What is the Holy Spirit?

Question

Is it one spirit apart from God or they are one? Is it just God's presence and force or something independet from Him? If the Holy Spirit is a third spirit (God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit), why he doesn't have a name instead of Holy Spirit?

Answer 1

The Holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost is simply, God dwelling in us. It's God's spirit in us. There is only 1 God.

Answer 2

Firstly, the holy spirit is not a third person in a Trinity -- I like the way you put it -- not "a third spirit."

The Bible uses the term 'holy spirit' in a few ways:
1) it is used as a synonym for God himself -- since God is both holy and spirit, these two attributes are brought together as "holy spirit."
2) it is used as the power of God. God acts through his holy spirit.
3) it is the mind, will or motivation of God. This is largely how a person becomes a Christian, when the mind/spirit of God enters into and works in him.

Indeed, since both Jesus and the Father are holy spirit, the Trinity really is senseless, saying in essence: the holy spirit Father, the holy spirit Jesus and the holy spirit nameless one.

Answer 3

What Is the Holy Spirit?
In the Bible, God’s holy spirit is identified as God’s power in action. Hence, an accurate translation of the Bible’s Hebrew text refers to God’s spirit as “God’s active force.” (Genesis 1:2) This concept is well supported throughout the Bible.—Micah 3:8; Luke 1:35; Acts 10:38.

Contrary to popular belief, God is not present everywhere at all times. Rather, he dwells in the spirit realm, in an “established place of dwelling,” or residence. (1 Kings 8:39; 2 Chronicles 6:39) The Scriptures also refer to a specific place where God lives and has his “throne.” (1 Kings 22:19; Isaiah 6:1; Daniel 7:9; Revelation 4:1-3) However, from his “established place of dwelling,” he can use his active force to reach out into every corner of both the spirit realm and the physical realm.—Psalm 139:7.

Back in 1879, Bible scholar Charles L. Ives aptly illustrated God’s ability to exercise his power from a fixed location. He wrote: “For example, we say, ‘Open the shutters, and let the sun come into the room.’ We mean, not the real, bodily sun, but the solar ray, that which proceeds from the sun.” Similarly, God has no need to travel to the locations where he intends to use his active force. He simply employs his holy spirit, which can reach to the extremities of creation. Seeing the holy spirit for what it is—God’s powerful active force—can give you confidence that Jehovah will fulfill his promises.

HAVE YOU WONDERED?
Does the Bible teach that the holy spirit is a person?—Acts 10:44, 45.
What is the holy spirit?—Genesis 1:2.
How far-reaching is God’s holy spirit?—Psalm 139:7.

Answer 4

Very good question...

From what I have experienced and know from the Holy Spirit is that it's always on the earth, and it's part of God's spirit within a spirit since He is spirit.
I have felt this Holy Spirit many times enter into me.....aways when we do the right thing at the right time, being like Jesus.
The last two times the Holy Spirit came to me was once while I was on R&S and another time recently it enter into me in the morning one Sunday and it stood within me all day Sunday, when I went to this fairly new Church that day God came with me, we took it upon ourselves to greet everyone at the door that day as if it was our job:)
When the Spirit enters into you, you feel a very warn and happy sensation moving around in your chest area. I love when that feeling of the Holy spirit comes, you feel special.
You have to be in a holy like mood, doing as Jesus Christ would of done for it to come to you..... That's the best I can explain it by the way I felt in them times when it came.

Answer 5

John the Baptizer was active in Israel preparing the way for the Messiah, and in the course of his ministry, he announced something new about holy spirit. Of course, the Jews already knew what the Hebrew Scriptures said about the spirit. They may have been surprised, though, when John said: “I, for my part, baptize you with water because of your repentance; but the one coming after me . . . will baptize you people with holy spirit.”
Jesus promised his disciples just before his ascension: “You will be baptized in holy spirit not many days after this.” (Acts 1:5, 8) Shortly thereafter that promise was fulfilled. Holy spirit descended upon some 120 disciples gathered in an upper room in Jerusalem as Jesus, from heaven, performed his first baptisms in holy spirit.
A principal operation of God’s spirit involves its ability to inform, to illuminate, to reveal things. Therefore David could pray: “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Your spirit is good; may it lead me in the land of uprightness.” (Ps 143:10) Much earlier, Joseph had given the interpretation of Pharaoh’s prophetic dreams, being enabled to do so by God’s help. The Egyptian ruler recognized the operation of God’s spirit in him. (Ge 41:16, 25-39) This illuminating power of the spirit is particularly notable in prophecy. Prophecy, as the apostle shows, did not spring from human interpretation of circumstances and events; it was not the result of some innate ability of the prophets to explain the meaning and significance of these or to forecast the shape of coming events. Rather, such men were “borne along by holy spirit”—conveyed, moved, and guided by God’s active force.
The Idea that the Holy Spirit is Gabriel is Fantasy.

Answer 6

The Holy Spirit is the life giver God.

Answer 7

The Holy Spirit is the teacher left by Jesus when he ascended into heaven.

A relatively easy allegory is this:
God is the Mind that controls all
Jesus is the Face that was sent to personalize God for us
The Holy Spirit is the words spoken by God through Jesus to give wisdom and power

Answer 8

WHAT is God’s holy spirit? In its opening words, the Bible speaks of the holy spirit—also rendered “God’s active force”—as “moving to and fro over the surface of the waters.” (Genesis 1:2) In the account of Jesus’ baptism, while God is described as being in “the heavens,” the holy spirit appears “descending like a dove” upon Jesus. (Matthew 3:16, 17) Additionally, Jesus spoke of the holy spirit as a “helper.”—John 14:16.

These and other Bible passages have led some to conclude that the holy spirit is a person, just as God, Jesus, and the angels are individual spirit persons. In fact, for centuries some of the most influential religions of Christendom have attributed personality to the holy spirit. Despite this long-standing doctrine, many church members remain confused, and some even disagree with their religious leaders. For instance, according to a recent survey, 61 percent of those interviewed believe that God’s spirit is “a symbol of God’s presence or power but is not a living entity.” What, though, does the Bible say?


What the Bible Says
An honest Bible reader cannot help but conclude that the holy spirit differs from official church descriptions of it as a person. Consider the following Bible accounts.

1. When Mary, the mother of Jesus, visited her cousin Elizabeth, the Bible says that the unborn child in Elizabeth’s womb leaped, “and Elizabeth was filled with holy spirit.” (Luke 1:41) Is it reasonable that a person would be “filled” with another person?

2. When John the Baptizer spoke to his disciples about Jesus as the one who would succeed him, John said: “I, for my part, baptize you with water . . . , but the one coming after me is stronger than I am, whose sandals I am not fit to take off. That one will baptize you people with holy spirit.” (Matthew 3:11) John could hardly have been referring to the holy spirit as a person when he spoke of baptizing people with it.

3. While visiting a Roman army officer and his family, the apostle Peter spoke of Jesus as having been anointed by God “with holy spirit and power.” (Acts 10:38) Shortly afterward, “the holy spirit fell upon” the army officer’s household. The account says that many were amazed “because the free gift of the holy spirit was being poured out also upon people of the nations.” (Acts 10:44, 45) Here again, the terms used are inconsistent with the idea of the holy spirit being a person.

It is not unusual for God’s Word to personify things that are not a person. These include wisdom, discernment, sin, death, and undeserved kindness. (Proverbs 8:1–9:6; Romans 5:14, 17, 21; 6:12) Jesus himself said that “wisdom is proved righteous by all its children,” or its good results. (Luke 7:35) Clearly, wisdom is not a person that has literal children! Likewise, the holy spirit is not a person simply because in some instances it is personified.

What Is the Holy Spirit?
In the Bible, God’s holy spirit is identified as God’s power in action. Hence, an accurate translation of the Bible’s Hebrew text refers to God’s spirit as “God’s active force.” (Genesis 1:2) This concept is well supported throughout the Bible.—Micah 3:8; Luke 1:35; Acts 10:38.

Contrary to popular belief, God is not present everywhere at all times. Rather, he dwells in the spirit realm, in an “established place of dwelling,” or residence. (1 Kings 8:39; 2 Chronicles 6:39) The Scriptures also refer to a specific place where God lives and has his “throne.” (1 Kings 22:19; Isaiah 6:1; Daniel 7:9; Revelation 4:1-3) However, from his “established place of dwelling,” he can use his active force to reach out into every corner of both the spirit realm and the physical realm.—Psalm 139:7.

Back in 1879, Bible scholar Charles L. Ives aptly illustrated God’s ability to exercise his power from a fixed location. He wrote: “For example, we say, ‘Open the shutters, and let the sun come into the room.’ We mean, not the real, bodily sun, but the solar ray, that which proceeds from the sun.” Similarly, God has no need to travel to the locations where he intends to use his active force. He simply employs his holy spirit, which can reach to the extremities of creation. Seeing the holy spirit for what it is—God’s powerful active force—can give you confidence that Jehovah will fulfill his promises.

Answer 9

I agree with the answer of Islam Ro.In line with islamic teaching holy spirit is Gabriel angel as assistant of Allah the only one God.Angels were created by Allah from light (nur).
Angels have no desires or lusts.They are very loyal to Allah.Angels implement or conduct the insructions given by Allah..Gabriel angel delivered the content of Qur'an step by step to Muhammad pbuh in 22 years,2 months and 22 days.in Mecca and Medinaa.Gabriel angel is apart from Allah the only one God.,but he is very loyal to Allah.The presence of Gab riel is apart from God's presence.Gabriel angel as the name of holy spirit is dependent on Allah.Holy spirit ( named Gabriel angel) is not the third spirit of trinity.Islam has no trinity,because Allah is only one .Allah has no son,no parents (monotheism)...This universe and all of its contents created by Allah.Jesus was only human as the son of Mary who was appointed as prophet and messenger by Allah..Gabriel spoke to Mary that she would pregnant without touching by a man.Jesus did not die on the cross.Allah saved and replaced him with other man like Jesus in appearance
.Jesus was a sacred man who received revelation from Allah

Answer 10

The Holy Spirit is part of the Holy Trinity.

And why oh why did you have to say 'Jim?' I can just see the trekkie jokes ... 'Dangit Jim, I'm a Churchgoer, not a Priest!'