It is impossible to understand the Bible, Christian living, the structure of the church, or our own relationship with God without understanding the Person and work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not an “it.” The Holy Spirit is a person. The Bible says that He is not something. He is Someone. He is God.
There are three persons in the Trinity—God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is all-powerful. We read in Micah 3:8, “I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord” (NKJV). The Bible says that God is present everywhere. No matter where we go, He is there. “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?” (Psalm 139:7, NKJV). The Holy Spirit can be in your heart and my heart, and we may live a thousand miles apart.
The Holy Spirit has all knowledge. The Bible says, “The Spirit seaches all things, even the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10). It is the Holy Spirit who teaches us and takes us deeper into God’s truth as we go along in our Christian life. We are to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ, but we can grow only by the help of the Holy Spirit.
The moment that we receive Christ as Savior, the Holy Spirit comes to live in our heart. Our Body becomes the temple of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit helps us live the Christian life.
There is not a person anywhere who can be a Christian without the Holy Spirit. There is not a person who can follow Christ without the help of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit sees everything that goes on. He knows what goes on in our hearts. He knows what goes on in our minds. Nothing is hidden from Him.
And the Bible says that the Holy Spirit is eternal. In Hebrews 9:14 we read “the eternal Spirit.”
The Holy Spirit is called holy. The Bible says, “Be holy, because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). One of the Holy Spirit ministries is to help make us holy. We ought to be more holy today than we were yesterday. We should always be conforming more to the image of Jesus Christ, and it is the Holy Spirit who helps us in this growing process.
*”Does the Holy Spirit Shine Through You?” is part of the Billy Graham Sermon Series. All Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, unless otherwise noted.
