Pneumotology I: Who Is The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament

• Creation – The Spirit hovered over the waters and served as an active agent with creation (Gen. 1:2).
• Life – The Spirit gives (Gen. 2:7) and sustains life (Gen. 6:3).
• Understanding – Joseph’s ability to interpret Pharaoh’s dream was due to the Spirit (Gen. 41:38).
• Equips – The Spirit gives gifts to God’s people to accomplish God’s purposes (Ex. 35:31).
• Filling – Moses prayed for all to be filled with the Spirit and speak as prophets (Num. 11:29; cf. Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:17-18).
• Encounter – The Spirit came upon individuals to accomplish His will (Num. 24:2; 27:18).
• Deliverance – The Spirit empowers certain judges to accomplish deliverance for the people (Judg. 3:10; 6:34; 11:29; 13:25).
• Transformation – The Spirit transformed King Saul into “another man” (1 Sam. 10:6).
• Transportation – The Spirit moved certain prophets to other locations (1 Kgs. 18:12; 2 Kgs. 2:16).
• Forgiveness – David’s hope after sin was that God would not remove the Holy Spirit from him (Ps. 51:11).
• Sovereignty – The Spirit is sovereign over us and requires no counsel (Isa. 40:13).
• Regeneration – The new covenant is brought about by the LORD providing a new spirit (Ezek. 36:26).

The Holy Spirit was not inactive until the time of the New Testament.

The Holy Spirit in the New Testament

• Incarnation – Mary’s conception of Jesus is due to the power of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 1:20).
• Awareness – Simeon knew that he would see the Messiah before his death due to the Spirit’s witness (Luke 1:25-26).
• Manifestation – The Spirit comes upon Jesus at His baptism in the form of a dove looking for a place to rest (Matt. 3:15).
• Direction – The Spirit prompted Jesus to enter the wilderness (Mark 1:12; Lk. 4:1-2).
• Sufficiency – The Holy Spirit is given without measure (John 3:34).
• Power – Jesus credited the power of the Holy Spirit for casting out demons (Matt. 12:28).
• Blasphemy – Jesus warned against blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Matt. 12:31).
• Empowerment – Jesus told the disciples that the Holy Spirit possessed the power they needed to accomplish His mission (Acts 1:8).
• Residence – The Holy Spirit filled the disciples on Pentecost (Acts 2:4).
• Prerequisite – Deacons and overseers needed to be full of the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:3; 20:28).
• Indwelling – The Spirit indwells all true believers (Rom. 8:10).
• Instruction – Paul credited the Spirit with providing the powerful teaching Christians needed (1 Cor. 2:4-5; 2 Tim. 3:16-17). *Paul refers to the Spirit 145 times.

The Holy Spirit was not second-string during the time of the New Testament.

The Paraclete

John 16:5-15

What Jesus Taught About the Spirit

• The Paraclete means that the Holy Spirit is our “Helper.”
• Having God inside us is a greater advantage than having God beside us.
• The Holy Spirit will never contradict the Holy Bible.
• If we depend on the Spirit to provide new truth, that implies that the old truth is insufficient.
• The Spirit guides us in applying biblical truth to a particular situation.

How to Know If the Spirit Is Leading

• If you think the Spirit is leading you and yet the path contradicts the Scriptures, you are hearing the voice of the demonic.
• If your spirituality causes distractions for others, you better check your motives and practices.
• Flippantly blaming the Spirit for your decisions is the sin of taking God’s name in vain.
• You can often discern the leading of the Spirit by His saying “no” to what your flesh desires.
• We aim to fill our churches with people, but Jesus desires to fill the people with His Spirit.
• You don’t lead the Holy Spirit – the Holy Spirit leads you.
• If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit (Gal. 5:25).
• The Bible tells us what to do; the Spirit guides us when and how to do it.