Who is the Holy Spirit and what does he do? 

The Holy Spirit is God. It is our God’s Spirit. God manifests himself as the Holy Spirit and chooses to relate to us by becoming part of who we are through his Spirit. It is that essential part of God that lives in us. He indwells or lives inside the Christian.

 

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you” (John 14:16-17).

 

The word advocate means ‘counselor’ or ‘comforter’ and implies one who comes alongside. This is God with and in us! John verifies that God lives in us through the Spirit.

 

“No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us” (1 John 4:12-13).

 

The early Christians were on a mission! People were attracted to God because of the witness of their lives. Is this what we pray for our life and the life of the church?

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How does the Holy Spirit help us minister?

The Holy Spirit equips us for ministry in several ways.

 

First, when we are led by the Holy Spirit He makes us competent for Ministry. The word ministry means to serve. God moves us and then equips us to serve others.

 

Second He works in our own lives and makes us a bold witness. As we pray for others, God will give us opportunity to share his love with them and share how God is alive in our lives. In Acts, we see the new church begin. It was not in their own efforts that they were so effective. Instead, it was the Holy Spirit that gave them power and the ability to speak boldly for Christ. God helped them with their own issues and they reached out to others with God’s comfort. This is what an outwardly focused church does!

 

“He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us” (2 Corinthians 1:4).

 

Third the Holy Spirit empowers us for service. The church described in the Book of Acts was growing in numbers.

 

“The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers” (Acts 9:31).

 

 God, who is the same yesterday, today and forever, is active today! He’s ready to strengthen and encourage you and your church in reaching out to your community. Get involved with the Holy Spirit! Be Christ’s ‘hands and feet’ to this broken, hurting world! Don’t sit on the sidelines. Allow God to use your life for His service!