The Spirit of God is God in action within us, upon us, or around us. God’s Spirit is God at work, making things happen in the world. We cannot see the Spirit, but we can see the results of its power. The Spirit of God was present when the world was created. God sent his Spirit to do powerful things among his people, Israel. Later, God sent his Spirit when Jesus lived on earth, and the Spirit has been present with Christians ever since.

THE SPIRIT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

There are three different ways in which the word "spirit" is used in the Bible. It is a wind from God, the breath of life, and a spirit that fills a person with strong emotion or power.

DESCRIPTIONS

In the book of Genesis, the wind from God was what caused the waters of the Flood to stop rising (Genesis 8:1). This same wind from God blew locusts all over Egypt (Exodus 10:13) and sent quail for the Israelites to eat (Exodus 14:21). God blew wind from his nostrils to part the waters of the Red Sea so that the Israelites could walk across on dry land.

In Genesis 2:7, we read that God created man by breathing his Spirit into him. Human beings only have life because of the breath of life, or the spirit, that is within them. God, through his Spirit, is the source of all life, whether animal or human.
In the Old Testament the Spirit of God would sometimes fill people, causing them to say or do things that they normally could not do, in order to fulfill God’s purposes. People who were filled with the Spirit were given a great responsibility to fulfill because of the Spirit that was within them. Leaders were recognized by the Spirit within them. In Judges chapter 3, God’s spirit filled a man named Othniel. He became a judge and was able to win a war and keep the peace in Israel for forty years. God’s spirit also filled other judges such as Gideon and Jephthah. Because of the Spirit of God, they were able to conquer their enemies. Sometimes, as in the case of Saul, God would send an evil spirit to fill someone in order to carry out his plans (see 1 Samuel 16:14-16; Judges 9:23; 1 Kings 22:19-23).

THE SPIRIT AT WORK AMONG THE PROPHETS

The prophets in the Old Testament had the job of giving messages from the Spirit of God to the people. It was important for the people to know the difference between a false prophet and a true prophet of God. The term "Holy Spirit" is used in the Psalms and in Isaiah to set apart the Spirit of God from any other spirit, whether human or from God (Psalm 51:11; Isaiah 63:10-11). A false prophet would not have the Holy Spirit. A prophet that had a message from the Holy Spirit would have the character of a person who was obedient to God. The people could recognize a false prophet by evaluating the prophet’s character as well as the message he was delivering.

The prophets wrote about the Spirit in two significant ways. The Spirit inspired prophecy, and it would be known again in the age to come, when Jesus would be on earth. The later prophets, such as Ezekiel, Haggai, and Zechariah, claimed that the Spirit was the inspirer of prophecy. This means that the Spirit gave them the words that they proclaimed and wrote down. The Spirit of God was responsible for everything that the writers of the Bible wrote down.

The prophets also wrote that God would show his power through the Spirit in the age to come. Isaiah prophesied that the Spirit would come again to anoint a man who would bring salvation to all people (Isaiah 11:2; Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 61:1). He was talking about Jesus, the Messiah. The Messiah was the king the Jews were waiting for. Through Jesus, the Spirit would be given freely to all of Israel (Ezekiel 39:29; Joel 2:28-29; Zechariah 12:10) as part of a new covenant between God and man (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:26-27). The covenant was a promise from God that he would send his Spirit to deliver his people. The Israelites had broken their old covenant with God because they continued to disobey him. Under the new covenant, God promised to forgive them.

Between the time of the Old Testament and the New Testament, it was believed that the Spirit was no longer present in Israel. During that time the Spirit’s voice was no longer heard through the voices of the prophets. But the Spirit was known again when the Messiah, Jesus Christ, came to the earth.

THE SPIRIT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

CONNECTING THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS

We cannot fully comprehend the New Testament’s teaching on the Spirit without reading and understanding the use of the Spirit in the Old Testament. John speaks of the Spirit as a "wind" (John 3:8), and Paul writes of it as "breath" (2 Thessalonians 2:8). In Revelation 11:11 the Spirit is described as a "breath of life." These same descriptions of the Spirit are found in the Old Testament. Also, the New Testament writers agreed with the prophets of the Old Testament in that the Spirit inspired Scripture (see Mark 12:36; Acts 28:25; Hebrews 3:7; 2 Peter 1:21). The Spirit that the Old Testament writers looked forward to was realized in the New Testament.

Just as Isaiah had prophesied, the Spirit came again during the time of Jesus. This "new age" was one in which the Spirit was once again present on earth. Jesus was the anointed, or specially chosen one, who came to give salvation. Jesus came and gave his Spirit to those who believed in him. This was the beginning of the Christian faith.

THE SPIRIT IN JESUS’ MINISTRY

An important aspect of Jesus’ ministry (his work on earth) and the message of his followers was that the Spirit was already with them, that this "new age" was the present. No other Jews of that time, except for a group called the Essenes of Qumran, believed in the presence of the Spirit among them. The prophets and the rabbis of the New Testament were still looking to a future time when a messiah would come. They did not realize that Jesus was the Messiah. Even John the Baptist spoke of one who would come and of the Spirit’s work in the future (Mark 1:8). For Jesus and his followers, the Spirit-filled life was a reality. The first Christians believed they were living in the "last days" because the prophecies of the Spirit’s return had come true in their time.

Jesus knew that his teachings and healings were fulfilling the prophecies of the Old Testament (Matthew 12:41-42; Matthew 13:16-17). He also knew he was the one that was specially chosen by the Spirit to bring salvation to mankind (Matthew 5:3-6; Luke 4:17-19). Jesus understood that the power to perform miracles came from God. God displayed his power through Jesus, just as he will in the end times (Matthew 12:27-28; Mark 3:22-26).

The Spirit of God was with Jesus as he lived among men. Because so many people were still looking to the coming of the Spirit in the "end times," the writers of the Gospels (the first four books of the Bible) emphasized the role of the Spirit in the birth of Jesus (Matthew 1:18; John 3:34), in his baptism (Mark 1:9-10), and in his ministry (Luke 4:1, 14; Luke 10:21). They wanted to show people that the Spirit was with them, that they were already living in the "end times," and that Jesus’ life was proof of that.

THE SPIRIT AT WORK AMONG THE FIRST CHRISTIANS

The Christian church began with Jesus’ resurrection. Christians believe that Jesus died to save them from their sin and that he rose again from the dead. Following the Resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples and breathed the Holy Spirit on them (John 20:22). After Jesus was taken back up into heaven, the Spirit was given to the disciples on the day of Pentecost. At Pentecost, the believers were overwhelmed with visions, and they spoke in tongues when the Spirit entered them (Acts 2:2-5, 17-18). They believed that they were entering into the "new age" that was prophesied by Joel. This new age was one in which the Spirit was present on earth, living and working in the lives of Christians. The gift of the Spirit was seen as the power of this new age (Hebrews 6:4-5).

The apostle Paul understood the presence of the Spirit in the believer’s life to be a certain sign that that person had been saved from his sins. The believer could be assured that God had granted him eternal life in heaven (2 Corinthians 1:22). Paul taught that it was necessary for a believer to have the Spirit in order to enter God’s kingdom (Romans 8:15-17). The Spirit changes their believers’ lives to become more like Jesus. Becoming more like Jesus is a lifelong process, because every believer is caught in the daily conflict between living in the Spirit or according to sinful desires. The process does not end until the person is brought completely under the Spirit’s power (Romans 8:11, 23).

THE SPIRIT GIVES SALVATION AND LIFE

John the Baptist had spoken of Jesus as one who would come and baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matthew 3:11). Jesus referred to this in Acts 1:5 and 11:16, and it was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost (2:17, 33). When the Spirit was poured out on the disciples at Pentecost, they were given salvation from God because they believed in Jesus.

One of Luke’s most important messages in the book of Acts is that a person must have the Spirit in order to be a Christian (Acts 2:38-39). Even though Jesus had followers while he was on earth, they were not saved until they received the Spirit. Peter recognized that when the Spirit entered the person’s life, God had accepted that person. An example of this is Apollos. He did not know all about who Jesus was, but because he was filled with the Spirit (18:24-26), he was effective in spreading the Gospel.

Paul emphasizes in his letter that believing in Jesus and receiving the Spirit go hand in hand. When a person receives the Spirit, he or she begins the Christian life (Galatians 3:2-3). When one is baptized in the Spirit, that person becomes a member of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). A person belongs to Christ and is a child of God upon receiving the Spirit (Romans 8:9-11, 14-17).

The Spirit is the life-giver. When a person believes in Christ, he or she becomes a new creation (John 20:22). The Spirit is the power of God that brings about this new birth in believers. Christians experience new life because of the Spirit living in them.

EXPERIENCING THE SPIRIT

There are many ways that the Spirit works among his people. When the first Christians referred to the Spirit, they were thinking of experiences of divine power. They used the word "Spirit" to explain the experiences of new life, freedom from the law, and spiritual renewal. They wrote of experiences of extreme joy and moral transformation brought about by the work of the Spirit. Paul wrote about spiritual gifts such as inspired speech (1 Corinthians 12:8-10), miracles and healings (Galatians 3:5), acts of service, counseling, administrating, helping others, and showing mercy (Romans 12:7-8). These are all gifts from the Spirit.

While there are many experiences and gifts of the Spirit, individual believers cannot expect to encounter every one of them in their own lives. The Spirit gives different spiritual gifts to different people. Yet all believers receive gifts of the Spirit. It is important for individual believers to recognize the gifts and experiences of the Spirit in their own lives. These gifts and experiences serve as a sign of a believer’s salvation and new life.

GROWING IN THE SPIRIT

Christians shared their experiences of the Spirit, and through this the early church began to grow. The Spirit brought people into the body of Christ through the ministry of Paul and the other apostles. Paul traveled to many different places such as Samaria and Caesarea, and it was the Spirit that enabled him to preach the truth about salvation and bring people to belief in Jesus. The apostles were given many gifts of the Spirit, including healing and miracles, in order to better proclaim the message of salvation. Because of these gifts of the Spirit, the early church grew and unified.

Even today we can see how the members of the body of Christ are unified through the different gifts of the Spirit. A person who preaches is just as important as the person who helps an elderly person do his laundry. Preaching and helping others are both very important gifts from the Spirit and work together to help build the church.

THE IDENTITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?

BIBLE READING: Mark 1:9-13
KEY BIBLE VERSE: And when Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens split open and the Holy Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven saying, “You are my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased with you.” (Mark 1:10-11)

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A MEMBER OF THE TRINITY

As Jesus was baptized, a revelation of God was given. The Spirit descended like a dove on Jesus, and the voice from heaven proclaimed the Father’s approval of Jesus as his divine Son. That Jesus is God’s divine Son is the foundation for all we read about Jesus in the Gospels. Here we see all three members of the Trinity together-God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

BIBLE READING: Matthew 18:15-20
KEY BIBLE VERSE: I also tell you this: If two of you agree down here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together because they are mine, I am there among them. (Matthew 18:19-20)

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GOD LIVING IN AND AMONG THOSE WHO BELIEVE

Jesus looked ahead to a new day when he would be present with his followers not in body, but through his Holy Spirit. In the body of believers (the church), the sincere agreement of two people is more powerful than the superficial agreement of thousands, because Christ’s Holy Spirit is with them. Two or more believers, filled with the Holy Spirit, will pray according to God’s will, not their own; thus their requests will be granted.

BIBLE READING: John 3:1-21
KEY BIBLE VERSE: The truth is, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives new life from heaven. So don’t be surprised at my statement that you must be born again. (John 3:5-7)

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GOD AT WORK IN BELIEVERS

Who is the Holy Spirit? God is three persons in one-the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God became a man in Jesus so that Jesus could die for our sins. Jesus rose from the dead to offer salvation to all people through spiritual renewal and rebirth. When Jesus ascended into heaven, his physical presence left the earth, but he promised to send the Holy Spirit so that his spiritual presence would still be among humankind (see Luke 24:49). The Holy Spirit first became available to all believers at Pentecost (Acts 2). Whereas in Old Testament days the Holy Spirit empowered specific individuals for specific purposes, now all believers have the power of the Holy Spirit available to them. (For more on the Holy Spirit, read John 14:16-28; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:13; and 2 Corinthians 1:22.)

THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

WHAT DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT DO?

BIBLE READING: Judges 3:7-11
KEY BIBLE VERSE: The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he became Israel’s judge. He went to war against King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram, and the LORD gave Othniel victory over him. (Judges 3:10)

THE HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERS BELIEVERS

This phrase, “The Spirit of the Lord came upon him,” was also spoken of the judges Gideon, Jephthah, and Samson, among others. It expresses a temporary and spontaneous increase of physical, spiritual, or mental strength. This was an extraordinary and supernatural occurrence to prepare a person for a special task. The Holy Spirit is available to all believers today, but he will come upon believers in an extraordinary way for special tasks. We should ask the Holy Spirit’s help as we face our daily problems as well as life’s major challenges.

BIBLE READING: Matthew 10:16-42
KEY BIBLE VERSE: When you are arrested, don’t worry about what to say in your defense, because you will be given the right words at the right time. For it won’t be you doing the talking-it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. (Matthew 10:19-20)

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS PRESENT IN TIMES OF HARDSHIP

Jesus told the disciples that when arrested for preaching the gospel, they should not worry about what to say in their defense-God’s Spirit would speak through them. This promise was fulfilled in Acts 4:8-14 and elsewhere. Some mistakenly think this means we don’t have to prepare to present the gospel because God will take care of everything. Scripture teaches, however, that we are to make carefully prepared, thoughtful statements (Colossians 4:6). Jesus is not telling us to stop preparing, but to stop worrying.

BIBLE READING: John 4:1-26
KEY BIBLE VERSE: The time is coming and is already here when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for anyone who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth. (John 4:23-24)

THE HOLY SPIRIT HELPS US WORSHIP GOD

"God is spirit” means he is not a physical being limited to one place. He is present everywhere, and he can be worshiped anywhere, at any time. It is not where we worship that counts, but how we worship. Is your worship genuine and true? Do you have the Holy Spirit’s help? How does the Holy Spirit help us worship? The Holy Spirit prays for us (Romans 8:26), teaches us the words of Christ (14:26), and tells us we are loved (Romans 5:5).

BIBLE READING: John 14:15-31
KEY BIBLE VERSE: If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. (John 14:15-17)

THE HOLY SPIRIT TRANSFORMS US FROM WITHIN

Jesus was soon going to leave the disciples, but he would remain with them. How could this be? The Counselor-the Spirit of God himself-would come after Jesus was gone to care for and guide the disciples. The regenerating power of the Spirit came on the disciples just before his ascension (20:22), and the Spirit was poured out on all the believers at Pentecost (Acts 2), shortly after Jesus ascended to heaven. The Holy Spirit is the very presence of God within us and all believers, helping us live as God wants and building Christ’s church on earth. By faith we can appropriate the Spirit’s power each day.

THE HOLY SPIRIT WORKS IN EVERY PART OF OUR LIFE

The following chapters teach these truths about the Holy Spirit: he will be with us forever (14:16); the world at large cannot accept him (14:17); he lives with us and in us (14:17); he teaches us (14:26); he reminds us of Jesus’ words (14:26; 15:26); he convicts us of sin, shows us God’s righteousness, and announces God’s judgment on evil (16:8); he guides into truth and gives insight into future events (16:13); he brings glory to Christ (16:14). The Holy Spirit has been active among people from the beginning of time, but after Pentecost (Acts 2) he came to live in all believers. Many people are unaware of the Holy Spirit’s activities, but to those who hear Christ’s words and understand the Spirit’s power, the Spirit gives a whole new way to look at life.

THE HOLY SPIRIT HELPS US UNDERSTAND AND REMEMBER THE BIBLE

Jesus promised the disciples that the Holy Spirit would help them remember what he had been teaching them. This promise ensures the validity of the New Testament. The disciples were eyewitnesses of Jesus’ life and teachings, and the Holy Spirit helped them remember without taking away their individual perspectives. We can be confident that the Gospels are accurate records of what Jesus taught and did (see 1 Corinthians 2:10-14). The Holy Spirit can help us in the same way. As we study the Bible, we can trust him to plant truth in our mind, convince us of God’s will, and remind us when we stray from it.

THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES US PEACE

The end result of the Holy Spirit’s work in our life is deep and lasting peace. Unlike worldly peace, which is usually defined as the absence of conflict, this peace is confident assurance in any circumstance; with Christ’s peace, we have no need to fear the present or the future. If your life is full of stress, allow the Holy Spirit to fill you with Christ’s peace (see Philippians 4:6-7 for more on experiencing God’s peace).

The disciples didn’t have to wait long for Jesus’ promise to come true. About a week and a half after Jesus went up into heaven, the Holy Spirit came down at a gathering of believers with a sound “like the roaring of a mighty windstorm” and in the form of “what looked like flames or tongues of fire” (Acts 2:1-4). As a result, the believers found themselves speaking in other languages and were able to communicate the story of Jesus to various travelers in Jerusalem in the other peoples’ native tongues. And from that point onward, the Holy Spirit is acknowledged as being instrumental in the growth and development of the church.

The Holy Spirit indwells each believer upon his or her confession of faith and belief in Jesus (Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 2:12). He (the Holy Spirit is described with the qualities of a person rather than merely those of a ghost or a force) assigns various “gifts” to believers that lend to the cohesion and effective operation of the church as the “body of Christ.” The “fruit of the Spirit” is developed as believers yield to the direction of the Holy Spirit and discover genuine “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).

The primary role of the Holy Spirit is to point to the significance of Jesus as Savior and Lord. The Holy Spirit draws nonbelievers to God (John 16:8-9) and accompanies each individual believer throughout a lifetime of learning and spiritual growth. He also acts as a kind of “interpreter” to ensure that God hears our pleas and prayers.

But just because the Holy Spirit is so prevalent throughout the New Testament doesn’t mean He wasn’t also around in the Old Testament as well. The “Spirit of God” is mentioned in regard to Creation (Genesis 1:2; Isaiah 40:12-13) and is said to have equipped certain individuals for specific tasks (such as Daniel [Daniel 5:11-12], Joshua [Numbers 27:18], Samson [Judges 15:14], and others). But in spite of numerous Old Testament references, the activity of the Holy Spirit among God’s people was somewhat restricted until after the ministry and sacrifice of Jesus.

Please stay tuned for more.