Among the Godhead—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—it is the Spirit of the Living God who abides in us, guiding us toward the great destiny God has prepared for us.
“Like cattle that go down into the valley, the Spirit of the Lord gave them rest. Thus You led Your people, to make for Yourself a glorious name.” (Isaiah 63:14)
The Holy Spirit is the third member of the triune Godhead: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He is inseparable from the Father and the Son, sharing the same nature, character, and identity. Yet, He is a unique Person, possessing His own specific identity and function, just as Jesus and the Father do.
The Holy Spirit is not merely a power or force—He is a Person. He purifies like fire, cleanses like water, and refreshes like the wind, but these are manifestations of His presence, not His essence. The One who comes upon you and dwells within you forever is a Person. If He were just an energy, He would not be grieved. If He were merely a force, He could not be quenched. Because He is a Divine Person, He can be resisted, afflicted, and wounded.
We must know and relate to the Holy Spirit as a Person. His roles—teaching, guiding, comforting, instructing, correcting, inspiring, indicating, and reminding—all affirm His personhood.
When Jesus introduced the Holy Spirit to the apostles, He presented Him as a Person, just like Himself:
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, because He abides with you, and He will be in you.” (John 14:15-17)
The word “another” used by Jesus is “allos,” meaning “of the same kind.” He did not use “heteros,” which means “of a different kind.” This indicates that the Holy Spirit is of the same nature as Jesus. The term “abide” in Greek is “meno,” meaning “to stay permanently.” Jesus assured the disciples that the Holy Spirit would not come and go but would dwell with them forever.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, always encouraging us to walk in truthfulness. Jesus emphasized that “the world cannot receive Him” because it does not know or see Him. Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as “He” over sixteen times, affirming His personhood.
He is powerful.
He is gentle.
He is awesome.
The Role of the Holy Spirit in Our Lives
Thomas Aquinas once said, “No one can arrive at the inheritance of the land of the blessed unless he is moved and led by the Holy Spirit.”
The Holy Spirit equips us with His gifts, empowers us with His charisms, and enriches us with His fruit. Studying the Word of God leads us to experience the baptism of the Holy Spirit—an overwhelming experience of being filled with His presence. This encounter releases the “Presence” of the Lord within us, leading to an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. After this, the Holy Spirit resides in us with power, activating spiritual gifts and allowing us to experience Him tangibly.
The Divine Nature of the Holy Spirit
Many people claim to be “god” in this world, but they cannot prove themselves to be divine. They lack omnipotence (all-powerful), omnipresence (present everywhere), and omniscience (all-knowing). The Holy Spirit, however, possesses all these attributes. He is God and He is eternal.
“I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, and who, together with the Father and the Son, is to be adored and glorified, who spoke through the prophets.”
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)
It is God’s desire for us to have an intense, glorious, and deep experience with the Person of the Holy Spirit. Recognizing the Holy Spirit as a Person—not just a power or energy—allows us to build a meaningful relationship with Him. Get to know Him, and experience the transformative power of His presence.
The Reality of His Presence
Understanding the Holy Spirit as a Person is the key to a deeper, more fulfilling spiritual life. Through Him, we experience God’s guidance, comfort, and empowerment. Let us embrace His presence and allow Him to lead us into the fullness of God’s plan for our lives.
