Attributes of the Holy Spirit

2022-01-07

Previously, we have seen how the Holy Spirit is a Person and He is God. He also has many additional attributes.

First, His ministry is to point us to Jesus, not Himself. “Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God” (1 John 4:2). Jesus, in the upper room, told His disciples, “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me” (John 15:26).

Second, He is our primary Bible teacher. This is because “prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:21). If He was the one to impart the Scriptures to those prophets who wrote them down, then He also is going to be the chief interpreter of the Scriptures. “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him” (1 John 2:27). The Lord also tells us, “God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10).

Third, the Spirit sets us apart for specific works. He did this for Philip (Acts 8:26) and Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:2). He also empowers us to do those works: “For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ” (Romans 15:18-19).

We see the Spirit is the one who leads us to witness to others about Jesus: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Fourth, the Spirit prays on our behalf when we are unable:

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27)

There are times when we have no words because of the intensity of life. Even in those times that we cannot pray, the Spirit does it for us. This is a great comfort He provides.