The Holy Spirit

Who is the Holy Spirit?

This is a very important question because as Christians we believe in one God who exists in three persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

In fact, in the apostle’s creed, we recite this phrase:

I believe in the Holy Spirit.

Some religious groups say that the Holy Spirit is God’s power or a force emanating from God.

For Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Holy Spirit is not a who but a what.

The problem with this false belief is that the Bible reveals that the Holy Spirit is not a force but is actually a person.

In our reading today, we see that Paul is on his second missionary trip and we see the Holy Spirit working in the lives of Paul and his companions.

Hechos de los Apóstoles 16:6–7 NIV

6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.

Notice how Paul wants to preach the gospel in Asia but for some reason the Holy Spirit of God does not allow him to go there.

Then, in verse seven we see that the Spirit of Jesus, who is the Holy Spirit of God, does not allow them to enter Bithynia.

In these verses we see that the Holy Spirit is guiding the apostle Paul.

We are not given details as to how the Holy Spirit let Paul know that we was not to go to Asia or Bythinia.

All we read is that the Holy Spirit was clearly guiding him and Paul was obedient to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

As we grow in our christian life, we come to know God better.

One way that I would encourage you to grow is to ask the Holy Spirit to direct our lives.

Now, how can the Holy Spirit guide us?

Sometimes the Holy Spirit will use our parents advice.

Sometimes he will use our pastor to guide us.

Sometimes the Holy Spirit will speak to you through something you read in the Bible.

Other times, God’s Spirit will use simple common sense to direct our paths.

…and yet, there are times that God may do something very unusual and guide our path through a dream while we are asleep.

This is not the usual way God will guide us…but he’s done it in the past.

I don’t know what means the Holy Spirit will use to guide us in 2025, but one thing is for sure, we need the Spirit’s guidance so that we may walk according to God’s will.

Let’s pray: Holy Spirit, we know that you are God. We believe that you are alive and active in the lives of your people. We ask that you will guide us as we begin a new year. There are so many decisions that we must make that will impact our lives, our careers, our relationships - and we realize that without your guidance we will seek to do our own will. Guide us so that we may do God’s will. Teach us to listen through your voice as we receive godly advice, godly counsel from those that care about us…and let us also believe that you are certainly able to guide us in ways that we do not expect, in Jesus name we pray, Amen.