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Knowing the Holy Spirit as a "He" and Not as an "It" (Article 17-8)
For many, understanding who and what the Holy Spirit is can be difficult and confusing. To some, the Holy Spirit is a mystical power that hovers around and envelops the world. The Holy Spirit appears to be intangible and eludes our sense of knowledge and understanding. To others, the Holy Spirit may appear to be an inanimate object that is void of form, inviting us to refer to the Holy Spirit as an "it." The fact is that the Holy Spirit, like the Father and the Son, is a "He" - a divine and Holy Being. He is the essence of God the Father and God the Son. Of the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of both.
The Holy Spirit is “All Knowing”
The Holy Spirit is all knowing (omniscience) and knows everything about us, even those things that we are yet to know. Psalm 139 attests to this point. In this Psalm, the Psalmist states in verses 1-6, that “You have searched…and know me.” You know when I sit…and rise”. “You know my thoughts.” “Before a word is on my tongue…you know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me". 1 Corinthians, Paul tells us that the Holy Spirit searches for all things and that it knows all of God's thoughts. "The Holy Spirit constantly searches all things, thus giving Him divine wisdom. “The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.” (1 Corinthians 2:10-12). The Holy Spirit also teaches us about God and His plan for the future. “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own… and he will tell you what is yet to come". (John 16:12,13).
The Holy Spirit is “All Present”
The Holy Spirit is everywhere, and there is no place one can go to escape the Spirit’s presence (omnipresence). “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where I can I go to flee your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” (Psalm 139:7-10). No matter where we may desire to flee, we cannot escape the Holy Spirit’s presence. We can look to the north and the south, and to the East and the West, He is there. We can look to the heavens and the depths of hell, and the Holy Spirit is present. There is no space we can occupy that the Holy Spirit is not already occupying.
The Holy Spirit is “All Powerful”
The Holy Spirit’s power is limitless (omnipotent). His power is displayed in the acts of creation which are still performed in the world; such as with the creation and birth of men and women. (Psalm 104:29,30). In Genesis 1, you will see even more the Holy Spirit’s power. “The earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” The Holy Spirit came, commanded the darkness to separate, and as He moved over it, all the different pieces of matter came into their places, and it was no longer “formless and empty;” but became round and had motion. He makes all the things come and work together. He brings order where there is nothing but confusion and chaos.
Scripture refers to the Holy Spirit’s role in the creation of Christ. Though our Lord Jesus Christ was born of a woman and made in the likeness of sinful flesh, He was conceived entirely from Holy Spirit. The Angel Gabriel said to Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the “Most High” will overshadow you. So, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). He created and shaped the body of Jesus, and with this we see the creative energy of the Holy Spirit revealed.
The Holy Spirit is “All Loving”
The Holy Spirit’s love for us is boundless (omnibenevolence). It is by way of the Holy Spirit can we begin to understand God’s love for scripture tells us “…the fruit of the Spirit is love.” (Galatians 5:22). It is by way of the Holy Spirit can we begin to understand who we are to God and how we are to be to others: patient, kind, meek, humble, respectful, selfless, joyful, and forgiving. It is only by the Holy Spirit can we feel fearless, trustful, hopeful, and protected. It is only by way of the Holy Spirit can we find and know the truth (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). It is for these reasons we are called to be “like Christ,” and so by doing, we are given Holy Spirit's power, for He is the Spirit of Christ and God's Spirit. As believers, our calling is to let Him take control of our soul, allowing us to feel the Father’s Love and the Love of Christ.
Be Assured That the Holy Spirit is In You
We receive the Holy Spirit the moment we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.” (1 Corinthians 12-13). Romans 8:9 tells us that if a person does not possess the Holy Spirit, he or she does not belong to Christ: “You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” Ephesians 1:13-14 teaches us that the Holy Spirit is the seal of salvation for all those who believe. “Having 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.” Yes, as believers in Jesus Christ, we are both "marked" and "sealed." No other creature has the mark and seal of God! No other creature is set-aside (sanctified) because of this mark and seal, for we are His children. He is ours, and we are His! We are to be "one" with the Father for eternity! Rouse the Christ in you and His Spirit (the Holy Spirit). Always remember that apart from Christ, we can do nothing!