Testament. The possession of the Holy Spirit by the believer was not permanent in every case. [10] The Spirit had a ministry of restraining sin and in the creation of the world. [11]

The Holy Spirit today plays a major role in the application of salvation to the individual. It is the Spirit who brings conviction to the unbeliever and causes him to see the truth of the gospel in a clear light. [12] Those who respond to this conviction and place their faith in Jesus Christ receive eternal life and a new nature. [13] The Holy Spirit unites the believer with Christ and places him in the body of Christ, the church. [14] He also unites the believer with Christ in His death, enabling him to live victoriously over sin. [15] The Holy Spirit controls the believer who yields to God and submits himself to God's Word. [16] When these conditions are met, the believer lives in the power of the Spirit and produces the fruit of the Spirit. [17]

The Holy Spirit indwells the believer permanently. [18] While the child of God may sin and grieve the Spirit, the Spirit will never leave the true believer. [19] Absence of the Holy Spirit is the mark of the unsaved. [20] The Holy Spirit seals the believer. [21] This ministry guarantees the security of the believer "until the day of redemption." [22]

The Holy Spirit sovereignly bestows spiritual gifts or abilities for service to every believer. [23] Although His restraint of evil in the world today will cease with the Rapture, [24] He will continue to be present in the earth. In the tribulation period the Spirit will be involved in salvation and filling. [25] In the coming kingdom of Jesus Christ, the Spirit will be in God's people and the Spirit will be upon the King. [26]

[1] John 14:26; Romans 8:14; Romans 8:26

[2] Ephesians 4:30; 1 Corinthians 2:10-14; 1 Corinthians 12:11

[3] Acts 8:29; Acts 15:28

[4] Acts 5:3; Acts 5:4

[5] Acts 5:1-4; Isaiah 6:8-9 with Acts 28:25; Jeremiah 31:31-34 with Hebrews 10:15

[6] 1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Ephesians 2:22

[7] 1 Corinthians 2:10-11; Psalm 139:7; Zechariah 4:6; Hebrews 9:14

[8] Genesis 1:2; John 3:6; 2 Thessalonians 2:13

[9] Matthew 28:19; Matthew 28:20; 2 Corinthians 13:14

[10] Psalm 51:11

[11] Genesis 6:3; Genesis 1:2; Isaiah 40:12

[12] John 16:8-11

[13] John 3:3-7; Titus 3:5

[14] 1 Corinthians 12:13

[15] Romans 6:1-10

[16] Romans 12:1; Romans 12:2; Ephesians 5:18; Colossians 3:16

[17] Galatians 5:16; Galatians 5:22; Galatians 5:23

[18] 1 Corinthians 6:19, 1 Corinthians 6:20

[19] Ephesians 4:30

[20] Romans 8:9; Jude 1:19

[21] 2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:30

[22] Ephesians 4:30

[23] Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4

[24] 2 Thessalonians 2:7

[25] Zechariah 12:10; Joel 2:28-32

[26] Jeremiah 31:33; Isaiah 11:2-3

A Biblical Theology of the Holy Spirit

Note : I presented this paper at the annual meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society on Tuesday, November 13, 2018, in Denver, Colorado.

Thank you for joining me as I present a Biblical Theology of the Holy Spirit. But before I do, let’s pray. “Wonderful triune God, we adore you and worship you this morning. You are so gracious, so kind, so good. Thank you for bringing us all here safely. We pray that you be honored in our midst this morning, and at this conference. May we not reduce you merely to an academic subject but approach you in reverence and awe as we explore the depths of your divine revelation in your Word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

What Is Biblical Theology?

Well, as I’m sure you realize, not everyone defines Biblical Theology the same way, or uses the same method, so before I sketch the contours of a Biblical Theology of the Holy Spirit, let me briefly tell you what I mean by “Biblical Theology.” (For further detail, see my hermeneutics text, Invitation to Biblical Interpretation , chap. 15.) In essence, Biblical Theology is the theology of the Bible, that is, the theology of the biblical writers themselves, rather than our own theology informed by our own questions or concerns. I realize this may seem to beg the question, as our study of Scripture will inevitably be subjective. I also realize that none of us can claim to present “the” Biblical Theology of any topic with 100% confidence, but I nonetheless believe that discerning the theology of the biblical writers themselves remains the goal for which we should aim, the ideal for which we should strive, in an aspirational sense. In our present case, therefore, what I’m after is what the biblical writers themselves believed and taught regarding the Holy Spirit.

How Is Biblical Theology Done?

In terms of method, therefore, I believe this means at least three things.

Biblical Theology must be historical , that is, aim to understand a given passage of Scripture in its original historical setting. Biblical Theology is a historical discipline.
Biblical Theology examines the Scriptures inductively , on its own terms , in a way that pays special attention not merely to the concepts addressed in Scripture but to the very words, vocabulary, and terminology used by the biblical writers themselves.
Biblical Theology is primarily descriptive . That is, the overriding goal in Biblical Theology is to listen to Scripture and to accurately describe the convictions and beliefs the biblical writers themselves held about a given topic.

That said, let me now trace the contours of a Biblical Theology of the Holy Spirit, and then in the next session Gregg Allison will present the Holy Spirit from a Systematic Theology perspective. This will be a sneak preview of our joint work which will appear as the inaugural volume of a 15-volume series published by B&H Academic called “Theology for the Community of God,” edited by David Dockery, Christopher Morgan, and Nathan Finn. (I’ve presented an earlier version of this paper as a case study in a lecture I gave earlier this year at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.)

Introduction

In studying the Bible’s teaching on the Spirit historically, inductively, and descriptively, it will be appropriate to start with individual references to the Spirit in both Testaments. In the Old Testament, there are about 400 references to “spirit,” ruach , but only about 100 relate to God’s Spirit; the rest refer to the human spirit or breath or to the wind (which at times serves as an emblem for God’s judgment).

Remarkably, the expression “Holy Spirit” occurs only twice in the Old Testament, in Ps 51:11 and Isa 63:10–11, though I should note that the reference in Ps 51:11 is disputed. Most frequently, the reference is to the “Spirit of Yahweh” or simply “the Spirit.” In our book, we include an appendix in which we list every reference to God’s Spirit in both Testaments, though, as you can imagine, there are quite a few judgment calls that need to be made.

Similarly, in the New Testament not every reference to pneuma , “spirit,” refers to the person of the Holy Spirit. Many references are to the human spirit or to the wind. A well-known example is Jesus’ wordplay in John 3:6–8, where Jesus uses pneuma to refer both to the Spirit and to the wind. What’s more, occasionally the Holy Spirit is mentioned apart from the word pneuma , such as the reference to “the promise from the Father” in Luke 24:49 (cf. Acts 1:4) or the reference to the Holy Spirit as God’s “seed” in 1 John 3:9.

Theologically, as we trace the development of the biblical teaching on the Holy Spirit throughout Scripture, we find a remarkable trajectory reaching from the Old to the New Testament. In the Old Testament, as we’ll see, the Spirit is shown to be active in creation and later is said to come upon leaders or prophets at God’s appointed times but most likely does not indwell ordinary believers. In the New Testament, as is well known, the Spirit is shown to have come to indwell every believer at Pentecost (with the minor complication of later “mini-Pentecosts” such as the “Samaritan Pentecost” in chap. 8).

The Old Testament

One fascinating challenge when studying God’s Spirit throughout Scripture is that there is only a limited amount of material on the Spirit in the Old Testament.

The Pentateuch

To begin with, there are three references to the Spirit in Genesis and seven more in the remainder of the Pentateuch. The Spirit is first mentioned in the Bible as hovering over the waters at creation in Gen 1:2. The closest Old Testament parallel speaks of an eagle hovering over her young (Deut 32:11), so the word picture is likely that of the Spirit as a mother bird (see also Isa 31:5). A possible reference is Gen 2:7, where God is said to breathe his Spirit into Adam. In Gen 6:3, just prior to the universal flood, it is said that God’s Spirit won’t remain with humanity forever. And in Gen 41:38, none other than Pharaoh recognizes the Spirit’s presence with Joseph.

In the rest of the Pentateuch, the Spirit is depicted as coming on, or being with, several individuals: craftsmen building the sanctuary (Bezalel and Oholiab; Exod 31:2; 35:34–35), the seventy elders (Num 11:17, 25), Balaam the prophet (Num 24:2), and Joshua, Moses’ successor (Num 27:18; Deut 34:9). In the Pentateuch, then, the Spirit is shown to have three primary functions: (1) as an agent of creation; (2) an agent of judgment; and (3) as an agent of empowerment for God’s service.

The Historical Books

Moving on to the historical books, the Spirit is said to have come upon national deliverers such as Othniel, Gideon, Jephthah, and Samson (Judg 3:10; 6:34; 11:29; 13:25; etc.). During the early days of the monarchy, the Spirit came first upon Saul (1 Sam 10:6) and subsequently upon David (1 Sam 16:13). In both time periods (the time of the judges and the Israelite monarchy), the Spirit is shown to mediate God’s presence and to empower deliverers and rulers of God’s people.

In addition, the references to the Spirit in the books of Kings, Chronicles, and Nehemiah all involve his activity in conveying Yahweh’s words to his people through prophets such as Elijah, Elisha, or Zechariah (1 Kgs 18:12; 2 Kgs 2:16; 2 Chr 24:20). Thus, in the historical books the Spirit’s work is essentially twofold: (1) raising up and empowering national deliverers and rulers; and (2) enabling God’s spokespersons to prophesy.

Wisdom Literature

There are few overt references to the Spirit in the wisdom literature (though see, e.g., Ps 33:6; 104:30; 139:7; Job 33:4). On the whole, wisdom theology is grounded in creation theology where God’s powerful, effective word, through the agency of his Spirit, is shown to constitute the grounds of everything that exists. Thus, the Spirit takes on foundational importance for how God’s creation works and is to be inhabited, utilized, and enjoyed. The Spirit is also shown to teach God’s will and to examine a person’s inner being in passages such as Ps 143:10 or Prov 20:27.

Prophetic Literature

Moving on to the prophetic literature, the Spirit is mentioned repeatedly in the prophetic books, especially Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Zechariah (while being remarkably absent from other books such as Jeremiah except possibly as an emblem of divine judgment).

In Isaiah, the operation of the Spirit is linked with the coming of the Messiah in passages such as Isa 11:1–5, 42:1–4, and 61:1–2 (cf. Luke 4:18-19). In 11:2, the prophet says that “the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him [the Messiah], the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.” In 42:1, Isaiah prophesies, “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.”

Finally, in a passage cited by Jesus in his hometown synagogue in Nazareth, Isaiah writes of the Messiah, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn” (Isa 61:1–2). Notice that while the Spirit is mentioned in three of the four “Servant Songs” in Isaiah, only the last passage is in the first person, and so fittingly Jesus uses this passage in the synagogue at Nazareth as recorded in Luke 4:18–19.

The Spirit is also frequently mentioned in Ezekiel while, as mentioned, being virtually absent from parallel passages in Jeremiah. Ezekiel prophesies that God will provide his people with a new heart and a new spirit (Ezek 36:25–27; cf. 39:29) and links the Spirit with Israel’s restoration from the exile (Ezek 37:12–14).

Doubtless the most important passage on the Spirit in the 12 so-called Minor Prophets is Joel 2:28–29, the well-known passage cited by Peter at Pentecost. This is the perfect passage for Peter to invoke, as it like no other in the Old Testament speaks of a universal outpouring of God’s Spirit on “all flesh” regardless of ethnicity, gender, or social status.

Summary of Old Testament

By way of quick summary, we’ve seen that the Holy Spirit is presented in the Pentateuch as an agent of creation, judgment, and empowerment for service.

In the historical books, the Spirit is shown to mediate God’s presence and to empower deliverers and rulers and to enable God’s prophets to convey his Word to his people.

The Old Testament wisdom literature grounds its theology of the Spirit in creation theology: the Spirit equips God’s people to live in keeping with how creation works, which is God-fearing wisdom as we relate to God and our fellow human beings. This includes areas of life such as marriage, parenting, and work.

The prophetic books link the operation of the Spirit crucially to the coming of the Messiah on whom the Spirit will rest in an unprecedented manner. This Spirit-anointed Messiah, in turn, will proclaim the good news of salvation to God’s people, including the nations.

The New Testament

The gospels.

Moving on to the New Testament, the Gospels, especially Luke, portray the Spirit as actively at work in key salvation-historical figures such as John the Baptist, Jesus’ mother Mary, John’s parents Elizabeth and Zechariah, and Simeon (Luke 1–2), in anticipation of the coming Messiah. In this Messiah, Jesus, God would be present with his people in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy and as a sign of the coming of God’s kingdom inaugurating the age to come. During his earthly ministry, Jesus is shown to possess the Spirit to an unlimited degree (John 3:32), and the Spirit is depicted at Jesus’s baptism as descending and resting on him (Matt 3:16/Mark 1:10/Luke 3:22/John 1:32–33).

The future would hold the promise of even more significant pneumatological developments. John the Baptist, and later Jesus himself, indicates that the Messiah would baptize not merely with water but with the Holy Spirit (Matt 3:11/Mark 1:8/Luke 3:16/John 1:33; Acts 1:5). At this future giving of the Spirit (John 7:38), both Jesus and his Father would make their home with believers by the Spirit who would be with them forever (John 14:16–17, 21; cf. John 20:22; Luke 24:49).

Statistically, the book of Acts contains three times as many references to the Holy Spirit as the Gospel of Luke. Jesus’ promise is realized following his ascension at Pentecost, when believers are filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4) in fulfillment of the promise of Joel 2 that in the last days God would pour out his Spirit “on all flesh” (Acts 2:16–21). Now it was not only the leaders of God’s people who experienced the presence of the Spirit but everyone who called on the name of the Lord. Soon it became clear that the same presence of the Spirit was available to Gentile believers in Jesus as well (Acts 10:44–47), in keeping with John the Baptist’s prophecy (Acts 11:15–17).

Throughout the book of Acts, the Spirit is shown to empower and direct the early church’s mission to the ends of the earth (he is a missionary Spirit). He sends Philip to go to the Ethiopian eunuch (8:29, 39); he directs Peter to go to Cornelius (10:19; cf. 11:12); he tells the church at Antioch to commission Barnabas and Paul on their first missionary journey (13:2, 4); and he redirects Paul’s steps at the outset of his second missionary journey (16:6, 7); and crucially directs the church’s mission at many other junctures. It can truly be said, therefore, that Acts narrates not so much the Acts of the apostles as it does the Acts of the Holy Spirit through the apostles. In this way, Acts serves as a sort of biography of the Holy Spirit.

The Epistles

Pauline epistles.

The New Testament epistles, especially the writings of Paul, reinforce the notion that every believer now enjoys the Spirit’s indwelling presence. In our book, I study the Pauline references to the Spirit in chronological rather than canonical order (i.e., Galatians, 1-2 Thessalonians, 1-2 Corinthians, Romans, the Prison Epistles, letters to Timothy and Titus). Statistically, the highest percentage of references to the Spirit in Paul’s letters per word total is found in Galatians, then Ephesians, then Romans, and next 1 Corinthians.; and the two New Testament chapters with the highest density of references to the Holy Spirit are Galatians 5 and Romans 8.

While there are no references to the Spirit in Galatians 1-2, chapter 3 opens with Paul’s remark that the Galatians had “received the Spirit” and “began by the Spirit” (vv. 2, 3). As James Dunn points out, the “experiential character of the Spirit’s presence and activity in a life is one which Paul assumes in his further Spirit-talk in Galatians” (“Galatians,” 179). Galatians 5, of course, esp. vv. 16–26, features a veritable outburst of Spirit references (seven, to be exact), with a wide variety of terms, such as “walking” by, being “led” by, “living” by, and “keeping in step with,” the Spirit, as well as referring to “fruit” of the Spirit. Paul’s Thessalonians letters present the Spirit as active at conversion (1 Thess 1:5, 6) and in sanctification (2 Thess 2:13).

The word pneumatikos , “spiritual,” is used esp. in 1 Corinthians, a letter that is particularly rich in its teaching on the Holy Spirit. Similar to Ephesians, the main emphasis with regard to Paul’s teaching on the Spirit in 1 Corinthians is that of congregational unity. This is seen most clearly in chapter 12, where Paul repeatedly uses phrases such as “the same Spirit,” “one Spirit,” or “one and the same Spirit.” Ironically, Paul’s teaching on spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians has often proven to be divisive; I think we would do well to remember that Paul’s purpose was the exact opposite: to summon and exhort the church to unity in the Spirit. Paul’s teaching on the Spirit in 2 Corinthians is found mostly in chapter 3, where Paul features the Spirit’s work in the human heart, his impartation of life, his conveyance of glory, his procurement of freedom, and his agency of transformation.

With this, I turn to Romans. There are only four references to the Spirit in the first seven chapters, none at all between 9:1 and 14:17, and four more references in chapter 15. The center of gravity is clearly chapter 8 with eighteen references to the Spirit. It is impossible to do justice to Romans 8 here. In short, Paul speaks of the Spirit as enabling a new way of life. He sets free from bondage to sin; is the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead; conveys to believers their spiritual adoption and sonship; and enables believers to meet the righteous requirements of the law.

In the Prison Epistles, it is only Ephesians that features a robust theology of the Spirit, with references in every chapter, including the sole Pauline instance of being filled with the Spirit in 5:18. Paul features the Spirit in his eschatological, salvation-historical, ecclesiological, and spiritual warfare dimensions. As in 1 Corinthians, he stresses the unity of the Spirit which is a reality to be lived out in the church. The main “Spirit” passage in the letters to Timothy and Titus is found in Titus 3:4–7, a “trustworthy saying” that refers to God’s salvation by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.

General Epistles

Moving on to the General Epistles, the Holy Spirit is featured in three warning passages in Hebrews where the author issues warnings not to disregard the witness borne by God through the Spirit, nor to disregard the Spirit’s manifestations as Israel did in the wilderness during the exodus (2:4; 6:4). The third warning pertains to disregarding the Son of God and the blood of the covenant, which would enrage the Spirit of grace (the language is very striking; 10:29). The author of Hebrews also features the Spirit as author of the sacred Old Testament writings who through Scripture still speaks “today” (3:7; 9:8; 10:15).

Peter, in his first letter, highlights the Spirit’s role in sanctification (1:2). He reminds his readers that they are blessed if and when they are persecuted, because the Spirit of God rests on them (4:14). Peter also underscores the Spirit’s role in the ministry of Old Testament prophets and New Testament apostles (1 Pet 1:10–12; 2 Pet 1:21) and features the Spirit as an agent of Christ’s resurrection (1 Pet 3:19).

John, in his first letter, speaks of believers having an “anointing from the Holy One,” that is, the Holy Spirit (2:20, 27). John also names the Spirit as one of three witnesses to Jesus together with Jesus’s baptism and crucifixion (5:6–7) and as the one who bears internal witness to believers (5:10). There is also one intriguing possible reference to the Spirit at 3:9, where John writes that “no one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.”

In the book of Revelation, the Spirit is associated with each of John’s four visions (the phrase “in the Spirit” is found at or near the beginning of each of the visions in Rev 1:10; 4:2; 17:3; and 21:10). The Spirit, in keeping with Isaiah’s portrayal, is also repeatedly featured in Revelation as the “seven spirits of God” (1:4; 3:1; 4:5; 5:6; cf. Isa 11:2–3), and the letters to the seven churches in chapters 2-3 contain the consistent refrain, “He who has ears, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Finally, the Spirit is shown to be actively involved in the church’s witness and mission amid persecution, and at the end of Revelation, the Spirit and the church both longingly plead with Jesus to return soon (22:17).

Summary and Conclusion

From Genesis to Revelation, from creation to new creation, the Spirit of God is an active participant in the story of Scripture. He is life-giving, life-empowering, and life-transforming. While closely aligned with God, the Spirit operates as a distinct person in salvation history. He is at God’s side at creation (Proverbs 8; cf. Gen 1:2). He empowers divinely appointed leaders, whether national deliverers, craftsmen constructing the Tabernacle, or royalty such as King David. In keeping with the prophetic vision, the Spirit anoints and rests on the Messiah (Luke 4:18–19; cf. Isa 61:1–2).

Not only is the Spirit integrally involved in God’s work throughout salvation history, he increasingly steps into the foreground. While his activity during Jesus’s earthly ministry is accomplished in and through the Messiah, particularly in Jesus’ healing and other miracles, he bursts onto the scene even more fully at Pentecost following Jesus’s exaltation, in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy as well as in keeping with Jesus’ own teaching (Acts 2; cf. Joel 3; John 14–16; Acts 1:5, 8).

The church age may arguably be described as the age of the Holy Spirit, inaugurating the last days. Thus, the Holy Spirit serves as Jesus’ successor on earth, the “other helping Presence” sent jointly by God the Father and God the Son (John 14:26; 15:26). The Spirit empowers the church’s mission and witness and provides the energizing dynamic underlying the proclamation of Jesus’ resurrection and triumph over Satan, demons, sickness, and even death. The book of Revelation, in keeping with Isaiah’s portrayal, depicts the Spirit as the seven spirits of God before the throne of God (Rev 3:1; 4:5; 5:6). In all these ways, the Spirit is presented as intimately associated with God and his sovereign rule and yet distinct in personhood.

The Bible, in both Testaments, provides a fascinating and intriguing mosaic depicting the contours of a biblical theology of the Spirit. D. A. Carson has rightly said that the measure of any biblical-theological proposal is the way in which it deals with the question of the Bible’s unity and diversity. Regarding a biblical theology of the Spirit, one detects a measure of unity as well as diversity, continuity as well as discontinuity. On the one hand, the same Spirit is at work throughout the full orbit and canvass of Scripture. On the other hand, Pentecost marks a crucial watershed with the outpouring of the Spirit on all believers.

The New Testament writers thus provide a multi-faceted portrait of the roles and ministries of the Spirit. He regenerates, renews, transforms, guides, convicts, teaches, sovereignly distributes spiritual gifts, and fulfills many other functions in the corporate life of the church and in the lives of individual believers. He also sustains an intimate and integral relationship with God the Father and God the Son throughout salvation history past, present, and future.

In our churches and in our personal lives, we often struggle to strike a proper balance between an overemphasis and an under-appreciation of the Holy Spirit. While it is true that the Spirit is sent jointly by Father and Son, and while the Spirit’s role is to witness to Jesus, it is hard to overstate the importance of the Spirit in the life of individual believers and of the local and universal church.

Personally speaking, studying the Bible’s teaching on the Holy Spirit has given me an even greater appreciation for the person and work of the Spirit, and it is my prayer that the same will be true for you as well.

Discover more from Biblical Foundations

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Type your email…

Dr. Andreas Köstenberger is theologian in residence at Fellowship Raleigh Church. He is the author, editor, or translator of over 60 books, including Biblical Theology, A Theology of John's Gospel and Letters, and God, Marriage, and Family.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Apologetics
Biblical Theology
Hermeneutics
John’s Writings
Marriage & Family
New Testament
Paul’s Writings
Systematic Theology
Helpful Links
Supplementary Resources
Book Awards

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: What Are They and Are They for Today?

The doctrine of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is a Pauline emphasis in the New Testament—the major passages being 1 Corinthians 12 and 13, Ephesians 4, and Romans 12—but key passages are also found in Peter’s and Luke’s writings (1 Pet. 4:10; Acts 2). Much concern over this topic has been aroused in this century, largely because of the influential Pentecostal and Neo-Pentecostal movements. Therefore, the need for retrieving biblical truth is indispensable for biblical churches. In this column, I will first define the gifts of the Holy Spirit and discuss their purpose. Pentecost, in particular, is significant for understanding the purpose of the gifts. Second, I will take up the question of whether the gifts are for today, engaging two basic camps on this issue: continuationism and cessationism.

A spiritual gift, I will argue, is an ability given graciously by God for service. “God-given” reminds us that Christ and the Spirit are the givers of gifts, and “for service” reminds us that they are for serving the body of Christ. The New Testament provides a rich array of terms and passages to designate the variety of ways God’s grace has been evidenced among his people. [1] It includes such diverse gifts as eternal life (Rom. 6:23; cf. 5:15–16), the special privileges granted to Israel (Rom. 11:29, referring to Rom. 9:4–5), celibacy and marriage (1 Cor. 7:7), and deliverance from a deadly peril (2 Cor. 1:11). The term is clearly used to refer to gracious gifts from God in 1 Corinthians 12:4, Romans 12:6, 1 Timothy 4:14, 2 Timothy 1:6, and 1 Peter 4:10.

Charles Ryrie suggests that “a spiritual gift is given to serve the body of Christ wherever and however He may direct.” [2] In Ephesians 4:11–13, Paul lists five equipping gifts (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers) before defining the purpose of these gifts: “To equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the fullness of Christ” (cf. 1 Cor. 14:12). By equipping Christians to serve, the church leadership helps Christians fulfill the biblical purpose of serving others according to their gifts (1 Pet. 4:10). In Romans 12:5, Paul proclaims that Christians form one body and each member belongs to all the others. He then informs his readers that Christians have different gifts, each of which allows the individual Christian to serve in different ways (Rom. 12:6–8; cf. 1 Cor. 12:7–11). In 1 Corinthians 12:7, Paul declares that these manifestations of the Spirit are given for the common good. This suggests that all spiritual gifts are given for mutual edification. In 1 Corinthians 12:27–31, Paul relates the spiritual gifts possessed by each Christian to their function in the body of Christ.

Through the distribution of spiritual gifts by the Holy Spirit to all members of the body of Christ, all believers are empowered so that they can contribute to the task of ministry to the church and evangelism to those outside the church in a special way.

Gifts of insight and discernment prefigure the much greater discernment we will have when Christ returns. Gifts of knowledge and wisdom prefigure the much greater wisdom that will be ours when we “know as we are known” (cf. 1 Cor. 13:12). Gifts of healing give a foretaste of the perfect health that will be ours when Christ grants to us resurrection bodies. Similar parallels could be found with all the New Testament gifts. Even the diversity of gifts should lead to greater unity and interdependence in the church (see 1 Cor. 12:12–13, 24–25; Eph. 4:13), and this diversity in unity will itself be a foretaste of the unity that believers will have in heaven. [3]

Therefore, the New Testament picture of the gifts is that Christians are given gifts by God to aid them in performing the ministry and mission of Christ until Christ returns. No gifts are given for their personal benefits and enjoyment, but for the welfare and benefits of the other believers and for the evangelistic proclamation of the good news to unbelievers.

Pentecost and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit

We find the foundation of the spiritual gifts in Acts 2. This was in fulfillment of Christ’s promises while on earth. Christ had told disciples that they would receive the Holy Spirit by asking the Father (Luke 11:13). He had informed them that he himself would pray for the comforter, who would come to remain permanently in each and every one of them (John 14:16–17). On the evening of the day of his resurrection, a step further was taken when Jesus breathed on the disciples (John 20:22) and gave them the Holy Spirit to equip them according to the promise of Luke 11:13.

The book of Acts reveals the progressive revelation aspect of the spiritual gifts, as it unfolds from prophecy to history, from promise to fulfillment. W. H. Griffith Thomas notes that “the prominence given to the day of Pentecost is to be expected because of the age-inaugurating significance of the event.” [4] Following Merrill F. Unger, let me quickly highlight Pentecost’s significance. [5]

First, “Pentecost signifies the coming, the arrival, and the taking up of permanent residence of the Holy Spirit in the new people of God on earth.” [6] Jesus’ promise—“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever” (John 14:16)—has been fulfilled.

Second, “Pentecost marks the giving, receiving, and depositing of the gift of the Spirit in the new people of God on earth.” [7] Pentecost was the foundation of the Holy Spirit’s gifts to believers. Therefore, how ridiculous to ask for the gift now, as if it had never been given, or attempt to receive it when it has been a permanent deposit of the people of God for many centuries, and its contents and benefits have been made available to every believer since the day of Pentecost.

Third, “Pentecost represents an unrepeated and unrepeatable event.” [8] Merrill writes that just as it is impossible to repeat events such as creation, Christ becoming incarnate and rising from the dead, or any other historical event, likewise what happened on the Day of Pentecost cannot be repeated. [9] This unique event took place at a specially designated time (the Jewish celebration of the early harvest) in fulfillment of a special Old Testament type (Lev. 23:15–22) in a specially designated place (Jerusalem) with a specially designated group (Acts 1:4) for a specific purpose (1 Cor. 12:12–26). “Most important,” Merrill writes, “it was designated to introduce a new order, not to be the recurring feature of the new order once it was introduced.” [10]

Are the Gifts for Today? Two Views and Four Questions

Having looked at the gifts in the New Testament (what they are and what they are for ), we now come to the question of the gifts in our own time. Generally, there are two basic positions on this question: continuationism and cessationism. I’ll take each briefly and in order.

The Lausanne Covenant of 1974, signed by Christian representatives from more than 150 nations, contains the following article concerning the Holy Spirit.

Article 14. THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT Continuationists, claiming agreement with the Lausanne covenant, argue that the Spirit who gave gifts at Pentecost for the building of the church and the evangelism of the unreached gives the same gifts for the same purpose today. There are, of course, many different stripes of continuationists, and many particular debates—inter-continuationist debates—over particular gifts. But on the whole, continuationists are agreed that the same Spirit gives the same gifts for the same purpose today as in the Apostolic age. [11]

On the other hand, the cessasionist argues that in particular the gifts of prophecy, miracles, and tongues ended with the apostolic age. This is not to say that they believe the Holy Spirit is no longer active. It is also not to say that they don’t believe in any gifts of the Spirit for today. The Spirit is active and still gives gifts to the church. But some of the gifts—prophecy, miracles, and tongues—have ceased and are no longer operative for us today. And so, for example, we should not expect, pray, or wait for certain special revelation to continue.

After observing both the views, I would like to close this column by posing a few questions that I hope will encourage you to do your own study and come to your own conclusions from the Scriptures:

1. If healing has ceased today, should we still be praying for physical healing?

2. If God is still delivering special revelation, should it not be given to the whole church?

3. If there is a message from God outside Scripture, is it less authoritative than the message we have in the Scripture?

4. Can we not experience the Spirit-filled life without special revelation?

Van Lalnghakthang Khawbung (PhD, International Institute of Church Management) is the general secretary of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Northeast India.

Van Lalnghakthang Khawbung

From the issue: literature and the christian life, vol.30 , no.1 , jan/feb 2021, related resources, the international gospel.

When you are surrounded by people speaking another language, it can be a bit intimidating. The foreign language may ring beautiful like an Italian opera or scratch like fingers on a chalkboard. But if you do not understand the language, it all sounds muddled, like Charlie Brown's teacher. Languages are the walls that outline the […]

Spirit-Formed Communities

What are the signs of the Spirit’s presence? Christians commonly ask questions like this, yet far too often the conversation immediately turns to debates about experiences of ecstasy. While these discussions are legitimate, it is surprising how often we miss one of the main indications of the Spirit’s presence in the New Testament. To recognize […]

Letter from the Editor

Nearly four-hundred feet inside a sandstone mountain on the far northerly Norwegian island of Spitsbergen lies the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. Housing four-hundred-thousand seed samples, the purpose of the vault is to provide a storehouse of plant species in case of loss of agricultural biodiversity. Literature curricula have served similar purposes in history. One thinks, […]

On the Road toward Reformation

In this interview, Michael Horton talks with Stan Way, pastor of Cornerstone Christian Church in Medford, Oregon, about his journey from classic Pentecostalism to an understanding of reformational Christianity. Tell us your background and how you came to understand the gospel in a clearer way. I was raised in a Pentecostal home’classic Pentecostalism, third generation. […]

“Modern Reformation has championed confessional Reformation theology in an anti-confessional and anti-theological age.” J. Ligon Duncan, III Senior Minister, First Presbyterian Church

Magazine Covers; Embodiment & Technology

Stay Connected

Keep up to date with all things Modern Reformation.

How to go to Heaven

How to get right with god.

What is the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives today?

For further study, related articles, subscribe to the, question of the week.

Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox!

81 Holy Spirit Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best holy spirit topic ideas & essay examples, 📌 simple & easy holy spirit essay titles, 👍 good essay topics on holy spirit, ❓ questions about the holy spirit.

The Holy Spirit in Acts It can be clearly seen that the baptizing of Jesus Christ jointly with the coming down of the Holy Spirit and the voice that was heard from heaven, marked the starting of the ministry of […]
How John Portrays the Role of the Holy Spirit in the Lives of Chnristians Besides showing the important role of the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ life, John also shows the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer.
The Holy Spirit: Role in the Life of Christians He helps to be free from all the burdens and fulfills God’s plan through the individual, giving them a content and satisfying life. The point is to let the Holy Spirit in the person’s life […]
Holy Spirit’s Role in Creation This interpretation would assume that creation was the sole prerogative of the Father as the first person of the Trinity, and the funciton of the Holy Spirit was “limited to being passively present”. It is […]
Holy Spirit’s Relevance for Modern Christians Besides, the gifts of grace from God are to be comprehended as the empowerment and equipping of the believing Christ’s followers by the Holy Spirit; thus, they may undertake in establishing the body of Christ.
Soteriology, Racial Imagination and Holy Spirit According to Jennings, the interpretation of soil as the breeding ground for the development of key principles of social hierarchy and the creation of multiple preconceptions explains the idea of race in soteriology perfectly.
Power of the Holy Spirit: Third Person of the Trinity This way, the purpose of this paper is to provide a review of each chapter of Living in the Power of the Holy Spirit by Charles Stanley and present a personal understanding of the book.
Holy Spirit in Today’s World – Theology The Scriptures tend to take up a most important part in God’s dealing with human beings, and it is, therefore, not surprising to learn that more often than not, people have replaced the role of […]
The Work of the Holy Spirit The core part of the article is devoted to the description of the agents, – the Spirit, the Scriptures, the saint, – that, according to Barrick, gather together for the sake of sanctifying the believer.
The Interactions Between Margery, Virgin Mary, Holy Spirit and Jesus
Partnering With The Holy Spirit
Meaning And Significance Of The Holy Spirit
Sojourner Truth: Prospering With the Help of the Holy Spirit
Pentecost and the Outpouring of the Holy Spirit
Types and Symbols of the Holy Spirit
How John Portrays the Role of the Holy Spirit in the Lives of Chnristians
Religious Community : The Bible And The Holy Spirit
An Understanding of the Holy Spirit and Its Importance in the Fulfillment of Our Mission on Earth
Pneumatology Doctrine and Personhood of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit in the Book of Acts
The Importance Of The Holy Spirit Theology Religion
Believers and the Holy Spirit Ministry
Edward Chrisolm’s Analysis of the Doctrine of The Holy Spirit
God The Father, Son And Holy Spirit
The Divine Personhood Of The Holy Spirit Theology Religion
Feminist Perspective Of The Holy Spirit
The Work of the Holy Spirit in Regeneration
Seven Steps To Being Baptized by the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit Association For The Unification Of World Christianity
Holy Spirit Personhood, and the Doctrine of Pneumatology
Holy Spirit and Servant Evangelism
Education: Holy Spirit and Active Church
Micro Processes and Isomorphic Adaptation: Insights from the Struggle for the Soul of Economics at the University of the Holy Spirit
The Concepts of “Great Feminine Governance” and “Age of Holy Spirit”, in the Axiological Re-Ordering of the 21st Century Global Society
The Doctrine of the Trinity in Christian Theology: The Unification of the Aspects of the God, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
The Symbols of the Holy Spirit
The Role and Function of the Holy Spirit in the book of Romans
Sacraments: Jesus and holy Spirit
Paul’s Understanding of Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit’s Purpose and Role
Salvation, The Holy Spirit, Heaven And Hell
The Father, The Son, And The Holy Spirit
Differences In The Father, The Son, And The Holy Spirit
Evangelical Christianity And The Holy Spirit
What Hinduism Says About Holy Spirit
The Old Testament Ministry of the Holy Spirit
The Role Paul Gives The Holy Spirit Of Christian Initiation
The Importance of Knowing the Background and the Role of the Holy Spirit
Role of the Holy Spirit in Liberation Theology
The Christian Worldview Of The Holy Spirit
What Is the Purpose of the Holy Spirit in Christianity?
How Is the Message of the Good News Through the Message of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit?
What Is the Role of the Holy Spirit in Christianity?
What Contradictions Are Associated With the Holy Spirit?
Can the Holy Spirit Speak Through Anyone?
Where Is the Holy Spirit in the Body?
Can We Feel the Presence of the Holy Spirit in the Church?
Do You Believe in Father Son and Holy Spirit?
What Is the Role of the Holy Spirit in Evangelism?
Does the Holy Spirit Have Quotes?
Why Do We Need Holy Spirit Studies?
How to Feel Closeness With the Holy Spirit?
What Are Karl Barth’s Thoughts on the Holy Spirit?
What Is the Essence of the Doctrine of Christ and the Holy Spirit?
What Is the Holy Spirit’s Role in Bible Study?
Is It Possible to Unite World Christianity With the Help of the Holy Spirit?
Does the Holy Spirit Help Us Communicate With Jesus?
How Is the Action of the Holy Spirit Reflected in the Orthodox Liturgical Life?
What Are the Functions of the Holy Spirit?
What Is the Role and Function of the Holy Spirit in Romans?
What Does the Bible Say About Baptism of the Holy Spirit?
What Does Hinduism Say About the Holy Spirit?
What Is the Place of the Holy Spirit in Christian History?
Who Is Holy Spirit in Simple Words?
What Are the Characteristics of the Holy Spirit?
If Mary Is the Mother of Jesus, Why Isn’t the Holy Spirit Called His Father?
What Are Some of the Symbols of the Holy Spirit in the Bible?
Is the Holy Spirit the Spirit of God?
How Does the Holy Spirit Speak to Us?
What Is the Personality of the Holy Spirit?
Judaism Ideas
Jihad Topics
Ramadan Questions
Catholic Church Titles
New Testament Research Topics
Mormonism Essay Ideas
Old Testament Essay Titles
Theology Topics
Chicago (A-D)
Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2023, September 26). 81 Holy Spirit Essay Topic Ideas & Examples. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/holy-spirit-essay-topics/

"81 Holy Spirit Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." IvyPanda , 26 Sept. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/topic/holy-spirit-essay-topics/.

IvyPanda . (2023) '81 Holy Spirit Essay Topic Ideas & Examples'. 26 September.

IvyPanda . 2023. "81 Holy Spirit Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." September 26, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/holy-spirit-essay-topics/.

1. IvyPanda . "81 Holy Spirit Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." September 26, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/holy-spirit-essay-topics/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "81 Holy Spirit Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." September 26, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/holy-spirit-essay-topics/.

Cote d'ivoire

South africa, philippines, south korea, netherlands, switzerland, el salvador, latinoamérica y el caribe, puerto rico, trinidad & tobago, united states, new zealand.

How to Know God

Do you ever wonder what Christians believe? Who Jesus is, what he did and why it matters? Get answers to these questions and more.

Spiritual Growth

Take the next step in your faith journey with resources on prayer, devotionals and other tools for personal and spiritual growth.

Life & Relationships

Explore resources to help you live out your life and relationships in a way that honors God.

Bible Studies

Find resources for personal or group Bible study.

Share the Gospel

Learn to develop your skills, desire and ability to join others on their spiritual journeys and take them closer to Jesus.

Help Others Grow

Help others in their faith journey through discipleship and mentoring.

Leadership Training

Develop your leadership skills and learn how to launch a ministry wherever you are.

Language Resources

View our top Cru resources in more than 20 languages.

Quizzes & Assessments

Have some fun taking various quizzes and assessments to learn about yourself and others.

Helping students know Jesus, grow in their faith and go to the world to tell others.

Reflecting Jesus together for the good of the city.

Partnering with urban churches to meet physical and spiritual needs.

Striving to see Christ-followers on every team, in every sport and in every nation.

Equipping families with practical approaches to parenting and marriage.

High School

Reaching students and faculty in middle and high school.

Bringing hope and resources to military families worldwide.

Locate Cru Near You
Mission Trips

Volunteer abroad this year on a short term global missions trip offered by one of the best, most-reliable Christian missions organizations in the world.

1-Year Full-Time Internships

Internship opportunities with Cru's ministries.

If you're looking for the best Christian jobs and careers, check out Cru's ministry job openings for full- and part-time missionaries and professionals.

Go International

Live in another country building relationships and ministries with eternal impact.

Volunteer Opportunities

Would you like to give your time to work with Cru? We need you.

Find a Cru event near you.

Explore Your Interests

Use your hobbies and interests to find the best place for you to serve.

How we seek to journey together with everyone towards a relationship with Jesus.

Donor Relations

Answers to questions on donations, financial policies, Cru’s annual report and more.

Statement of Faith

What we believe about the gospel and our call to serve every nation.

Our Leadership

Learn about Cru's global leadership team.

Cru Partnerships

When the global church comes together then powerful things can happen.

Leading from values so others will walk passionately with God to grow and bear fruit.

Oneness in Diversity

Cru’s position on oneness in diversity.

Sexuality and Gender

Today we encounter a wide variety of questions related to sexuality and gender. As followers of Christ, we want to navigate LGBT+ questions in a way that is compassionate to people and faithful to scripture.

Showing God in action in and through His people.

Start A New Gift
Missionaries
Featured Opportunities
More Ways to Give

Your Account

Your Giving
Payment Methods
Donor-Advised Funds
Stock and Non-Cash Gifts
Cryptocurrency
Planned Giving with Cru Foundation

Transform lives for years to come!

A simple way to make a big impact!

Beginning With God
Core Christian Beliefs
Devotionals
Holy Spirit Resource Kit

Are there contradictions in the Bible?

Cru22 Recorded Sessions

Who is the Holy Spirit and What Does He Do?

Fruit of the Spirit , Filled with the Spirit , The Trinity , Walk in the Spirit

If you want to understand who God is, you need to understand all of who God is. Getting your head around the difference between God the Father and Jesus is one thing. But many struggle to grasp who the Holy Spirit is in a way they could explain clearly to someone else.

God is one God, but three persons. That’s not a simple idea to get to grips with.

When theologians speak of the three-in-oneness of God, they refer to Him as “the Trinity.” The Trinity is God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit.

Understanding who the Holy Spirit is, the place He holds within the Holy Trinity and the role He plays in individual lives is vital to anyone exploring what it means to become a Christian and anyone trying to follow Jesus.

Knowing the Holy Spirit will radically change your life because He is the way you will experience the life of God within you.

So let’s take a deep dive into this topic and see how He can transform you.

Here are some shortcuts to specific sections of content if you’re in a hurry:

Who Is the Holy Spirit?

What does the holy spirit do, where is the holy spirit in the bible.

When Christians talk about God coming to live in their hearts, it’s the Holy Spirit they are describing. The Bible describes the Spirit as the “breath” of God.

Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you." And with that He breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit." (John 20:21-22)

So just as you need oxygen to live in your human body, if you trust in Christ, you are born again in a spiritual sense and the Holy Spirit becomes the source of new life God places within you. You no longer just relate to God as a higher power outside of yourself. God transforms you from within so that you become more like Jesus.

The Holy Spirit is the presence of God in the life of a believer. But this does not mean God separates Himself into three separate parts.

God is three distinct persons who somehow are one in substance. God is unique in this way, so it’s not surprising that it takes some work to come to terms with this truth.

The Bible helps us to break down the mysteries of the Holy Spirit into ideas we can grasp.

The Holy Spirit is a Person

Often, 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 Holy Spirit can be grieved and even insulted. But He can also be pleased as we rely on Him to give us the strength to live in a way that’s consistent with God’s plan for us.

Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. (Galatians 6:8, New Living Translation)

The following verses from the Bible help us see the truth about 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 honor 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 thinks about believers in Christ and responds to them. He knows the Father’s thoughts and communicates those thoughts to them. When you pray or read the Bible and sense God speaking to you through that, that is an example of the Holy Spirit at work in your life.

The more you let this sink in, the easier it will be to give the Holy Spirit the place of authority He deserves in your life.

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 show that the Holy Spirit is God. They describe Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit interacting and existing in community with one another.

“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 honor and love.

The Holy Spirit has many different roles. But the first thing to understand is that the Holy Spirit is given to people who believe in Jesus to bind them together with God and help them become more like Him. For Christians, the experience of eternal life does not begin at death but when they trust in Jesus and God places His spirit within them .

Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)

Throughout the Bible, the Holy Spirit equips people for ministry, gives people specific insight and wisdom, teaches people how to interpret God’s Word, communicates with the Father on people’s behalf, and empowers Christians to live according to God’s design .

Here are some Bible verses about the work of the Holy Spirit:

He lives within followers of Jesus and produces lasting change in their character. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).

He teaches the truth about Jesus. “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26).

He says what the Father tells Him to say. “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” (John 16:13).

He gives believers the power to share their faith. “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

He produces God’s love in human hearts. “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).

The Holy Spirit is a promise of the great things to come for those who trust God. “You also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession — to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14).

He gives people the skills and abilities they need to share God’s love; these are sometimes called “spiritual gifts.” “God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will” (Hebrews 2:4).

The Holy Spirit is unique and creative. The more you learn about Him, the easier it is to recognize His presence in your life.

Jesus is easy to find in Scripture. In a sense, He is everywhere, but we also have four books, known as Gospels, which are biographies of His life specifically. In the book of Jeremiah and elsewhere in the Old Testament, we see early references to God as Father. This is also how Jesus often referred to Him when He was teaching.

But at first glance, it may be unclear where the Holy Spirit shows up in God’s Word. And yet the more you know what to look for, the easier it is to see Him throughout Scripture, from the very first verses until the last.

The following verses are examples of where the Holy Spirit shows up in the Bible.

You can also watch this video for an overview of the Holy Spirit’s presence in the Bible .

The Bible begins with the Holy Spirit present at the creation of the world. “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). These are the very first verses of the Bible. The Spirit is present from the very beginning.

The Holy Spirit lived within Moses as he led the Israelites to the Promised Land. “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Gather for Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand with you. And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone” (Numbers 11:16-17). As the Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years, Moses did not have the capacity to care for every single Israelite. God the Father came up with a plan to take the burden of leadership off of Moses and distribute it to other Israelites. The Holy Spirit bestowed on these people God’s power to fulfill the role He had for them. As the Israelite nation moved forward, the Holy Spirit continued leading God’s people.

The Holy Spirit gave King David the words to say. “The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; His word was on my tongue” (2 Samuel 23:2). King David was arguably Israel’s most beloved king, but he also failed spectacularly. Just like all of us, David was far from perfect. During the first half of his reign, King David had a close relationship with God and obeyed Him. This verse is an example of the Holy Spirit empowering King David to effectively lead the Israelites. King David foreshadows Jesus, the coming perfect King who spoke and acted in the power of the Holy Spirit when He was on earth.

The Holy Spirit prophesied about Jesus before the Son came to earth. “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from His roots a Branch will bear fruit. 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” (Isaiah 11:1-2). This prophecy describes Jesus as the true King of Israel and says He would be full of the Holy Spirit as He lived a life full of the Father’s wisdom, clarity and knowledge. The Old Testament was not yet finished when the book of Isaiah was written, but this prophecy shows the Holy Spirit moving history toward God coming to earth in the form of Christ.

Prophets in the Old Testament were filled with the Holy Spirit to speak on behalf of God. “The Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard Him speaking to me. He said: ‘Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites’” (Ezekiel 2:2-3). “But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his sin” (Micah 3:8). Both Micah and Ezekiel were prophets who demonstrated powerfully what it looked like to have the Holy Spirit guiding them. They spoke what the Holy Spirit impressed upon them to speak and worked hard to persuade and motivate the Israelites to turn from sin and obey God.

John the Baptist witnessed the Spirit descending on Jesus. “The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, “After me comes a man who ranks before me, because He was before me.” I myself did not know Him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that He might be revealed to Israel.’ And John bore witness: ‘I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on Him. I myself did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit’” (John 1:29-33). This passage brings us to the New Testament and the start of Jesus’ ministry. The Holy Spirit came down from heaven and remained on Jesus for the rest of his earthly life.

Jesus Himself was filled with the Holy Spirit in order to carry out His ministry. “The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free” (Luke 4:18). Jesus said these words to Israelites while they were worshipping God in a synagogue. He began his ministry by telling His friends and family that the Lord’s Spirit “is on Me” for a specific purpose. Jesus spent a lot of time talking about the Holy Spirit and wanted His disciples to understand the power of the Spirit. He even told them it was “better” for them that He leave, because then the Holy Spirit would be sent to them (John 16:7).

The first followers of Jesus were filled with God’s Spirit to take the gospel to the known world, and so are we. “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” (Acts 2:1-4). This verse is vital to understanding the Holy Spirit. Before this point in history, the Holy Spirit did not indwell every follower of Christ. After Jesus died, rose again and ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit came down and filled up every disciple and apostle of Christ to spread the gospel to the world. Now, whenever anyone puts their faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit immediately lives within them. God’s people get to experience the power of the Holy Spirit like Jesus did.

The Holy Spirit provides believers with the strength to live the Christian life. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5, NLT). The daily experience of living life as a Christian requires qualities that only God can give. The fruit of the Spirit mentioned above are some of those qualities, but believers also need resilience and a continual thirst to know God more deeply. They need to be changed daily to become more like Jesus. God achieves this by coming to live within them, in the form of the Holy Spirit, and then cultivating those qualities from within. The Spirit helps believers to hear God’s voice, understand His Word and choose obedience over self-indulgence. In our own strength, none of this would be possible.

The Bible begins and ends with the Holy Spirit. “‘I, Jesus, have sent My angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.’ The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come!’ Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life” (Revelation 22:16-17). What a beautiful verse from the end of the Bible. The Holy Spirit wants to give people living water. He wants to change their lives and make them new.

These verses are simply a snapshot of the Holy Spirit in the Bible. Without Him, the Bible does not make sense.

Why not take some time to study what it means to live a Spirit-filled life using our Holy Spirit Starter Kit ?

The Holy Spirit is dynamic and knowable. The more you allow Him to guide and direct your life, the more you will become like Christ and experience the love of your Father in heaven.

The Holy Spirit Resource Kit is a great tool to study the Holy Spirit further.

The devotional “Thirsty” is a clear and compelling read.

Explore resources on the Holy Spirit from The Gospel Coalition and Desiring God .

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture is taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

A Legacy of Changed Lives

See how students are making a lasting impact through summer missions with Cru.

Why Did God Create the World?

God created the world to display His glory. Creation is God’s gift to Himself, and creation is a gift that leads to celebration.

A Conclusion to The Holy Spirit: His Work and Ministry in the Gospels

by mattandracheltaylor
October 22, 2015

This post brings to an end the series on: “The Holy Spirit: His Work and Ministry in the Gospels.” As we started this series we focused our attention to how the Spirit worked in the life and ministry of Jesus. From there, we moved on to what Jesus specifically taught about the Spirit. The work of the Holy Spirit is vast in a believer’s life. It is one that empowers us to live, work, minister and worship. He enables us to do more things that we could ever imagine. It is a reminder that every single breath we take is a gift of our Father. The Spirit helps us in every aspect of our lives. He encourages us and will lift our prayers up to be in perfect harmony with the Father.

As we conclude this series, I posed this question earlier and will restate it: Think of the the ways you not living dependently on the Spirit. Ask God for wisdom to lead you and reveal those areas. But also ask for wisdom to start living a more dependent life on the only thing that can truly help us.

It is only by this Holy Spirit that Christians can conduct their ministry of witnessing to all people about Jesus. Just as the disciples received the Holy Spirit, so believers receive “power from on high” (Luke 24:49) to spread the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Gospel writers show the Holy Spirit is the identifier in both Christ and believers, is vital for proclaiming and understanding the gospel, is given on faith in Christ, and will guide believers into all truth. His ministry to unbelievers includes conviction of sin, righteousness and judgment. Luke emphasizes the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ ministry more sharply than the other Gospels; in it, Luke “reveals the reality of the Spirit’s power and presence as he is poured upon Jesus. He traces the Spirit of Christ in his public ministry: from his baptism to the cross; from his transfiguration to his resurrection; to the glorious portrait of Christ ascending into heaven.” [1] John provides evidence of the Spirit’s filling by bringing the one in whom He abides to an ever increasing understanding of the Scriptures with all their sanctifying power (John 17:17). [2]

The Gospel writers show that the Holy Spirit was involved in Jesus’ life from conception, while in the womb, in others like Simeon, Zechariah, and Elizabeth, and in His baptism. The Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted. The Spirit empowered Jesus for His earthly ministry to preach, teach and do the miraculous signs and wonders.

The Gospels provide the reader with Jesus’ own teaching on the divine Person and work of the Holy Spirit. Just as the Spirit empowered Jesus for ministry, Jesus taught that the Spirit will empower the believers to preach the good news to all nations and baptize them. He taught that the Counselor will guide believers into all truth and strengthen them to speak in times of trial. The Spirit will reveal the Scriptures and remind the believers of Christ’s teachings. Jesus taught them that the Spirit will indwell the believer as Jesus goes to the Father to intercede for them. The Spirit will make known the message to the believer that originated with Christ. Jesus told us that the Spirit’s work is in glorifying the Son and will lead believers to greater worship of the Father. The Gospels show that the Spirit is an answer to Jesus’ prayer and reveal how the believer needs the Holy Spirit every day, in every way, and in everything.

[1] R. C. Sproul, A Walk with God: An Exposition of Luke , (Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 1999), 14-15.

[2] Chafer, Systematic Theology, vol. 6, 222.

Bibliography

Blum, E. A. “John.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures , edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2, 266-348. Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985.

Carson, D. A. The Gospel According to John . Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1992.

Chafer, Lewis Sperry. He that is Spiritual. Moody Press: Chicago, 1918.

______. Systematic Theology , vol. 5. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1993.

______. Systematic Theology , vol. 6. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1993.

Constable, Thomas. “ Notes on John .” Sonic Light. 2015. Accessed 25 January 2015. http://soniclight.com/constable/notes/pdf/john.pdf.

Erickson, Millard J. Christian Theology , 3rd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2013.

Harris, W. Hall “A Theology of John’s Writings.” In A Biblical Theology of the New Testament , edited by Roy B. Zuck, 167-242. Chicago: Moody Press, 1994.

Huffman, D. S. “Luke, Gospel of.” In The Lexham Bible Dictionary , edited by J. D. Barry et al., section “The Holy Spirit.” Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014. Logos Bible Software.

Manser, Martin. “Holy Spirit,” Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies , section 3200. London: Martin Manser, 2009. Logos Bible Software

Martin, J. A. “Luke,” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures , edited by J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck, vol. 2., 198–266. Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985.

Mathews, S. H. “The Holy Spirit in the Gospel of John.” American Journal of Biblical Theology. Accessed 25 January 2015, http://www.biblicaltheology.com/Research/MathewsSH01.pdf.

Schweizer, Eduard. The Holy Spirit . Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1980.

Sproul, R. C. A Walk with God: An Exposition of Luke . Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 1999.

White, J. E. “John.” In Holman Concise Bible Commentary , edited by D. S. Dockery, 463-492. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998.

Wiersbe, W. W. “John.” In The Bible Exposition Commentary , vol. 1. Wheaton: Victor Books, 1996.

Zoccali, C. “Spiritual Gifts.” In The Lexham Bible Dictionary , edited by J. D. Barry et al., section “Gospel Accounts.” Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014. Logos Bible Software

The Main Characteristics of The Holy Spirit

Categories: Holy Spirit

About this sample

Words: 2401 |

13 min read

Published: Apr 11, 2019

Words: 2401 | Pages: 5 | 13 min read

Works Cited

Amplified Bible. (1987). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
Cauchi, J. (n.d.). Gordon Lindsay and the Voice of Healing. Retrieved from https://www.revival-library.org/index.php/catalogues-menu/1940-the-voice-of-healing
English Standard Version Study Bible. (2008). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
King James Version Bible. (1611). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.
New International Version Study Bible. (1984). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
New Living Translation Study Bible. (2008). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
Romans, J. (2017). Supernatural Power for Everyday People: Experiencing God's Extraordinary Spirit in Your Ordinary Life. Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers.
Stanley, C. F. (1995). The Wonderful Spirit-Filled Life: How to Live a Life of Love and Fulfillment. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.
Storms, S. (2018). Practicing the Power: Welcoming the Gifts of the Holy Spirit in Your Life. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
Tozer, A. W. (2006). How to Be Filled with the Holy Spirit. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Dr. Heisenberg

Verified writer

Expert in: Religion

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

2 pages / 926 words

3 pages / 1221 words

4 pages / 1698 words

1 pages / 784 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

The Main Characteristics of The Holy Spirit Essay

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

The sacrament of Confirmation is a pivotal moment in the journey of faith for many individuals, marking a significant step towards a deeper relationship with the divine. As I reflect on my own Confirmation experience, I am [...]

McClister’s essay in this book is centered on the passage located in Ephesians 1:13. This passage centers around the truth, on Jesus being our salvation, and that this promise of salvation is given to us through the Holy Spirit. [...]

A worldview represents a conception of how an individual thinks and sees their daily life. They are two predominant types of worldviews: 1) The humanistic worldview centers around a way of life which is centered on human [...]

As the Holy Bible states, God created the entire human generation in his image and likeness. That is why Christians believe in the doctrine of the Holy Trinity which provides a basis for all social relations including gender and [...]

Each person has a unique worldview, which is largely shaped by one’s environment, knowledge, beliefs, and more. Those who identify similarly are largely grouped with others who may have the same background. Both Moisés Kaufman’s [...]

When analyzing a work by John Donne it is important to remember that Donne was arguably one of the most influential poets of his time. It is imperative for readers to be aware that Donne’s use of complex metaphors and imagery [...]

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

Instructions Followed To The Letter
Deadlines Met At Every Stage
Unique And Plagiarism Free

Featured Essay The Love of God An essay by Sam Storms Read Now
Faithfulness of God
Saving Grace
Adoption by God

U.S. Edition

Arts & Culture
Bible & Theology
Christian Living
Current Events
Faith & Work
As In Heaven
Gospelbound
Post-Christianity?
The Carson Center Podcast
TGC Podcast
You're Not Crazy
Churches Planting Churches
Help Me Teach The Bible
Word Of The Week
Upcoming Events
Past Conference Media
Foundation Documents
Regional Chapters
Church Directory
Global Resourcing
Donate to TGC

To All The World

The world is a confusing place right now. We believe that faithful proclamation of the gospel is what our hostile and disoriented world needs. Do you believe that too? Help TGC bring biblical wisdom to the confusing issues across the world by making a gift to our international work.

The Gifts of the Spirit

Other essays.

The gifts of the Spirit are gifts of grace granted by the Holy Spirit that are designed for the edification of the church, which can be divided up as gifts of speaking and gifts of serving .

The gifts of the Spirit are gifts of grace granted by the Holy Spirit to individual Christians. These gifts are to be exercised under the lordship of Christ for the edification of his body, the church. Christians are not to think too highly or lowly about the gifts that God has given them but are to remember that it is God who has sovereignly and wisely given them; each gift is needed. Each Christian is baptized in the Spirit at conversion, and thus each Christian is to be faithful to the gift that God has given them and, most importantly, seek to fulfill their gift in love for God and other Christians.

The gifts of the Spirit are gifts of grace granted by the Holy Spirit that are designed for the edification of the church. It is helpful to see a table of the various gifts in the NT.


Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us	To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good	And God has appointed in the church	And he gave
		Apostles	Apostles
Prophecy	Prophecy	Prophets	Prophets
			Evangelists
	Ability to distinguish between spirits
Teaching	Word of wisdom and word of knowledge	Teachers	Pastors and teachers
Exhorting
	Working of miracles	Miracles
	Gifts of healing	Gifts of healing
Service		Helping
Leading		Administrating
	Various kinds of tongues	Various kinds of tongues
	Interpretation of tongues
Giving
	Faith
Mercy

The gifts listed above can be divided into two categories: gifts of speaking and gifts of serving (1 Pet. 4:11). The categories aren’t precise since those who speak also serve those whom they address, and those who speak serve as they minister. Gifts of speaking include apostleship, prophecy, teaching, evangelism, exhortation, discerning spirits, speaking in tongues, and interpreting tongues. Gifts of service include leadership, helps, mercy, giving, faith, healing, and miracles. Several truths should be articulated about spiritual gifts.

The gifts are to be exercised under the lordship of Christ (1 Cor. 12:1–3). Attention should not be centered on our gifts or our experiences but the supremacy of Christ in all things. People may claim wonderful experiences, but if they aren’t living under Christ’s lordship, their gifts mean very little.
The gifts are given for the edification of the church (1 Cor. 14:1–40; Eph. 4:11–16). The gifts are not given for self-edification or self-esteem, but to build up and strengthen the church. The focus of the gifts is corporate and not individualistic. We see in Ephesians 4 is that the aim of the gifts is the maturation of the body of Christ. The Lord wants the church to be stable and strong, able to resist false and destructive teaching. The gifts are operating well when the church becomes more like Jesus Christ, when it is built up in truth and love.
We see in Romans 12:3 that we are to think reasonably about our gifts. We need to beware of thinking too highly or too lowly about ourselves and our gifts. Paul teaches us in 1 Corinthians 12 that one who has a flashier gift is not more godly or more spiritual. Conversely, those who have what they consider to be a lesser gift are not inferior. Every gift is needed to make up the body because bodies are made up of eyes and ears, hands and feet, arms and noses. Thus, no member of the church can be an isolationist. The whole body can’t be an eye or a head because then there is not a body at all. We are to think reasonably about how God has gifted us and avoid unrealistic and inflated conceptions of our gifts or notions that we are worthless and have nothing to offer.
We recognize that the diversity of gifts comes from God himself (1 Cor. 12:4–6). We are not to worry about the gift we possess, because God has sovereignly ordained the gifts we possess (1 Cor. 12:11, 18, 28). We are tempted to think that the gifts we have stem from ourselves, but Paul reminds us that gifts are gifts! They are given to us and not earned by us. We trust that God has formed the body with great wisdom and love. The Corinthians were particularly entranced with the gift of tongues, and Paul warns them about exalting such a gift unduly.
The baptism in the Spirit isn’t a second experience after conversion. In Acts, baptism in the Spirit occurs at the inauguration of the church on the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:5; 2:1–11), at the conversion of Cornelius and his friends (Acts 10:44–48; 11:16), at the conversion of the Ephesian 12 (Acts 19:1–7). Paul also teaches that baptism in the Spirit occurs when every member of the church is inducted into the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:13). Baptism by definition is an initiation event, and thus it is a misreading of the evidence to argue from Acts that the baptism in the Spirit must be accompanied by tongue-speaking. Tongue-speaking represents the inauguration of the new covenant at Pentecost (Acts 2:1–4), and it demonstrates the salvation of Gentiles (Acts 10:44–48) and the followers of John the Baptist (Acts 19:1–7). We have no evidence elsewhere that initiation in the church of Jesus Christ must be accompanied by speaking in other languages. Indeed, 1 Corinthians 12:13 clarifies that every single believer is baptized in the Spirit at conversion.
1 Corinthians 14:1–19 is a most interesting text, and it shows that edification comes through understanding. Christians are tempted to think that amazing experiences are what edify, especially overwhelming emotional experiences. Certainly, emotions are a good thing and are not frowned upon, but Paul teaches us that emotions must be anchored to truth. God chooses to sanctify us by renewing our minds (Rom. 12:2), as we test what pleases the Lord (Eph. 5:10), so that we become more discerning. In this way, we will live in a way that pleases the Lord (Phil. 1:9–11; Col. 1:9–11).
We are to concentrate on the gifts God has given us (Rom. 12:6–8). It would be a mistake to claim to refuse to engage in evangelism or service or helping by claiming that we don’t have such gifts. In doing so we rationalize our selfishness. On the other hand, we are also reminded that we should concentrate our energies in life on the gift God has granted us. God has made us in a particular way, and thus we help other believers most when we pursue the gift or gifts God has given to us. It would be foolish if one has the gift of teaching to ignore that gift and to spend most one’s time pursuing the gift of encouragement.
We see clearly in 1 Corinthians 13, which is placed in the middle of the discussion of spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12–14) that gifts are worthless without love. The most important measure of our spirituality are not our gifts but our godliness.

How to Let the Lord’s Prayer Guide Your Everyday Actions

The Lord’s prayer is a theological outline that offers everyday believers a pattern and trajectory for their own prayers.

At a 1932 conference in Switzerland, Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer delivered a lecture titled “The Church is Dead.” He noted,

“…has it not become terrifyingly clear again and again, in everything that we have said here to one another, that we are no longer obedient to the Bible? We are more fond of our own thoughts than of the thoughts of the Bible. We no longer read the Bible seriously, we no longer read it against ourselves, but for ourselves. If the whole of our conference here is to have any great significance, it may be perhaps that of showing us that we must read the Bible in quite a different way until we find ourselves again.”

The church was, in Bonhoeffer’s mind, ignoring God’s word or, perhaps worse, pressing the Bible into the service of the church’s own agendas. God’s word was no longer transforming God’s people. It was being used to authorize the church’s bad behavior. While Bonhoeffer focuses his critique on God’s word and the church’s (mis)use of Scripture, Bonhoeffer is highlighting a deeper problem: the church had begun to set its own agenda .

Reading scripture “for ourselves” as opposed to “against ourselves” is crucial, yet (and I think Bonhoeffer would agree) all of the practices of the faith are to be done “against ourselves” rather than “for ourselves.” We need these practices to be “against” us because our desires are deeply misdirected. To some large degree, our innate intuition is to pursue something other than God. As Sarah Coakley notes regarding the necessity of a transformational theological process, “What is being progressively purged, in this undertaking, is the fallen and flawed capacity for idolatry, the tragic misdirecting of desire. One is learning, over a lifetime—and not without painful difficulty—to think, act, desire, and see aright.”

Praying the Lord’s Prayer “Against Ourselves” Instead of “For Ourselves”

Like reading scripture, prayer can work “for us” or “against us.” In The Dangers of Christian Practice , Lauren Winner suggests that our misdirected desires have “long been a worry for Christians’ theorizing about petitionary prayer: the sure knowledge that if we get in the habit of asking, we are certain to ask for the wrong things.” Prayer is a crucial part of the Christian life, but prayer is not immune to the perversions of our own interests and agendas.

A quick look at the New Testament reflects both the power and fragility of prayer. Consider, for instance, that the Holy Spirit stands behind our prayers because “we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Rom 8:26). Even when we are confused and ignorant, the Holy Spirit “intercedes” for us. Yet, as we see in 1 Peter, our prayers may be hindered (3:7).

The power and fragility of prayer is on display in Matthew 6:5-14 . Before the disciples ask Jesus to teach them how to pray, Jesus instructs them on how not to pray. First, he encourages them not to treat prayer as a commodity intended to enhance one’s social standing (6:5). The “hypocrites” may have been offering genuine prayers, but in doing so, they also seized the opportunity to use prayer for their own purposes. As such, Jesus encourages his disciples not to imitate them but to pray “in secret” to receive the Father’s reward (6:6). Jesus is not encouraging the disciples to hide when they pray. Jesus himself prayed in public (Lk 23:34; Jn 6:11; 17:1-26). Instead, Jesus is encouraging his disciples not to use prayer for their own advantage.

After critiquing the “hypocrites,” Jesus turns to the Gentiles “who heap up empty phrases” (6:7) when they pray. Jesus tells his disciples not to imitate the Gentiles because “your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (6:8). Here, Jesus encourages the disciples not to take their cues from the Gentiles because the Gentiles have no understanding of who God is. As such, they try to “connect” with their “god” by piling up phrases in the hopes that something will “stick.” Jesus’s disciples need not pray like the Gentiles because they know who their God is, and God knows what the disciples need.

Both of these ways of praying are counterfeit. In their own ways, the hypocrites and the Gentiles were distorting prayer. The hypocrites were using prayer to improve their social status. The Gentiles were praying without direction and knowledge and, in doing so, suggesting that God is capricious and arbitrary. Jesus’s disciples are to pray into God’s reality. The way they pray is to reflect the reality of the Triune God. The Lord’s prayer instructs them to do just that.

The Lord’s Prayer

While many churchgoers (myself included) may have grown up reciting the Lord’s prayer on Sundays, we should not assume that Jesus was outlining the only prayer we would ever need to pray or that he is giving us a quasi-magical incantation that would obligate God to bless us. The Lord’s prayer is a theological outline that offers everyday believers a pattern and trajectory for their own prayers. It is a prayer that teaches us to approach God “against ourselves.”

“…hallowed be your name”

The first phrase in the Lord’s prayer is (appropriately) focused on the Lord. This portion of the prayer is an expression of rightly directed desire. As disciples of Christ, we want God and his name to be given due honor. We want God to be recognized as holy. God is already holy. His name will always be above all names. Still, God’s people desire God’s name to be recognized and honored as holy.

As people who bear God’s name, this portion of the Lord’s prayer is not simply a call for others to recognize the holiness of God’s name. Instead, it is a reminder that we have a role to play in establishing God’s reputation. If we want God’s name to be honored, we must not bear it in vain (Exod 20:7; Deut 5:11). We are not charged with protecting God’s reputation (God does not need our protection) but with being and making disciples whose lives reflect a deep understanding of what it means to bear the name of God.

“…your kingdom come…”

The next portion of the prayer has to do with restoring a world that is not the way it is supposed to be. In v. 10, Jesus instructs his disciples to pray that God’s reign (or kingdom) will be established in all realms of existence (earth and heaven). It is a prayer that the politics and false orders of the world will give way to God’s will. We pray for a time when there will be no more resistance to God’s will.

While it may seem easy for us to look out at the world and see the ways others resist the will of God, we must also recognize that we pray this prayer “against ourselves.” When we pray that God’s will be done, we implicitly acknowledge that our will…our desires and interests…will need to be conformed to God’s will. It is not so much that we pray only that others would conform to God’s will but that God’s will and His reign would be the unqualified norm on earth and in heaven.

“Give us today our daily bread”

This portion of the Lord’s prayer directs us toward dependence. There is some debate amongst scholars as to the meaning of “daily bread.” The Greek word translated “daily” is relatively rare in Greek literature and the New Testament (Matt 6:11; Lk 11:3). It seems best to understand the phrase “daily bread” as referring to a day’s provision. While some argue that Jesus is looking forward to the bread of the coming age, it seems best to think of this portion of the prayer as setting a pattern: in the provision of daily bread, God is reminding his followers of his consistent kindness and dependability that will ultimately lead those who are loyal to him into the coming age.

Requesting a day’s provision serves, in part, as a daily reminder of our dependence on God. We don’t place our hope in our savings and retirement accounts. Instead, we ask God to provide us with what we need on a day-to-day basis. It expresses our ongoing desire to trust in God even for our daily provisions rather than seeking out some false sense of security elsewhere.

“Forgive us our debts…”

It is worth noting a difference between the Lord’s prayer in Matthew and that recorded in Luke. “Debts” is used in Matthew 6:12 rather than “sins” in Luke 11:4 . It may be that Luke is highlighting moral and ethical “debts,” whereas Matthew is focusing on more tangible, material debts. It seems more likely, however, that Matthew is using a material situation to highlight the deficits accrued between believers and God via sin. In this case, Luke is making explicit what Matthew points toward with more figurative language.

Forgiving and being forgiven go hand in hand. Understanding the great debt God has forgiven leaves no room for those seeking to imitate him to withhold forgiveness. It is important to note that praying for forgiveness is “against ourselves.” Rather than being self-justifying and thankful that we are “not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector” (Lk 18:11), we acknowledge our need for forgiveness. As Stanley Hauerwas notes, “To learn to have our sins forgiven, indeed to learn that we are sinners needing forgiveness, is to become part of the kingdom of God. If we do not learn to forgive then we will not be forgiven, we will not be part of the new reality, the new people, brought into existence by Jesus.”

“And lead us not into temptation…”

Asking that God would not lead us into temptation should not lead us to think that God is somehow seeking to make us fall. Instead, as Craig Keener suggests, “In this context, the person is praying precisely that the testing [or temptation] will not lead to falling.” Similar to the request for daily bread, we are placing ourselves in God’s hands for protection as we face the various challenges of life and discipleship.

While we would almost certainly affirm that we need God’s help in testing, we should not miss the implications of this petition: we are acknowledging our own insufficiency to stand firm in testing. Clearly, we are not asking God to “do all the work,” but we are asking him to be with us, to strengthen us, and to give us the wisdom and faith to navigate trials faithfully.

The Lord’s prayer calls us to set ourselves aside. It does not deny that we have certain capacities and gifts. We all have God-given talents. Instead, the prayer reminds us of our desire to see God honored and our need to depend on him for our ongoing provision and protection. It reminds us that to point to and glorify God, we cannot follow our own misdirected desires. Instead, we must adopt the desires of Christ as we conform ever closer to his image.

11 Parallels in the Bible between Living for Christ and Training Like an Olympian

4 Ways Psalm 46:10 Can Help You Let Go and Trust God

Why Hymns Are the Heartbeat of Modern Worship

What Was the Sin of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Bible?

Morning Prayers to Start Your Day with God

The Best Birthday Prayers to Celebrate Friends and Family

31 Night Prayers: Powerful to Pray Evening Rest and Bedtime

What are the 10 Commandments? List, Origin, and Bible Meaning

God preserved these words in Scripture so that you and I could live confident in our standing in Christ, secure in our salvation.

Bible Baseball

Play now...

Saintly Millionaire

Bible Jeopardy

Bible Trivia By Category

Bible Trivia Challenge

Morning Prayer: Monday 5 August 2024

Oswald of northumbria, martyr, 642 week d.

O Lord, open our lips: and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;* as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.

Antiphon: Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness; make your way straight before me. Psalm 5.8

Glory to the Father or a suitable Hymn (Or from Psalm 5)

1 In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;* early in the morning I make my appeal and watch for you. 2 Through the greatness of your mercy I will go into your house;* I will bow down toward your holy temple in awe of you. 3 All who take refuge in you will be glad;* they will sing out their joy for ever. 4 You will shelter them,* so that those who love your name may exult in you.

Glory to the Father... or a suitable hymn

Generous and bountiful God, give us grace always to thank you and share your gifts with others, that the world may be filled with the joy of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

1 Rejoice with Jerusalem and exult in her,* all you who love her. 2 Share her joy with all your heart,* all you who mourn over her. 3 Then you may suck and be fed from her breasts,* delighting in her plentiful milk. 4 For thus says the Lord, I will send peace flowing over her like a river,* and the wealth of nations like a stream in flood; 5 you shall be carried in her arms,* and rocked upon her knees. 6 As a mother comforts her child,* so will I myself comfort you, and you shall find strength in Jerusalem. 7 This you shall see and be glad at heart;* your limbs shall be as the fresh grass in spring. 8 Then I myself will gather all nations;* and they shall come and behold my glory.

Glory to the Father...

Antiphon: Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness; make your way straight before me.

Judges 6.25-40 That night the Lord said to him, 'Take your father's bull, the second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal that belongs to your father, and cut down the sacred pole that is beside it; and build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of the stronghold here, in proper order; then take the second bull, and offer it as a burnt-offering with the wood of the sacred pole that you shall cut down.' So Gideon took ten of his servants, and did as the Lord had told him; but because he was too afraid of his family and the townspeople to do it by day, he did it by night. When the townspeople rose early in the morning, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the sacred pole beside it was cut down, and the second bull was offered on the altar that had been built. So they said to one another, 'Who has done this?' After searching and inquiring, they were told, 'Gideon son of Joash did it.' Then the townspeople said to Joash, 'Bring out your son, so that he may die, for he has pulled down the altar of Baal and cut down the sacred pole beside it.' But Joash said to all who were arrayed against him, 'Will you contend for Baal? Or will you defend his cause? Whoever contends for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar has been pulled down.' Therefore on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, 'Let Baal contend against him', because he pulled down his altar. Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the east came together, and crossing the Jordan they encamped in the Valley of Jezreel. But the spirit of the Lord took possession of Gideon; and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him. He sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they too were called out to follow him. He also sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they went up to meet them. Then Gideon said to God, 'In order to see whether you will deliver Israel by my hand, as you have said, I am going to lay a fleece of wool on the threshing-floor; if there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will deliver Israel by my hand, as you have said.' And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. Then Gideon said to God, 'Do not let your anger burn against me, let me speak one more time; let me, please, make trial with the fleece just once more; let it be dry only on the fleece, and on all the ground let there be dew.' And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.

Acts 2.37-47 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, 'Brothers, what should we do?' Peter said to them, 'Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.' And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, 'Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.' So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

Response Psalm (33.18)

The eye of the Lord is upon those who fear him. The eye of the Lord is upon those who fear him. On those who wait upon his love. On those who fear him. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. The eye of the Lord is upon those who fear him.

Benedictus antiphon: God has set us free to worship him.

1 Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel,* for he has come to his people and set them free. 2 He has raised up for us a mighty saviour,* born of the house of his servant David. 3 Through his holy prophets he promised of old* that he would save us from our enemies, from the hands of all that hate us. 4 He promised to show mercy to our forebears,* and to remember his holy covenant. 5 This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:* to set us free from the hands of our enemies, 6 free to worship him without fear,* holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life. 7 You my child shall be called the prophet of the Most High,* for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, 8 to give his people knowledge of salvation* by the forgiveness of all their sins. 9 In the tender compassion of our God* the dawn from on high shall break upon us, 10 to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,* and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Collect of the Day

Inspires Online

Daily Offices of the Church

Enter your email to sign up for our newsletter

Email This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Contact the Scottish Episcopal Church

Call 0131 225 6357 | More information

Privacy Overview
Strictly Necessary Cookies

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

PHPSESSID is an essential site cookie to enable search therefor needs to keep a record of activity only while your on the site.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.

IMAGES

The Main Characteristics of the Holy Spirit: [Essay Example], 2401
Acts of the Holy Spirit Essay Example
The Personality of the Holy Spirit Research Paper Example
The Holy Spirit in Acts
(PDF) The role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Penteco
The Holy Spirit and The Gifts of the Spirit Free Essay Example

VIDEO

Characteristics of the Holy Spirit's personality
Surprising Characteristics of the Holy Spirit You May Not Know
[하나님께서 주시는 가장 큰 복 Essay in Holy Spirit @20180112]
Essay on "My Favourite Book"in english with quotations||essay on Quran Majeed in english
The Way of Holiness by Samuel Logan Brengle
너희는 내게로 돌아오라 Essay in Holy Spirit @20170905

COMMENTS

The Holy Spirit: Agent of Salvation
The Holy Spirit is the one who creates holy, family fellowship (Phil. 2:1-2). As the Spirit of adoption (Rom. 8:15), he creates one family of God (Eph. 1:3-6; Eph. 2:15). The Apostle Paul describes gospel unity as the work of the Spirit, "For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were ...
The Holy Spirit
This page of the essay has 2,617 words. Download the full version above. "The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and make you remember all that I have told you" (New International Version, John 14:26). The Holy Spirit is just that, a "Helper" and "another comforter" as Jesus ...
Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit indwells the believer permanently. [18] While the child of God may sin and grieve the Spirit, the Spirit will never leave the true believer. [19] Absence of the Holy Spirit is the mark of the unsaved. [20] The Holy Spirit seals the believer. [21] This ministry guarantees the security of the believer "until the day of redemption ...
The Gift of the Holy Spirit
Anthony C. Thiselton,. The Holy Spirit—In Biblical Teaching, through the Centuries, and Today; Craig S. Keener, Gift & Giver: The Holy Spirit for Today Graham A. Cole, He Who Gives Life: The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit Max Turner, The Holy Spirit and Spiritual Gifts in the New Testament Church and Today This essay is part of the Concise Theology series.
The Baptism and Indwelling of the Spirit
The conception of his human body in the womb of Mary was the work of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35). At his baptism by John the Baptist the Holy Spirit came upon him in power to equip him for his public ministry (e.g. Luke 3:22; John 1:32-33). Jesus resists temptation by the Spirit (Luke 4:1-13); he engages in public ministry and works ...
PDF The Holy Spirit: Roles and Attributes
The Holy Spirit teaches and gives insight. "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you," John 14:26. He guides your prayers. "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness.
A Biblical Theology of the Holy Spirit
Summary and Conclusion. From Genesis to Revelation, from creation to new creation, the Spirit of God is an active participant in the story of Scripture. He is life-giving, life-empowering, and life-transforming. While closely aligned with God, the Spirit operates as a distinct person in salvation history.
The Holy Spirit: Role in the Life of Christians Essay
The holy person is the one who received God's forgiveness and guidance. The Holy Spirit complements Christian life by guiding them, releasing an individual from sins, and giving a faithful life. He helps to be free from all the burdens and fulfills God's plan through the individual, giving them a content and satisfying life.
Who is the Holy Spirit? 10 Roles in Our Lives
1. The Holy Spirit is a Helper Who Teaches and Reminds. In John 14:26, Jesus told his disciples, "the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you" ( John 14:26, ESV). The Greek word "Parakletos" in this passage is translated as "Helper" in ...
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: What Are They and Are They for Today
The doctrine of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is a Pauline emphasis in the New Testament—the major passages being 1 Corinthians 12 and 13, Ephesians 4, and Romans 12—but key passages are also found in Peter's and Luke's writings (1 Pet. 4:10; Acts 2). Much concern over this topic has been aroused in this […]
Theological Perspective on the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity — God the Spirit. Second Corinthians 3:17-18 refers to the Spirit as "the Lord.". He is just as much God as the Father or the Son and is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and Son. He possesses intellect (John 14:26), will (1 Corinthians 12:11) and emotions (Ephesians 4:30).
What is the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives today?
The Spirit convinces us of Christ's deity and incarnation, His being the Messiah, His suffering and death, His resurrection and ascension, His exaltation at the right hand of God, and His role as the judge of all. He gives glory to Christ in all things ( John 16:14 ). Another one of the Holy Spirit's roles is that of gift-giver.
81 Holy Spirit Essay Topic Ideas & Examples
The Holy Spirit: Role in the Life of Christians. He helps to be free from all the burdens and fulfills God's plan through the individual, giving them a content and satisfying life. The point is to let the Holy Spirit in the person's life […] Holy Spirit's Role in Creation.
PDF essay
Send your Holy Spirit upon them to be their helper and guide. Give them the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment [counse]) and courage [strength], the spirit of knowledge and reverence [piety]. Fill them with the spirit of wonder and awe [fear of the Lord] in your presence."3.
1. The Holy Spirit's Personhood
But the Holy Spirit is not simply an abstract force. He is a person who empowers the people of God for the Christian life. 2. The Holy Spirit's personhood is especially important to note, as the concept of pantheism is widespread. Pantheistic thought teaches that God is in everything. God is part of the trees, part of the earth, and part of ...
Lesson 8: The Study of the Holy Spirit
The Personhood and Deity of the Spirit. First things first. The Holy Spirit is a member of the Trinity and as such is a person. The Spirit has attributes that only a person could have. He has intelligence ( 1 Cor 2:10-13 ), feelings ( Eph 4:30 ), and a will ( 1 Cor 12:11; Acts 16:6-12 ). He prays ( Rom 8:26 ).
6 Ways We Experience the Holy Spirit
As I study Scripture, I see six ways we experience his presence: in the gospel, through the Word of God, through the community of the church, in our various spiritual giftings, in our spirit by communion with him in prayer, and through his sovereign control over our circumstances. 1. In the Gospel. One of the most surprising discoveries I had ...
How to Know and Understand the Holy Spirit
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.
The Holy Spirit
St Mary Magdalen School of Theologythinking faithfully. Feb 14. Feb 14 Christianity: The Basics -- The Holy Spirit. Jonathan Jong. essay. In this second essay of our Christianity: The Basicsseries, Fr Jonathan considers what it might be like to think of God by first thinking about the Holy Spirit. It is not unusual to think about God ...
A Conclusion to The Holy Spirit: His Work and Ministry in the Gospels
The Spirit empowered Jesus for His earthly ministry to preach, teach and do the miraculous signs and wonders. The Gospels provide the reader with Jesus' own teaching on the divine Person and work of the Holy Spirit. Just as the Spirit empowered Jesus for ministry, Jesus taught that the Spirit will empower the believers to preach the good news ...
The Holy Spirit Is God
2050 Words. 9 Pages. Open Document. The Holy Spirit is God Himself. He is a person that we can have a personal relationship with. Also, the Holy Spirit is the one that God gave to us as a guide, to direct and teach us in living a Holy life (King James Version, John 14:16). The Holy Spirit is the voice inside of us that tells us when something ...
The Main Characteristics of The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is not merely a force or a power, but He is a person possessing a mind, a will, and emotions. There are many unique characteristics that... read full [Essay Sample] for free ... A Christian Worldview on the Conformation to God's Perspective About Goodness Essay. As the Holy Bible states, God created the entire human generation ...
The holy Spirit Essay
The Holy Spirit reveals the Truth: John 16:13, But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all 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. The Holy Spirit strengthens and encourages: Acts 9:31, then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a ...
The Gifts of the Spirit
The gifts of the Spirit are gifts of grace granted by the Holy Spirit that are designed for the edification of the church. It is helpful to see a table of the various gifts in the NT. The gifts listed above can be divided into two categories: gifts of speaking and gifts of serving (1 Pet. 4:11). The categories aren't precise since those who ...
How to Let the Lord's Prayer Guide Your Everyday Actions
Consider, for instance, that the Holy Spirit stands behind our prayers because "we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words" (Rom 8:26). Even when we are confused and ignorant, the Holy Spirit "intercedes" for us. ... Eight Lessons from the Life of D. L. Moody ...
Holy Spirit Essay
The Holy Spirit and His Benefits The Holy Spirit is the third person that eternally exist with God the Father and God the Son. "equal in power and glory, and is, together with the Father and the Sone, to be believed in, obeyed, and worshipped. The Holy Ghost is a gift bestowed upon the believer for the purpose of equipping and empowering the ...
Morning Prayer: Monday 5 August 2024
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;* as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen. PSALMODY. Antiphon: Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness; make your way straight before me. Psalm 5.8. Opening. Venite 1 O come let us sing out to the Lord,* let us shout in triumph to the rock of our salvation.