Table Of ContentQUESTIONS
ABOUT
THE HOLY
SPIRIT
THE 60 MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT
S. MICHAEL HOUDMANN
GENERAL EDITOR
Copyright © 2013 S. Michael Houdmann, General Editor.
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ISBN: 978-1-4908-0261-9 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-4908-0260-2 (e)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2013913006
WestBow Press rev. date: 8/21/2013
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements
Preface
Introduction—The Ultimate Question
1. Questions About Who The Holy Spirit Is
2. Questions About The Ministry Of The Holy Spirit
3. Questions About The Fruit Of The Holy Spirit
4. Questions About The Gifts Of The Holy Spirit
5. Miscellaneous Questions About The Holy Spirit
Appendix—Statement Of Faith
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
T
HIS BOOK IS dedicated to the more than 500 individuals who have served
as volunteer writers for Got Questions Ministries in the past ten years. Their hard
work, commitment, and passion are what make this ministry possible.
Special thanks goes to Kevin Stone, Rebekah Largent, MeLissa Houdmann,
Gwen Sellers, and Kersley Fitzgerald who contributed greatly to this volume in
writing, editing, organizing, and indexing.
All the glory goes to God, “For from him and through him and to him are all
things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” (Romans 11:36)
PREFACE
E
VERY DAY, MORE and more people turn to the Internet to find answers to
their questions about spiritual matters. Topics related to spirituality are the
second-most searched subjects online. Sadly, websites that present false
teachings far outnumber those that proclaim the truth of God’s Word.
In February of 2002, www.gotquestions.org was launched to help fill this gap
and meet the needs of millions of spiritually-minded Web surfers. Since our
launch, we have personally answered over 350,000 questions that have been
submitted to us. Tens of millions of people have found answers to their questions
via our Frequently Asked Questions archives, giving us a unique understanding
of what questions are truly on people’s minds.
This volume is a collection of the most important and/or most frequently asked
questions about the Holy Spirit. Each question is answered directly from the
Bible, if the Bible specifically addresses the particular issue. Where the Bible is
silent on an issue, biblical principles are used to lead to a solid and correct
understanding. The Lord Jesus Christ is our passion, and declaring His Word is
our mission.
Mission Statement of Got Questions Ministries:
Got Questions Ministries seeks to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by providing
biblical, applicable, and timely answers to spiritually-related questions.
INTRODUCTION—
THE ULTIMATE QUESTION
Question: What does it mean to be a born-again Christian?
Answer: The classic passage from the Bible that answers this question is John
3:1–21. The Lord Jesus Christ is talking to Nicodemus, a prominent Pharisee and
member of the Sanhedrin (the ruling body of the Jews). Nicodemus had come to
Jesus at night with some questions.
As Jesus talked with Nicodemus, He told Nicodemus what it meant to be born
again. “‘I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born
again.’ ‘How can a man be born when he is old?’ Nicodemus asked. ‘Surely he
cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!’ Jesus answered,
‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of
water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
You should not be surprised at my saying, “You must be born again”’” (John
3:3–7).
The phrase “born again” literally means “born from above.” Nicodemus had a
real need. He needed a change of his heart—a spiritual transformation. New
birth, being born again, is an act of the Holy Spirit whereby eternal life is
imparted to the person who believes (2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 Peter 1:3; 1 John
2:29). The life comes by being “born of the Spirit.” Titus 3:5 says that we are
saved by “rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”
The next question logically follows: “Why does a person need to be born
again?” In Ephesians 2:1, the apostle Paul says, “And you He made alive, who
were dead in trespasses and sins” (NKJV). Sinners are spiritually “dead,” but
when the Spirit gives them spiritual life, the Bible likens it to a rebirth. Only
those who are born again have their sins forgiven and have a relationship with
God.
How does the rebirth come to be? As we’ve seen, it is a work of the Holy
Spirit. Faith is required on our part. Ephesians 2:8–9 states, “For it is by grace
you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift
of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” When one is saved, he/she has
been born again—spiritually renewed—and is now a child of God by right of
new birth (John 1:12). Trusting in Jesus Christ, the One who paid the penalty of
sin on the cross, is the means of being born again. “Therefore, if anyone is in
Christ, he is a new creation: the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians
5:17).
If you have never trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, will you
consider the prompting of the Holy Spirit as He speaks to your heart? You need
to be born again. Will you pray the prayer of repentance and become a new
creation in Christ today? “To all who received him, to those who believed in his
name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural
descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God” (John
1:12–13).
If you want to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and be born again, here is a
sample prayer. Remember, saying this prayer or any other prayer will not save
you. It is only trusting in Christ that can save you from sin. This prayer is simply
a way to express to God your faith in Him and thank Him for providing for your
salvation: “God, I know that I have sinned against you and am deserving of
punishment. But Jesus Christ took the punishment that I deserve so that through
faith in Him I could be forgiven. I place my trust in You for salvation. Thank
You for Your wonderful grace and forgiveness—the gift of eternal life!”
Have you made a decision to receive Jesus Christ as your Savior because of
what you read here? If so, please send us an email at
[email protected].
Chapter 1
QUESTIONS ABOUT WHO THE
HOLY SPIRIT IS
Contents Who is the Holy Spirit?
Is the Holy Spirit a person?
Is the Holy Spirit a “He,” “She,” or “It” (male, female, or neuter)?
What are the names and titles of the Holy Spirit?
What is the difference between the Holy Spirit and the Holy Ghost?
Should we worship the Holy Spirit?
Why is the dove often used as a symbol for the Holy Spirit?
How is the Holy Spirit like a fire?
Question: Who is the Holy Spirit?
Answer: There are many misconceptions about the identity of the Holy Spirit.
Some view the Holy Spirit as a mystical force. Others believe that the Holy
Spirit is the impersonal power that God makes available to followers of Christ.
But what does the Bible say about the identity of the Holy Spirit? Simply put,
the Bible declares that the Holy Spirit is God. He is the third person of the
Trinity. Being a divine person, the Holy Spirit has a mind, emotions, and a will.
Many Scriptures clearly show that the Holy Spirit is God, such as Acts 5:3–4.
In these verses, Peter confronts Ananias as to why he lied to the Holy Spirit and
tells him that he had “not lied to men but to God.” It is a clear declaration that
lying to the Holy Spirit is lying to God. We can also know that the Holy Spirit is
God because He possesses the characteristics of God. For example, His
omnipresence is seen in Psalm 139:7–8: “Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if
I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” Then in 1 Corinthians 2:1–11, we
see the characteristic of omniscience in the Holy Spirit. “But God has revealed it
to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within
him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of
God” (verses 10–11).
We can know that the Holy Spirit is indeed a divine person because He
possesses a mind, emotions, and a will. The Holy Spirit thinks and knows (1
Corinthians 2:10). The Holy Spirit can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30). The Holy
Spirit intercedes for us (Romans 8:26–27). He makes decisions according to His
will (1 Corinthians 12:7–11).
The Holy Spirit was involved in the creation of the world (Genesis 1:2). He
was active in the Old Testament as He empowered God’s servants to do the
work of God (e.g., Judges 11:29; 1 Samuel 10:10; 2 Chronicles 24:20). In the
New Testament, the Holy Spirit was at work in the ministry of Jesus Christ
(Matthew 3:16; 12:28). He is involved in the lives of unbelievers, convicting
them of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8); and in the lives of
believers, regenerating them (Titus 3:5), indwelling them (Galatians 3:2), sealing
them (Ephesians 4:30), and filling them (Ephesians 5:18). Jesus called the Holy
