When You Wonder WhySample

Who Is the Holy Spirit?

“How do I know what is and what isn’t the Holy Spirit?” -Alexander, 17, Texas

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, equal in power and glory with the Father and the Son.

When we think of the Holy Spirit, for many of us, the miracle of Pentecost comes to mind as the moment the Spirit first appears in the Bible. In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit came in like a rushing wind and tongues of fire fell on Jesus’ disciples, giving people from different lands the ability to understand their message.

But the Spirit was active long before Pentecost. He was present at creation, inspired the Old Testament prophets and empowered the ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus.

So what does a relationship with the Holy Spirit look like? The Spirit wants to lead and guide us in the way of Jesus. He is God with us, allowing us to experience his presence in our lives. We can feel his leading when we read the Bible and when we pray. And even when we do not know what to pray for, the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf, because he knows what we need even when we don’t.

The Holy Spirit wants to develop you into someone whose life is marked by the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. We acquire these traits when we follow his guidance.

If you feel like the Holy Spirit is speaking to you, ask yourself if it is in line with Scripture? If you’re unsure of what he is speaking to you, or what he’s asking you to do, ask a pastor in your life. They can help teach and guide you as you learn to listen to the Spirit. Learning to follow and hear the voice of the Holy Spirit doesn’t come naturally, but it does get easier with practice as we follow Jesus.