“But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.”

— Romans 8:9

Have you ever wondered about the role of the Holy Spirit in Christianity and in your life? Well, literally hundreds of verses from Genesis to Revelation describe the work of the Holy Spirit, and as you delve into them, you’ll discover that the Holy Spirit has played and continues to play an active role in your faith.

Just as God the Father is in everything, so, too, is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit played an important part in the creation of the world. In Genesis we read that “the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters” as the earth formed. As well, the Holy Spirit caused Christ to be conceived in Mary’s womb. The angel told Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you … therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). And the Holy Spirit, with the Father and Son, participated in Christ’s resurrection.

When we allow Him to, the Holy Spirit will do mighty works within us. For example, the Spirit regenerates us, resurrecting us from spiritual death when we commit our lives to Jesus. Christ says we must be “born of the Spirit” if we want to enter God’s kingdom. And so, the Spirit grants us new life in Christ. The Holy Spirit also sanctifies us, purifies us, and cultivates within us the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

To experience the fullness of God’s power in our lives, we must allow the Holy Spirit to work within us. Invite the Holy Spirit to do so today, then watch as He responds.

“We must not be content to be cleansed from
sin; we must be filled with the Spirit.”
John Fletcher