THE PERSONALITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

“But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.’” (Acts‬ ‭5:3-4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

You cannot lie to a force, a power, or influence.  That is all some want to make the Spirit out to be.  He is seen in Scripture as a Person.  He possesses the traits of personhood: reason, emotion, and volition.

• HE THINKS.  “But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.” (1 Cor.2:10-11)  We see the Spirit searching, considering, thinking. A force cannot do that. A person can.

• HE FEELS. “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Eph.4:30)  He can grieve because He feels.  How can an impersonal power feel grief?

• HE CHOOSES. “But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” (1 Cor.12:11)  We see the Spirit exercising His will in distributing spiritual gifts.  He influences us in His decisions, but is more than an influence Himself.

These are the descriptions of personhood. As the Father and Son are persons, so is the Spirit. Don’t ever refer to the Spirit as “it” but “Him”—a Person.  You can talk to Him and He understands. You can express emotion to Him and He sympathizes. You can seek His guidance and He will convey His will.

GOD IS PERSONAL

Let’s do some movie trivia.  Tell me what movie series this statement comes from, “May the force be with you.”

That’s right—Star Wars.  Thinking of God as some impersonal cosmic force would come from a movie—it certainly doesn’t come from the Bible.  Star Wars may be good entertainment, but it is bad theology.

God may be above and beyond our highest thoughts, but He is not aloof from us—we are made in His image so we may as persons relate to this personal God.

Whereas, we might consider verses throughout Scripture, we will look in just one book—Psalms—and see some evidences of God’s personality:

• God Thinks.

“He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name. Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.” (147:4-5). God is a rational Being.
 
• God Feels.

“The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity.” (5:5)

“God is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day.”  (7:11)

“The Lord laughs at him, For He sees that his day is coming.” (37:13)

“How often they provoked Him in the wilderness, And grieved Him in the desert!” (78:40)
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“For the LORD will judge His people, And He will have compassion on His servants.” (135:14)

Hate, anger, laughter, grief, and compassion are among the emotions God feels.  God is an emotional Being.

• God Wills.

“For the LORD will judge His people, And He will have compassion on His servants.” (115:3).  God is a volitional Being.

Because God is rational, emotional, and volitional, He is also relational. This is the God you should know—and you can know Him through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  Jesus said, “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (John 17:3)