The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, a divine Person, not a force or a feeling. He teaches, guides into truth, draws believers near to God and can be grieved. Because He is a Person, you can know Him, talk with Him and walk with Him every day.
Who is the Holy Spirit, according to the Bible?
According to the Bible, the Holy Spirit is God, named together with the Father and the Son. Jesus joined the three when He sent His disciples out:
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. — Matthew 28:19 (King James Version)
Holy Ghost is the King James Version's older name for Him. In his message What Is the Purpose of the Holy Spirit?, Apostle Guillermo Maldonado teaches that God has revealed Himself in three Persons. The Father is the originator of all things. Jesus, the second Person, is equal with the Father and His highest expression. The Holy Spirit is the third Person, equal with God, with the same attributes. Assigned to the earth, He lives inside the believer.
Is the Holy Spirit a person or a force?
A Person. Jesus spoke of Him as Someone His disciples would know, not as a power they would use:
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… but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. — John 14:16–17 (KJV)
In Who Is the Holy Spirit?, Apostle Maldonado answers a common confusion. Many people call the Holy Spirit a force, but He is a Person with feelings, and it is easy to grieve Him. He flows like water and moves like the wind, yet He is neither water nor wind. Jesus' promise of another Comforter points the same way, to Someone of the same kind and nature as Jesus Himself.
That changes how you come to Him. You do not need to stir up an atmosphere or work up an emotion. You can get to know Him the way you come to know any person: by spending time with Him.
Why does a believer need the Holy Spirit?
Because the Christian life cannot be lived in human strength. In The Need of the Holy Spirit, Apostle Maldonado teaches that the Holy Spirit is not an option. No one is born again without the Spirit, and no one overcomes sin, the flesh and the devil in their own ability. And when you feel too tired to pray, or even to go to church, the Spirit is the One who draws you near to God.
If you feel nothing when you pray, that is no reason to stop. Keep coming back, and ask the Holy Spirit to draw you close.
What does the Holy Spirit do in a believer's life?
He teaches you, brings the words of Jesus back to mind and leads you into truth. Jesus promised:
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. — John 14:26 (KJV)
In How to Be Led by the Holy Spirit, Apostle Maldonado stresses that all things reaches ordinary, natural matters as well as spiritual ones. The remembering is familiar to many believers: while telling someone about Jesus, they suddenly recall a verse they had forgotten. And the Spirit never contradicts the Word of God or leads anyone into a lie.
Jesus also called Him the Spirit of truth, who will guide you into all truth (John 16:13). So weigh every impression by Scripture, and ask Him to teach you as you read it.
What does it mean to grieve the Holy Spirit?
It means causing Him sorrow, which only a person can feel. Paul wrote:
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. — Ephesians 4:30–31 (KJV)
Right after the command, Paul tells believers to put away bitterness, wrath, anger and evil speaking. These are matters of everyday character: the words you choose and the grudges you keep.
None of this means that every hard season is a sign you have grieved Him. The command calls you to tenderness toward a Person; it is not a verdict on your circumstances. If you know you have grieved Him, turn back to God in repentance and keep walking with Him.
How can you grow in fellowship with the Holy Spirit?
Treat Him as the Person He is: welcome Him, speak with Him and make room for Him every day. Paul's blessing names the communion, or fellowship, of the Holy Ghost beside the grace of Jesus and the love of God:
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. — 2 Corinthians 13:14 (KJV)
Here are a few simple ways to begin. Thank Him when you pray, and speak to Him honestly. Read Jesus' words about Him in John 14 to 16, and ask Him to teach you. Ask for a deeper hunger for God, and look for His help in ordinary moments too. And share your walk with other believers in a local church.
Go deeper: If you want to know the Holy Spirit more closely, read the book Divine Encounter with the Holy Spirit.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly is the Holy Spirit?
He is God Himself, not an influence sent from a distance. When Ananias lied to the Holy Ghost, Peter told him he had not lied unto men, but unto God (Acts 5:3–4). So come to the Spirit as you would come to God: honestly, reverently and with trust.
What did Jesus call the Holy Spirit?
Jesus called Him another Comforter and the Spirit of truth (John 14:16–17). He also named Him the Holy Ghost, whom the Father would send in His name (John 14:26). Let those names shape your prayers: come to Him for comfort, ask Him for truth, and honor Him as holy.
What is the real purpose of the Holy Spirit?
Above all, to glorify Jesus. Jesus said of the Spirit, “He shall glorify me” (John 16:14), for He would receive what is Christ's and show it to His disciples. So when you read the Gospels, ask the Holy Spirit to show you more of Jesus.
Related teaching from the store
- Holy Spirit Led Prayer and Intercession, Apostle Maldonado's book on prayer and intercession guided by the Holy Spirit.
- Supernatural Power collection gathers books on the power of God, among them titles on the Holy Spirit's work in prayer and evangelism.
Published by King Jesus International Ministry. This article draws on Scripture and on Apostle Guillermo Maldonado's messages “What Is the Purpose of the Holy Spirit?” (Pentecost Sunday sermon, 2021), “Who Is the Holy Spirit?” (Wisdom Seed, 2022), “The Need of the Holy Spirit” (The Supernatural Now, 2018) and “How to Be Led by the Holy Spirit” (2021). It is offered for study and encouragement. It is not medical, psychological, or financial advice.