HOLY
SPIRIT-PERSONALITY
The
conception of the Holy Spirit as a divine influence or power that we are
somehow to get hold of and use, leads to self-exaltation and self-sufficiency.
One who so thinks of the Holy Spirit and who at the same time imagines that he
has received the Holy Spirit will almost inevitably be full of spiritual pride
and strut about as if he belonged to some superior order of Christians. One
frequently hears such persons say, “I am a Holy Ghost man,” or “I am a Holy
Ghost woman.” But if we once grasp the thought that the Holy Spirit is a divine
Person of infinite majesty and glory and holiness and power, who in marvelous
condescension has come into our hearts to make us His abode there and take
possession of our lives and make use of them, it will put us in the dust and
keep us in the dust. I can think of no thought more
humbling or more overwhelming than the thought that a Person of divine majesty
and glory dwells in my heart and is ready to use even me.
R.A. Torrey
The Person and Work of the Holy
Spirit, 1910 reprint, Zondervan, 1970, p. 8-9.
Spell this
out in capital letters: THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A PERSON. He is not enthusiasm. He
is not courage. He is not energy. He is not the personification of all good
qualities, like Jack Frost is the personification of cold weather. Actually,
the Holy Spirit is not the personification of anything... He has individuality.
He is one being and not another. He has will and intelligence. He has hearing.
He has knowledge and sympathy and ability to love and see and think. He can
hear, speak, desire, grieve and rejoice. He is a Person
A.W. Tozer
1.
The Holy Spirit has all the qualities of a
personal being.
a.
Mind (knowledge) – Isa. 11:2; Jn.
14:26; Rom. 8:27; 1 Cor. 2:10-11.
b.
Emotions (feelings) – Rom.
8:26; 15:30; Eph. 4:30 (cf. Isa. 63:10); Ac. 15:28; Jas. 4:5.
c.
Will (choices/plans) –
Ac. 16:7; 1 Cor. 12:11.
2.
The Holy Spirit performs all the functions of a
personal being.
a.
He talks (Mk. 13:11; Ac. 1:16; 8:29; 10:19; 11:12; 13:2;
21:11; 1 Tim. 4:1; Heb. 3:7; Rev. 2:7).
b.
He testifies (Jn. 15:26; 16:23).
c.
He can be sinned against (Mt. 12:31).
d.
He can be lied to (Ac. 5:3).
e.
He can be tested/tempted (Ac. 5:9).
f.
He can be insulted (Heb. 10:29).
g.
He enters into relationship with other persons (2 Cor.
13:14).
h.
He encourages (Ac. 9:31).
i.
He strengthens (Eph. 3:16).
j.
He teaches (Lk. 12:12; Jn. 14:26; 1 Cor. 2:13).
Sam
Storms
The Person of the Holy Spirit, November 8, 2006, www.enjoyinggodministries.com.
Used by Permission.