Today’s Scripture Reading

²⁴ The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.1JO.3.24

Today’s Devotional Reading

The Holy Spirit

Who is the Holy Spirit? It is interesting that throughout Scripture the Holy Spirit is not given a personal name such as Yahweh or Emmanuel, but is described only in terms of His work. Perhaps that omission has led some to think of the Holy Spirit as a force, a power, or an influence—some entity less than a person.

The Holy Spirit does not have a physical body, but personality is not a physical attribute; rather, it is a combination of qualities, characteristics, and actions. The Bible says about the Holy Spirit that He thinks, He feels (1 Corinthians 2:10), He decides (1 Corinthians 12:11), He speaks (John 15:26), He teaches (John 14:26), He intercedes for us (Romans 8:26), He helps to make our weaknesses become empowered strengths (2 Corinthians 12:9), He guides (1 Corinthians 2:13)—among other things. He can be lied to (Acts 5:3), insulted (Hebrews 10:29), grieved (Ephesians 4:30), and resisted (Acts 7:51).

The New Testament reveals the Holy Spirit to us as coming in person to glorify Christ in every believer as He works to create God’s family on the earth—that is, the Church as God’s household. He is called the Spirit of truth (John 16:13) and our Advocate (John 14:26). When He indwells the life of the believer, He takes the truth of the words of Christ, and reveals their depth of meaning to that individual.

The Holy Spirit serves as God’s divine Administrator on earth. As the Administrator, He desires and works to recreate in His people the life of Christ. The apostle John said in his first epistle: “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12). The Holy Spirit is the source of that life. John also says, “And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us” (1 John 3:24). What one believes about the Holy Spirit is only of value if it becomes expressed in experience; the truth of His power has to step out of the Bible and into the believer’s life. The work of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Christ and make Him real in the daily life of every believer.

Today’s devotional reading is pulled from: NIV Storyline Bible