In Christianity, the Holy Spirit is the most mysterious part of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We understand God the Father as the Creator, Jesus as his Son and the Savior, but the Holy Spirit is not easily defined. Some fear him. Others believe his work ended after the first century, while some believers embrace his work and presence in their lives. Despite which camp you find yourself concerning the Holy Spirit, he is too important to sweep under a theological rug. In fact, I’m hopeful as we unpack what the Holy Spirit means in Christianity, we’ll no longer fear him but realize the important role he plays in Christians’ lives today.
What Is the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit may seem like a “’what,” but the Holy Spirit is a “who.” He’s a person. In order to understand this better, it’s helpful to define the Trinity. The Nicaea Council developed the doctrine of the Trinity in 325 CE to refute a theological dispute over the nature of Christ.
The Trinity was described as God, one in three persons. I know that sounds confusing. Clarence Haynes Jr. explains it this way in his article on the Trinity, “These three persons are co-equal, co-eternal, and co-existent. This means they are equal in essence and nature, they are eternal, and they are distinct from each other.” Perhaps the word “co-equal” may help you understand this concept of the Trinity the most. It helps me.
Though the Trinity is a Christian doctrine, and Christians focus on the New Testament, the Holy Spirit can be found in the Old Testament too. In Hebrew, the Ruach which means “breath, wind, and spirit,” and the HaKodesh which means “holy and sacred,” appears in the first verses of Genesis: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) of God was hovering over the waters” (Genesis 1:1-2 NIV addition mine).
The Hebrew name of God in Genesis 1 is also important. It reveals the three-in-one God. This name is Elohim. Elohim is a Hebrew majestic noun. Though used as a singular noun, it is plural. We can see the plurality (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) in the twenty-sixth verse:
“Then God (Elohim) said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground” (Genesis 1:26 NIV addition mine).
Can you imagine Father, Son, and Holy Spirit bending over, forming a man, and breathing life into Adam? Though he made a grand entrance in the upper room on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit participated in the creation of the stars, the sunrise, and eyelashes. He has played an important role in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.
The Role of the Holy Spirit
We witnessed his role in creation, but the Holy Spirit’s primary role in the Old Testament was empowering God’s anointed. The anointing oil was poured over men chosen to be kings, prophets, and priests of the Most High. This oil represented the Spirit. Samuel anointed both Saul and David to be king, though Saul would one day lose the Spirit of God. Aaron and his sons were anointed as priests. Prophets like Elijah, Ezekiel, and Isaiah were anointed and empowered by the Spirit. The prophet Isaiah wrote:
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. . .”
Isaiah 61: 1-2
Isaiah wrote these words 700 years before Jesus read this passage in the Synagogue in Capernaum. As he spoke, all fell silent. They could not take their eyes off Jesus. When he sat down he proclaimed, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21b).
The Holy Spirit played an important role at the beginning of Jesus' ministry. He was present at his baptism, landing upon him as a dove (Matthew 3: 16-17). He also led Jesus into the wilderness to be tested for forty day and forty nights (Luke 4:1-2).
Others experienced the Spirit’s power before Jesus’s ministry. The Holy Spirit filled John the Baptist from birth (Luke 1:15), and scripture details the Spirit filling John’s mother, Elizabeth, at the sound of Mary’s voice (Luke 1:41). The Spirit’s empowering presence was experienced before Jesus and by him, but the Spirit’s role changed after Christ’s death.
How Christians Experience the Holy Spirit
Only hours before his arrest, Jesus tried to prepare his disciples, comforting them with the promise of the Holy Spirit. He told them, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth” (John 14:16-17a NIV). “Counselor” was translated from parakletos, a Greek word meaning advocate, helper, or comforter. Jesus promised the disciples they would know the Spirit because he lived with them and in them. They would not be alone.
After the resurrection, right before his ascension, Jesus instructed his disciples to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the gift, the helper he had promised. He explained, “For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:5 NIV). And they were.
On that day of Pentecost, the Ruach (breath or wind) of the Holy Spirit blew down from heaven filling the upper room where they awaited God’s gift. Luke described that they were filled with the Spirit and began to speak in different languages as the Spirit “enabled them” (Acts 2:4).
Jerusalem was filled with Jews from all over the land that day because of the Jewish celebration of Shavuot—a two day celebration held fifty days after Passover that commemorates the day God gave the law to the Israelites at Mount Sanai. On the very same day Jews had come together to celebrate the law, God gave them another. He gave them the law of the Spirit of Life (Romans 8:1-2). He enabled those filled with his Spirit to share the gospel in languages they’d never known, and three thousand were saved. This, by the way, was the same number of people who died at Mt. Sanai because of the golden calf. (Exodus 32). It was a moment of redemption and the fulfillment of Ezekiel’s prophesy that God’s law would be written on their hearts (Ezekiel 11:19-20).
Today, Christians experience the Holy Spirit as their paraclete. He empowers us when we need strength, fills us with peace as our comforter, and leads us to truth. He guides us, convicts us of sin, and changes us from the inside out.
Emily Hall explains, “The Holy Spirit is a person, rather than a depersonalized force. And the Holy Spirit is the agent by which Christians transform (2 Corinthians 3:18) and grow in holiness.
Holiness is the other half of the Spirit’s name we often overlook. Many of us begin our faith journey focused on our eternal salvation. But Christ did not die just to get us into heaven, he died to usher in the Kingdom of God—a kingdom of “holy” people on this earth. The Apostle Peter wrote, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9).
Misunderstandings about the Holy Spirit
The mystery of the Holy Spirit causes many misunderstandings. Some believe he is a force rather than a person. They think he will come and go, but the Spirit is always with us. He lives within us. We may not be aware, but he waits for our surrender to more of him and less of our will and way. He can usher peace into the most worried heart and joy into the broken soul.
The Holy Spirit’s presence is simply a taste of what’s ahead. He’s gentle and wise. His fruit is love and peace, joy, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). This is what we can expect as we become more aware of his presence in our lives.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Holy Spirit
One question asked about the Holy Spirit is how we receive him. What do we need to do to be filled with him? If he’s empowering, peace-giving, and joy-giving, we want him, right? The answer is very simple, though we’ve often made it confusing and complicated.
We receive the Holy Spirit when we’re baptized. In his famous Pentecost sermon, Peter told those asking how to be saved, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call” (Acts 2:38-39).
Though we may have been baptized, some of us question why we aren’t experiencing him. We compare ourselves to others who seem to flow in the Spirit. Did we miss the Holy Spirit? My friends, stand on the scripture that promises his gift at baptism. Philip Wajaya answers this question simply. In his article, "How Do We Receive the Holy Spirit," he explains that all we need to do is ask. Talk to him. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you surrender to his leading and become more aware of his presence and gifts.
The gifts of the Spirit also bring up questions. What are they, and do they exist today? These are the gifts according to Corinthians 12:8-10:
- Wisdom
- Knowledge
- Faith
- Healing
- Miracles
- Prophecy
- Discerning spirits
- Tongues
- Interpreting Tongues
The question of whether or not these gifts exist today is explained by Raymond Goodlett: “I get that question a lot, in terms of, 'have these sensational gifts continued today, or did they pass away during the first century with the apostles?' And honestly, I still have some questions about some of those. But if I just go from First Corinthians chapter 13, where I currently lean, is that we should make room in our understanding of these things to say that they still continue, however that looks practically in how it's displayed through the life of believers.”
We Need the Holy Spirit
In conclusion, we need the Holy Spirit. Often overlooked or downplayed in the Church, the Holy Spirit is essential for our salvation. Paul wrote: “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14).
We need him. We need this third person of the Trinity who always has been and always will be. Living on the other side of the cross, the Holy Spirit has been given to all who trust in Jesus, not just the few who have been anointed to serve as kings, prophets, or priests. We all have been anointed and filled with him. He helps us, guides, and makes us holy. The Holy Spirit means everything in Christianity.
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Andy Lee is an event speaker, blogger, YouTuber, and award winning author of three books, A Mary Like Me; The Book of Ruth Key-Word Bible Study, and Radiant Influence: How an ordinary girl changed the world. She passionately teaches how to find life in God's Word in order to live abundantly. You can catch her life giving messages weekly on Instagram and YouTube. She also provides monthly Bible reading plans and articles on her website www.wordsbyandylee.
