There are many misconceptions about the Holy Spirit’s identity. Some view it as a mystical force. Others see it as an impersonal power that God makes available to followers of Christ. What does the Bible say about the Holy Spirit’s identity? The Bible declares that the Holy Spirit is not just a force or power but God Himself. The Holy Spirit is a divine person with a mind, emotions, and will, a concept that should inspire reverence and awe.

The fact that the Holy Spirit is God is seen in many Scriptures, including Acts 5:3-4. In these verses, Peter confronts Ananias about why he lied to the Holy Spirit and tells him that he had “not lied to men but to God.” It is an explicit 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. “These are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit within them? In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” Other references include [insert more references here].

We know the Holy Spirit is divine because He possesses a mind, emotions, and 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). These personal attributes of the Holy Spirit should make us feel a personal connection to Him. The Holy Spirit is God, the third Person of the Trinity. As God, the Holy Spirit can function as the Comforter and Counselor Jesus promised He would be (John 14:16, 26; 15:26).