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We may understand the Holy Spirit as an emotion, a feeling, or sense. Maybe we perceive the Spirit as a type of built-in moral barometer. Perhaps, we think God’s Spirit exists within all men and allows us, after proper reflection or meditation, to speak on God’s behalf. While all of these perceptions may retain a degree of truth, they largely reveal a flawed understanding of the Holy Spirit and a low working knowledge of the Spirit’s actual mechanics. Instead of asking, “What is the Holy Spirit?” We should ask, “Who is the Holy Spirit?”

In our society's march towards ever-greater “personhood", or the ability to define one own's identity despite cultural, societal, gender, or moral norms, we have seemingly gained rights for every people group; yet, despite our unceasing quest for personal autonomy, we continue to misunderstand, misuse, and malign the person of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not a force, not an emotion, not an ecstatic hyper-spiritual sense. The Holy Spirit is a person of the Godhead (2 Cor 3:17) with a unique character. He testifies to the truth of Jesus Christ (1 John 5:6-10). He is grieves over Christian’s sins (Eph 4:30). He speaks truth (John 16:13). And, He achieves His will throughout the church (1 Cor 12:11). Lastly, the person of Holy Spirit is God. He possesses the very mind of God and knows all the riches of divine knowledge; nothing is hidden from His comprehension (1 Cor 2:10-11).

So, the Holy Spirit is His own person. And, as God He has His own agenda. He is not our errand boy or mystique force. He is the very person of God. In His divine sovereignty, He serves as the representative or vicar of Christ on earth. In Christ’s absence, the Holy Spirit administers God’s will (John 14:26). In short, for us to know Christ or have a relationship with God, we must only look to the Holy Spirit- not to any priest, pastor, or any other individual. The Holy Spirit is the designated advocate and ambassador of Jesus Christ. Anyone claiming the role as Vicar, Paraclete, or Mediator infringes on the very personhood of the Holy Spirit. He alone represents Christ, and oversees the will of God in Christ’s absence.

The Holy Spirit administers His unique two-fold ministry on earth, serving both believers and non-believers in different ways. His primary role for the non-believing world depends upon his conjoined and interdependent ministry with the Word of God. Upon the reading and proclamation of God’s word, the Holy Spirit works in the hearts of all mankind to convict them of their sin and prove the righteousness of God (John 16:8). The spirit is the strong arm behind the word of God, enabling the word to penetrate deeper than any sword, “dividing soul and spirit.” (Heb 4:12). The Spirit plants the first fruits of faith and evokes the response, “What shall I do to be saved?” (Acts 2:37).

The Spirit of God works in the believer’s heart in a variety of special ways. First, in conjunction with the word of God....

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