Holy Spirit

What if death isn’t the end of a person’s existence? What if there is more to someone’s story after their heart, brain, and lungs cease to work? The Bible teaches that physical death is the end of one part of a person’s existence but the beginning of another. These topics make many people wonder what…

The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit indwells every Christian. One result of his presence in a believer’s life is that their character, attitude, and behavior become more like Jesus (or “Christlike”). The Apostle Paul used the metaphor of bearing fruit to describe the Spirit’s work in the lives of believers. Because of this, one…

Many believe that life, people, and the world feel different during the Christmas season. Some think that the idea that the world is in a collectively cheerful mood is a self-deceptive fantasy. Yet others believe that Christmas encourages more expression of goodness from people than other times of the year. For example, some are more…

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, along with the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ. From the time he hovered over the unfashioned waters at the dawn of creation (Gen. 1:2) to when he fell upon the early church at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4), he has been active in God’s plan for…

The Holy Spirit indwells every Christian. He is the fulfillment of Jesus Christ’s promise to all his followers of God’s ongoing presence and guidance (John 15:26; Acts 1:8). Though salvation is exclusively an act of God (Eph. 2:8), sanctification, that is maturing in holiness and Christlikeness, is cooperative. Therefore, a Christian’s choices, like walking in…

In the Bible, the name Jezebel is unflattering. As the wife of Ahab, she is one of the worst characters readers encounter in the Old Testament. And in the New Testament, Jesus himself refers to her when he rebukes a church for its evil ways. Because of these references, many people today associate the name…

The Holy Spirit is the same person in the Old and New Testaments. His nature and attributes didn’t change from the time he hovered over the waters before creation (Gen. 1:2) to when he rested on Jesus after his baptism (Matt. 3:16) to when he filled the early church on the day of Pentecost (Acts…

Feelings are an essential part of being human. Likewise, emotions are a necessary aspect of life. The Bible indicates that Christians experienced different feelings when they engaged with God in a faith-based relationship. But what should Christians anticipate today? Do feelings accompany every spiritual experience or just some? Moreover, what does the Holy Spirit feel…

The Bible teaches that a spiritual realm lies beyond the five senses of seeing, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. Though the unseen immaterial world is significantly different from the physical one, it’s real, influential, and affects Christians daily. In addition, Jesus and others in the Bible taught about an ongoing war involving the spiritual realm,…

One day when Jesus was passing through Samaria, he sat down beside a well because he was tired. There, he met a woman who came to draw water and struck up a conversation with her that eventually included the topic of worship. What Jesus told her about worshipping God in spirit and truth has been…

The possibility of blaspheming the Holy Spirit frightens many Christians because Jesus referred to it as unforgivable. The idea that there is a transgression that God’s grace and mercy don’t apply disturbs many believers who have decided to trust him as a disciple. “Did I commit this sin before I knew Jesus?” and “Did I…

The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is constantly at work in the life of Christians. Unlike a believer’s salvation in Jesus Christ, their sanctification, or spiritual growth, is a joint effort, which means they have responsibilities and obligations. In this regard, the Apostle Paul commands Christians to “be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18)….

The Bible is full of descriptions of the Holy Spirit’s nature and works, from Genesis to Revelation, making it clear that the third person of the Trinity is active in the lives of Christians. Furthermore, some New Testament writers refer to people receiving the Spirit, and many readers wonder what this means. Some Christians believe…

The New Testament contains numerous descriptions of the Holy Spirit’s work. People like John the Baptist, the Apostle Paul, and Jesus teach and give instructions to people regarding the third member of the Trinity. The Gospel writers, especially Luke in the book of Acts, also narrate the Holy Spirit’s work in history. One description many…

The Bible identifies the Holy Spirit as the third member of the Trinity, along with the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ. The Spirit has an inseparable unity with the Father and Son, yet he also has a unique role in the Godhead. In a foundational passage about the Holy Spirit, Jesus calls him “the…

In the book of Ephesians, Paul encourages Christians to pray in the Spirit. Jude also instructs believers to pray in the Spirit in his short letter. The context of the phrase in Ephesians is spiritual warfare, and in Jude, its perseverance. Even though the term in Ephesians is simply “the Spirit,” it refers to the…

In some Christian churches and denominations, “baptism of the Holy Spirit” is central to spiritual growth. The phrase is found several times in the New Testament, including in the Gospels and the writings of the Apostle Paul. Some Christian traditions refer to a person “receiving” baptism of the Holy Spirit after deciding to follow Jesus…

The fruit of the Holy Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23 is one of the most well-known passages in the New Testament. The Apostle Paul’s list of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control contrasts with the desires of the flesh listed in verses 18-21. Therefore, many readers are interested to know the…

Jesus’ teaching about the Holy Spirit is foundational to understanding the identity, nature, and ministry of the third person of the Trinity. Though the nine statements below don’t encompass all of what the Bible says about the Holy Spirit, it is important because Jesus has been in an eternal relationship with him, making him uniquely…

When a person lives according to their “flesh” or sinful nature, it produces results that are consistent with their fallen condition. When a person lives according to the Holy Spirit, it has different effects that are consistent with God’s righteous standards. Galatians 5:16-26 compares these different ways of life, contrasting the desires of the flesh…

Many people have heard of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit but are unsure what they are or where the Bible mentions them. Are they synonymous with spiritual gifts, or are they different? The confusion is that when readers add up the gifts in the relevant passage, they equal six, not seven. So it’s…

The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, has a unique role in the life of a Christian. In cooperation with the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ, he convicts non-believers of sin (John 16:7-11), regenerates them (John 3:1-8), and makes them new creations (2 Cor. 5:17). The Holy Spirit continues to work in…

One of the most common questions people have about the Holy Spirit is what it means to blaspheme him. People are curious about this because they know it’s an unforgivable sin, and some fear they have committed it. Knowing the statement’s context, including the exorcism Jesus performed and how the Pharisees responded to it, will…

The Bible teaches that a spiritual dimension lies behind the physical realm. It also says spiritual beings inhabit the non-material realm like angels and demons. The Bible also uses different words to distinguish between spiritual beings. For example, some angels are seraphim, and others are cherubim. Some people have heard of “familiar spirits” and wonder…