1

2

The Holy Spirit and Who He Really Is

nvestigating and exploring the personage and essence

of who the Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost) is, will

certainly make you stand up and take note of the third

deity of the Christian Godhead: the Holy Trinity. Most

people have difficulty comprehending this concept of

God. Yet as you study the Holy Scriptures, little-by-little,

the “big picture” of the Holy Spirit will be formed in your

mind. This is not a supernatural kind of transition of your

mental perceptions from reality to abstract, but a clear and

understandable image of Him will be formed. You will

begin to recognize and fully appreciate His multi-levels of

powers and innumerable attributes and the tasks He

performs for our benefit. He is foremost, a guide, a

protector, a teacher, a comforter/helper and a counsel of

your soul. Living within you, after your invitation to Him

to do so, following your acceptance of Jesus Christ as your

Savior, He will enter your inner temple and be forever with

you wherever you go and whatever you do. The Holy

Spirit will be part of your life and your holy essence

forever.

Jesus said: “I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage

that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will

not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” John

16:7 Here is some background on this verse. The Greek

word translated here as “Helper” is parakletos. In its

technical form, it has a legal dimension; it refers to one

who would be an advocate. In its wider context, it speaks

of comfort, of protection, of counsel, and of guidance.

Jesus also spoke of the Spirit as the Helper in John 14:17

I

3

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another

Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth,

whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees

him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with

you and will be in you.” and then introduced Him as “the

Spirit of truth,” in John 16:13-15, by stating, “When the

Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth,

for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever

he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the

things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will

take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the

Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what

is mine and declare it to you.”

Concerning the Holy Spirit’s Identity as a Helper

The Holy Spirit is a unique personage/deity and not just

simply a power, a force, or an influential phantom. He is

spoken of as “He,” not as “it.” This is a matter of

significance, because if you listen carefully to people

speaking, especially if you are within a congregation, you

may hear the Holy Spirit referenced in terms of the neuter.

You may even catch yourself doing it. If you do, I hope

you stop doing such. We have to understand that the Spirit

of God, the third personage of the Trinity, is personal. As

an individual deity. He may be grieved, see Ephesians

4:30 which says, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of

God.. . .” And He may be resisted, Acts 7:51 “You stiff-

necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you

always resist the Holy Spirit.”

4

The Holy Spirit is one both with the Father and with

the Son. In theological terms, it says that He is both co-

equal and co-eternal. However, when reading the whole

Upper Room Discourse, you quickly discover that it was

both the Father and the Son who would send the Spirit

John 14:16-17 “And I will ask the Father, and he will

give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the

Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because

it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he

dwells with you and will be in you.” And again in John

16:7-9 “. . .for if I do not go away, the Helper will not

come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when

he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and

righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because

they do not believe in me.” And the Spirit came and acted,

as it were, for both of Them. So the activity of the Spirit is

never given to us in Scripture in isolation from the person

and work of Jesus Christ, the Son, or in isolation from the

“eternal and never-ending will” of the Father. Any

endeavor to think of the Spirit in terms that are entirely

mystical and divorced from Scripture will take anyone

down all kinds of side streets and eventually to dead ends.

Don’t go there!

5

The Holy Spirit was the agent of creation. In the account

of creation at the very beginning of the Bible, we are told:

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the

earth. The earth was without form and void, and

darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of

God was hovering over the face of the waters.” Genesis

1:1-2 The Hebrew word translated as “Spirit” here is

ruach, which also can mean “breath.” The ruach elohim,

“the Breath of the Almighty,” is the agent in creation. It is

not the immateriality of the Spirit that is in view here, but

rather His power and energy; the picture is of God’s

energy breathing out creation, as it were, speaking our

world into existence, putting the stars into space. Thus,

when we read Isaiah 40:25-26 “To whom then will you

compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy

One. Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created

these? He who brings out their host by number,

calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might

and because he is strong in power, not one is missing.” a

the question is asked, “Who created these?” The answer is

found in Genesis 1:2. So the Spirit is the irresistible power

by which God accomplishes His purpose.

Tangentially, one of the questions of Old Testament

scholarship concerns the extent to which we are able to

discover the distinct personhood of God the Holy Spirit

from the Old Testament. In other words, are you able to

understand the nature of His hypostasis, foundation and

substance, in the Old Testament alone? When reading

Genesis 1, it is not difficult to see that in the second verse,

and certainly in light of all that has subsequently been

revealed, a clear and distinct reference to the third

6

personage of the Trinity. “And it is the Spirit that beareth

witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three

that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the

Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three

that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and

the blood: and these three agree in one.” 1 John 5:6-8

Recognizing the divine Spirit in Genesis 1:2, actually

provides the missing link in Genesis 1:26, where God said,

“Let us make man in our image.” Perhaps this is a clear

antecedent reference to the Spirit of God who is at work in

Genesis 1:1-2. What do you think? It does make sense.

This issue reminds us, incidentally, that it is helpful to read

the Bible in reverse. Reading from the back to the front,

you can discover the truth of the classic interpretive

principle attributed to Augustine: “The New Testament is

in the Old Testament concealed, and the Old Testament is

in the New Testament revealed.” In other words, we

discover the implications of those teachings and events

that come earlier in the Scriptures. And the full Godhead

is involved throughout both.

7

The Holy Spirit is not only the agent of creation, but

also of God’s new creation in Christ. He is the author of

the new birth. In the classic encounter between Jesus and

Nicodemus, where Jesus said, “Jesus answered, Verily,

verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and

of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which

is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto

thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it

listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not

tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every

one that is born of the Spirit.” John 3:5-8 This truth is

worked out throughout the rest of the Scriptures. Pay close

attention to what the Bible says about the Spirit of God.

The Spirit is the author of the Scriptures. Found in 2

Timothy 3:16 is, “All scripture is given by inspiration of

God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for

correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the

man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all

good works.” In creation, the Spirit is breathing His

8

energy, releasing the power of God in the various devine

acts of creation. There is the same thing in the act of

redemption, and again in the divine act of giving to us all

the record in the Scriptures themselves. The doctrine of

inspiration is entirely related to the work of God the Holy

Spirit. Peter affirms this view, writing, “No prophecy was

ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from

God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” 2

Peter 1:21

All of the individuals who penned the biblical books were

not inventing things. Neither were they automatons. They

were real people in real historical times with real human

flesh and DNA, writing according to their historical

settings and their personalities. But the authorship of

Scripture was dual: God/Holy Spirit and man. It was,

for instance, both Jeremiah and God, because Jeremiah

was picked up and carried along. Indeed, in Jeremiah’s

case, God said, “Behold, I have put my words in your

mouth.” 1:9 He did so without violating Jeremiah’s

distinct personality, and then the prophet Jeremiah wrote

the very Word of God. This is a great reason to study the

Bible, because the Bible exists as a result of the out-

breathing of the Holy Spirit.

Concerning the identity of the Helper, we could go on ad

infinitum, but being most selective rather than exhaustive

we’ll take that approach. His identity is as “another

Helper.” The word translated as “another” here is allos,

not heteros. Jesus promised a Helper of the same kind

rather than of a different kind. The Spirit is the parakletos,

9

the one who comes alongside. Jesus said He would “be

with you forever … he dwells with you and will be in you”

See John 14:16-25 “And I will pray the Father, and he

shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with

you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world

cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth

him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and

shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will

come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no

more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At

that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in

me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and

keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth

me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and

will manifest myself to him. Judas saith unto him, not

Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself

unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and

said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words:

and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him,

and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not

10

keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is

not mine, but the Father's which sent me. These things

have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But

the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the

Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all

things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

In other words, His ministry is both permanent

and personal. The Holy Spirit is the very manifestation of

God’s divine presence with His power being most

perceptible, especially in prophetic inspiration. Many

scriptures refer to the Holy Spirit as the power of God, as

in Zechariah 4:6, “Then he answered and spake unto me,

saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel,

saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith

the LORD of hosts.” And in Micah 3:8 “But truly I am

full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment,

and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression,

and to Israel his sin.” And Paul told Timothy that it is the

“. . .spirit of…power and of love and of a sound mind.”

2 Timothy 1:7

11

Luke 4:14 records that Jesus Christ began His ministry “in

the power of the Spirit.” Luke 1:35 identifies the Holy

Spirit with “the power of the Highest.” Speaking of the

Holy Spirit, which would be given to His followers after

His death, Jesus told them, “You shall receive power

when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…” Acts 1:8

Peter related how “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with

the Holy Spirit and with power, [and Jesus] went about

doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the

devil, for God was with Him.” Acts 10:38 The Holy Spirit

is here associated with the power by which God was with

Him, the power through which Jesus Christ performed

mighty miracles during His earthly, physical ministry. The

Holy Spirit is the very presence of God’s power actively

working in His servants.

Divine inspiration by the Spirit

The Bible also shows that God inspires and guides His

prophets and servants through the power of the Holy

Spirit. Peter noted that “prophecy never came by the will

of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved

by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:21

And the Apostle Paul stated that God’s plan had been

“revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets”

Ephesians 3:5, and that his own teachings were inspired

by the Holy Spirit “But God hath revealed them unto us

by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the

deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of

a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so

12

the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the

spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that

are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak,

not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but

which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual

things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not

the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness

unto him: neither can he know them, because they are

spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all

things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath

known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him?

But we have the mind of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 2:10-16

The Apostle Paul

Above, note how the Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 2:9-

10, explains that God through His Spirit has revealed to us

the things which He has prepared for those who love Him.

God the Father is the Revealer, working through His Spirit

in those who serve Him.

13

Jesus Christ told His followers that the Holy Spirit, which

the Father would send to them, “will teach you all things,

and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to

you.” John 14:26 It’s through God’s Spirit within us that

we can gain spiritual understanding and insight. “For

what man knows the things of a man except [by] the spirit

of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the

things of God except [by] the Spirit of God.” 1

Corinthians 2:11-12 Jesus Christ had this spiritual

understanding in abundance. As the Messiah, He was

prophesied to have “the Spirit of wisdom and

understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit

of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.” Isaiah 11:2

An overview of being spiritually fruitful: the work of

the Holy Spirit

Do you know that the work of the Holy Spirit is absolutely

essential in everyone’s life who is a believing, born-again

Christian? Jesus told the disciples that when He left them,

He would send a Comforter (Advocate) “When the Spirit

of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will

not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard.

He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory

by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that

belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The

Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.” John

16:13-15 Yes, every true and faithful believer in Jesus

Christ is truly and unconditionally born of the Holy Spirit.

“I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God

without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can

reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth

14

to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You

must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it wants.

Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it

comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how

people are born of the Spirit.” John 3:5-8

Every true believer is also sealed with the Holy Spirit.

“Remember, he has identified you as his own,

guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of

redemption.” Ephesians 4:30 We are also enabled,

empowered, qualified, supported, and guided by the Holy

Spirit. The Apostle Paul said, “I pray that God, the

source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace

because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with

confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 15:13 and Romans 8:10-11 “And Christ lives

within you, so even though your body will die because of

sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made

right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from

the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus

from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by

this same Spirit living within you.”

15

The Apostle Paul further tells us, “It is God who enables

us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has

commissioned us, and he has identified us as his own by

placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first

installment that guarantees everything he has promised

us.” 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 Such instruction is for

believing Christians to glorify our God Jehovah and for us

to live our lives in Christ, in the righteous manner that is

pleasing to Him. If, in fact, believers live their lives in this

manner, it will be the only way that we can be spiritually

fruitful. Again, Paul said, “I want you to know, dear

brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to visit

you, but I was prevented until now. I want to work among

you and see spiritual fruit, just as I have seen among

other Gentiles.” Romans 1:13 It can be said that the

coming of the Holy Spirit is the fruit of Jesus’s death,

resurrection, and ascension. So, it is then essential and

necessary to the complete fulfillment of the salvation

which Christ has provided for us.

It can be said without any doubt that the truth is the one

thing which is absolutely necessary for man’s salvation,

besides the “Grace Card,” is the Holy Spirit of Our Father,

living and working within our own spirit. Hmmmm?

Unfortunately, most religious denominations have

extreme trouble acknowledging this biblical concept;

therefore, such behavior and lack of biblical understanding

within many Christian sects, is truly full proof that many

are still not yet in that redeemed state in one’s direct

communion with God, via the Holy Spirit channel within

us. And, such is fully intended, understood and directed

by the gospel of Christ. We must be understand that our

16

salvation is only effected by a reconciling of our own spirit

with the Spirit of God. When this occurs we can be whole

in our spirituality and fruitful in our efforts to help others,

and please God.

Keep in mind that faithfulness is a powerful fruit of the

Spirit, and it is key, in our estimation, for being

steadfastness, constancy, or allegiance; it is carefulness in

keeping what we are entrusted with; it is the conviction

that the Scriptures accurately reflect reality. Biblical

faithfulness requires belief in what the Holy Bible says

about God—His existence, His works, and His character.

Faithfulness is a fruit of the Spirit; it is the result of the

Spirit working in us. But the Spirit is also our seal of

faithfulness. He is our witness to God's promise that if we

accept the truth about God, He will save us and our

fruitfulness will be rewarded by the Lord.

17

Covenant Christian Ministries

Belle Arden Run

488 Mountain View Drive

Mosheim, Tennessee 37818-3524

(423) 422-4711

www.thewatchmansentinel.org

Copyright 2017

Dahk Knox, Ph.D., Ed.D., D.Sc.

September 1-3, 2017

(Monetary contributions are welcomed and

appreciated for printing and postage expenses)

All Rights Reserved©