Christian Discipleship Course 13.

Question and answer: “Is it a ghost?”

No, He does not creep up on people and go whhooo! The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He is equal with the Father and the Son, in His person and authority. The Holy Spirit is a person, but He does not have a body. When we ask Jesus to come into our life, it is the Holy Spirit who indwells us believers and seals us until the day of redemption. If you damage a building it does not grieve, because it is not a person with feelings, but we can grieve the Holy Spirit, who is a person.

Fact: Jesus told the disciples that they needed the Holy Spirit to empower them, so they could do the works that He did Acts 1:8, 2:1-4.

Acts 5:32 ‘The Holy Spirit…given to those who obey Him’ (God). Luke 11:13 ‘The Holy Spirit… given to those who ask God for Him’

The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth as we read the Bible and He convicts us when we do wrong. He also distributes gifts to the body of Christ. These are called the gifts of the Spirit and there are nine of them (1 Corinthians Ch 12-14). To receive these gifts we need to be baptised in the Holy Spirit (no this is not a water dunking). The disciples were converted in John 20:22, this was when they were indwelt with the Holy Spirit. But in Acts 2:1-4 they received the Holy Spirit and in Acts 4:29-31 they had more of the Holy Spirit. The book of Acts has also been called, ‘The Acts of the Holy Spirit.’

Wisdom: If you own a ‘pay as you go’ mobile phone, the credits run low as you call more people. If you give out helping others, you too will discover that you need to be topped up once again with the Holy Spirit.

If you desire to be baptised in the Holy Spirit, ask God, because He likes to give good gifts to His children (Luke 11:5-13). Other believers can also lay their hands on you and pray for the Holy Spirit to fill you, (Acts 8:14-17). Sometimes the Holy Spirit comes down in a meeting and everyone is filled with the Spirit. (Acts 2:1-4).

We can grieve the Holy Spirit if we continue to sin (Ephesians 4:30), and King David was afraid that the Holy Spirit would leave him after he had committed grave sins, but he found forgiveness 2 Samuel Ch 11,12, Psalm 51.

Think: Am I doing something that grieves the Holy Spirit?

More Info: Genesis 1:2, Job 33:4, Matthew 12:32, John 14:16, Acts ch 5, 9:17, 11:12,28, 13:2, 16:6,7, 1 Corinthians 2:10,11, 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, Ephesians 1:13.