LESSON ONE
Who Is the Holy Spirit and Why Did He Come?
While there is a degree of divine mystery to the nature of the Holy Spirit, he definitely is not a bundle of warm feelings or good memories. Neither is he a vague cosmic force. In this lesson, you will study biblical evidence proving that the Holy Spirit is a real person who loves and cares for you. You also will discover why he came and how he can make a difference in your life.
Lesson Objective: To become acquainted with the Holy Spirit and to understand his mission
BIBLE STUDY
Read John 3:1-8 and Romans 8
Before you consider the many verses below, be sure to read the Bible passages listed above.
If you click on the verses in the study below you can see the entire verse! If you are not on-the-go, consider opening a physical Bible and looking up the passages.
Who Is the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is a person, the third person of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is not a vague, ethereal shadow, nor an impersonal force. He is a person equal in every way with the Father and the Son. All the divine attributes ascribed to the Father and the Son are equally ascribed to the Holy Spirit.
- Personality (a person) is composed of intellect, emotions, and will. In 1 Corinthians 2:11, what indicates that the Holy Spirit has intellect?
What evidence do you observe in Romans 15:30 that the Holy Spirit has emotion?
How does the Holy Spirit exercise his will as recorded in 1 Corinthians 12:11? - Find the one word that describes the nature of the Holy Spirit in each of the following references.
Romans 8:2
John 16:13
Hebrews 10:29
Romans 1:4 - What is his function or role?
John 14:16,26
1 Corinthians 3:16
John 16:13,14
Acts 1:8 - What specific actions does the Holy Spirit perform?
Acts 13:2
Acts 8:29
Romans 8:14
John 16:7,8
Romans 8:26
2 Thessalonians 2:13 - What are his attributes?
Hebrews 9:14
Psalm 139:7
1 Corinthians 2:10, 11
Why Did He Come?
- What is the chief reason the Holy Spirit came (John 16:14)?
- What will be a logical result when the Holy Spirit controls your life?
- How does the following diagram compare with your life?
LIFE APPLICATION
Questions
- Write one new insight you have gained from this lesson concerning the Holy Spirit.
- In what area of your life do you believe the Holy Spirit needs to be more in control?
- What will be the result when he is in control?
Memory Verse: “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.” (John 16:13, 14 NLT)