The Holy Spirit

 

ARTICLE BY VICTOR S E MOUBARAK - LINK HERE 

We all have a picture in our imagination as to what God looks like. An old man with a beard is how He has been depicted by the old masters in their paintings.

And of course we all know what Jesus looks like. We've seen Him often enough in films and on TV. He mostly always looks the same.  

But how about the Holy Spirit. What does He look like and who is He? A ghost? A spirit? A wisp of wind? A presence? A feeling? A dove? Or a lot of flames on peoples' heads?

What is, or who is, the Holy Spirit to you?

To me, He is a person. The third person of the Holy Trinity, consisting of God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit. He is a living spiritual being who, together with the Father and the Son are God. 

I think this photo will demonstrate it well.

As you can see, all three are separate "persons" but all three are God. It's a mystery that, for now, we are asked to believe and accept without understanding. See also this article for further explanation: Click HERE.

The Holy Spirit is a living spiritual being who is always at hand ready to help us and guide us throughout this life whenever we need Him. He does that by entering our souls, our very being, and becomes one with us. I appreciate that this is very difficult to understand or believe. How can a spirit be within us? The reality is that today's society is more willing to believe that the Devil can possess people without their permission or willingness; yet they find it difficult or impossible to believe in the Holy Spirit within us.

There are many instances in the Bible where we read that Jesus cast out demons from people who were possessed. This can still happen today. It is so serious that many churches have appointed their own trained exorcist priests. 

The Devil can possess people and the Holy Spirit can and does abide within peoples' soul. The very important difference is that the Holy Spirit will not enter a person without our invitation; and when He does so we experience a total change in our lives.

At Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended into the Disciples and followers of Jesus they experienced this total change. After the Resurrection of Christ and after He ascended into Heaven, the followers of Jesus were in prayer indoors, afraid of the authorities and what would happen to them. They received the Holy Spirit in the form of tongues of fire which appeared on their heads. Suddenly they experienced the power of the Holy Spirit. From fear they became confident and courageous enough to preach about Jesus to everyone willing to listen. Not only that, but they did it in many languages which beforehand they did not know or speak. 

Imagine this happened to you. Not only are you confident enough to teach others about God and Jesus, but you can do so in any language.

When people have the Holy Spirit within them they are transformed in many ways. They are at peace within themselves and with the world. They are not concerned or fearful no matter the situation. They know for certain that God is in control and that all will turn out well.

It is our natural human condition to suddenly have to deal with a situation when things go wrong. It's our human instinct coming to the fore. We focus on the matter or the problem at hand and, momentarily, we perhaps forget about God. 

But when we settle down a little, and pray to God, with the help of the Holy Spirit we will know for certain that all will be well.

How do we get the Holy Spirit within us?

“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Luke 11:11 onwards.