Read Acts 5:1-5. The sin of Ananias and Sapphira was that they sold a possession and pretended to give the full price to the church, but they actually kept part of the price for themselves. Peter did not blame them for keeping part of the money. He even told them that after it was sold, the money was in their own power to do as they wished (verse 4). They problem was that they gave the false impression that they had donated all the money, when they had not. Thus it was a lie; they were keeping back the truth.
In verse 3 who did Ananias lie to? ______________________________________ [Remember, the "Spirit of truth" is never pleased with deception--John 16:13.] In verse 4 who did Ananias lie to? ___________ In these two verses the Holy Spirit is equated with God.
Read 1 Corinthians 3:16. The temple of God is the place where God dwells. God dwelt in the Old Testament temple in Jerusalem and manifested His presence there in a special way. Today there is no temple in Jerusalem where God dwells, but God has chosen to dwell in His people, in His Church. According to 1 Corinthians 3:16 who dwells in God's temple? _______________________________________ Since the temple of God is where God dwells and since the Holy Spirit dwells there, we conclude that the Holy Spirit is God. Compare also 1 Corinthians 6:19 and Ephesians 2:21-22 which teach this same thing. This truth should make a great difference in the daily life of every child of God, as he realizes that God lives in Him and God is the One working in Him (Phil. 2:13; Eph. 3:20; Col. 1:29). We are indwelt by the living God, even by God the Holy Spirit. When you awake each morning, do you remind yourself that God lives in you?
Let us compare Hebrews 10:15-16 with Jeremiah 31:33. In Hebrews 10:15 who is speaking? ____________________________ In Hebrews 10:16 who is speaking? _____________ In Jeremiah 31:33 who is speaking? __________________ When you see the word "LORD" in the Old Testament with all capital letters it is the Hebrew name JEHOVAH (a very sacred Name which always refers to the true God). The Holy Spirit is equated with the Lord (Heb. 10:16) and He is equated with Jehovah (Jer. 31:33). Therefore, the Holy Spirit is JEHOVAH, the one true God! [Jehovah's Witnesses would be shocked to learn that the Holy Spirit, whom they describe as a mere force and a mere "it," is actually Jehovah God!]
Holy
His very Name is "the ____________ Spirit of God" (Eph. 4:30). Most Bible students believe that 1 John 2:20 is referring to the Holy Spirit. In this verse He is called "the ___________ one." In Isaiah chapter 8 the holiness of God is emphasized. The angelic creatures cried, "Holy, __________, _________, is the LORD of hosts" (Isa. 6:3). In this passage there seems to be a hint that God is a plural unity. Notice verse 8 where God says, "Who will go for _____?" Compare also Genesis 1:26. This may explain the reason why the word "HOLY" is repeated three times. God the Father is holy. God the Son is holy. God the Holy Spirit is holy. The passage is interpreted in this way by Reginald Heber who wrote the reverent hymn, Holy, Holy, Holy.
Eternal
In Hebrews 9:14 He is called "the ______________________ Spirit."
Omnipresent
In Psalm 139, verses 7-10 teach us that God is omnipresent. We cannot escape from His presence because He is everywhere. [An unbelieving man once said to a little girl, "If you can show me where God is, I'll give you an apple." She replied, "Mister, if you can show me where God isn't, I'll give you a whole barrel of apples!"] In verse 7 the question is asked, "Whither shall I go from thy _______________?" The answer is obvious. You cannot go anywhere to get away from the Spirit because God's presence is everywhere. The Spirit is omnipresent and the Spirit is God. Indeed, the fact that the Spirit of God can indwell every believer no matter where on earth he lives is another indication that the Holy Spirit is not confined to one place.
Omniscience
"The Spirit searcheth ______ ________________, yea, the deep things of God" (1 Cor. 2:10). There is nothing about God that the Spirit of God does not know and understand. In Isaiah 40:13 we learn that the Holy Spirit does not need a teacher. If He does not need a teacher, then He must know all things.
Omnipotent
Man lacks power but there is no shortage with God. In Zechariah 4:6 we read, "Not by might, nor by _______________, but by my Spirit, saith the LORD of hosts." This implies that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Power! Compare Luke 1:34-35 with Luke 1:37. The Holy Spirit can do that which is impossible! A virgin birth is impossible, but not to God!
Truth
In 1 John 5:6 we read, "The Spirit is ______________." Also He is called "the Spirit of ________________" (John 14:17 and 16:13). He is also the Author of the Bible which is the "Word of ________________" (2 Tim. 2:15).
Sovereign
The Spirit of God makes decisions concerning the distribution of spiritual gifts in the assembly, and He does so "as He will" (as He sovereignly chooses). The Holy Spirit also determines who should be the spiritual leaders (overseers) of the local assemblies (Acts 20:28). Of course, He does all this in perfect harmony with God the Father and God the Son.
Perfect
Read Revelation 1:4. The number seven is used symbolically in the Scriptures to express completeness and perfection. Revelation 1:4 may be referring back to Isaiah 11:2. This verse does not mean that there are seven Holy Spirits, but it means that the one Holy Spirit is perfect in understanding, in knowledge, in wisdom, in might, and in every other way.
Creation
Only God can create, and in Genesis 1:2 we see that the Holy Spirit was actively involved in the work of creation. In Job 26:13 we read, "By his Spirit he hath __________________________ the heavens." The word "garnish" means decorate, make beautiful, adorn. The Holy Spirit beautified the heavens and decorated them with splendor. The Holy Spirit is the divine Artist in creation.
The New Creation
When it comes to salvation (being a new creation in Christ), the Holy Spirit plays a key role. Do the following matching problem:
| 1. _______ The New Birth (born of the Spirit) | a. Titus 3:5 |
| 2. _______ By the Spirit the sinner is washed (cleansed of all sins), sanctified (set apart for God's service) and justified (declared righteous in Christ) | b . John 3:5 |
| 3. _______ Renewal and Regeneration | c. 1 Cor. 6:11 |
God alone saves and no one can be saved apart from the work of God the Holy Spirit.
The Virgin Birth
Matthew 1:20--"Fear not to take unto thee Mary, thy wife; for that which is conceived in her is of the _____________ ________________." The Holy Spirit was involved in this miraculous conception. The virgin birth was a miracle that only could be brought about by God. In Luke 1:35 we learn that the Holy Spirit was deeply involved with this miracle. Unbelievers might say, "The virgin birth is totally impossible." They are correct. It is impossible for a woman to conceive a child apart from any male involvement. But consider verse 37--"For with _______ nothing shall be ______________________." People who have problems with miracles do not really have a problem with miracles. They have a problem with God. Their god is too little and too puny. But for the God of the Bible, there is nothing that He cannot do. For God the Holy Spirit, the virgin birth was no problem!
Inspiration
The Bible is God's Word (2 Tim. 3:16--"All Scripture is God-breathed," literal translation). The Bible is from the mouth of God (Isa. 40:5). The Author of the Bible is God Himself, and the Holy Spirit played a key role in how the Bible came to be what it is. Consider 2 Peter 1:21 which tells us how the Word of God originated--"For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake (spoke) as they were moved by the __________ ______________." These men wrote exactly what God wanted them to as they were moved and guided by the Holy Spirit.
David wrote many of the psalms (2 Sam. 23:1), but God was involved. According to 2 Samuel 23:2, who was guiding David to write just the right words? ____________________________________ In every book of the Bible there is both the human author and the divine Author. In this case, David was the human author and the Holy Spirit was the divine Author. Even though God used David's pen in a wonderful way, in the final analysis, what David wrote was the Word of God.
The Spirit of God also played a major role in the inspiration of the New Testament. The gospels were written a number of years after the death and resurrection of Christ; in fact, the Gospel of John may not have been written until near the end of the first century. How did the gospel writers remember the words of Jesus after so many years? (See John 14:26.) _________________________________________________________________________________ Our Lord promised that the Holy Spirit would guide the disciples "into all _________________" (John 16:13) and that He would show them "things to ________________" (John 16:13). "Things to come" refers to future things (prophecy) such as we find in the book of Revelation and in prophetic portions of other books of the New Testament (such as 1 Thessalonians which has much to say about the Lord's coming). In John 16:14-15 Christ promised that the Holy Spirit would show or reveal the things of Christ. This is exactly what we find in many of the New Testament epistles, such as the book of Romans, where the great truths about Christ are revealed and explained to believers. The hymn writer wrote, "Spirit of God, my Teacher be, showing the things of Christ to me."
Consider Matthew 28:19 and 2 Corinthians 13:14. If the Father is God, and if the Son is God, then the Holy Spirit, who is mentioned in such close association with them, must be God also. This does not mean that there are three Gods, but rather one God who is a tri-unity. He is one God in three Persons. See our study on the Trinity.
In John 14:16 the Lord Jesus was going away, but He promised to send "another Comforter," another (allos) of the same kind. In other words, He promised to send another Person, another Companion, who would be just like Him. Just as Jesus was God, so the Holy Spirit was God also.
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Application If I am a believer, I am indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 6:19). This means that God lives in me! God, in all His fullness, lives in me! Oh what a wonder this is! May I never grieve this blessed One who lives in me (Eph. 4:30)! As believers, we would never question the greatness of the incarnation. God was manifested in the flesh (John 1:14; 1 Tim. 3:16). Have we ever considered the greatness of Pentecost? God came on that day to live in a body of believers (John 14:17; 1 Cor. 3:16). The church is a holy temple, the habitation of God through the Spirit (Eph. 2:21-22). |
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