Holy Ghost
The personality of the Holy Ghost is proven in the fact that He does in fact have the attributes of a personality. Jesus tells us in so many
words that the Spirit of Truth is a He and connects Himself to the Spirit with an "I" that will not leave you comfortless and that even we are a part of that - in John 14:
And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the
Father, which, saith he, you have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost
not many days hence. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, will you at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which
the Father hath put in his own power. But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in
all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." ... This Jesus has God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God
exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he has shed forth this, which you now see and hear.
Paul also tells us of the spirit in man that bears witness to the Spirit of God in us in I Corinthians.
And John,
From Pentecost the Holy Spirit became the dominant reality in the life of the early church. We may readily accept that the
presence of the Holy Ghost is a gift conferred in justification, which they did not possess before and the Baptism with the Holy
Ghost can be an immersion of additional power subsequent to initial justification. "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you." The Holy Spirit was
to fulfil the work that Christ left undone and to prepare the way for the greater work which Christ Himself is coming back some day to complete. The great theme of the
Acts is the Holy Spirit coming and the power He was to bring. Many of us in full gospel ministries are present when suddenly a mighty wave of the Holy Ghost sweeps over
the altar of service and people are slain under the unmistakable power of God. It can only be denied if it has not been experienced.
The Holy Ghost leads one to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. He can be given to a person in small measure or given to a person in an immersion of profound power. If
you are lacking in the Holy Ghost, you may just ask and He will give of Himself abundantly.
The Holy Spirit helps us to pray, He helps us in our infirmities, the Holy Ghost delivers us from sin and all unrighteousness, He give us the power to resist temptation and the
wiles of the devil. You may sip conservatively of the new wine of the Holy Ghost or drink liberally. You may be sprinkled with the oil of the Holy Ghost or it may be poured
out without measure. Ask little, expect little, receive little. Ask much, expect much, receive much.
The Holy Ghost is the living Spirit of God and the third member of the Godhead. What was the difference between the Holy Spirit's
coming and His Old Testament manifestations? In the Old Testament He only came to certain persons, prominent leaders, to men called to be prophets or priests, or kings and perform some distinguished service. In the Old Testament
the Holy Ghost came upon them. On this day of Pentecost He came in them. He was with them at first, but now He enters and
becomes part of the inner life of the one in whom He dwells. It is a presence not just with us, but in us.
Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees Him not, neither knows Him: but you know Him; for He dwells with you, and shall
be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world sees me no more; but you see me: because I live, you shall live also. At that
day you shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you... 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." John 15:26. "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from
the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father, he shall testify of me.
As in the Nicene Creed,
we affirm that we believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son." Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will
send Him unto you. And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and you see me no more; Of judgment,
because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now. Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will
guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for He
shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. John 16.
But God has revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the
Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knows no
man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of
God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural
man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual
judges all things, yet he himself is judged of no man." ... "Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit
itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because He makes intercession
for the saints according to the will of God.
This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood.
And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the
Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. If we
receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he has testified of his Son.
And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and
you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asks, receives; and he that seeks, finds; and to him that knocks, it shall be opened. If a son shall ask
bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
If you 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?
[286, 328, 334, 384, 1 John 5:6-9, Acts 1:4-8, Acts 2:32-33, Luke 11:9-13, John 14:17-20; 15:26; 16, I Corinthians 2:10-15, Romans 8:26-27]
Issue Oriented Discussion Newsletter
Index | Search This Site | Aristide.Org | The Latter Rain | Babylon the Great | The Kingdom | The Nicolaitans | Jezebel
The Baptism With the Holy Ghost | The Grand Delusion | World Trade Org | Liberation Theology | Jay Atkinson | Alphabetical Index