The Holy Spirit. The Gift of the Father.

         The Who is the Holy Spirit!

Jesus told His apostles...Acts 2

"I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper that He may be with you forever; the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” .John 14:16-18

The Holy Spirit is a person equal in every way with God the Father and God the Son. He is the third member of the Godhead.

God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And all the divine attributes ascribed to the Father and the Son are equally ascribed to the Holy Spirit. When a person becomes born again by believing and receiving  Jesus Christ John 1:12-13; John 3:3-21, God resides in that person through His Holy Spirit.1 Corinthians 3:16 The Holy Spirit has intellect, emotion, and will.1 Corinthians 2:11

A primary role of the Holy Spirit is that He bears "witness" of Jesus Christ. John 15:26 "When the advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father-the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father-he will testify about me"

He tells people's hearts about the truth of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit also acts as a teacher.1 Corinthians 2:9-14 He reveals God's will and God's truth to a believer.

Jesus told His disciples...

"The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you."John 14:26

"When He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come."John 16:13

The Holy Spirit was given to live inside those who believe in Jesus, in order to produce God's character in the life of a believer. In a way that we cannot do on our own, the Holy Spirit will build into our lives love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.Galatians 5:22-23 Rather than trying to be loving, patient, kind, God asks us to rely on Him to produce these qualities in our lives. Thus Christians are told to walk in the Spirit and be filled with the Spirit.Galatians 5:25  the Holy Spirit empowers Christians to perform ministerial duties that promote spiritual growth among Christians.Romans 12

The Holy Spirit also performs a function for non-Christians as well. He convicts people's hearts of God's truth concerning how sinful we are -- needing God's forgiveness; how righteous Jesus is -- He died in our place, for our sins; and God's eventual judgment of the world and those who do not know Him.John 16:8-11 The Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts and minds, asking us to repent and turn to God for forgiveness and a new life.  God says if we ask Him for the Holy Spirit He will give Him to us. Luke 11:13