WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?

 

      We speak much about God as our Father, the one who created us and loved us enough to send his son, Jesus. We also seem to know much about Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, through the stories found in his ministry. But the Holy Spirit, the spirit of God and Jesus, we seem not to know as well. We learn much about God from the reading and studying of the Old Testament, just as we learn much about Jesus from studying the life and teachings of Jesus in the New Testament. But somehow, we just seem to skim over the places which mention the Holy Spirit, and fail to really study God’s Spirit; therefore, we sometimes misunderstand the third person of the Trinity. In order to live as a true disciple of Jesus, to function as an effective member of Christ’s church, and to grow in our relationship with God, we must have a personal understanding of who the Holy Spirit is in our lives.

      The Holy Spirit is God, and also the voice and spirit of Jesus. And as so, he has all the attributes or characteristics of God. Just as God is omnipresent, able to be anywhere and everywhere at the same time, so is the Holy Spirit. No matter where we go, he is there. The psalmist wrote, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence?” (Psalm 139:7) Just as God is omniscient, knowing all things, so the Holy Spirit has all knowledge. Paul writes, “The Spirit searches all, yes, the deep things of God.” (1Corinthians 2:10) It is the Holy Spirit who teaches us and takes us deeper and deeper into God’s truth as we go along in our walk as disciples.

          Just as God is omnipotent, all-powerful and sovereign, so is the Holy Spirit. We read in the book of Micah 3:8, “I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord.” It is through the power of the Spirit that we can be resurrected from a sinful life and begin a new journey. It is through the power of the Holy Spirit that we can become Christ-like and live a holy and sanctified life. It is through the power of the Holy Spirit that we look at other people in a different way, through the eyes of Christ. The Holy Spirit, not only has the power to change us, but can keep us spiritually clean and pure in a world that is dirty with sin. The Spirit is holy and wants us to be holy also.

      The Greek word for Holy Spirit is “paraketos.” The English pronunciation would be “paraclete.” The meaning is “advocate, exhorter, encourager, and counselor,” all wonderful uplifting descriptors. When the Bible translators tried to translate the Greek word “paraclete” into the Karre language of equatorial Africa, they ran into difficulty. How could they describe the Holy Spirit to these people? One day the translators came across a group of men going off into the brush carrying bundles on their heads. They noticed day after day, as different groups passed by with their loads of goods, there was always one man who did not carry anything. They assumed he was the boss and was supervising the others. However, they discovered he was not the boss; he had a very special job. He was there in case someone fell over with exhaustion; he would come, attend to the one who had fallen, then pick up the man’s load and carry it for him. The word for this special man was known in the Karre language as “the one who falls down beside us.” The translators had found the word for Holy Spirit.

      The Holy Spirit, the spirit of God and Jesus, will not come into our lives without an invitation. He wants to live within us, to comfort us, and to teach us. He wants to help us on our journey, but we must ask him to guide us and direct us. The Holy Spirit wants to be the “One who falls down beside us,” picks up our load, brushes us off, and walks along with us.

He wants to go before us as we witness to others about God’s love and a transformed life.

      So, who is the Holy Spirit in your life and what does he mean to you? 

 

Rev Tim McConnell, Long’s Chapel UMC, September 29, 2013