God the Holy Spirit

We often neglect the person and work of the Holy Spirit. We think God the Father was present during the Old Testament. Jesus, God the Son began his ministry in the New Testament. And the Holy Spirit gets left out.

Actually the Holy Spirit is just as much God as Jesus and the Father. I believe the best way to explain the trinity is God is three persons, each person is fully God, there is one God.

In general the work of the Holy Spirit is to manifest the presence of God in the world. We learn from scripture that the Holy Spirit was present during creation, Genesis 1:2 and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.

God the Holy Spirit didn’t just show up after Jesus ascended into heaven, He is eternal and He has always been. The work of the Holy Spirit is different now than in the Old Testament, not in action but in numbers of people.

In Old Testament times the Holy Spirit worked in different individuals lives such as Moses, David, the Kings, and the prophets. It wasn’t until the New Testament work of Christ that the Holy Spirit would become available to all believers.

In fact Joel predicted this Joel 2:28-29 It will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

We see this come about on the day of Pentecost. Now the Spirit is for all believers. He is our Advocate before the Father. He is our helper in time of need. He intercedes for us when we don’t know what to pray. He lives in us and gives us power for service. He equips us with spiritual gifts for ministry. He convicts us of sin and helps us to repent. He gives us assurance of salvation. He teaches us new things. But most importantly He guides us in life and helps us to worship Him.

(written by Brian Manns)