The preachers quoted here insist that the Holy Spirit is a person and not an influence, an energy or a mere power sent to help. They describe him as the one who gives power over sin, who knows what God wants, and who stands behind every revival and every work of evangelism.
The words for "spirit" in both Testaments, the Hebrew ruach and the Greek pneuma, also mean breath or wind.12 The Spirit appears in the second verse of the Bible, moving on the face of the waters (Genesis 1:2), and is promised by the prophets as God's gift to all his people (Joel 2:28).
Scripture speaks of the Spirit as a person. He speaks: "the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul" (Acts 13:2). He can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30) and lied to (Acts 5:3). He teaches, guides and testifies, and Jesus says "he" of him: "when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth" (John 16:13).
Scripture also speaks of him as God. To lie to the Holy Ghost is to lie to God (Acts 5:3-4). Believers are baptized "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (Matthew 28:19). The creed confesses him as the Lord and Giver of life, "who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified".3 Basil of Caesarea's treatise had prepared the way.
His work is described at every stage of the Christian life. He convicts the world of sin (John 16:8), gives the new birth (John 3:5), dwells in every believer (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 6:19), seals them (Ephesians 1:13), produces his fruit in them (Galatians 5:22-23) and distributes gifts for the good of the church (1 Corinthians 12:7-11). Above all he glorifies Christ (John 16:14).
Jesus called him "another Comforter", who would abide with his disciples for ever (John 14:16).4 The promise was kept at Pentecost (Acts 2), and Peter told the crowd that it was for them, their children, and all who are far off (Acts 2:39).
R. A. Torrey's book was written for ordinary readers and argues that "There are at least four distinct lines of proof in the Bible that the Holy Spirit is a person."5 Christians differ on some questions, such as whether the baptism of the Spirit is a distinct experience after conversion and whether all the gifts continue. They agree on what the creed says: the Spirit is God, he is personal, and without him no one belongs to Christ (Romans 8:9).
- Strong's Hebrew 7307, rûwach: "wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger...".
- Strong's Greek 4151, pneûma: "a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively, a spirit, i.e. (human) the...".
- Various, The Nicene Creed, "Nicene Creed".
- Strong's Greek 3875, paráklētos: "an intercessor, consoler".
- R.A. Torrey, The Person And Work Of The Holy Spirit, "Chapter i. the personality of the holy spirit".
In their own words
Each line below is quoted exactly from a sermon on this site. Follow the link to hear or read it where it was said.
The Holy Spirit is not an influence, not a thing, but a person.
William MacDonald
in Holy Spirit 2
Listen at 0:47
The Holy Spirit is not an influence or an energy, merely an impersonal kind of something that is power.
E. Stanley Jones
in The Gift of the Holy Spirit: The Birthright of All Christians
Listen at 3:54
The Holy Spirit is not simply a power that God sends down to help you.
William Blackburn
in Five Sins Against the Holy Spirit
Listen at 2:02
The Holy Spirit is the one who gives us power over sin.
David Wilkerson
in Receiving the Holy Spirit
Listen at 45:05
The Holy Ghost is the instigator, not only of revival, but He's the instigator of every evangelistic movement.
James A. Stewart
in The Ministry of the Holy Spirit
Listen at 47:50
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Light, see, and the Holy Spirit knows what God wants.
T. Austin-Sparks
in Oil for the Light
Listen at 15:35
What Scripture says
- John 14:16-17 another Comforter, the Spirit of truth, who dwells with you
- John 16:13-14 the Spirit of truth guides into all truth and glorifies Christ
- Acts 2:38-39 the gift of the Holy Ghost promised to all whom God calls
- Romans 8:9 if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his
- Galatians 5:22-23 the fruit of the Spirit
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