Originally published on November 1, 2023
There are nearly a hundred Holy Spirit scriptures in the Bible. Still, many Christians have a hard time wrapping their minds around embodying a “Holy Ghost.”
From where the Holy Spirit comes from to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, let’s take a deep dive into the scriptures and clarify a few things about what it means—and how amazing it is!—to be a vessel for the living, breathing Spirit of God.
The Holy Spirit is said to have appeared in the Bible over 90 times in various forms. Usually,
the Spirit is depicted as a living breath or wind, depending on how the Spirit manifests in that
particular scripture.
For example, in Genesis, right after God says, “Let us make man in our image…” He then
breathes the breath of life (a k.a. Spirit) into the nostrils of man. Later on in the New Testament,
the Holy Spirit descends on the disciples as a mighty rushing wind.
Since God was living and working throughout the entire Bible, the Bible itself is one big history
book about His Spirit. As you may have guessed, an exhaustive list of any time the Holy Spirit is
mentioned would be incredibly long. Thankfully, when it comes to understanding the role of the
Spirit in our day-to-day lives, there are 8 key scriptures we can look to for clarity.
Holy Spirit Scriptures
Here are several Holy Spirit scriptures from the New Testament. These passages give us a
beautiful guide to identifying, accepting, and embracing the gift of the Spirit in our lives.
● Matthew 3:16-17 – As a dove, the Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus. God the Father uses
the Spirit to identify His son to the world.
● John 14:26 – In this scripture, we receive the description and character of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as the Helper or Comforter.
● Acts 2:1-4 – After Christ’s ascension, the Holy Spirit appeared on the day of Pentecost, as
promised.
● Romans 8:26-27 – Paul tells Christians that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us when we
have no words.
● 1 Corinthians 2:12 – Here, we find there is a spirit of the world and the Spirit of God. As
followers, we are given the Spirit so we can understand, “the things freely given us by
God.”
● Galatians 5:22-23 – We can easily identify the Spirit through whether or not the fruits of
the Spirit are present in our lives.
● Ephesians 4:30 – The Holy Spirit is a signature of God that seals us for the day of
redemption.
● 2 Timothy 1:14 – The good things God has given us are protected by the Spirit.
According to the scriptures, we can guard the “good deposit in you” through the Holy
Spirit.
The Power of the Holy Spirit
Weaving these scriptures together, we find how the Spirit embodied Jesus, and returned to us after his
death and resurrection, and now lives and works through us.
Our spirits, worn and polluted by the wages we brought on them through sin, are now traded fo
a new Spirit. This Holy Spirit is a new breath of life—a second wind!—that Jesus has gifted us,
freely.
Even better, the gift of the Holy Spirit is the gift that keeps on giving. According to various Holy
Spirit scriptures, when we let the Holy Spirit live through us, we get bonus gifts! Each of these
gifts is worth being excited about because they’re all pretty neat and very useful in ministry.
The Gifts of the Holy Ghost
Undoubtedly, a new chance at life is a great gift, but certain abilities come along with embodying
the Holy Spirit. It’s important to note that all of these gifts are abilities we can witness Jesus
exercising throughout the New Testament. In short, the life-giving gifts that were once only
reserved for those without sin are now available to us through Christ.
What Are the Gifts of the Holy Spirit?
A quick trek through 1 Corinthians, Romans 12, and Ephesians 4 gives us a glimpse into the gifts
of the Spirit. For quick reference, here’s a general list:
The Gifts of the Spirit
- Healing
- Faith
- Working of Miracles
- Leadership
- Prophecy
- Teaching
- Mercy
- Discernment of Spirits
- Speaking in Tongues
- Interpretation of Tongues
- Service
- Encouraging
- Words of Knowledge
- Words of Wisdom
- Giving
Gifts of the Holy Spirit Bible Verses
Using the Bible as a roadmap to understanding the Spirit, we can also find scriptures that further
our understanding of how we use these gifts. 1 Corinthians, Romans, Ephesians, and 1 Peter give
us great insights into the gifts, how we can use them according to God’s will, and how we can
appreciate the gifts God has placed in others.
“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the
same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in
everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”
“All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as
he wills.”
“Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in
proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one
who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with
zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.”
“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the
saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.”
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:
whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the
strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus
Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
The Fruit of the Spirit
In Matthew 7:15-20, mankind is referred to as a tree and its characteristics, the fruit. In the same
way, we know that a tree is an apple tree because it bears apples, we can tell if a person is
Spirit-filled or not by the fruit they bear.
By knowing the fruit of the Spirit, we can identify those who are Spirit-filled. Knowing the fruit
of the Spirit is also a great diagnostic tool when evaluating our walk with God.
If we do not bear the fruit of the Spirit, it’s safe to say we do not have the Holy Spirit living and
working through us. So, what are the fruits of the Spirit?
Just as with gifts of the Spirit, the fruits of the Spirit are listed in the Bible and evident
throughout the whole ministry of Jesus.
What Are the Fruits of the Holy Spirit?
According to Galatians 5:22-23, “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law.”
This scripture is very straightforward. However, in today’s culture, each of these fruits is often
given a subjective meaning. For example, someone may equate happiness to joy or lust to love.
Thankfully, the Bible also outlines the standard of how each of these fruits should look in a
believer’s life. Here’s a quick reference of the fruits of the spirit according to the scriptures.
Love
This kind of love is demonstrated by the selfless love God offered mankind by sending his son to
die in their place, according to the Law (remember, the wages of sin is death). According to the
Holy Spirit scriptures, the fruit of love casts out all fear (1 John 4:18), covers a multitude of sins
(1 Peter 4:8), and without it, we are nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).
Joy
The spiritual fruit of Joy is more than being happy or having a smile on your face. God-given joy
has a powerful and revitalizing impact on our soul and our body. According to the scriptures, it
works a lot like medicine (Proverbs 17:22) and can be found even through trials and tribulations
(James 1:1-4).
Peace
Spirit-inspired peace is more than the absence of struggles or hardships. In the Bible, we find the
peace of the Spirit is different from worldly gifts (John 14:27), and can be found in “all times and
in every way,” (2 Thessalonians 3:16).
Patience
It is common in contemporary Christianity to fear lessons in patience. But, according to the
Bible, Spirit-given times that require patience are opportunities to rejoice in hope (Romans
12:12) and demonstrate love (Ephesians 4:2), as Christ did for us. In short, patience is not a
punishment. Like all other fruits of the Spirit, it’s a gift!
Kindness
In the scriptures, we find that the kindness of the Spirit is a trait that comes from those who are
holy and dearly loved (Colossians 3:12). God has also allowed His kindness to win out against
His surge of anger he once had towards man (Isaiah 54:8). This everlasting kindness, extended to
us through Christ, is now a trait we should seek to embody for others.
Goodness
This God-like characteristic is commonly celebrated by Biblical figures we associate with being
the most loyal followers of God. Through the worship offered by Biblical figures like David,
Nahum, and Isaiah we get a clear description of goodness as unshakeable moral excellence.
Faithfulness
Faithfulness or steadfastness refers to being reliable and trustworthy, against all odds. The
faithfulness of God is demonstrated for us in scriptures like 1 John 1:9 and 2 Timothy 2:13. A
God-like faithfulness is unwavering, even when the faithfulness is not returned.
Gentleness
The gentleness of God is more than a simple lack of aggression. According to the Bible, God’s
gentleness creates a haven for the weary (Matthew 11:29). The scriptures also say that, as God
has extended this haven towards us, we should seek to do so toward all people (Titus 3:2).
Self-Control
This fruit of the Spirit is the ability to exercise self-discipline in the face of our fallen nature.
Self-control can be a major struggle for Christians, but the apostle Paul suggests overcoming
temptation is always possible through Christ (1 Corinthians 10:13). Additionally, the Bible lists
self-discipline among the gifts given to us instead of timidity and fear (2 Timothy 1:7).
Applying the Holy Spirit Scriptures
Jesus said that He would not leave us alone. The role of the Holy Spirit is to help us, guide us, and empower us to live a victorious life. He always reveals the character and purpose of Jesus Christ.
It is by faith that we are born again and it is by faith that we receive the blessing of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Jesus fully intended for us to be filled with His spirit and empowered to do all of the works that He did.
John 14:25-27
25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. ESV
The following is an old video with the late Derek Prince on how to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. If you pray and seek through the scriptures, you’ll find the Holy Spirit is active and empowers God’s people just like He did in Acts 2!