UNPACKED – Doctrine of the Holy Spirit

CONTENTS

1. Why Understanding the Holy Spirit is Important
2. The Holy Spirit is God: Understanding the Trinity
3. The Person of the Holy Spirit
4. The Work of the Holy Spirit
5. The Holy Spirit in Your Personal Life

Why Understanding the Holy Spirit is Important. 
The Holy Spirit is introduced at the very beginning of the Bible in Genesis 1:

Genesis 1:1-2
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”
The Holy Spirit is present all the way through to the last chapter of the Bible in Revelation 22:

Revelation 22:17
“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!”

Throughout Scripture, we see the incredible work of the Holy Spirit. Even today, His work continues in the lives of God’s people. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts us of sin and reveals Christ to humanity. And that is just the beginning of His work in believers’ lives.

1 Corinthians 12:3 (ESV)
“Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says, ‘Jesus is accursed!’ and no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except in the Holy Spirit.”

The heart of this session is for you to gain a better understanding of who the Holy Spirit is, how He works, and how He is active in your life as you yield to Him.

EVEN CLOSER TO HOME
As a Pentecostal church, City Impact Church emphasises the work of the Holy Spirit and the believer’s direct experience of God’s presence.

John Piper, who is not a Pentecostal, said: 
“We have a list of doctrines; we have a list of behaviors. We believe the doctrines, we do the behaviors, and we infer that we belong to God and that something supernatural is happening, but nobody experiences anything. That’s why Pentecostalism is succeeding the way it does—they’re right to say that to have the Holy Spirit is to have a reality that one experiences.”

2. The Holy Spirit is God: Understanding the Trinity
What is the Holy Spirit?

A better question might be, who is the Holy Spirit? 
The Holy Spirit is God. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all God—this is the doctrine of the Trinity.

There are four essential aspects of the Trinity to keep in mind:

1. There is only one true and living God (monotheism).
2. This one God eternally exists in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
3. These three persons are completely equal in attributes and divine nature.
4. While each person is fully God, the persons are distinct and not identical.

The Holy Spirit is not a lesser part of God. The Bible describes the Trinity as:

• Co-equal
• Co-eternal
• One—completely unified

The Holy Spirit is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. Understanding His eminence helps us see the power and authority He holds.

3. The Person of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is a person, not merely an impersonal force. He is described in Scripture with personal pronouns and traits.

John 14:15-17 (ESV)
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive…”

John 14:26 (ESV)
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

John 16:7-14 (ESV)
Jesus refers to the Spirit as “He,” highlighting His personal nature.

The Holy Spirit also possesses personal traits:

• Mind: Romans 8:27, 1 Corinthians 2:10-13
• Will: 1 Corinthians 12:11
• Emotions: Romans 8:26-27, Romans 15:30, Colossians 1:8

The Bible also shows that the Holy Spirit can be:

• Grieved: Ephesians 4:30
• Insulted: Hebrews 10:29
• Lied to: Acts 5:3
• Blasphemed: Matthew 12:31-32
• Resisted: Acts 7:51
• Vexed: Isaiah 63:10
• Quenched: 1 Thessalonians 5:19

Seeing the Holy Spirit as a person reminds us to yield to Him, not attempt to control Him.

4. The Work of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit accomplishes the unified will of the Father and the Son. His distinct roles include:

IN THE LIFE OF CHRIST

• Brings about the incarnation: Luke 1:35
• Anoints Jesus at baptism: Matthew 3:16
• Leads and empowers Jesus: Luke 4:14, 18
• Raises Jesus from the dead: Romans 8:11
• Participates in the atoning work: Hebrews 9:14

IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Involved in creation: Genesis 1:1-2
• Involved in the creation of mankind: Genesis 1:26
• Inspired Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16
• Rested upon kings, prophets, and priests: 1 Samuel 10:10, 1 Samuel 16:13, Ezekiel 2:2

IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
Joel 2:28-29 (NKJV)
“I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and daughters shall prophesy… I will pour out My Spirit in those days.”

Acts 2:1-4 (NLT)
The Day of Pentecost: all believers are filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered for ministry.

The Holy Spirit works in believers’ lives to:

a. Empower – Gifts for service and ministry
b. Purify – Conviction of sin, regeneration, sanctification, fruit of the Spirit
c. Reveal – Inspiration of Scripture, guidance, teaching, revealing Christ
d. Unify – Leads into fellowship, love, and shared spiritual experience
e. Provide Evidence of God’s Presence – Spiritual gifts, worship, and the fruit of the Spirit
f. Baptism of the Spirit – Empowerment for mission, often associated with speaking in tongues

CONTINUATIONISM VS. CESSATIONISM

• Continuationism: Spiritual gifts continue today.
• Cessationism: Miraculous gifts ceased after the apostles.

Scripture supports ongoing empowerment and signs among believers.

5. The Holy Spirit in Your Personal Life
The Holy Spirit makes God known in your heart, not just intellectually. He applies the work of Christ in our lives, producing:

• Faith, repentance, and transformed living
• Adoration that leads to sanctification
• Assurance of salvation (Ephesians 1:13)

Stories of Encounters with the Holy Spirit:

• Blaise Pascal: The “Night of Fire” and The Memorial
• John Wesley: Radical encounter at Aldersgate Street

Daily communion with the Holy Spirit allows us to see Christ more clearly and live in His power.

BONUS POINTS
Genesis 1:1-2, 2:7 – The Holy Spirit as breath of God, life-giving and essential.

The Spirit Brings Life vs. The Law Brings Death:

• Sinai: Exodus 32:28 – 3,000 died
• Pentecost: Acts 2:1-4 – 3,000 saved

2 Corinthians 3:6 – “The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”
Romans 8:1-2 – “The law of the Spirit of life has set you free from the law of sin and death.”

The Holy Spirit brings life, transformation, and empowerment to all who yield to Him.