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UNPACKED – Doctrine of the Holy Spirit

As we continue these nights together, we’re exploring the truths that empower our church—focusing now on the Holy Spirit. Read the notes below, click to download, to discover who He is, how He works and the life He brings.

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.”

The Holy Spirit is God: Understanding the Trinity

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.

The Person of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is a person, not merely an impersonal face. 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.

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.

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.

As we continue exploring this topic, we’re unpacking a key tension in the Christian life: why we still struggle with sin even though Jesus has already defeated it. Read the notes below to understand what Christ has done at the cross, what we experience today, and how God is shaping us through the ongoing journey of sanctification.

The Power of Sin

  • Overview
  • The Defeat of Sin’s Power
  • The Struggle with Sin’s Influence
  • Why We Still Struggle With Sin
  • The Victory We Can Have Over Sin
  • Conclusion

Overview

Many of us understand that when Jesus gave His life on the cross, He defeated the power and authority of sin. He became sin in our place so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Yet, it’s clear that sin is still present in the world, and many Christians still struggle with temptation and sinful habits. This can feel confusing. If sin has been defeated in Christ, why do we still struggle with it?

In this blog, we’ll explore:

  • The defeat of sin’s power at the cross
  • The ongoing influence of sin
  • Why believers still struggle today
  • How we can walk in victory over sin

The Defeat of Sin’s Power

At the cross, Jesus didn’t just deal with sin emotionally or symbolically. He broke its authority and dominion over believers completely.

We are no longer slaves to sin.

Romans 6:6–11 explains this clearly:

Our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

This is a decisive spiritual reality for everyone in Christ:

  • Sin no longer rules over us
  • We are no longer under its authority
  • We are now alive to God in Christ Jesus

Before salvation, sin wasn’t just something we did. It was something that ruled us. Paul uses the image of slavery to explain this:

“You were once slaves of sin…” (Romans 6:17–18)

A slave does not have full autonomy. In the same way, sin shaped our desires, decisions, and direction before Christ.

Freedom through Christ’s exchange.

Jesus broke that system through His death and resurrection:

“For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin…” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Through Christ’s sacrifice:

  • We are freed from sin’s power
  • We are transferred into righteousness
  • Sin is no longer our master

But this leads to an important question: If sin is defeated, why do we still struggle?

The Struggle with Sin’s Influence

Although sin’s power has been broken, its presence and influence remain in the world.

Sin is no longer our master, but it still tries to tempt, lure, and influence us. We still live in a fallen world where spiritual battle is real.

Even Jesus experienced temptation, yet He never sinned.

Scripture is clear that believers must still actively resist sin:

  • Ephesians 6:10–12 – We wrestle against spiritual forces
  • 1 Peter 5:8 – The devil seeks to devour
  • James 1:13–14 – Temptation comes through desire

We are still in a spiritual battle

While sin no longer rules us, it still:

  • Appeals to our flesh
  • Uses external influences
  • Seeks to draw us away from God

However, sin will not always remain. Scripture promises a future where it will be completely removed:

“He will wipe away every tear… death shall be no more…” (Revelation 21:4)

Why We Still Struggle With Sin

To understand the tension we live in, we need to understand the three stages of salvation (Ordo Salutis):

  1. Justification 

We are saved instantly

  • Freed from sin’s power
  • Declared righteous in Christ

2. Sanctification

We are being saved progressively

  • Freed from sin’s influence over time
  • Becoming more like Christ

3. Glorification

We will be saved fully in the future

  • Completely free from sin’s presence

Where we live now

We currently live in sanctification:

  • Sin’s power is broken
  • Sin’s influence is still present
  • Sin’s presence will one day be removed

State of sin vs acts of sin

A helpful distinction:

  • State of sin: We are no longer separated from God
  • Acts of sin: We still sometimes fall and miss the mark

Being saved does not mean we never sin again. It means sin no longer defines our identity or separates us from God.

We are:

  • Fully forgiven in Christ
  • Still being transformed in daily life

The Victory We Can Have Over Sin

We are not powerless against temptation. Scripture gives us practical ways to walk in victory.

1. Identify the sin

You cannot overcome what you refuse to acknowledge.

2. Understand there is no condemnation

“There is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)

Conviction leads us to God. Condemnation pushes us away from Him.

3. Recognise triggers

Identify patterns and remove environments that fuel temptation.

4. Repent quickly

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just…” (1 John 1:9)

Don’t delay restoration.

5. Bring sin into the light

Confession breaks secrecy. Sin grows in darkness and weakens in the light.

6. Remember your identity 

You fight sin from freedom, not for freedom.

“Be transformed by the renewal of your mind…” (Romans 12:2)

7. Rely on the Holy Spirit

Change is a process empowered by God, not human willpower alone.

“He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion…” (Philippians 1:6)

Conclusion

Jesus has defeated sin, but sin has not yet been fully destroyed.

That is why:

  • We are free from sin’s power
  • We still face its influence
  • We still experience the process of sanctification

One day, at glorification, sin will be gone completely. Until then, we live in the tension of already free, but still being transformed.

The good news is this:

  • Sin does not define you
  • Sin does not separate you from God
  • Sin does not have authority over your life

You are justified, being sanctified, and one day will be glorified.

And in the meantime, the Holy Spirit is faithfully shaping you into the image of Christ.

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