The Promise, The Purpose, and the Power (3)

The Power and the Person

Luke 24:49 (NKJV)

49 “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

Luke 24:50 NKJV

50 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.

Luke 24:51 NKJV

51 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.

Luke 24:52 NKJV

52 And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,

The Holy Spirit is a Person - Not Just a Force

“Denial that the Spirit is a person often takes the form of substituting the concept that He is a personification of, say, power—much like claiming that Satan is a personification of evil. This denial of His personality has occurred throughout church history...” Charles Ryrie

“Denial that the Spirit is a person often takes the form of substituting the concept that He is a personification of, say, power—much like claiming that Satan is a personification of evil. This denial of His personality has occurred throughout church history, first by the Monarchians, the Arians, the Socinians, and today by Unitarians, liberals, and some neo-orthodox theologians. But there is a great deal of evidence that He is a person.” - Charles Ryrie (The Holy Spirit’s Personhood | Bible.org)

“Do you know who the Holy Spirit is? Do you understand the Holy Spirit in terms of a personal relationship? Or does the Spirit remain for you a vague, misty, abstract concept or an illusive, amorphous force? Forces in and of themselves are impersonal.

“But the Holy Spirit is not simply an abstract force. He is a person who empowers the people of God for the Christian life.” - R.C. Sproul (The Holy Spirit’s Personhood | Bible.org)

How does Scripture Reveal Holy Spirit as a Person?

Sometimes tonight I will remove the article “the” in order to emphasize the personhood of the Spirit rather than the entity.

1) Holy Spirit is Spoken of as a Person in Scripture

John 16:13–14 (NKJV)

13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.

Instead of using the pronoun “it,” Christ used the pronoun “he.” Similarly, Paul uses the pronoun “who” in reference to the Holy Spirit. In

Ephesians 1:13–14 (NKJV)

13 In Him* you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom* also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

*these are referencing Christ

14 who** is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

**this is refencing Holy Spirit

Ephesians 1:13–14 (NIV)

13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

Acts 13:1–2 (NKJV)

1 Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

2) Holy Spirit is Person like Christ was a Person

John 14:16 NKJV

16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—

the Greek word used for “another.” It literally means “another of the same kind.”3 Tony Evans said this about Christ’s choice of words:

“Jesus' choice of words emphasizes the unique work of the Spirit in continuing what He had begun while on earth without any loss of character, quality, power, or intimacy. Jesus could promise this because the Spirit is of equal divine essence with Jesus Himself.” - Tony Evans

3) Holy Spirit Demonstrates His Personality

Will

The Holy Spirit’s will is demonstrated in how he directs believers in carrying out God’s plans. For example, in Acts 13:1-2 , the Holy Spirit calls for the elders of the Antioch church to set apart Paul and Barnabas for missionary work. It says:

Acts 13:1–2 NKJV

1 Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

Now there were these prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen (a close friend of Herod the tetrarch from childhood) and Saul. While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

Likewise, the Holy Spirit demonstrates his “will” as he distributes spiritual gifts to each person in the body of Christ. First Corinthians 12:11 says, “It is one and the same Spirit, distributing as he decides to each person, who produces all these things.”

1 Corinthians 12:11 NKJV

11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

The Holy Spirit knows what gifts will serve each believer best; he knows what gifts a person will need in the future when his church needs an administrator, small group leader, or children’s pastor. We can be excited about our spiritual gifts because the Holy Spirit knows all things and distributes gifts for the glory of God. The Holy Spirit demonstrates personality as he makes decisions.

Intelligence

The Holy Spirit demonstrates intelligence as he teaches and guides believers. In John 14:26

John 14:26 NKJV

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 things that I said to you.

, Christ said this about him: “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and will cause you to remember everything I said to you.” In order to teach others, one must have intelligence, including knowledge and wisdom. The Holy Spirit is our teacher and as such generously distributes knowledge to us.

Intellect is also demonstrated in how the Holy Spirit knows the mind of God. In 1 Corinthians 2:9-11 , Paul said this about the Holy Spirit:

1 Corinthians 2:9–11 NKJV

9 But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.

But just as it is written, “Things that no eye has seen, or ear heard, or mind imagined, are the things God has prepared for those who love him.” God has revealed these to us by the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the things of a man except the man’s spirit within him? So too, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.

Paul said the Spirit knows the “deep” things of God (v. 10). There are many things that we cannot understand about God because they are too deep. We even struggle with what is revealed: “How can God be three persons in one, the Holy Trinity?” “How can God be in control of everything and yet we make free decisions?” and “How can Jesus be fully God and yet fully man?” We can’t fully understand these mysteries, but the Holy Spirit understands, as he knows the deeps things of God.

When Paul says the Holy Spirit “searches” and “knows” the things of God (v. 10-11), this demonstrates both the Holy Spirit’s distinctness from God the Father and their unity. Paul parallels the Holy Spirit’s knowledge of God with a person’s spirit knowing that person (v. 11). Certainly, this is a mystery.

Clearly, the Holy Spirit demonstrates personality through intellect. He knows God and his will and reveals it to people.

Emotion

The Holy Spirit also demonstrates personality through his emotions. Ephesians 4:29-30 teaches that the Holy Spirit can be grieved. It says:

Ephesians 4:29–30 NKJV

29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for the building up of the one in need, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

No doubt, many things grieve the Holy Spirit, but here Paul talks about how we shouldn’t grieve him by our speech. Since the Holy Spirit indwells believers, he is with us when we curse others, complain, or speak sexual jokes. All this grieves the Holy Spirit and therefore should grieve us. Again, this demonstrates his personality.

In addition, Galatians 5:22 says the fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, and patience, which are not only dispositions but emotions. Also, Scripture says the Holy Spirit experiences jealousy. James 4:4-5 (NKJV) says:

James 4:4–5 NKJV

4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?

Galatians 5:22 NKJV

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?

Though there is disagreement over what the word “Spirit” refers to, many see this as referring to the Holy Spirit being jealous over us. The Spirit demonstrates the same type of righteous jealousy a husband experiences when his wife cheats on him. The Holy Spirit demonstrates personality through his emotions.