How Does the Holy Spirit Work?
The Holy Spirit is probably the most misunderstood member of the Trinity.
Who is he? What does he do? How does he work in us and through us?
While this certainly won't be an exhaustive list, here are a few ways that we see the Spirit act in our lives.
Restorer
The first work that the Spirit does in us is that he restores our relationship to the Father. Because of sin and disobedience, there is a divide between us and God.
There is nothing we can do on our own to bridge that gap, but only by the mercy and grace of God can we overcome the distance. Even more, it's not us that overcomes the distance.
The cross is the bridge that spans the gap, and the Holy Spirit is the vehicle who brings us back to God.
Comforter
The Holy Spirit is our comforter. The Bible reminds us (and promises us) that God dwells within us and works through us and other believers as an agent of comfort.
In trial, trouble, and affliction, the Holy Spirit gives us peace and rest though his supernatural power, and then he empowers us to use our experiences to help bring comfort and peace to other believers going through the same thing.
Helper
Righteousness and godliness is a tall order. In fact, we could never achieve either on our own.
Scripture tells us that righteousness is the gift of God for believers who have placed their faith in him. We are not naturally rightous and we cannot earn righteousness, but God grants it to us.
This righteousness is worked out every day through the power of the Holy Spirit in us recalling God's promises, his Word, and his character to keep our hearts and minds in him.
Revealer
It's the Holy Spirit who reveals the work of God around us. We worship a God who is active in our world and in our lives, and with the Spirit's lens, we can see how God moves. (That's one reason why unbelievers have such a hard time seeing evidence for God in our world, while we see God's fingerprint all over).
It's by the Holy Spirit that we can experience the love of God every single day, and that experience should lead us into a genuine heart of worship.
That's not an exhaustive list of the attributes of the Holy Spirit, but it's a start.
As you go throughout your day, look for the Spirit at work in your life.
And if you want more reading on the Spirit, check out Hymns of the Spirit available now at all kinds of good readerly platforms. It's a one-month devotional exploring the Holy Spirit through an amazing legacy of hymns you know and love (and maybe some you don't).
What are some other words you would use to describe the Holy Spirit? Let me know in the comments!
