The Holy Spirit

Tellyontellyon said:

Jesus said he would send the Holy Spirit, and that the Holy Spirit would be a sort of teacher?

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Yes, that's right: John 14:8; John 16:13.

The apostle Paul also wrote about the Holy Spirit as the believer's teacher: 1 Corinthians 2:10-16.

Tellyontellyon said:

What are the roles and function of the Holy Spirit?

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- The Holy Spirit convicts people of sin. (John 16:8)
- The Holy Spirit illuminates God's word to the mind/heart of the believer. (see above)
- The Holy Spirit strengthens the believer. (Ephesians 3:16; Romans 8:13; Philippians 2:13; Philippians 4:13, Colossians 1:11, etc.)
- The Holy Spirit comforts the born-again believer. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)
- The Holy Spirit produces in the regenerate Christian the "Fruit of the Spirit." (Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 5:9; Romans 5:5)
- The Holy Spirit leads the Christian person. (Romans 8:14)

In and through all these things the "Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God." (Romans 8:16) It is in the Person of the Holy Spirit, the "Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9), that one is "born again" (John 3:3-6; Titus 3:5-8; Romans 8:9-11) and made a "temple of God" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), "washed" and "renewed" by the Spirit's presence within.

The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity (Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 2:10-11). He is not a force, or divine spiritual energy, but a distinct personal entity who may grieved (Ephesians 4:30), who teaches and reminds (John 14:26; 1 Corinthians 2:13), who speaks (Acts 8:29; 13:2), who makes decisions (Acts 15:28), who can be lied to (Acts 5:3, 4), who has a mind (Romans 8:26-27), and so on.

Tellyontellyon said:

Do you feel the Holy Spirit working in you?

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Not really, no. He works upon my mind and heart and this may give rise to various emotions (or not) but I don't feel tingles, or zaps, or warm oozies that some want to say are signs of the Holy Spirit. God doesn't primarily appeal to our sensual selves, to our fleshly senses (Galatians 6:7-8; Galatians 5:17; Galatians 5:24; Romans 8:5-8) in His transformation of us, but to our spirits, to our minds and hearts (Philippians 2:5-6; Romans 12:2; Matthew 22:37; Romans 7:25; Romans 8:6; 1 Corinthians 14:15; etc.).

Tellyontellyon said:

Please describe your experience of the Holy Spirit?

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It is consistent with what is described above of the normal Christian experience of the Holy Spirit.

Tellyontellyon said:

Jesus said he would send the Holy Spirit, and that the Holy Spirit would be a sort of teacher?

What are the roles and function of the Holy Spirit? Do you feel the Holy Spirit working in you?

Please describe your experience of the Holy Spirit?

Diolch yn fawr.

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The Bible says the holy Spirit is the councelor and comforter. Teaching, helping, leading you. God’s presence.

Even before learning about Christianity, I had some experiences from a young age. Dreams at night that come true, or definite pre-knowledge about events or what decisions to make. When heading out on a trip, say, by airplane, I know ahead of time if the travels will be smooth or I’ll encounter a certain obstacle. Once I and my co-workers were running really late to the airport and they were dead worried. I was as peaceful as one can be, I had a 100% assurance in my heart we’d be fine. The flight was delayed, and despite long line ups to check-in, go through security checks and so on, we made it almost right before they closed the gate. This is pretty normal for me. Or applying for universities in Canada, everyone recommended a particular university, because I have friends and family in that city. Somehow I felt a super strong indication I need to apply to a university on the opposite cost even though I don’t know a soul there. Hard to explain, as if some knowledge gets downloaded into you. So I apply there, and reluctantly to the recommended one. Nothing works for the recommended one. No reply on time, friends and family fail to support in visa application etc. My own choice as if magically works out super great, including unexpected scholarship opportunity. It’s been happening my whole life.

I take it to be the voice of the Holy Spirit as per Christian nomenclature.