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The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead. John wrote, "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word,
and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one" (l John 5:7). Beyond doubt, the Scriptures teach a Holy Trinity. Often we do not give as
much attention to the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit as we do to the Father and Son. We think of the Father as the one who loved us,
who elected us, and to whom we pray, saying, as Jesus taught us. "Our Father which art in heaven .... " Then we feel a special closeness to
the Son who taught us to pray, who prayed for us, who died for our sins (1 Cor. 15:3), and who even now intercedes for us (Heb. 7:25).
Sometimes our minds do not go beyond these two to behold the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It is by the Holy Spirit that those elected
by God the Father and redeemed by God the Son are actually quickened into new life or born again. Heaven's birth came to us by
the Holy Spirit of God. Therefore Jesus said, "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth,
and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit"
John 3:7,8). Remember that on the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came as the sound of a rushing mighty wind (Acts 2:2). He moves
invisibly but with visible evidence of His movement. The wind is not seen, but the branches and leaves which it moves can be seen. Even
so, on the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit could not be seen, but the effects He had on the people could. Though we have not seen
Him with our eyes, we have surely felt His blessed presence with us. This study will be devoted to the workings of the Holy Spirit.
First, let us consider the Holy Spirit in the work of the new birth. We needed to be born again, because we were dead in sins (Eph. 2:1).
The life we need must be spiritual and must come from God above. The Hebrew word for spirit in the Old Testament frequently means
wind. The Greek equivalent is used in this sense only twice in the New Testament, but in both the Old and New Testaments the terms
are also used to denote breath, the vital staff of life. God's Holy Spirit moves like the wind, and breathes life into us from God. As God
breathed into Adam's nostrils the breath of life and Adam became a living soul (Gen. 2:7), so also those elected and redeemed must be
breathed upon by the Holy Ghost and thus spiritual life is divinely imparted. It is part of God's sovereign work of grace! As Jesus is the
"Word," so the Holy Spirit is the "Breath" of God, by which dead sinners are made alive, born again. Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say
unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live" (John 5:25).
With the voice there is breath, for it is impossible to talk without breathing. By the Holy Spirit we are born again and made new
creatures (2 Cor. 5:17). When we hear about the natural birth of a child, there is often the feeling of joy; even so there should be great
joy when we see or hear the evidence that one has been born of the Holy Spirit.
Second, as the Holy Spirit quickens and makes us alive in Jesus, He also makes His abode within us. That means the Holy Spirit dwells
within us and we become His temple or abiding place. Paul said, "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost,
which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?" (l Cor. 6:19). Our bodies become a building in which part of God
lives, and they are therefore to be used for His glory and honor. Since God is light (l John 1:5), when the Holy Spirit takes His abode in
us, there is light within. No wonder that Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify
your Father which is in heaven" (Mt. 5:16).The light of God's presence (the Holy Spirit) shines within us to give the glorious knowledge of
spiritual illumination and understanding (2 Cor. 4:6). When that light radiates through all our words and deeds, we then live to the glory
of God.
Third, as He lives in us, we are to follow the leadership of His presence. Because He lives within us, He leads us. David said, "He
restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake" (Ps. 23:3). Such divine leadership is from the Holy
Spirit according to Paul, who said, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Rom. 8:14). This divine
leadership manifests that we have been saved by the work of His grace; therefore, as children of God we are to follow His Spirit. No wonder
that John admonished us to "try the spirits whether they are of God ..." (1 John 4: 1). We will likely follow some spirit, and there are many
spirits that will lead us: the spirit of Satan, the spirit of carnality or the flesh, and the Spirit of God. As we follow God's Holy Spirit, He
becomes the guide that will show us the way through this world of sin and sorrow. Jesus said, "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is
come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew
you things to come" John 16:13). If only we would daily follow this divine guide, we would be able to detour around many pitfalls, hurts,
and sins.
Fourth, not only does the Holy Spirit dwell in us to lead and guide us but also to comfort us. This is a vital part of Christian experience.
There are many things that disturb and beset us, so we need to be comforted. Jesus promised, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall
give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because
it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him: for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you" John 14:16-17).Jesus went
on to declare that He would comfort us as does the Holy Spirit. He speaks to our hearts in the darkest hours of life, giving the reassurance
that we need. It behooves us to listen to His voice and by hearing we shall be helped.
Fifth, consider the filling of the Holy Ghost. As the Holy Spirit indwells each believer, living in his soul, He enlightens, leads, and
comforts. While all this immeasurably blesses our lives, we still need to experience the filling of the Holy Spirit. The filling of the Holy
Spirit does not mean that we have more of Him, but rather that He has more of us. Paul admonished us, "And be not drunk with wine,
wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit..." (Eph. 5:18). Not all believers are so filled. An urgent question is: How can we be people
who are filled? The answer is not complicated. When we turn our lives from the ways of the world and carnality, giving them to the
things of God, then our lives are filled with the Spirit. If we are divided between God and mammon (wealth), then we are not filled with the
Spirit (Mt. 6:24). To be filled with the Spirit is to give all our lives, unhindered, uncontested, and be directed by the Spirit. As He leads
us in all responsibilities, so we are committed to follow Him. Such filling will impart to us a greater power to live holy lives than we have
previously known. Those who are filled with the Spirit of God will find joy and happiness in a measure never known before. The more
we are filled with the Spirit of God, the more meaningful our lives become.
In conclusion I admit that this study has not begun to reveal all that the Holy Spirit does. Realistically I recognize that I could exhaust
my life and yet not exhaust all that could be written about the Holy Spirit. I am happy that He dwells within my frail frame, leading my
mind, comforting my heart, and filling more and more of my life each year that I live. That is how it should be and I pray it shall continue
for each of us in all our tomorrows. I bless the Holy Spirit of God.
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