2.7 The Holy Spirit is a Person, not a force

The Holy Spirit is often associated with power or anointing. Because of the omnipresent qualities of the Holy Spirit, we tend to view Him as an invisible presence. But He is more than just a force or a presence. He is a person with a personality of His own.

Though He is all powerful, He is a non-imposing gentleman who respects our free will. He is also tender-hearted for He can be grieved (Eph 4:30).

Jesus addressed the Holy Spirit as a person rather than an invisible force. Jesus called the Holy Spirit a teacher, helper and guide in the book of John. These are nouns that describe Him as a person.

The early disciples were conscious of the Holy Spirit as a person. When Ananias was dishonest, Peter said that he lied to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3). When Peter testified before the council in Acts 5:31-32, he said that they were witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection, and so was the Holy Spirit. In Acts, 15:28, the apostles and the elders of the Jerusalem church wrote to the Gentile churches saying, “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us…” They were all conscious of the Holy Spirit as “the” Person in their midst.

Today, we need to be conscious of this special Person and to depend on His help and empowerment. Pastor Yonggi Cho, who pastors the world’s largest church in South Korea, calls the Holy Spirit his “Senior Partner”. Kathryn Kuhlman, the leading female evangelist of the 20th century, called Him her “best Friend”. Likewise, we can invite the Holy Spirit to be our best Friend.