Who is the Holy Spirit?

Who do you believe the Holy Spirit is? What is His primary purpose in your life?

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you. — John 14:26

The Holy Spirit is not just for looks. He promises to comfort and talk with us in every circumstance, counsel us in the way we should go, lead us into truth, and walk alongside us every moment of the day as our companion. He is not a mist, a wind, a transparent ghostly figure, or a silent partner. He is God. He is a wonderful Person with whom we can and must have a vibrant and life-giving personal relationship.

Jesus described Him this way:

I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can’t take him in because it doesn’t have eyes to see him, doesn’t know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you!—JOHN 14:16–17, MSG

The Holy Spirit is primarily your Friend, someone you can know and love. When people describe the Holy Spirit just in terms of how people respond to His presence—with a shout, goose bumps, a tingle up the neck, a tear—they miss the Person. These are all effects of His presence, but we should relate to Him as a Person, not merely as a power source or a heavenly vending machine. Like any friend, He doesn’t want to be ignored, taken advantage of, or forgotten about. He wants to interact with each believer. He promises to listen, respond, and always act in our best interests. He is always a positive, healthy influence and never a bad one.

Only when you have a vibrant relationship with Him personally will you appreciate all He does in your life. Only then will you experience His comprehensive comfort.

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit. —Romans 15:13