Biblical mentions of the Holy Spirit and its powers
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You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you" (from Acts 1:8).
The Holy Spirit is one of the three elements of the Catholic Blessed Trinity, as it is also an element of Indian beliefs in the form of Vishnu. The Catholic Trinity comprises:
- God the Father
- The Word of God (Logos) or God the Son made flesh as Jesus Christ, and
- God the Holy Spirit, or the Holy Ghost.
God is one being, but there are three persons in one, distinct but not separate. All three are God (Jones 2012+). The Holy Spirit on earth is usually associated with light, fire, wind and a white dove of peace. The Holy Spirit is God and is primarily representative of the creative power of God. As outlined in the Old Testament Book of Genesis, the Spirit of God - the Holy Spirit - created the universe. In Catholic teaching, the Holy Spirit empowers individuals on the path towards good against evil. The plurality of the Trinity is referred to in the Old Testament, and clarified further within the New Testament sections of the Bible. The following is a listing of the powers of the Holy Ghost / Holy Spirit, followed by references to the Holy Ghost within the Bible. The Michael Jones video series The Trinity Explained are a recommended reference for this complex subject.
This blog concentrates on the powers of the Holy Ghost / Holy Spirit.
1) Powers of the Holy Ghost / Holy Spirit
According to Catholic theology, the powers of the Holy Spirit are many, and include the following, but are not limited to them:
- Communication - the Holy Ghost can communicate to sentient beings by voice, vision and dreams.
- Discernment - the Holy Spirit gives the power to discern evil in others and seek the path of goodness (Shodeninde 2020).
- Gifts - the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are
- 1) Wisdom
- 2) Understanding
- 3) Counsel
- 4) Fortitude / strength
- 5) Knowledge
- 6) Piety and
- 7) Fear of God.
- Manifestation - people can experience the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in their lives i.e., they can call on, receive and experience elements of the power of the Holy Spirit. As a result, they become empowered.
- Empowerment - the Holy Spirit empowers individuals in the fight of good against evil; in the effort to be compassionate and loving, and the best one can be. This is often called receiving the grace of God. The Holy Spirit is the dispenser of grace.
- Foretelling - the Holy Spirit can see the future and reveal future events (Shodeninde 2020).
- Warning - the Holy Spirit alerts and diverts dangers lying ahead (Shodeninde 2020).
Specific references to the Holy Spirit within the Bible are listed below.
2) Bible Quotes referring to the Holy Ghost
These are arranged according to the books of the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) and the New Testament, along with other relevant texts not included within the official Bible, but largely contemporary to those texts. Direct quotes are italicised.
* Old Testament
Daniel
Daniel 7:1 - [the Holy Spirit communicates to Daniel by giving him lucid dreams.]
Genesis
Genesis 1:1-2 -In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
Genesis 7:22 - The breath of the spirit of God.
Isaiah
Isaiah 11:2 - And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears.
Isaiah 42:1 -Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.
Isaiah 61:1 - The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners
Isaiah 63:10 - But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; therefore he turned to be their enemy, and himself fought against them.
Joel
Joel 2:28 - And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.
Micah
Micah 3:8 -But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin.
Nehemiah
Nehemiah 9:20 -You gave your good Spirit to instruct them and did not withhold your manna from their mouth and gave them water for their thirst.
Numbers
Numbers 12:6 - the Holy Ghost communicates by vision.
Psalms
Psalm 51:11 - Your Holy Spirit.
Psalm 104:30 -When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.
Psalm 139:7 -Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?
Revelation
Revelation 1:8 -“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Revelation 2:7 -He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’
Revelation 22:17 -The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
Zechariah
Zechariah 12:10 - And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.
* New Testament
Acts of the Apostles
Acts 1:2 - Until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.
Acts 1:5 - For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.
Acts 1:8 - But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
Acts 1:16 - Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.
Acts 2:1-47 - When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:38 - And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
Acts 5:3-4 -But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”
Acts 5:32 -And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.
Acts 7:51 - You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.
Acts 13:2 -While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
Acts 8:14-17 -Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
Acts 20:28 -Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
Acts 8:29 - And the Spirit said to Phillip, go over there and join with that chariot.
Corinthians
1 Corinthians 2:10 -These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.
1 Corinthians 2:13 -And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 - Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 - Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own.
1 Corinthians 12:7 - To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
1 Corinthians 12:13 - For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
2 Corinthians 13:14 - The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
2 Corinthians 3:18 - And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Ephesians
Ephesians 1:13-14 - In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 3:14-21 - For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth.
Ephesians 4:30 - And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Ephesians 5:18 - And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.
Galatians
Galatians 4:6 -
And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
Galations 5:16-26 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
John
John 1:14 - And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 3:5 - Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 4:24 - God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
1 John 5:6-8 -
This is the one who came by water and blood - Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the[a] Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.
John 7:37-39 - On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
John 14:1-31 -
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In
my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told
you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a
place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where
I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas
said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know
the way?” ...
John 14:26 - But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
John 15:26 - But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.
John 16:7-11 - Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
John 16:13 - When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
John 20:22 - And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
Luke
Luke 1:35 - And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.
Luke 11:13 - If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!
Luke 24:49 - And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.
MarkMark 12:29 -
Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Mark 12:36 - David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.’
Mark 13:11 -
And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious
beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that
hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.
Matthew
Matthew 1:18 - Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 3:11 - [Jesus Christ] I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.
Matthew 10:20 -
For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Matthew 12:31-32 - Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
Matthew 28:19 - Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Peter
1 Peter 1:2 -
2 Peter 1:21 - For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Romans
Romans 8:2 - For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:9 - You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
Romans 8:11 -If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
Romans 8:14 - For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
Romans 8:15 - For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
Romans 8:16 -The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.
Romans 8:26 -Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
Romans 8:27 -And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Romans 15:13 -May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Romans 15:16 -
Romans 15:30 -I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf.
Thessalonians
Thessalonians 2:13
Titus
Titus 3:5 - He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.
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References
Five Bible references that teach us about the Holy Ghost, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, n.d.
Flurry, Stephen, The Holy Spirit is the Power of God!, Philadelphia Church of God, December 1993.
Holy Spirit in Christianity, Wikipedia, 2022.
Jones, Michael, The Trinity Explained [videos], InspiringPhilosophy, YouTube, 2012+.
Pneumatology - the study of the Holy Spirit, Wikipedia, 2022.
Shodeninde, J.A., Power of the Holy Ghost, The Guardian, Ibru Ecumenical Council, Nigeria, 27 September 2020.
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Tom Bombadil & the Blessed Trinity: Cosmic Consciousness (Video) | Dead Hobbits & Barrow-wights | Eru in Arda - God | Guests, Hosts & Holy Ghost | Holy Spirit | Jesus as App | Jesus in England | Jesus in India | Karma & Nirvana 1895-6 | Origins | Reincarnation & Karma | Tolkien's Holy Spirit | Religious Bibliography | Taylor Swift's Karma | Tolkien's Koala | Tom Bombadil: Evolution - Excellent spirit - Playing Cards - Powers (Video) - The Mystery Solved (Video) - Who is Tom Bombadil? Part 1 (Video) - Part 2 (Video) - Who is he really? (Video) |
Last updated: 5 September 2024
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