"Who Is the Holy Ghost?" – Understanding the Person, Not Just the Power

Focus: The identity, personality, and divinity of the Holy Ghost.

Key Scriptures: John 14:16-17, Acts 5:3-4, 2 Corinthians 13:14
Teaching Points:

• The Holy Ghost is not an it but a person—He speaks, teaches, grieves, and guides.

• Part of the Trinity—co-equal with the Father and Son.

• His role in the life of Jesus and the early Church.

New Living Translation Chapter 14

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

15 “If you love me, obey my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. 18 No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. 19 Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. 20 When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”

22 Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name) said to him, “Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large?”

23 Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. 24 Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me. 25 I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. 26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. 28 Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am. 29 I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe.

30 “I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me, 31 but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let’s be going.

As I take on the task to explain to you about the Holy Spirit or some so eloquently say the “Holy Ghost”, I find that this is one of the most important topics in the Bible. But yet this topic can be the most fulfilling or the most sensitive subject. Understanding the purpose of the Holy Spirit could just take a few minutes to explain but yet it could be the most in depth subject that the believer can seek after. To fit the explanation and the understanding of the Holy Spirit in one study would do Him and injustice. To explain the Holy Spirit in just one lessen would be like having just an apitizer and leaving the restaurant without eating the main course.

We are living in a world where everything that pastor’s teach now-a-days is being scrutinized. Everything that pastor’s are teaching are being turned into a reel and the person posting the reel seems like they are out to expose false teaching, etc. We are living in a world that social media makes it hard to cipher who is right and who is wrong. I am saying this because I want to make one thing clear, those that lesson to Lady Carlette and myself, we are here to make sure that we explain and teach the World of God to the best of our abilities and what God has given us. Understand this, we are infallible just like everyone else. We to sometimes miss the mark. We are just like everyone else, a family striving to do the Will of the Father who sent us to pastor Ascend Worship Center. Therefore we are going to teach, preach and say what God wants us to say. We will be led by the Holy Spirit. We will strive to invoke His presence in the room.

Pray

To understand the basic concept of who the Holy Spirit is, we must first understand who God is. We must first understand who Jesus is. Once we do that, we can then understand and relate to who the Holy Spirt is. Growing up as a child, I always correlated the deity of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit as water, ice and vapor. You have all three which some people say is the trinity but they are all one. They come in different forms just like the water, ice and vapor but they all form the molecules of H2O. Those who know chemistry would say that this is two hydrogen molecules and one oxgen. This is often referred to as being crucial for all known forms of life and is the most common solvent on Earth.

The oneness of God is so elementary but so complex. The oneness of God we can only read about in His world and then to understand it, would take a life time. The oneness of God and how He is talked about in three different forms to some is mind blogging.

This first less, Understanding the Person, Not just the power, I want to dive into the depths of understanding how He speaks, how he grieves and how He guides us. The Holy Spirt.

Holy Spirit, I ask that you come in this room. Holy Spirit I ask that you minister to our thoughts. Holy Spirit I ask that you presence will fill this room. Holy Spirit, I ask that you will speak to us. Speak Holy Spirit. Help us to understand who you are. Thank you Holy Spirit. Selah moment.

We can look throughout the old testament and find where God is speaking to various people in the bible. How he was putting things together. How he would allow His people to have victories of battles. How He would would build up nations. Our God is represented by so many names in the old testament:

El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty)

El Elyon (The Most High God)

Adonai (Lord, Master)

Yahweh (Lord, Jehovah)

Jehovah Nissi (The Lord My Banner)

Jehovah-Raah (The Lord My Shepherd)

Jehovah Rapha (The Lord That Heals)

Jehovah Shammah (The Lord Is There)

Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness)

Jehovah Mekoddishkem (The Lord Who Sanctifies You)

El Olam (The Everlasting God)

Elohim (God)

Qanna (Jealous)

Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide)

Jehovah Shalom (The Lord Is Peace)

Jehovah Sabaoth (The Lord of Hosts)

God is represented by all these names.

As we move over to the new testament we find where Jesus comes on the scene. There is one scripture that for tells of Jesus coming:

Matthew 3:11–12 “11 “I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12 He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.””

John know that even though he was preparing the people for the coming of Jesus, that what it he was doing what nothing compared to what was about to be, what was about to come to settle in the earth, what was about to change life so significantly as they knew it back then.

Have you ever has something happen in your life that it changed your trajectory? Have you had something so major happen that it changed the way you look at things now? Have you had something so, what Lady Carlette and I call, a life’s interruptions, that it altered your whole being? I know that you have heard about people that have died and went to heaven and came back to tell what they had experienced?

This is what John the Baptist was trying to let the people know. Look, y’all tripping over what I’m doing, but there’s a person coming who I’m not worthy even to be his slave or carry his sandals.

Jesus was and is the carrier of the anointing.

Just like us, Jesus was baptised and during this process, the Spirit of God came down descending as a dove and came upon him.

The Message of the Trinity: Life in God b. Jesus Is Empowered for Ministry

Jesus’ baptism opened a new chapter in his life. As he came out of the water he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. The dove subsequently became a well known Christian symbol for the Holy Spirit, but what was it that made it suitable as a symbol for the Spirit in the first place? It is likely that there are two dimensions to this. The first is that the dove is a sign of a new covenant: it was a dove which returned to Noah with an olive leaf, indicating that the flood was coming to an end, and which therefore acted as a herald of God’s forthcoming covenant never to send another flood to destroy the earth (

So much can be unpacked from this but for the study have to move on.

This man we call Jesus, just like God had so many names, Jesus also was called various names as well.

1. Jesus

Meaning: "The Lord saves" (Greek form of Joshua)

Reference: Matthew 1:21 – "You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."

2. Christ (Messiah)

Meaning: "Anointed One"

Reference: Matthew 16:16 – “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

3. Son of God

Emphasizes: His divine nature

Reference: John 3:16 – "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son..."

4. Son of Man

Emphasizes: His humanity and messianic role (also a fulfillment of Daniel 7:13)

Reference: Mark 10:45 – "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve..."

5. Lord

Greek: "Kyrios" — emphasizes authority and divinity

Reference: Romans 10:9 – "If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord..."

6. Lamb of God

Emphasizes: His role as the perfect sacrifice for sin

Reference: John 1:29 – "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

7. Emmanuel (Immanuel)

Meaning: "God with us"

Reference: Matthew 1:23 – "They shall call his name Emmanuel..."

8. The Word (Logos)

Emphasizes: His pre-existence and divine expression

Reference: John 1:1 – "In the beginning was the Word..."

9. The Bread of Life

Emphasizes: Spiritual nourishment and sustenance

Reference: John 6:35 – "I am the bread of life..."

10. The Light of the World

Emphasizes: His role in overcoming darkness

Reference: John 8:12 – "I am the light of the world..."

11. The Good Shepherd

Emphasizes: His care and sacrificial leadership

Reference: John 10:11 – "I am the good shepherd..."

12. The Way, the Truth, and the Life

Reference: John 14:6 – "I am the way, the truth, and the life..."

13. King of Kings and Lord of Lords

Emphasizes: Supreme authority

Reference: Revelation 19:16 – "King of kings and Lord of lords."

14. Savior

Reference: Luke 2:11 – "For unto you is born... a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

15. The Resurrection and the Life

Emphasizes: His power over death

Reference: John 11:25 – "I am the resurrection and the life..."

16. The True Vine

Emphasizes: Our connection to Him

Reference: John 15:1 – "I am the true vine..."

17. The Alpha and the Omega

Meaning: The beginning and the end

Reference: Revelation 22:13 – "I am the Alpha and the Omega..."

18. Prince of Peace

Reference: Isaiah 9:6 (fulfilled in New Testament understanding)

19. Bridegroom

Reference: Matthew 9:15 – "The bridegroom is with them..."

These names represent the dimensions of the characters of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

The purpose of the Holy Spirit is to give the believer POWER, but again to understand what this power is we have to understand who He is.

John 14:15–17 “15 “If you love me, obey my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.”

This scripture is so powerful. In a sense, it can sum up who the Holy spirit is.

This scripture was given at a time when Jesus was preparing the minds of his disciples on what was to come. He knew that his death was coming soon. He wanted them to not to worry because he was going to send a comforter, the Holy Spirit.

But in order to receive the Holy Spirit, Jesus said first you must love me and obey my commandments. This was the key for Jesus to go to the Father and ask him to give you an Advocate.

Notice another name for the Holy Spirit, Advocate.

This advocate will never leave you.

The Holy Spirit has the ability to lead you into all truth.

The world cannot receive him because they are looking for him but don’t recognize him. Have you ever thought that you had lost something and it’s right in front of your face.

Those that are in the world, if they only believed, if they only would look for him, if they only would turn to the Living God and say yes to him, they would be able to received the Holy Spirit.

The next part of vs. 17 is proof that God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are one.

Jesus said, look, You know him because he live with you. Jesus was made flesh so that people could see him and touch him. He is around the discpiles. But once he is gone, You can have the Holy Spirit living in you. This person that you see in the flesh, will be inside of you. Telling you what to do. Giving you instruction. Giving you truth.

The Holy Spirit is so precious.

The Holy Spirit is so gentle.

The Holy Spirit is so gracious towards us.

All while I was studying about the Holy Spirit, I felt like this moment is very sentimental. Like it is worth more that we could ever imagine.

You truly want to know who the Holy Spirit is?

You truly want to know what He can do in your life?

You truly want to here him speak to you?

Trust Him, Love him, obey His commandments. Receive him.

More Sermon Starters 30. What the Holy Spirit Is in Us!

Consider the many things Jesus said the Holy Spirit would do for the believer.

1. He is our “Counselor,” “Comforter,” “Paraclete.”

2. He is our Teacher: “He will teach you all things” (

More Sermon Starters 30. What the Holy Spirit Is in Us!

R.A. Torrey said, “It is not a question of you getting more of the Holy Spirit, but of the Holy Spirit getting more of you.” You cannot use the Holy Spirit; you can let Him use you.

Dear Lord Jesus,

I believe that You are the Son of God. I believe that You came to Earth. You lived and You died on the cross.

You shed Your blood. They buried You and for three days You remained in the grave, but on the third day God raised You from the dead, and today You are alive forever more.

Jesus I believe this and I receive You as my Lord, and as my Savior. I ask that You forgive me of my sins and with that I thank You Lord for forgiving me of all my sins.

Thank you Lord for saving me. Right Now I Am Saved