Paranormal Activity Series

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY

TOPIC: HOLY SPIRIT

INTRODUCTION: About 4 years ago, a few young movie producers with no real backing made a movie called Paranormal Activity, a ghost story. After viewing in several small theaters, the show went viral and became a smashing nationwide success. Though I am absolutely not advocating the film, I do want to point out that our society sure loves to deal with issues such as ghosts.

In fact, I would say that our society (and maybe Christians too) know more about spirits (which don’t even exist) than they know about the Holy Spirit! Hopefully this talk will clear up some details in many ways what will be a no frills approach.

BIBLE VERSE: ACTS 2:3-4

3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

QUESTIONS:

1. What is the Holy Spirit?

2. Okay, clarify that…what is the Holy Spirit again?

3. Can the Holy Spirit be grieved?

4. Tongues of Fire? Um, You’re Kinda Freaking Me Out Here…Could You Explain That Please?

5. How does the Holy Spirit speak to us?

ANSWERS:

1. What is the Holy Spirit? Actually the better question: WHO is the Holy Spirit?

Answer From Gotquestions.org: There are many misconceptions about the identity of the Holy Spirit. Some view the Holy Spirit as a mystical force. Others understand the Holy Spirit as the impersonal power that God makes available to followers of Christ. What does the Bible say about the identity of the Holy Spirit? Simply put, the Bible declares that the Holy Spirit is God. The Bible also tells us that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, a being with a mind, emotions, and a will. The fact that the Holy Spirit is God is clearly seen in many Scriptures, including Acts 5:3-4. In this verse Peter confronts Ananias as to why he lied to the Holy Spirit and tells him that he had “not lied to men but to God.” It is a clear declaration that lying to the Holy Spirit is lying to God. We can also know that the Holy Spirit is God because He possesses the characteristics of God. For example, His omnipresence is seen in Psalm 139:7-8, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” Then in 1 Corinthians 2:10-11, we see the characteristic of omniscience in the Holy Spirit. “But God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” We can know that the Holy Spirit is indeed a divine person because He possesses a mind, emotions, and a will. The Holy Spirit thinks and knows (1 Corinthians 2:10). The Holy Spirit can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30). The Spirit intercedes for us (Romans 8:26-27). He makes decisions according to His will (1 Corinthians 12:7-11). The Holy Spirit is God, the third Person of the Trinity. As God, the Holy Spirit can truly function as the Comforter and Counselor that Jesus promised He would be (John 14:16, 26, 15:26).

2. What is the Holy Spirit again?

A.W. Tozer in his book “The counselor” says this: “Spell this out in capital letters: THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A PERSON, He is not enthusiasm. He is not courage. He is not energy, He is not the personification of all good qualities, like Jack Frost is the personification of cold weather. Actually, the Holy spirit is not the personification of anything........He has individuality. He is one being and not another. He has will and intelligence, He has hearing, He has knowledge and sympathy and ability to love and see and think. He can hear, speak, desire, grieve and rejoice. He is a person.” The Holy Spirit has always been present. From the beginning of time He has existed. Both the Hebrew word for Spirit “roo’akh” and the Greek word

“pnyoo-mah” both mean breath. When we read Genesis 1:2-”And the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters” Genesis 2:6 “....And breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.” And hundreds of other passages concerning the breath and Spirit of God. the Spirit of God and the breath of God are one in the same. The 2 words are interchangeable.

3. Can the Holy Spirit be grieved?

Absolutely! In fact, the grieving of the Holy Spirit may be the reason why most churches and most Christians have absolutely no power whatsoever.