About the Holy Spirit - Frequently Asked Questions

The Holy Spirit
Frequently Asked Questions

The Holy Spirit is much too great for anyone to possibly have all the answers. The following are questions frequently asked.

Who is the Holy Spirit?

God is referred to as The Trinity in the Christian faith. God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are one, and yet separate; God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Where is the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit abides within every born again Child of God. Many Christians are uncertain about this and seem to think that God is still just out there somewhere. Throughout the bible we see scripture stating that God is in heaven. (Acts 7:55). However, God is omnipresent, meaning everywhere. According to the scriptures, through the Holy Spirit, He enters into each and every born again believer at the time of salvation(John 17: 20-23). If you are a Christian, the the Holy Spirit abides within you and is as close as your breath.

Why does God place the Holy Spirit in each of His people?

The indwelling Holy Spirit not only comforts, leads and inspires each Child of God, but desires to work through him/her to accomplish His will. We must understand that the power of God lives within us through the Holy Spirit. It is He who inspires and prompts our actions, and spoken words to work through us. If you fully believe and understand the significance of having the Holy Spirit abiding within you, you will have no doubts about His miracle working power.

Is it necessary to have the Holy Spirit in order to be saved?

Receiving the Holy Spirit is a part of being saved. In other words we receive the Holy Spirit at the time of our salvation: "Peter replied, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38-39)(NIV).

Is there a difference in being filled with the Holy Spirit
and being empowered by the Holy Spirit?

Many of our church leaders refer to them as the same; however we must remember that Jesus comes into us to live by the Spirit at the time of salvation, and this is not the same as the empowerment received on the day of Pentecost.

Jesus said: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;..." (Acts 1:8) (NIV) The bible records a special time when the Power of the Holy Spirit was poured out on "all men. On the day of Pentecost after the Holy Spirit had fallen some of the onlookers heard the disciples and others speaking in tongues and began to make fun and suggest that they were drunk. But Peter stood up and said:

"These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: "In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams." (Acts 2:15-17)

By saying ( "on all people" He obviously was not talking about only the Apostles)

We must accept God's word, and not man's. Pray and search the scriptures, and let God reveal His truths to you personally.

Why are the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit not
evident in the lives of some Christians?

The main reasons are; lack of knowledge; lack of understanding; and the lack of faith.

Lack of knowledge: "My people are destroyed for Lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6) We must study to learn the many benefits of the Holy Spirit and how He works through God's children.
Lack of understanding, and revelation of God's word: We should pray for revelation and understanding. Paul's prayer for all believers was "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation," "that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints," "his incomparably great power for us who believe" (Eph 1:17-19)(NIV)
Lack of Faith, - wishy-washy and unable to make the commitment to believe God and all He say's. "That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does." (James 1:7-9) (NIV)

The Holy Spirit desires to instill a deep and lasting peace, and confident assurance in all believers, so that they will have no fear of the present or the future. He also guides us into all truth; and works through us to accomplish his purposes on earth.(John 16:7-11);

Blessings,

Samuel

The Holy Spirit Frequently Asked Questions

The Holy Spirit
Frequently Asked Questions