The Need and Personality of the Holy Spirit — Dan Augsburger

Well, we ought to get started. Is everyone here? There are three things we're going to look at. Number one, the need of the Holy Spirit, and who the Holy Spirit is. We did that a little bit up at Launceston.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit, and then the last part is going to be what grieves the Holy Spirit. I actually didn't do that in Launceston at all. Father in Heaven, everything that we do, everything that we say needs to be inspired and enabled by you, especially when we are considering the way that you work.

I thank you, Father, for the gift of the Holy Spirit. I confess, Father, that much of my life I've not really appreciated or honored the Holy Spirit in the way that I should. But I thank you that you have been merciful and you've begun to open my mind to it, and what I've seen has truly been awesome in the most appropriate use of the word.

I pray, Father, that you'll bless us now as we consider this subject today. May the Holy Spirit Himself teach us, make it clear, and I thank you in Jesus' name. Amen. And feel free to ask questions, and we'll do some dialoguing as well.

The first quotation comes in D .O. Moody. D .O. Moody was busy preaching in 1871. He'd been anxious to have a large Sunday school and a large congregation, but there were few conversions taking place.

He had been accustomed to taking pride in having a very large congregation, but at the particular point nothing was going forward, and two godly women would come and listen to him preach. One of them came to him, he writes, after he had preached what he felt was very satisfactorily, and they assured him that they were praying for him, and he was a little bit miffed by it, and because he said, I thought to myself, I know the Lord, I'm converted.

They were praying for him, and the next time he preached they were there again, and once again they came and told him, we've been praying for you, and he got upset with him. You know, it's like, well pray for them, don't pray for me.

But he couldn't understand it. Finally he talked to them, and they said, you are not all right, even though you feel you are, you have not, you don't have the power, there's something lacking, but God can provide the power.

I didn't like it at first, but I got to thinking it over, and after a little time he says, I began to feel a desire to have what it was they were praying for. They continued to pray for me, and the result was that at the end of three months, God suddenly sent a blessing, which is referred to in this quotation.

He was in New York City at the time, he says, right there in the street the power of God seemed to come upon me so wonderfully that I had to ask God to stay his hand. I was filled with a sense of God's goodness, and felt as though I could take the whole world into my heart.

I took the old sermon I'd preached before without any power, it was the same old truth, but there was a new power, many were impressed and converted. This happened years after I was converted myself. Okay, he said, I took the same sermons, and suddenly because of the presence of the Holy Spirit, people were being converted.

Now, I have to say that for myself, the book that most caught my attention on this subject was a little book called The Way to Pentecost by Samuel Chadwick. I don't know if anyone's read any of his books.

They're wonderful books, and I think I have them as PDFs on my website, or you can find them on the web as PDFs. Anyway, this is what he wrote in the subject. He said, I owe everything to the gift of Pentecost.

It came to me when I was not seeking it. I was about my Heavenly Father's business, seeking means whereby I could do the work to which he'd called and sent me, and in my search I came across a prophet, heard a testimony, and set out to seek.

I knew not what. I knew that it was a bigger thing than I'd ever known. It came along the line of duty in a crisis of obedience. When it came, I could not explain what had happened, but I was aware of things unspeakable and full of glory.

Some results were immediate. There came into my soul a deep peace, a thrilling joy, a new sense of power. My mind was quickened. I felt that I'd received a new faculty of understanding. Every power was vitalized.

My bodily powers were quickened. There was a new sense of spring and vitality, a new power of endurance, a strong men's exhilaration and big things. Things began to happen. He said, just something came upon me that was completely different than before, and you know, the reason I ever read him was I read about this man who'd experienced the Holy Spirit as a result of what he read.

He said he'd read all of his old sermons. He said none of them worked. He said none of them, they're all based on false premises. He threw them out, and his ministry really began then. And when you read his book, it's just incredible.

I mean, you know that there's a greater power working through the man. And based on that, that book that I read actually, one day that I had free in London, I found the PDF and I just read it all the way through the same day.

I said, this day, I'm just going to closet myself and read this book. Man, I came out of that closet experience saying, I have to have the Holy Spirit. And so I began reading and studying. And so this talk, it comes out of that experience.

I don't know if you've ever noticed, this is something that I've noticed that I hadn't noticed before, that even when Jesus was there, you know, Matthew 4 speaks of the power that he had with people. And I list some of those things there on the screen.

Sick people were coming, who were afflicted with diseases and torment in various ways. Luke 4, 14 says, when he returned, he returned in the power of the spirit to Galilee. And I believe it was actually the spirit working in the life of Jesus that made him so effective after the wilderness experience.

Now, Jesus promised that power to us. John 14, 12. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also. And greater works than these he will do, because I go to my father.

Now, have you ever thought about that promise? Is that being realized in your own ministry? It's not what's happening with other people. Is that happening in your personal ministry? Should this, what Jesus said, there be the exception or the norm?

I believe it's something we should all be seeking after. You know, it's time to get honest before God and say, God, if that's true, you know, there's something lacking. You know, we should measure how we're doing based on his promises and not just on our circumstances.

I don't believe things could have been any worse than when Jesus was there. You know, when literally, you know, when he first comes out and he speaks in Nazareth, do you remember how one of the first things they did, they tried to throw him off the edge of a cliff?

Remember that? They walked through the midst? He didn't have an easy time. Acts 1 verse 8, he's told the early church. He said, you will receive power. Okay. You will. You shall. It was an imperative.

You shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you. And ye shall be witnesses to me both in Jerusalem and in Judea and Samaria and into the uttermost parts of the earth. Okay. They were converted.

They knew Jesus. They knew the truth. But the power that would change their ministry would only come after the Holy Spirit had come upon them. And they were told to go and wait, to tarry, to make sure they had that before they did ministry.

Now, how many of you, to me too, can say that I take time to consciously seek after the Holy Spirit in my ministry? You know, or do we just assume that it's there? You know, to what degree? If you look at great Christians, Charles Finney, those people, as I probably shared yesterday, you know, when he did not feel a connection with God, he would take the afternoon off to pray and seek the Holy Spirit.

And he would keep praying until he knew he had the connection again. And then when he came, he had power with God. Okay. He would have power with God as a result of what happened. And I talked to you about John Smith.

He talks about the wonder that occurs when we come and we really connect with God and have the Holy Spirit. And then it's out of the fullness of the Holy Spirit that we speak to our people. Our people know, they will know if there's a connection between us and with God.

Anyway, so in the early church, they were filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. It brought an inward Jesus who would be constantly with them. It brought about a complete transformation.

It shed the love of God in their hearts. It brought a fearless, holy boldness for Christ. It brought a new understanding of the scriptures and brought a new power to bless others. Everything that they could have wanted came on the day of Pentecost.

Everything we could possibly need, we would receive if we had another day of Pentecost in our day, would we not? Of the right kind. But it's not a given. Look at Acts chapter 19. It's on the screen. I kind of feel guilty having us look at the screen.

We can cover a lot more on the screen. Do you have a problem with just reading off the screen? No problems with that? Okay, we'll have to do some Bible reading later, but if it's on the screen, we can read there.

You know, in Acts 19, Paul came to some people in Ephesus and they had received a baptism, but he asked the question, did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? So they said to him, we have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit, let alone received it.

And I think we've gone a little bit further in our day, but it would be a different question. Some of them would say we're not sure. What is the Holy Spirit? Would you agree? Some people would ask that question.

We're not quite sure and there is a lot of question marks these days. I've had the same questions. But I tell you what, as I've actually studied, in my own mind, the ambiguities have disappeared. I don't have any question about that subject.

Anyway, what's the great need today? Spirit-filled people are the greatest need of the church today. Spirit-filled people. And I think it's a real advantage when we seek after the Holy Spirit in a genuine way.

It gives us common ground with people of some churches. Nothing but the baptism of the Holy Spirit can bring the church to its right position and prepare the people of God for the fast approaching conflict.

If that's the case, we need to be educating and preaching on the need for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This promised blessing, if claimed by faith, would bring all other blessings in its train and is to be given liberally to the people of God.

Okay? This promised blessing brings everything else. Let me put it another way. The lack of this blessing keeps everything else away as well. I don't believe that understanding and preaching the Holy Spirit is an option to a church that makes a difference today.

Notice the next paragraph there. We should pray as earnestly for the descent of the Holy Spirit as the disciples prayed on the day of Pentecost. If they needed it at that time, we need it more today. Without the Spirit and the power of God, it will be in vain that we labor to present the truth.

We must have the Holy Spirit to sustain us in the conflict, for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Okay, we need to be praying earnestly, earnestly for the Holy Spirit. Here's another one. The Holy Spirit must be the living agency to convince of sin. The divine agent presents to the speaker the benefits of the sacrifice made upon the cross, and as the truth is brought in contact with a soul's present, Christ wins them to himself and works to transform their nature.

But the Holy Spirit must be the living agency, the power that convinces. Many who are explaining the scriptures to others have not conscientiously and entirely surrendered mind and heart and life to the control of the Holy Spirit.

That's a significant factor when it comes to knowing the power of the Spirit. Now we must pray as never before for the Holy Spirit to be more abundantly bestowed upon us, and we must look for its sanctifying influence to come upon the workers, that the people for whom they labor may know that they have been with Jesus and learned of him.

We must pray for the Holy Spirit. And some of these documents I'd be happy to send you by way of email. I have them on my hard drive. Here's another one. The Holy Spirit is to be presented in every discourse.

What wonderful statements Christ has made concerning his representative to the world. This is the theme of encouragement to be kept before the people. In comprehending the office of the Holy Spirit, we shall bring all blessings to ourselves.

He will make us complete in Christ. How about that? Every discourse. The next one. The promised outpouring of God's life-giving Spirit has been and is still the great hope of God's people. It's a hope in the glory of Zion.

In this time of spiritual declension, God's ministry is to stand in dignity, efficiency, and in power. And then the next one. The more we discover our real need, our real poverty, the more we desire the gift of the Holy Spirit.

It is because we do not see our need, do not realize our poverty, that we do not pour forth earnest entreaties, looking to Jesus, the author, the finisher of our faith, for the bestowal of the blessing.

And here's a famous quotation. The Christian's life is not a modification or improvement of the old, but a transformation. It speaks of the death to self and sin and new life altogether. This change can be brought about only by the effectual working of the Holy Spirit.

It is the Spirit that makes effectual what has been wrought out by the world's Redeemer. It is by the Spirit that the heart is made pure. Through the Spirit, the believer becomes a partaker of the divine nature.

Christ has given His Spirit as a divine power to overcome all hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil and to impress His own character upon the church. Did you notice? It's about His Spirit, His Spirit, His Spirit.

Is it any wonder, is it any wonder that the devil is so busy doing his best to either counterfeit it or do something so we will not seek after the Holy Spirit? You know, it's almost like there was an advertising campaign set up by the Green Party or something to say that, you know, if you put gas in your car, you know, you're going to get cancer.

That's what the devil has done, okay? He's done what he could by subterfuge and by counterfeit to keep people from seeking after the Holy Spirit, and we've fallen for it. We have fallen for it. Am I passionate about this?

Absolutely. Please forgive me. No apologies. Our great need. This comes from Wesley Duell. More God, more power is the book. Our generation will come to God only when it sees a new demonstration of God's reality, presence, and power in His people individually and as a church.

Although the church can be found in more places than ever before, it is largely asleep, lukewarm, lifeless, and powerless. The church will be ablaze for God only when you and I are ablaze for Him. The church will be mighty for God as you and I are mighty for Him.

Okay, it's what the Spirit does that makes that possible. Now, I tell people when I hold meetings, I like to overwhelm with the evidence, okay? It's interesting that members of our church are convinced, but sometimes they're more convinced if I can show it from people from other religions too.

It's weird. Like if I talk about forgiveness, there's sometimes a bit of a jaundiced sense to, you know, certain books, but if I say, well, Moody said the same thing, and the unknown Christian said that, and they suddenly say, wow, if those people believed it too, maybe it's real serious.

So, I will give you quotations from many people today. From Andrew Murray, the supreme need of the Christian life is to receive the Holy Spirit, and when we have it, to be conscious of the fact and live in harmony with it.

Only when believers are prepared to acknowledge the defective and sinful character of their spiritual condition, that their preaching of the full blessing of Pentecost will find an entrance into their hearts.

Only when the discovery is made that they're not standing in a right attitude towards the Holy Spirit, that they have only his preparatory operations, but do not yet know and honor him in his undwelling, that the way to something higher will ever be open or even be desired.

And one more, from Andrew Murray, the grand result was achieved simply and only because the first Christian church was filled with the Spirit. The members gave themselves wholly to the Lord. They allowed themselves to be filled and consecrated, governed and used only by him.

They yielded themselves to him as instruments of his power. He dwelt in them and wrought in them all his wondrous deeds. It has been rightly pointed out that the book of Acts is more the Acts of the Holy Spirit than the Acts of the Apostles.

Okay? The book is far more the Acts of the Spirit than the Acts of the Apostles. The Apostles were moved by the Holy Spirit and you'll notice that before the end of this presentation, we're going to talk about the work of the Holy Spirit in directing the church.

Something that I think that we don't take seriously enough. Okay, this comes from Samuel Chadwick. The measure of our power is the energy of the Holy Spirit working in us and through us. All fullness of life, all resources of vitality, all certainty of assurance, all victory over sin and the flesh, all prevailing power is in prayer, all searcher to glory, all and everything is in the indwelling presence and the power of the Holy Spirit.

It's possible that none of you here have read Samuel Chadwick, but many of you know of Andrew Murray, right? How many have read books of Andrew Murray? You haven't? Okay. So his books are amazing. The book Abiding Christ with Christ's School of Prayer, Absolute Surrender.

There was a power that attended the man and I believe it's because of his commitment and pursuit of the Holy Spirit in his life. The fruit was there. Absolutely. Now we should pray for the power of the Holy Spirit.

Seasons of prayer should be held for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Seasons should be held. Could there be a convocation of all the churches on earth, the object of the united cry should be what? For the Holy Spirit.

When we have that, Christ our sufficiency is ever present. We shall have everyone supplied. We shall have the mind of Christ. Okay, if there could be a convocation of everyone together, what should we be praying for?

It would be the Holy Spirit. Why? Because it's the Holy Spirit that brings everything else that we're wanting. You know, I think that sometimes when we're facing struggles that we would just get down on our knees and gather others together and say we need to start praying for the Holy Spirit.

You might see churches that right now, don't take this the wrong way, for me too, seem to have more dead bones than life. And you might see those dead bones begin to come to life, so to speak. And we might have a problem with the dead bone syndrome ourselves, okay?

From Acts 1 13 and 14, and when they'd enter, they went up into the upper room where they were staying. These all continue in one accord in prayer and supplication. The first baptism of the Holy Spirit came as a result of prayer and supplication.

The first disciples obtained the baptism on their knees. On their knees, they obtained it for others. It will be on our knees also that the full blessing will be won today. And that takes time. That takes time.

So, here's a bit of an assignment, just to take a little bit of a break. I would like this just to take maybe just a few minutes, five, six, seven minutes, to actually spend some time praying together as a group about our need of the Holy Spirit.

It would be a pity to not spend some time actually praying that God would begin the work today and then in our churches as well. Is that okay? I know that that's not my talking, but I really believe that we need to spend the time praying and interacting at that level as well.

Okay? So, find someone else. I'll set my clock and I'll call you back. We'll take about five minutes. That's a travesty, I know, but I want us to take some time at least. Well, there's four questions there.

What is or who is the personality of the Holy Spirit? What are the attributes of the Spirit? What is the work of the Holy Spirit? And finally, what is the role of the Holy Spirit in the Church? These are all really important questions.

And if you go to the internet, you'll find that there are many, many, many books that have been written on the subject, very helpful books. Do many of you use Google Books? Have you discovered Google Books?

Google Books opens kind of a window to literally perhaps millions of books on the internet. And you can put in stuff, keywords, Google search, and you can find the books of John Wesley and just heaps and heaps of people.

And if you go there, you'll discover there's many books on these subjects and some of them are exceedingly helpful. And I've actually spent time reading those and so some of what you're learning about here is based on my study.

Anyway, in the Old Testament, there are 90 references to the Holy Spirit. There are 254 references to the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. And there's a bit of an outline in here. You're going to have to take notes.

And we will look up some things in the Bible because it's, hello there, welcome. We want to look at what is the personality, what are the attributes, etc. Let's first look at the personality. First of all, the Holy Spirit has a mind.

Look at Romans chapter 8 verse 27. 254. Okay, first look up Romans chapter 8 verse 27. It says, Now he who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Okay. It says that intercession is made according to the will of God that the Spirit apparently has an ability to know. Romans 15 verse 30. We're looking at the personalization of the Holy Spirit in the Bible.

Romans 15 verse 30. It says, Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus and through the love of the Spirit that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me through the love of the Spirit that the Spirit apparently can love.

1 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 1. It says now, verse 11 actually. Speaking of the gifts of the Spirit, it actually starts in about verse 17. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.

For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith. And going down to verse 11. But one and the same Spirit works in all these things distributing to each one individually as underlining the word he wills.

1 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 11. Okay. As you probably know, the Holy Spirit is referred to often using personal pronouns. So, for example, in Acts 13 verse 2, it says there, As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Now separate to me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.

The Holy Spirit asked for people to be separated to him to do the work that he was personally calling them to. Then Acts chapter 8 verse 29. It says, Then the Spirit said to Philip, Go near and overtake this chariot.

So Philip ran to him and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah and said, Do you understand what you are reading? The Spirit said to Philip, Go near. The Spirit personally communicated with Philip. Then in Acts chapter 16 verses 6 and 7.

So now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them.

So the Spirit forbids them to do certain things. That is Acts chapter 16. Acts chapter 16 verses 6 and 7. Then in Acts chapter 15 verse 26. John 15 verse 26. John 15 verse 26. John 15 verse 26. John 15 verse 26.

It says, But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He, using the personal pronoun, He will testify of me. He will testify of me.

Jesus also speaks of the Spirit as an independent person. John 14 verse 16. John 14 verse 16. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever. Then the next verse.

The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him, but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be with you. Once again, the word Him and He is used through all of that.

Then John 14 verse 26. John 14 verse 26. 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 the things that I said you.

The Spirit, He will help you. In John 16 verse 7. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I depart, I will send Him to you.

Jesus refers to the Spirit as a person, as a Him, as a He. Now, the Bible also speaks of the Spirit relating to us personally. John 14 verse 7. It speaks of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. John 14 verse 7.

No, verse 17. I misspoke. Sorry about that. The Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees Him nor knows Him, but you know Him for He dwells with you and will be in you. Now, it's interesting.

Jesus said, I'm going to heaven, but the Spirit that I'm sending, He's going to be living right inside of you. Okay? He'll be with you. In fact, He will dwell within you. And then, of course, there's 1 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 19.

It says there, speaking of our bodies as the temple of the Holy Spirit, or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God and you are not your own?

Our bodies are considered the temples of a person, of the Holy Spirit. Okay? It also speaks of the fact that we can grieve the Holy Spirit. Ephesians chapter 4 verse 30. It says, and do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

The Holy Spirit can be grieved away from our lives. Matthew 12, 31 and 32 speaks of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Matthew 12, 31 and 32 says there, therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.

Okay? So Jesus said, you know, you can sin and blasphemy against me, but there's a sin against the Holy Spirit that cannot be forgiven. Speaking of the special relationship that the Holy Spirit was to have to us.

It also speaks in the Bible that the Holy Spirit can be lied to. Acts chapter 5 verse 3. It says, but Peter said to Ananias, you know, the man who had brought all the possessions in with his wife, but they came in separately, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land?

While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men, but you have lied to God. Okay?

The Holy Spirit was seen as a person, but equal with God in that case. He's also an active agent. Notice Acts chapter 14 verse 26. 14 verse 26. It's not that one. It's where it speaks of the Spirit bringing to remembrance the things that Jesus...

Oh, I'm in John. It's John 14, 26. No wonder I'm not finding it. Okay. Here we have it. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father was sent in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I've said to you.

He will both teach and help us to remember. And I can't speak for you, but I can tell you that I need someone even in my youth. I say that tongue-in-cheek to help me remember. John 15, 26. The Spirit will witness of Christ.

But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth proceeds from me. He will testify of me. Okay? This entity would be the agent of testifying. Psalms 104 verse 30.

It says there, You send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth. The Spirit was involved in the creation of the world. And we already read the verses in 1 Corinthians 12 about how the Spirit would be actively involved in dispensing the gifts of the Spirit.

Now then, someone has pointed out that if we substitute the word influence for all the word he's, those sentences make no sense. In other words, the word says, and he will bring to your remembrance and his influence will bring to your remembrance.

Does that make any sense? Why didn't Jesus say, and I will bring to your remembrance? He said, no, and he, the Holy Spirit will bring to your remembrance all things. Or it says, and when the Helper comes, when the influence comes, whom I shall send to you.

The sentences don't make sense. They just kind of fall apart when you say that. Or he says, and I, in my speech, in my preaching, Paul says, we're not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the influence and of power.

That's almost saying the same thing. In the demonstration of the Spirit and of power. If you begin making substitutions, it just doesn't work. Those are some verses that speak to the personality of the Holy Spirit.

Would you agree, based on what we've said, that the Holy Spirit, in the words of Jesus, and the way that Paul refers to them, seems to suggest that it's a he, more than an it, or just a vague influence that emanates from God.

You know, you have to do, really, theological acrobatics to remove this idea of he. I truly find it's hard to not have serious problems. Now, let's look at some of the attributes of the Spirit, as we continue to make our case.

First of all, among the attributes is the fact that the Holy Spirit is referred to as God. We just read about it, remember, in Acts 5, where Peter is saying to Ananias, Acts 5 verses 3 and 4, he's saying, you know, how could you lie to the Spirit?

Because in lying to the Spirit, you were lying to God. The Holy Spirit and God are spoken in the same way. We also find that the Spirit has the right to make choices. And we find that in reference to the giving of the gifts of the Spirit.

He has divine prerogatives. In other words, he can make independent decisions. 1 Corinthians chapter 12, verse 11. Now, here are some new verses. The Holy Spirit initiates and promotes spiritual life and growth.

Look at Hebrews chapter 9, verse 14. Hebrews chapter 9, verse 14. It says, How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

In other words, the Spirit has the work of cleaning our consciences, or Jesus actually, through the Spirit, does a work of cleansing our consciences before God, bringing about greater spirituality. Look at Romans chapter 8, verse 2.

It says there, For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and of death. Okay? The Spirit works and brings about a change. Or John chapter 6, verse 63. John chapter 6, verse 63.

John 6, verse 63. It says there, It is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are Spirit and they are life. Okay? It is the Spirit, Jesus says, the word Spirit is capitalized, who gives life, the flesh profits nothing.

Now, in addition to the Spirit having divine prerogatives, it has divine characteristics. Psalms 139, verses 7 to 9. Psalms 139. It speaks of our ability to separate ourselves from the presence of God.

It says, Where can I go from your Spirit? Or where can I flee your presence? If I ascend into heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in hell, behold, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me and your right hand shall hold me.

It is impossible to escape the Spirit because the Spirit is omnipresent. Genesis chapter 1, verse 2. The story of creation. It says there, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void.

The darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. The Spirit was involved in creation. The Spirit is also not only omnipresent but omnipotent. Then, look at 1 Corinthians chapter 2, verses 10 and 11.

The Holy Spirit is not only omnipresent, omnipotent, but also omniscient. 1 Corinthians chapter 2, verses 10 and 11. It says, But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

For what man knows the things of a man except the Spirit of the man which is in him. Even so, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. The Spirit knows things that we do not know. It's omniscient.

It's all-knowing. And we already mentioned the creative power of the Spirit in Psalms 104, verse 30. Now, here's another important point about the Spirit. The Spirit is referred to as a distinct member of the Godhead.

Look at Matthew chapter 1, verse 30. This is one of those that I find hard to believe there's a good answer for unless you believe in the Holy Spirit being a person. Matthew chapter 1, verse 20. I said 30, but I meant 20.