Believing in the Holy Spirit: Understanding the Third Person of the Trinity

The Holy Spirit is often the most misunderstood and ignored person of the Trinity. While Christians readily embrace God the Father as Creator and Jesus Christ as Savior, many struggle to understand the role and significance of the Holy Spirit in their daily lives.

The Nicene Creed, formulated between 320-381 AD, boldly declares: "We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets."

This wasn't just theological wordplay. The early church faced dangerous false teachings claiming the Holy Spirit was merely an angel or servant of God not fully divine. The Council of Constantinople in 381 AD expanded the Nicene Creed to clearly affirm the Holy Spirit's divinity and importance.

Who is the Holy Spirit and Why Does He Matter?

In John 14, Jesus comforts His troubled disciples who are distressed about His upcoming departure. He promises them: "I will ask the Father, and he will send you another counselor, which is the Holy Spirit, to be with you forever. The Spirit of truth."

Jesus further reassures them: "I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you." This powerful promise reveals that through the Holy Spirit, believers experience the presence of the entire Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

 How Does the Holy Spirit Work in Our Lives?

The Holy Spirit is the Giver of Life

The Holy Spirit was present at creation, "hovering over the waters" in Genesis 1. Job 33:4 affirms, "The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life." Romans 8:11 connects this life-giving power to resurrection: "If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead, He now lives in you."

The Spirit gives both physical life and spiritual life. John Wesley described this spiritual regeneration as "a change wrought in the soul by the Holy Spirit...a change from spiritual death to spiritual life." This isn't simply turning over a new leaf—it's receiving a new nature.

The Holy Spirit Speaks, Leads, and Teaches

Jesus promised in John 16:13, "When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you in all truth." Romans 8:14 adds, "For those who are led by the Spirit of God, they are children of God."

The Holy Spirit has always been speaking through prophets, through Scripture, and through that still, small voice in our hearts. He doesn't give new doctrine but illuminates God's Word so we can understand it. His guidance isn't just intellectual; it's relational, working within us to conform our will to God's will.

The Holy Spirit Empowers Us for Holy Living and Mission

Acts 1:8 promises, "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you." Paul instructs in Ephesians 5:18 to "be filled with the Spirit" and in Galatians 5:16 to "walk by the Spirit and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh."

The Spirit not only gives life and speaks truth He empowers us to live it out. The early church was ignited by the fire of the Holy Spirit, and today's church needs the same ignition to make a difference in our communities, neighborhoods, and families.

What Does It Mean to Be Filled with the Spirit?

At the moment of conversion, when you give your life to Christ, you are filled with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit doesn't leave you and there's never a point where you need "more" of the Holy Spirit because He fully dwells within you.

The issue isn't getting more of the Spirit; it's yielding more of yourself to the Spirit who already lives in you. The goal isn't power for show but power for holy living to love deeply and witness boldly.

Like a cordless drill is useless without a charged battery, we cannot live the Christian life effectively without accessing the power of the Holy Spirit. When we try to live on our own strength, life becomes miserable. God wants us to yield to the Spirit's work daily.

Life Application

The Nicene Creed gives us more than doctrine it offers a vision of a Spirit-filled life. As we affirm "We believe in the Holy Spirit," we're not just stating theological facts but embracing a transformative relationship with the third person of the Trinity.

Ask yourself these important questions:

Am I listening to the Spirit in my life, or am I ignoring His guidance?

Am I living by the Spirit's power, or am I trying to live by my own strength?

This week, commit to starting each day with the simple prayer: "Come, Holy Spirit." Then pause to listen. Surrender areas of your life where you've been resisting His guidance. Look for His presence in unexpected places and moments.

As you yield to the Spirit's work, you'll find yourself empowered to make a difference in your family, workplace, community, and world. You'll discover that loving difficult people becomes possible, and sharing your faith becomes natural.

The Holy Spirit the Lord, the giver of life, is ready to transform your life from the inside out. Will you let Him?