Creator, Father, King #253

We know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

WHO IS THE HOLY Spirit, and what does he actually do?

If you’ve ever asked yourself those questions, don’t worry—you’re not alone. God’s Spirit has been active for all eternity, going all the way back to Genesis 1:2 (and beyond) when we read, “The Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters” before Creation. Both Old and New Testaments consistently reference the Holy Spirit, yet he usually takes a backseat to God the Father and the Son (Jesus) in our understanding.

Still, it’s vital for every Christian to know who the Holy Spirit is and how he functions in our lives. So let’s dive into some wonderful truths about the glorious third person of the Trinity—for God’s glory and our spiritual good.

What’s It Mean?

While we may overlook or not completely understand the Holy Spirit, he is not in any way neglected or ignored within heaven’s holy councils. The Holy Spirit is fully God and shares all the same divine attributes as the other two persons of the Godhead, even if some of his functions may differ from those of the Father and the Son.

The Holy Spirit is far too great to summarize in one day’s devotion, but here is a brief overview of some of his primary functions. The Holy Spirit

• directly inspired all the words of Scripture (2 Peter 1:20-21);
• regenerates sinful human hearts to receive the gospel by faith (Titus 3:5);
• permanently indwells all believers at conversion, making them “the temple of God” (1 Corinthians 3:16);
• acts as a “guarantee” of our salvation (Ephesians 1:14);
• brings Scripture to our minds (John 14:26);
• helps us in our prayers, especially in our weakness (Romans 8:26-27);
• convicts us of sin (John 16:8) and helps us put it “to death” (Romans 8:13);
• equips us with spiritual gifts to serve God and build the church (1 Corinthians 12:4-11); and
• develops spiritual “fruit” in us as we grow in godliness (Galatians 5:22-23).

As you can see, the Holy Spirit plays an invaluable role in every believer’s life, thanks to God’s great design! Our salvation and sanctification simply aren’t possible without him.

Aren’t you glad God the Father has given us his Spirit to help save, sanctify, and strengthen us?

Now What?

Pray for more of God’s Spirit in your life!

Did You Know?

The actual term “Holy Spirit” (as rendered by the ESV translation) is only used in three Old Testament verses: Psalm 51:11 and Isaiah 63:10-11. By comparison, it’s used nearly one hundred times in the New Testament.