I received an email from a lady voicing the questions I believe many Christians have. While I don’t feel qualified to expound on the subject, I am hoping this post will open up a conversation, and we can engage in a bit of sharpening of each other.
The issue this woman was contacting me about was the Holy Spirit…the member of the Trinity that many Christians simply do not have a clear understanding about.
Here is the nutshell answer that I gave the lady who emailed me: You are not the only person to have questions about the Holy Spirit. By and large the church has ignored the Spirit, because they just don’t quite know what to make of Him. It is as you say…He was sent by Christ to be with us and indwell believers after Christ departed earth. His functions are numerous…Comforter, Teacher, Guide, Convicts of sin, and so much else. He can be grieved and quenched. He is a person and not an ‘it’, as so many people refer to Him. I believe He is the one who helps us know how to make good decisions because He knows the will of the Father. He convicts us of sin in our lives and helps us humble ourselves before God. He is the indwelling Spirit of Christ in each believer.
Let’s go straight to the One who introduced the Holy Spirit to see if my answer was correct. In John 14 – 16, Jesus teaches the disciples about the Holy Spirit, who would be sent to them after He was crucified and gone back to heaven. Consider the following:
- John 14: 26 (NKJV) – the Helper; He will teach you; He will call to your remembrance.
- John 15: 26 (NKJV) – the Spirit of Truth who testifies of Me.
- John 16:8 (NKJV) – He will convict of sin and righteousness and judgment
- John 16: 13 (NKJV) – He will guide you. He will speak what He hears from the Father
HOLY SPIRIT: HELPER, TEACHER, REMINDER, SPEAKER OF TRUTH, CONVICTS OF SIN, GUIDE. Some translations also call the Him the COMFORTER.
When you toss all that together, you find that the Holy Spirit is a vital part of the life of a Christian. Allow me to illustrate using a fictitious woman whom we will call Tiffany. Tiffany has recently gone to a ladies conference where she heard a speaker talk about Jesus and she is intrigued.
The Holy Spirit is the member of the Trinity that begins to massage Tiffany’s heart to move her toward a saving knowledge of Christ. Once she accepts Christ, the Holy Spirit then teaches her the ways of Jesus by targeting Scriptures toward her heart. He guides her to make good and right decisions, such as joining a small group Bible study and finding godly friends. She can make wise decisions concerning her personal life, such as dating and career choices because the Holy Spirit knows the plans that God has for her, however, she must ask Him for His guidance. The Spirit helps Tiffany when her mother becomes ill with cancer and dies by bringing comfort and peace to her heart through the Bible, a song, and the comforting words of a friend or pastor. His actions within Tiffany’s moldable, teachable heart bring conviction when she tells a lie or is tempted to become sexually involved with her boyfriend. The Spirit reminds and prompts Tiffany in many ways each and every day as she seeks to live a life devoted to Jesus.
Francis Chan has written a marvelous book on the Holy Spirit entitled Forgotten God. I would highly recommend it to anyone who desires to better understand the person of the Holy Spirit.
MEDITATION MOMENT: Ok, friends, what thoughts or questions do you have about the Holy Spirit?
