Chapter 14

The Holy Spirit

His Names (2)

In the last chapter we discussed five names that are applied to the Holy Spirit in the Bible. Briefly stated they are: (1) the Holy Spirit, (2) the Spirit of grace, (3) the Spirit of holiness, (4) the Spirit of judgment, and (5) the Spirit of burning. Now, we begin where we left off in the last chapter to discuss other names given to the Spirit of God.

The Names of the Holy Spirit (cont.)

Spirit of Truth — Jesus calls Him the Spirit of truth at least three times in the Gospel of John (14:17, 15:26, 16:13). He is the Spirit of truth in contrast to the spirit of error mentioned in 1John 4:6. Men are born and grow up spiritually blind until the time the Holy Spirit illumines their minds to understand the truth.

Jesus used the term "Spirit of truth" when He told us that the Holy Spirit is called to our side to help us:

John 14:16-17

16 "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;

17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you.

He gives instruction, direction, and guidance according to the truth. If you want to know whether or not you are being led by the Spirit of God, examine the basis and result of your action. He will never lead you contrary to the truth revealed in the Bible. If the result of your action is not good, if it is troublesome, if it divides, if it leaves an unsettled feeling, then you may question whether or not the Spirit of truth is leading you. At times you may have to stand against error as Jesus did, but you must be sure you are being led by the Spirit of truth rather than a spirit of error. Jesus said to the Apostles:

John 16:13-14

13 "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.

14 "He shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose it to you."

Spirit of Life — Paul used the name "Spirit of life" when he wrote, "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death" (Romans 8:2). The Holy Spirit imparts life to the sinner who turns to Jesus. We have often heard the term "born again." Jesus explained what that means in John:

John 3:6-7

6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 "Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'"

When one receives Jesus Christ as his Savior, the Spirit of God gives him a new life in Christ. He is born of the Spirit. John's Gospel says that those who receive Jesus "were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:13).

The implications of the name "Spirit of life" are far greater than we can cover in this study. For example, Paul wrote, "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you" (Romans 8:11). Notice the reference is to "mortal bodies" rather than immortal bodies. The Holy Spirit is the life-giving force who can restore the body to health. Thousands of people through the ages have found healing through the name of Jesus, but the Holy Spirit is the agent who carries it out. If you have spiritual or physical needs, turn to Jesus Christ who will, through the Spirit of life, either heal you completely or grant you the grace you need for the situation. Romans 8:11 may also be a reference to the resurrection when this mortal shall put on immortality (1Corinthians 15:53).

Spirit of Wisdom — From the Old Testament prophet Isaiah's pen came the words: "And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom" (Isaiah 11:2). Paul prayed "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom" (Ephesians 1:17). When we face problems for which we have no human solution, the Spirit of wisdom will help us as we rely upon Him. In another place Paul wrote to the Corinthians "by His [God's] doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God" (1Corinthians 1:30).

When you face a very difficult situation, turn to God and ask for wisdom. He will give it to you through His Spirit if you ask: "But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind" (James 1:6).

Sometimes we are faced with a choice between two courses of action, both of which seem to be good. At those times God gives wisdom to make the best choice in order to glorify His name.

Spirit of Knowledge — The Holy Spirit can guide and direct us according to His own knowledge, even though we ourselves may not know what to do. Since He is God, He has all knowledge. When we trust the Lord, He will guide us around many difficulties into which we would fall if we were not relying upon Him. One of my favorite prayers is in Ephesians where Paul prays that God "may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him [Jesus]" (Ephesians 1:17). Paul wants us to know much more about Jesus and have good judgment to use that knowledge to improve our lives for God's glory and our good.

Spirit of Glory — The Apostle Peter tells us about the "Spirit of glory" when he penned these words about suffering: "If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you" (1Peter 4:14). We are promised that if we suffer with Christ, we shall also be glorified with Him (Romans 8:17). The Spirit of glory rests upon those who suffer for Jesus Christ as true saints of the living God.

Spirit of God, Spirit of Christ — These two names of the Holy Spirit acknowledge His relationship to the Father and to the Son: "However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him" (Romans 8:9).

He has been given authority to act in the name of God the Father and in the name of Jesus Christ during this present age of grace. When we pray to the Father for a work of grace in our spiritual or physical lives, it is the Holy Spirit of God who acts as the agent of the Father and Son to perform that which we request for God's glory. We should be thankful that the Holy Spirit always acts in our behalf, for our good, and for the glory of God.

Spirit of Promise — God promised to pour out the Spirit upon all flesh. Referring to the Holy Spirit, Jesus said that He would send the promise of the Father. Thus, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of promise. In Acts 2:33, when Peter was preaching at Pentecost, he said, "Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear." The promise is repeated later in the same chapter:

Acts 2:38-39

38 …"Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

39 "For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself."

The Spirit of promise has been sent to us from God the Father and Jesus Christ His Son as a down payment upon that which He has prepared for us in the future:

Ephesians 1:13-14

13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation – having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,

14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.

Make It Personal

What a wonderful promise God has given to us. The Holy Spirit is completely adequate to meet every need of our lives. Furthermore, He is always present and willing to meet those needs as we become obedient to the Word of God. May you find Him supplying your needs this day and all the days hereafter in Jesus' name.

Acts 10:45

45 And all the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also.

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