05.03 - Chapter 26 - Characteristics of the Holy Spirit
Chapter 26 CHARACTERISTICS of THE HOLY SPIRIT The Personality of the Spirit The Spirit of God is a Person as much as the Father and the Son are Persons. The Divine personality of the Holy Spirit is manifested.
• The Holy Spirit of God has a Mind
Romans 8:27 “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”
• The Holy Spirit of God has a Will
1 Corinthians 12:11 “But all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will”
• The Holy Spirit of God Prohibits
Acts 16:6-7 “Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, after they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.”
• The Holy Spirit of God Guides
Acts 16:10 “And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.” The Holy Spirit of God Speaks
Acts 8:29 “Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.” (see also Acts 10:19; Acts 13:2; Revelation 2:7, Revelation 2:11, Revelation 2:17, Revelation 2:29; Revelation 3:6, Revelation 3:13, Revelation 3:22).
• The Holy Spirit of God has Emotions
Romans 15:30 “Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me.”
• The Holy Spirit of God can be Grieved Ephesians 4:30 “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”
Various Ministries of the Holy Spirit The ministries of the Holy Spirit are distinct.
• The Holy Spirit Restrains Evil Through Sanctification
♦ 2 Thessalonians 2:13 "But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth."
• The Holy Spirit Instructs In Righteousness
♦ John 14:26 "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."
• The Holy Spirit Awakens the Sin Saturated Soul to the Need of Salvation as He did with the Philippian Jailer
♦ Acts 16:29-31 "Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."
• The Holy Spirit Convicts of Sin
♦ Acts 2:37 "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?"
• The Holy Spirit Convinces the Sinner of the need for a Savior as Festus was Convinced when Paul Preached though He never came to Full Faith in Christ.
♦ Acts 26:28 "Then Agrippa said unto Paul, almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian."
• The Holy Spirit Persuades the Heart to come to Christ
♦ Titus 3:5-6 "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior."
• The Holy Spirit Regenerates The Soul
♦ John 3:6-8 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 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 every one that is born of the Spirit."
• The Holy Spirit Sanctifies Each Child of God
♦ Ephesians 3:14-16 "For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man." In all the various ministries of the Spirit it must be remembered that He is sovereign.
"The Spirit is like the wind. There is mystery, there is power, and we cannot chart the course of the Spirit. He is sovereign to do as He pleases, just as the wind blows where it lists. He did not use the same method or manner with Savonarola and Knox and Luther and Wesley and Moody.
Just as there are hurricanes and zephyrs, so the Spirit storms and soothes. He speaks in mighty tornado or gentlest whisper. The Spirit did not work in the Reformation as He did in the Great Awakening. With Whitefield He blew in one fashion, with Moody in another. The great Awakening was not like the Welsh Revival." (The Wind and the Spirit, by Vance Havner)