Walking in the Spirit (The Person of the Holy Spirit)

Aim: To understand who the Holy Spirit is and what roles He plays in our lives

Text: Gal 5:25, Jn 14:16-17, Rom 8:16, Acts 1:8

INTRODUCTION 

To be able to walk in the Spirit, we must first of all understand who the Spirit is as this will enhance our spiritual growth and facilitate flourishing fellowship with Him. So much have been said about the Holy Spirit; Jesus told His disciples the importance of Him leaving, so that the Comforter (the Holy Spirit) can come and gave them some of the advantages of having the Holy Spirit (Jn 14:16-17; 16:5-8). He also told them not to leave Jerusalem until they are baptised with Him (the Holy Spirit) - Acts 1:4. But who really is the Holy Spirit and what are His functions in our lives as believers? These are the questions we will be answering in our today's study.

Understanding the Person of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the Almighty. He possesses the characteristics that God alone possesses;

·         He is Omnipresent - He can be everywhere - Ps 139:7-10

·         He is Omniscient - He knows all things - 1Cor 2:10

·         He is Omnipotent - He is all powerful - Luke 1:35

·         He is the Creator - Job 33:4

The Holy Spirit is not a wind; neither is He a force, nor a fire, nor a dove. Holy Spirit is a person, He has emotions (Eph 4:30), He has a will (1Cor 12:11), He has a mind (Rom 8:27), He speaks (Acts 13:2, 10:19), He teaches (Jan 14:26), He can be grieved (Eph 4:30).

Functions of the Holy Spirit in the Believer's Life

The Holy Spirit does a lot of things for the believer too numerous to write down. A few are listed below;

·         The Holy Spirit teaches the believer the way of God - Jan 14:26

·         The Holy Spirit gives the believer assurance of his salvation and awareness of his sonship - Rom 8:14-16, Gal 4:6, 1Cor 2:12

·         The Holy Spirit guides the believer in the way of Truth - Jan 16:13

·         The Holy Spirit is the source of miraculous power - Rom 15:19

·         The Holy Spirit helps the believer to pray in God's will - Rom 8:26-28

·         The Holy Spirit equips the believer for service - Acts 1:8, Acts 10:38

·         He is a Comforter - Jan 14:16

·         He releases His gifts upon believers according to the need for the time - 1Cor 12:7-11

·         Mention others

 CONCLUSION

The Holy Spirit is God and not a lesser figure in the Godhead. He has been since the beginning and was active in the creation of the world (Gen 1:1). His roles in our lives as believers cannot be overemphasized and He treasures the fellowship of God's children. To walk in the Spirit is to know the Holy Spirit and to fellowship constantly with Him