A Real Person

Jesus said the Holy Spirit would guide His disciples into all truth and explained concerning the Holy Spirit in John 16:14:  "He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you."  I am reading through a book by R.A. Torrey titled The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit where he establishes by Scripture the Holy Spirit is indeed a person and divine, the third person of the Triune God.  Mentions of the Holy Spirit abound in both the Old and New Testament, yet even some Christians use the word "it" (as if the Holy Spirit is a impersonal force or power to be obtained and used) rather than "Him" in referring to the Holy Spirit who fills and uses us.  After expaining how critical it was to decide whether the Holy Spirit is a divine person, Torrey wrote:

"It is also of the highest importance from the practical standpoint that we decide whether the Holy Spirit is merely some mysterious and wonderful power, which we in our weakness and ignorance are somehow to get hold of and use, or a real person, infinitely holy, infinitely wise, infinitely mighty, and infinitely tender, who is to get hold of and use us.  The former conception is utterly heathenish, not essentially different from the thought of the African fettish worshiper who has his god whom he uses.  The latter conception is sublime and Christian."  (Torrey, R. A. The Person & Work of the Holy Spirit. Zondervan Pub. House, 1974. page 9)

It is true what R.A. Torry says, that a biblical understanding of God guides us in our relationship with Him.  At the same time, God is not limited by our perfect understanding of Him.  Many of us have made assumptions or simply followed "what worked" for other people regarding the operation or use of spiritual gifts.  The Holy Spirit came upon the disciples in the upper room at Pentecost before Paul outlined theology and practice concerning the gifts of prophecy, tongues and interpretation in their gatherings.  One thing we observe is how different the disciples were after being baptised with the Holy Spirit and their boldness in speaking forth God's word.  In fact, while everyone marvelled over the man Peter and John helaed in the name of Jesus, the Jewish religious rulers marvelled over their boldness in Acts 4:13:  "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus."

After the disciples were threatened by the high priest, Pharisees and scribes not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus, they sought the LORD together in prayer in Acts 4:29-31:  "Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, ³⁰ by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus." ³¹ And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness."  These men did not have more of the Holy Spirit after praying, for Jesus (who we read received the Holy Spirit without measure in John 3:34) gives the fullness of the Spirit to those who obey Him (Acts 5:32).  As these men laid down their will before God, they were filled with the Holy Spirit and enabled to speak the word of God with boldness.  The fact these unlearned men continued to speak the word of God boldly in Christ's name after being threatened by those who crucified Jesus Christ months prior, it is a low-key but miraculous sign of the Holy Spirit's power in the lives of God's people.