The Spirit of God

Identity

Also known as the "Holy Spirit" or "Set-apart Spirit" or "Holy Ghost" or "Ruach HaKadosh" depending on your Bible Translation.

Holy means something that belongs exclusively to God or that is set apart for God's purpose or benefit. So when writer write about the "Holy Spirit", it means this Spirit belongs to God.

How different persons refer to the Spirit:

The Father (YHVH) says:

  • My Spirit (Genesis 6:3; Isaiah 30:1, 42:1, 44:3, 59:21; Ezekiel 36:27, 37:14, 39:29; Joel 2:28-29; Haggai 2:5; Zechariah 4:6, 6:8)

Jesus says:

  • Spirit of the Father (Matthew 10:20)
  • Promise of the Father (Luke 24:49)

Author of Genesis says:

  • Spirit of God (Genesis 1:2)

Pharaoh says:

  • Spirit of God (Genesis 41:38)

Moses says:

  • Spirit of God (Exodus 31:3, 35:31; Numbers 24:2)

The author of Judges says:

  • The Spirit of the LORD (Judges 3:10, 6:34, 11:29, 13:25, 14:6,19, 15:14)

Samuel says:

  • The Spirit of the LORD (1 Samuel 10:6, 16:13-14; 2 Samuel 23:2)
  • The Spirit of God (1 Samuel 10:10, 11:6, 19:20,23)

Job says:

  • Breath/Spirit of the Almighty (Job 32:8; Job 33:4)

David says:

  • God's Holy Spirit (Psalm 51:11)
  • Your Spirit (Psalm 104:30, 143:10)
  • The LORD's Spirit (Psalm 139:7)

Isaiah says:

  • Spirit of the LORD God (Isaiah 11:2, 61:1)
  • His (YHVH's) Holy Spirit (Isaiah 63:11)

Nebuchadnezzar says:

  • The Spirit of the Holy God (Daniel 4:8,9,18, 5:11)

The apostles say:

  • Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13; John 20:22; Acts 7:51; 2 Corinthians 3:14; Ephesians 1:13, 4:30; 2 Peter 1:21)
  • Spirit of God (Romans 8:14; 1 Corinthians 2:11,14, 3:16; 6:11; 2 Corinthians 3:3; Ephesians 4:30; 1 Peter 4:14; 1 John 4:2)

When we compare the Holy Spirit's identity with the Father and the Son we notice:

The Father The Spirit The Son
"Holy One of Israel" (2 Kings 19:22; Psalm 71:22, 78:41, 89:18; Proverbs 9:10, 30:3; Isaiah 1:4, 5:19, 5:24, 10:20, 12:6, 17:7, 29:19, 29:23, 30:11-15, 31:1, 37:23, 40:25, 41:14-20, 43:3, 43:14-15, 45:11, 47:4, 48:17, 49:7, 54:5, 55:5, 60:9, 60:14; Jeremiah 50:29, 51:5; Ezekiel 39:7; Hosea 11:9-12; Habakkuk 1:12) "Holy Spirit" (Psalm 51:11; Isaiah 63:10-13; Matthew 1:18, 3:11, 12:32; Luke 11:13, Ephesians 1:13, Ephesians 4:30, 2 Peter 1:21) "Holy One" (Mark 1:24; Luke 1:35, 4:34; John 6:69; Acts 2:27, 13:35 quoting Psalm 16:10)
"Helper" (Psalm 30:10) "Helper" (John 14:16, John 14:26, John 15:26, John 16:7)
Counsel through prophets (2 Chronicles 25:16) "Spirit of Counsel" (Isaiah 11:2) "Counselor" (Isaiah 9:6)
Gives life (Romans 4:17) "Spirit of Life" (Romans 8:2,10) "Life" (John 14:6)
"LORD" (always uppercase) (Genesis 4:26, Psalm 83:18, Isaiah 11:2) "Spirit of the LORD God" (Isaiah 61:1; Matthew 3:16; 2 Corinthians 3:3) "Lord" (never uppercase)
"Father of mercies" (2 Corinthians 1:3; 1 Peter 5:10) "Spirit of Grace" (Zechariah 12:10; Hebrews 10:29)
"LORD Father" / "Adonai Avinu" (Isaiah 64:8, Mark 14:36, 2 Corinthians 1:2-3) "Spirit of the Father" (Matthew 10:20)
"God" (Deuteronomy 4:35) "Spirit of God" (Genesis 1:2; 1 Corinthians 2:11; 2 Corinthians 3:3; Job 33:4)
"God Almighty" / "El Shaddai" (Exodus 15:6) "Breath of the Almighty" (Job 32:8; Job 33:4)
Does not lie (Exodus 34:6; Numbers 23:19; Deuteronomy 7:9; Hebrews 6:18) "Spirit of Truth" (John 14:17; John 16:13-14) "The truth" (John 10:25; John 14:6)
The only wise God (Romans 16:27) "Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding" (Isaiah 11:2; Ephesians 1:17)
Knows everything (Matthew 6:8,32) "Spirit of Knowledge and fear of the LORD" (Isaiah 11:2) Has limited knowledge (Matthew 24:36)
"God of Glory" (Psalm 29:3; Acts 7:2) "Spirit of Glory" (1 Peter 4:14) Glorifies the Father (John 17:4; Philippians 2:11)
Comforts believers (1 Corinthians 1:3-7) Comforts believers (John 14:16,26 (KJV); John 15:26 (KJV))

However, "the Spirit of Christ" is mentioned by Peter and Paul. This is a clever twist of words by Trinitarian bible translators to confuse Christ with God's Spirit. Often when bible authors repetitively refers to the same phrase, they tend to shorten it with the assumption that the reader has already read the prior part of the letter and knows what they are talking about. However, when one cherry-pick these shortened verses it becomes easy to invent a new doctrine.

For example:

Verse Meaning of "the Spirit of Christ"
Romans 8:9 "the Spirit" of the body of Christ versus "the law" of Moses (read the entire book especially Romans 2:29, 5:1-6, 7:4-6, 8:1-7; 1 Corinthians 12:4-30)
Galatians 4:6 "the Spirit" that also accepted and declared God's Son (Matthew 3:16-17; Mark 1:10-11; Luke 3:21-22; Romans 1:3-4)
Philippians 1:19 "the Spirit" that proclaims Christ's gospel (Philippians 1:15-18)
1 Peter 1:11 "the Spirit" that prophesied Christ's sufferings (1 Peter 1:10,12)

Jesus never said that he will send his own spirit and Jesus never said that he will return in the form of a silent invisible spirit.

Attributes

  • The Spirit gives life (Job 33:4; John 6:63)
  • Nobody can direct or council the Spirit of the LORD (Isaiah 40:13)
  • The Spirit is God's interaction with His creation (Luke 11:20), like "the finger of God".
  • The Spirit was promised by Jesus (Luke 24:49; John 14:16-17,26, 15:26, 16:7-8; Acts 1:4-5,8)
  • The Spirit is compared with the wind: The Spirit is invisible, but you see the Spirit's power (John 3:8)
  • The Spirit does not speak in its own authority (John 16:13)
    • The Spirit does not lie (Numbers 23:19)

What the Spirit do

  • The Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. (1 Corinthians 2:10-11)
  • The Spirit instructs (Psalm 143:10; John 16:13-14, Acts 1:16), for example:
    • Israelites in the desert (Nehemiah 9:20)
    • Jesus (Matthew 4:1, Mark 1:12, Luke 4:1-2)
    • Simeon (Luke 2:25-32)
    • Ananias (Acts 9:17)
    • Peter (Acts 10:19-20)
    • Instructing Philip to join the Ethiopian (Acts 8:29)
    • Instructing Peter to join the Caesareans (Acts 11:12)
    • Instructing leaders of the church at Antioch to sent Paul and Barnabas for a mission (Acts 13:2)
    • Church leaders (Acts 15:28-29)
    • Paul (Acts 16:6-10, Acts 19:21, Acts 20:22-23)
  • The Spirit anoints prophets (Isaiah 61:1; Acts 10:38)
  • The Spirit reveal God visibly (Ezekiel 39:29)
    • Stephen (Acts 7:55-60)
  • The Spirit ministered to Jesus (Luke 4:18-19; Matthew 12:28)
  • The Spirit reborn believers (John 3:6; Titus 3:5)
  • The Spirit comforts (John 14:16,26 (KJV); John 15:26 (KJV))
  • The Spirit helps (John 14:16,26 (ESV); John 15:26 (ESV); John 16:7; Romans 8:26)
  • The Spirit guides in truth (John 16:13)
  • The Spirit reveals the future as it is revealed to him (John 16:13; 1 Corinthians 2:10,13)
  • The Spirit glorifies Jesus (John 16:14)
  • The Spirit gives understanding and wisdom (Isaiah 11:2)
  • The Spirit ministers to the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:4-30)

The Spirit's characteristics

The Holy Spirit is not a mysterious distinct person from God. The Holy Spirit is God's Spirit by which He interacts with His creation. Therefore, the "Holy Spirit" would naturally present the personality of God Himself and likewise should any person who obeys God's Spirit. Therefore, "Fruit" (characteristics) of someone who is lead by God's Spirit is: (Galatians 5:16-25):

  • love
  • joy (1 Thessalonians 1:6-7), for example:
    • Disciples (Acts 13:52)
  • peace (John 15:26; Romans 14:16-17), for example:
    • Amasai, chief of the Thirty (1 Chronicles 12:17-18)
  • long-suffering (Romans 15:16), for example:
    • by interceding for believers (Romans 8:26-27)
  • kindness
  • goodness
  • faith
  • meekness
  • self-control

Another way to determine which spirit is leading a person is that you will notice that someone who is lead by God's Spirit:

  • will not curse Jesus (1 Corinthians 12:3)
  • says that "Jesus is Lord/Master" (1 Corinthians 12:3)
  • leads people to adopted sons (heirs) and glorification, instead of slavery and fear (Romans 8:15-17)

The Spirit's relationships.

When the Spirit become your enemy

  • Caused by rebellion (Isaiah 63:10-13, Acts 7:51-53)
  • Caused by blasphemy: speaking against the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31-32, Mark 3:28-29, Luke 12:10), e.g.
    • Ananias and his wife (Acts 5:3-10)

When the Spirit become your friend

  • Brings blessing/prosperity (Isaiah 32:13-15, Isaiah 44:3-4)
  • Received at salvation (Psalm 51:11-12)

What the Holy Spirit does for believers:

  • The Spirit enables leaders, for example:
    • Othniel the son of Kenaz (Judges 3:10)
    • Gideon (Judges 6:34)
    • Jephthah (Judges 11:29)
    • Saul (1 Samuel 11:6-7,10)
    • David (1 Samuel 16:13)
    • Amasai, chief of the Thirty (1 Chronicles 12:17-18)
    • Azariah the son of Oded (2 Chronicles 15:1)
    • Micah (Micah 3:8)
    • Jesus (Isaiah 42:1, Matthew 12:18)
    • Daniel (Daniel 6:3)
    • Church leaders (Acts 20:28, 1 Thessalonians 1:5)
  • The Spirit enables people to be boldly witnesses to Jesus (Acts 1:8), for example:
    • Peter and apostles (Acts 4:8-10, Acts 5:29-32)
    • Congregation (Acts 4:31)
    • Paul (Acts 18:5, Romans 9:1-2)
  • The Spirit enables people to experience God's presence (Psalm 51:11, Psalm 139:7, Haggai 2:4-5)
  • The Spirit instruct people (Ezekiel 2:2, 3:24, 11:5; Acts 8:29, 11:12, 13:2)
  • The Spirit leads believers' intercessions (Romans 8:26-27)
  • The Spirit change believers back to the image of God (2 Corinthians 3:18)
  • The Spirit seals believers until the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13, Ephesians 4:30)