2014 NOVEMBER WEEK FOUR LESSON

LESSON ELEVEN (11) 

THE PERSONALITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

MEMORY VERSE


“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” John 14: 16-17 (NIV)

INTRODUCTION

The Holy Spirit who is the third person in the God Head (Trinity) is a personality. Christians of today should eagerly seek Him after accepting Jesus as their Lord and savior.  A right knowledge of who the Holy Spirit is, affects everything we do, say and think about Him. A proper understanding of the Holy Spirit, therefore, can transform our lives. It must therefore be said for a fact that we are living in the era or dispensation of the Holy Spirit and that any Christian or Church organization that fails to acknowledge the teaching and direction of the Holy Spirit is bound to fail, or merely exist as a religious club.

Today some people doubt the personality of the Holy Spirit. They consider Him a power, a force or an energy, and not a person. However, Scripture shows clearly that He is a person (a Being).
Despite the importance of understanding the Scriptures as a whole, there is much confusion and superstition in the minds of many people about the Holy Spirit. It is our intention in this lesson to present the true understanding of what the Bible teaches about the subject of the personality of the Holy Spirit.

This lesson will however help you get answers to these questions;

a.       Is the Holy Spirit a person, or one that possesses "personality"?

b.      Is the Holy Spirit simply an "influence", or "impersonal force that emanates from God?

c.       Why is the Holy Spirit a person? His Personal Characteristics.

WHY IS THE HOLY SPIRIT A PERSONALITY

A)    THE HOLY SPIRIT SPEAKS

1)      What does 1 Tim 4:1 say and who is speaking?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2)      Go to that chariot and stay near it. Who said this according to Acts 8:29?

………………………………………………………………..

3)      According to Acts 10:19-20, Peter was given a charge to execute. Who gave that charge and what was it?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

4)      Reading from Acts 13:1-4, what did you observe the Holy Spirit do?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

B)     THE HOLY SPIRIT TEACHES

5)      According to Jn. 14:26, the Counselor who was to teach the Apostles and to remind them of all things was referred to as? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

It is worthy to note that Jesus consistently used a personal pronoun “He” “Him” to refer to the Holy Spirit and not "it" (implying a being, not an impersonal force) – Jn. 14:16-17, Jn. 16:7-13

C)    THE HOLY SPIRIT BEARS TESTIMONY ABOUT CHRIST

a.      According to John 15:26, what would the Holy Spirit do when He comes?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

b.      Just as the apostles (who were "Personal Beings") would bear
         witness, so also the Holy Spirit Jn. 15:27

D)    THE HOLY SPIRIT GUIDES

c.       According to John. 16:13, what will the Holy Spirit do?     

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

E)    THE HOLY SPIRIT FORBIDS

d.      What did the Holy Spirit do according to Acts 16:6-7?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

This He did by "forbidding" them and "not permitting" them, despite their initial efforts. Sometimes the Holy Spirit can forbid us from making certain decisions.

F)     THE HOLY SPIRIT INTERCEDES

e.       The "Spirit Himself (note Paul's use of the personal pronoun) …………………………..” Rom 8:26

G)   THE HOLY SPIRIT POSSESSES PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

f.       According to Rom 8:27, he who searches our hearts knows …………………………………………………….

g.      1 Co 2:11 suggests that He has knowledge because He knows ………………………………………………….

h.      Humans have affection (love) so do the Holy Spirit. What does Romans 15:30 say?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

i.        According to 1 Cor. 12:11, who decides which person to receive which gift(s)?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

j.        Can we say that based on 1 Cor. 12:11, the Holy Spirit has a will?

Yes…………………… No …………………………

H)    THE HOLY SPIRIT COULD BE OFFENDED

k.      What does Eph. 4:30 say?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

l.        Can we declare base on Eph. 4:30 that the Holy Spirit has emotions? 

Yes…………………………No …………………………

m.    What are the three things you are not to do against the Holy Spirit according to Matt. 12:31-32

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

n.      According to Acts 5:3 what did Ananias and his wife, do and against who?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

o.      What was the result of their actions against the Holy Spirit?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

p.      What did the Jewish leaders do according to Acts 7:51-53?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Conclusion
From the discussions above, it is obvious to agree with the Bible that the Holy Spirit is a person who possesses all the unique characteristics such as a ability to speak, think, guide etc. He cannot be a force, energy or an object as some suggest.

Having gone through this lesson, kindly meditate over how your personal relationship with the Holy Spirit is. How does He feel towards you? What has He done, and is doing, for you in God's scheme of redemption? And how does He react to your reception or rejection of the Word He has revealed? How can you put into practice what you learned?

Would you encounter any obstacles incorporating these principles into your life? If yes, how could you overcome them with the help of the Lord and your discipler?