Descriptions of Holy Spirit By Pastor Harry Richardson Though himself invisible, the Holy Spirit may appear in symbolic form and his activities may be described metaphorically. The dove Mt 3:16 Matthew 3:16 (NASB95) 16 After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, See also Jn 1:32 The wind or breath John 1:32 (NASB95) 32 John testified saying, I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. Ac 2:2 This phenomenon accompanied the filling with the Spirit. Acts 2:2 (NASB95) 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. See also Eze 37:9 14 The same Hebrew word is here translated breath, wind and spirit ; Jn 3:8; Jn 20:22 Ezekiel 37:9 14 (NASB95) 9 Then He said to me, Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord GOD, Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life. 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. 11 Then He said to me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; behold, they say, Our bones are dried up and our hope has perished. We are completely cut off. 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel. 13 Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people. 14 I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken and done it, declares the LORD.
The power of God The fire Lk 1:35 John 3:8 (NASB95) 8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit. John 20:22 (NASB95) 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit. Luke 1:35 (NASB95) 35 The angel answered and said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. See also Lk 5:17; Lk 6:19; Lk 24:49 Ac 2:3 4 Luke 5:17 (NASB95) 17 One day He was teaching; and there were some Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was present for Him to perform healing. Luke 6:19 (NASB95) 19 And all the people were trying to touch Him, for power was coming from Him and healing them all. Luke 24:49 (NASB95) 49 And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high. Acts 2:3 4 (NASB95) 3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance. See also Is 4:4; Mt 3:11 12; 1 Th 5:19 Isaiah 4:4 (NASB95) 4 When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and purged the bloodshed of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning, Matthew 3:11 12 (NASB95) 11 As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in His hand,
The oil of anointing Water A seal and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. 1 Thessalonians 5:19 (NASB95) 19 Do not quench the Spirit; Is 61:1; Ac 10:38 Isaiah 61:1 (NASB95) 1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners; Acts 10:38 (NASB95) 38 You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Jn 7:37 39 John 7:37 39 (NASB95) 37 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water. 39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. See also Is 44:3; Jn 4:14; 1 Co 12:13 Eph 1:13 Isaiah 44:3 (NASB95) 3 For I will pour out water on the thirsty land And streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring And My blessing on your descendants; John 4:14 (NASB95) 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. 1 Corinthians 12:13 (NASB95) 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
A deposit Ephesians 1:13 (NASB95) 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, See also Eph 4:30 Ephesians 4:30 (NASB95) 30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 2 Co 1:21 22; Eph 1:14 2 Corinthians 1:21 22 (NASB95) 21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, 22 who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge. Ephesians 1:14 (NASB95) 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. A guide or shepherd A voice Is 63:14 Isaiah 63:14 (NASB95) 14 As the cattle which go down into the valley, The Spirit of the LORD gave them rest. So You led Your people, To make for Yourself a glorious name. See also Is 34:16 Isaiah 34:16 (NASB95) 16 Seek from the book of the LORD, and read: Not one of these will be missing; None will lack its mate. For His mouth has commanded, And His Spirit has gathered them. Heb 3:7 11 Hebrews 3:7 11 (NASB95) 7 Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, 8 DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME, AS IN THE DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS, 9 WHERE YOUR FATHERS TRIED Me BY TESTING Me, AND SAW MY WORKS FOR FORTY YEARS. 10 THEREFORE I WAS ANGRY WITH THIS GENERATION, AND SAID, THEY ALWAYS GO ASTRAY IN THEIR HEART, AND THEY DID NOT KNOW MY WAYS ; 11 AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST. See also Eze 2:2; Mt 10:19 20; Jn 16:13
Ezekiel 2:2 (NASB95) 2 As He spoke to me the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet; and I heard Him speaking to me. Matthew 10:19 20 (NASB95) 19 But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. 20 For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. John 16:13 (NASB95) 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. God s gift Ac 2:38 Acts 2:38 (NASB95) 38 Peter said to them, Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. See also Ac 1:4; Ac 8:20; Ac 10:45; Ac 11:17 Acts 1:4 (NASB95) 4 Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, Which, He said, you heard of from Me; Acts 8:20 (NASB95) 20 But Peter said to him, May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! Acts 10:45 (NASB95) 45 All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. Acts 11:17 (NASB95) 17 Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God s way?