Jesus gave us a promise and He said it is expedient (Greek: profitable). He said, “I go so the Holy Spirit (Comforter) will come”. Jesus said, “I cannot be with you always but I will send one who will”. I want to examine with you- Who is the Holy Spirit and what is the Power of Pentecost? As we learned Pentecost means “50”. Acts chapter 2 occurred the 50th day after the Resurrection. The first point to note is that, in the life of the believer, the Holy Spirit never plays the role of a dictator. When Jesus promised the gift of the Holy Spirit to his disciples, He spoke of Him in terms such as Helper, Comforter, Guide or Teacher. The Holy Spirit always keeps Himself within these limits or “roles”.

He will not usurp the will or personality of the believer. He never compels the believer to do anything against the believer’s own will or choice. He is called the “Spirit of Grace” (Heb 10:29), and He is far too gracious to impose or force Himself where He is not received or welcomed. He is not some mystical, ghost, vapor, or figment of man’s imagination. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Divine Trinity, He is God (reference: 1 John 5:7; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14).

He is a Spirit being (person) sent by Father and Son. (John 14:16, 26; John 15:26; John 16:7; Luke 24:49; Acts 2:33); with a purpose and assignment, who has feelings. He can be grieved, excited. In Acts 2 we see the dispensation of God the Holy Spirit, who now carries on the work of Christ in and through us. We must first understand who He is before we can walk in the fullness of what He does… There is a difference between who He is and what He does. What He does is not who He is.

1. He is a person more than a presence: His presence is the tangible indication that His person is in your midst - what we call “anointing”. People say, “I want the anointing” - chasing after the presence. We need to chase after the “person” for the anointing to manifest.

2. As a person, He is Omnipresent: Meaning He is present where there are beings whom He has dealings with. In other words, He makes His dwelling in born-again believers. I Corinthians 3:16:17 “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile (corrupt, spoil, ruin, waste, destroy) the temple of God, him shall God destroy, for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”

3. He is a relationship, not a ritual. You must spend time with Him. Get to know Him. What He likes, dislikes. What grieves him, what excites Him. Ephesians 4:30, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” (KJV).

4. His fruits (Galatians 5:22-23) are the proof of relationship that His gifts are not. His gifts are what He does; His fruits are who He is. Fruit = what originates or comes from something. It is the proof of relationship! His fruit is His character. HE IS: Love, Joy, Peace, Long-suffering, Gentleness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance.

5. He is always the teacher, never the student. He will teach all things and bring all things to remembrance. John 14:26, “But the Comforter (Greek = parakletos) means one called to the side of another for help or counsel- which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things (all things to the wife, mother, boss, etc.), and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
Luke 12:11-12, “And when they bring you into the synagogues and unto magistrates, and powers take ye no thought how or what ye shall answer, or what ye shall say; for the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.”

6. He always comforts, never condemns. Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit”. He will lift you out of the defeat that you would sometimes stay in.

7. He does not react because He’s expected to; He reacts because He is appreciated. He responds because of gratitude not out of obligation!

8. He does not come to bless your program/agenda, He comes to reveal the Father’s. He doesn’t wait for your permission, He waits for your surrender.

9. He is an intercessor and He prays for you more than you pray for yourself. Romans 8:26, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth (Greek = joint help. It is the assistance afforded by any two persons to each other, who mutually bear the same load or carry it between them), our infirmities (Greek = our physical mental or moral weakness or flaws), for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings (Greek = unutterable gushings of the heart), which cannot be uttered.”

10. He is the Advisor, not an adviser! Acts 8:29, “then the Spirit said unto Philip, ‘Go near and join thyself to this chariot”. Acts 13:2, “As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, ‘Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.’”

11. His imagination is limitless. Ephesians 3:20, “Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we can ask or think.”

12. He desires obedience more than He tolerates disobedience. Your obedience to His instructions are the only way He can guarantee your outcome. In other words, you can’t do it your way and expect Him to bless it or fix it.

13. He bears witness of Jesus by anointing men. John 15:26, “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.”

14. He will impart power to men. Luke 24:49, “And behold I send the promise of My Father upon you; but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued (Greek = put on/ clothed with) with power (Greek = dunamis = inherent power; the power of reproducing itself; power to do the works of Christ) from on high.”
Acts 1:8, “But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witness (martyr = you are ready to lay your life down) unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

15. Makes you free from sin and death. [Romans 8:1-4; 12-13], You don’t have to live in condemnation/guilt, bondage; The Holy Spirit has set you free.

16. Works miracles through believers. Romans 15:19; I Corinthians 12 (gifts); Hebrews 2:3-4, You can see He confirmed God’s word / plan of salvation through signs, wonders and miracles)

17. He imparts love. Romans 5:5, (also Romans 15:30); “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

You might be your deepest, darkest hour… but you are not alone! God, the Holy Spirit, is with you!

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