The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit

[Javanut]

THE DOCTRINE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: THEOLOGY 101

His Personality

A. Proved by His Characteristics

He is intelligent - 1 Cor 2:10 For to us God revealed {them} through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.
1 Cor 2:11 For who among men knows the {thoughts} of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the {thoughts} of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.

He has feelings - Eph 4:30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

He has will - 1 Cor 12:11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

B. Proved by His Works

He teaches - John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

He guides - Rom 8:14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

He commissions - Acts 13:4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus.

He commands men - Acts 8:29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join this chariot."

He restrains - Gen 6:3 Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years."

He intercedes - Rom 8:26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for {us} with groanings too deep for words;

He speaks - John 15:26 "When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, {that is} the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me,

C. Proved by what is ascribed to Him

He can be obeyed - Acts 10:19 While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are looking for you.
Acts 10:20 "But get up, go downstairs and accompany them without misgivings, for I have sent them Myself."
Acts 10:21 Peter went down to the men and said, "Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?"

He can be lied to - Acts 5:3 But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back {some} of the price of the land?

He can be resisted - Acts 7:51 "You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.

He can be reverenced - Ps 51:11 Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

He can be blasphemed - Matt 12:31 "Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.

He can be outraged - Heb 10:29 How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?

The Deity of the Spirit

A. Proved by His Names

1 Cor 6:11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

Rom 8:15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!"

John 14:16 "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;

B. Proved by His characteristics

Omniscience - 1 Cor 2:10-11 (Cited above)

Omnipresence - Psa 139:7

Omnipotence - Zech 4:6 Then he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts.

Truth - 1 John 5:6 This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

Holiness - Luke 11:13 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will {your} heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?"

Life - Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

Wisdom - Is 40:13 Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, Or as His counselor has informed Him?
Is 40:14 With whom did He consult and {who} gave Him understanding? And {who} taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge And informed Him of the way of understanding?

Types of the Holy Spirit

Clothing - Luke 24:49 "And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."

Dove - Matt 3:16 After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove {and} lighting on Him,

Earnest (downpayment) - 2 Cor 1:22 who also sealed us and gave {us} the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.

Fire - Acts 2:3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.

Oil - Luke 4:18 "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED,

Seal - Eph 1:13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,

Servant - Gen 24

Water - John 7:37 Now on the last day, the great {day} of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.
John 7:38 "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'"
John 7:39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet {given,} because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Wind - John 3:8 "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going;

All scriptures NASB
Adapted from Ryrie Study Bible

[Bek]

and he is a he!

Good study, will study up on it some more. Thanks for sharing it Crystal, and taking the time to post it up!

[Javanut]

You are correct - the Holy Spirit is a person - not some mystical force.

[Irene]

He performs miracles like casting out demons - Mat 12:28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.

He moves upon the hearts and consciences of men to prophesy and to see visions -
Act 2:17 "And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.
Act 2:18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy.

He fills us and baptizes us with Himself -

Eph 5:18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,

Act 11:15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning.
Act 11:16 Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, "John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'

[spirit1st]

Wonderful teaching!

Mar 13:11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

1Jn 2:20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.


1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.


Luk 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

1Co 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

2Co 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen
.koino¯nia
koy-nohn-ee'-ah
From G2844; partnership, that is, (literally) participation, or (social) intercourse, or (pecuniary) benefaction: - (to) communicate (-ation), communion, (contri-), distribution, fellowship.


1Jn 2:27 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.

Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit,

Rom 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

1Co 12:11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

[Javanut]

John 16:7-11 ESV
(7) Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
(8) And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:
(9) concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;
(10) concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer;
(11) concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

Here's something to ponder:

The work of the Holy Spirit is to convict men of sin. Therefore, if there is no conviction of sin - the Holy Spirit is not at work.

Let that sink in for a few minutes - where there is no conviction of sin - the Holy Spirit is not at work.

[WhiteCoat]

Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. 1 John 3:21-24

I guess that if the Spirit is not working in us, He may not live in us.