The Purpose and Functions of the Holy Spirit

A Christian must understand the purpose and functions of the Holy Spirit in his life. This is necessary for the believer’s growth and fruitfulness. This knowledge will help you see the need to constantly draw strength from the Holy Spirit.

In this Article:

1. Introduction
2. Purpose and Functions of the Holy Spirit in the Believers
3. The Ultimate Goal

Introduction

Last week on Grace Tidings, I discussed the The Holy Spirit in the Life of Christ. In the lesson, I outlined the functions of the Holy Spirit in the life of Christ during His earthly life and ministry. The Holy Spirit was with Him from the beginning to the end.

He was the closest companion of Christ from His conception to unto His death and resurrection. He was active in Christ’s conception (Matthew 1:18), His growth (Luke 2:40), baptism (Luke 3:21-22), temptation (Luke 4:1), ministry (Luke 18-19), miracles (Matthew 12:28), death (Hebrews 9:14), resurrection (Romans 8:11), and His glorification (John 16:14).

If you haven’t read or seen the previous lesson in this series, please take a look at it here: The Holy Spirit in the Life of Christ.

Clarence Larkin has the following to say about the work of the Comforter:

“The work of the Comforter is clear and simple. He begins the church. He begins Christianity as a vital force in the believer’s soul. He links him in organic union with a living, risen Head. He forms within Him the Christ, the hope of glory. He testifies of Christ. He glorifies Christ. He brings to remembrance the words of Christ. He feeds the soul with the truth of Christ. He guides us into all the truth of Christ. He shows us the things of Christ.

He so subordinates Himself to the will and personality of Christ that He becomes the other very self of Christ. But he goes above and beyond all this: not only does He come to put a new nature in the soul, He comes to manifest the very presence of Christ in the soul; to make Christ dwell in His personality in the soul; so that Christ shall be up yonder in His glorified body as He was in vision above the ladder which Jacob saw, and yet here in the soul, an invisible presence, as Jacob felt and found Him by Bethel’s stony pillow.”

The Holy Spirit was given to the believers to help us succeed in the Christian life just as Christ succeeded in His ministry. In this lesson, I will discuss 10 functions of the Holy Spirit in the believers’ lives. You can come up with a long list of the benefits of the Spirit, but I will be focusing on only 10 in this article.

The purpose of this lesson is to give the believers an idea of their true position. That is, who they are, what they have in Christ, and how they can draw strength from the Holy Spirit on a daily basis.

But before I get into those 10 things, I will like to mention something very important regarding the true identity of the Holy Spirit:

The Holy Spirit is a Divine Person

The Holy Spirit is not mere feeling or a force. He is God, expressly declared as a Person in the scriptures. For instance, in the Gospel of John, Christ refers to Him with the possessive pronouns “he” and “him”:

John 14:16-17 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in 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:

Purpose and Functions of the Holy Spirit in the Believers

The Christian life is to be lived by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our calling and ministry is empowered by Him. He is active at every stage of the Christian life. That was how it worked with the earthly life and ministry of Jesus Christ. The following are some of the many functions of the Holy Spirit in the lives of those who are in Christ:

1. He Convicts the Sinners of Sin

The Holy Spirit convicts the sinners of sin. He continues this work after salvation as part of His sanctification work in the lives of the believers.

Through the Word of God, the Holy Spirit makes us see, identify, or detect sinful behavior while at the same time leading us to a change of heart.

When a sinner hears the gospel and repents, that is the Holy Spirit at work. We see this scenario with the Jews on the day of Pentecost. Those who had no prior conviction of sin were convicted by the Holy Spirit. They repented and believed.

Acts 2:36-41 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. 37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. 40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. 41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Through the Word of God, the Holy Spirit makes us see, identify, or detect sinful behavior while at the same time leading us to a change of heart.

2. He is Active in Regeneration

The Holy Spirit is very active at salvation, regenerating the hearts of the sinners and transforming their nature. He is the One who creates the new life in the believer through the Word of God.

Titus 3:3-7 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. 4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

In John 3, Jesus Christ speaks of being born of water and of the Spirit (John 3:5 – we know the water in this context refers to the Word of God). To be born again means to be born from above.

John 1:12-13 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

In Ephesians 2:10, we learn that salvation is a work of creation. The Holy Spirit is the One behind the work in the believer. He regenerates their hearts and creates the new nature in them.

He is also the One who baptizes the believer into the Body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

3. He Indwells the Believers

Since the beginning of creation, God has always loved to fellowship with Man. Adam and Eve enjoyed this fellowship in the Garden prior to their fall. But when they sinned, they lost the fellowship with God.

In our times, the fellowship is restored when a sinner believes and trusts Christ. The Holy Spirit comes into the new believer to take a permanent residence (Ephesians 1:13). The believer does not have to do anything before being baptized by the Holy Spirit. This is the promise of Jesus Christ even before the cross.

John 7:38-39 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

“David could pray, “Take not Thy Holy Spirit from me” (Psalm 51:11). No man who has the Spirit of God can offer that prayer today without being guilty of excuseless ignorance, because the Holy Spirit, as an abiding presence in any man, is there as a seal, “sealing him unto the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30). Men could ask the Father, in the days of Christ, to send them the Holy Spirit. But in this day no child of God can offer that prayer without confessing ignorance of the Word of God, because when the Spirit comes to take up His abode in the body, that body becomes the temple of the Holy Spirit, which Spirit, saith an apostle, “is in you, which ye have of God” (1 Corinthians 6:19).” Clarence Larkin, Rightly Dividing the Word 1920.

“At salvation, the Holy Spirit not only regenerates the sinner and imparts saving faith, but He permanently resides in the life of that new believer. Romans 8:9. In a marvelous and incomprehensible way, the Spirit of God makes His home in the life of every person who trusts in Jesus Christ. – 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19-20” John MacArthur, Strange Fire.

The baptism of the Spirit is not an experience that has to be felt when it occurs. Nor does it require any physical or noticeable proof manifested by the one who is baptized. But the indwelling Spirit will produce noticeable fruits of spiritual growth in the life of the believer.

4. The Holy Spirit Helps us to Pray

One of the internal functions of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the believers is that He helps to us pray the right prayers.

Many believers often pray the wrong prayers! We all do it at times. The way we do this is by asking for something that has no connection with God’s purpose for our lives.

James 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

To “ask amiss” means to ask improperly or to ask for the wrong things. The word “lusts” in the verse refers to the pleasures of the flesh. So, the fact that you fast for 70 days, scream on top of your voice, pray long prayers, or even do vigils, etc., would not make God grant requests or supplications that are contrary to His will.

We have problems of delayed (or no) answers when our prayers are driven by our personal desires and lusts.

This is where the Holy Spirit comes in, He helps us pray the right prayers at all times.

Romans 8:26-27 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

I’m aware of those who teach that this verse refers to ‘speaking in tongues’. People fall into such errors because they fail to do proper biblical interpretation. There is nothing in the context of this verse or even the entire Chapter that suggest tongues. The context is about how the Holy Spirit helps us to pray according to the will of God.

When we permit the Spirit to move in our lives, that is, by willingly submitting to Him, even our prayers will be guided by our desire to please God and not ourselves. This is what it means to pray according to the will of God.

One of the benefits of praying in accordance with the will of God is that answers to the prayers are guaranteed. This is because you’re asking for something that God already wants for you. May God help us submit to the leading of the Spirit in our lives – Amen!

5. He Seals and Secures the Believer

In Ephesians 1:13-14, the Bible says:

“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”

The believer receives the Holy Spirit (the indwelling Holy Spirit) at the moment of salvation. Among other functions of the Spirit in the life of the believer, this is the seal of the God signifying that the believer now belongs to God.

2 Timothy 2:19  Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

The Holy Spirit is the One who does the sealing, and He Himself is the seal.

In addition to signifying God’s ownership of the believer, the presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer also means protection and security. He seals and secures them for their eternal glory.

What is great about this protection and security is the fact that it is to be until the day of redemption as Ephesians 4:30 clearly states:

“And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”

Until Christ returns to take us Home, we have been marked and set aside for God, we are sealed and protected by the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Believers are guaranteed eternal security. We can never lose our salvation or be removed from the grace and the love of God. The Bible says that those whom God predestinated, called, and justified are also glorified. Christ also confirms this Himself:

 John 10:27-30  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and my Father are one.

Another benefit of the sealing of the Holy Spirit is that it guarantees our heavenly inheritance. The Bible says in Ephesians 1:14 that this sealing of the Spirit is the “earnest” of our inheritance. That is, the down payment of our redemption, the guarantee of our salvation.

The word “earnest” here is the Greek word ‘arrhabṓn‘ (ar-hrab-ohn’) which means a pledge, an earnest money, down payment or according to Strong’s Greek Dictionary, “part of the purchase-money or property given in advance as security for the rest.”

This sealing of the Spirit makes God’s ownership of us and our inheritance with God a reality. It symbolizes a finished transaction, nothing can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:9-11, 35-39; 2 Corinthians 1:20-22).

What a marvelous thing to be saved and know it!

6. He Produces the Fruit of Righteousness

The believers who are constantly filled with the Holy Spirit usually demonstrate the fruit, or noticeable effects of the Spirit in their lives. He is God in us and helps us live right and have the fruit of righteousness. The more we submit to the authority of the Scriptures and the leadership of the Holy Spirit in our lives, the much more fruits we will manifest.

To be practical, when the Spirit takes over your life, you will be humbled. Typically, you would wait until someone apologizes to restore a relationship. But now you ignore that fact that you’re right and they are wrong, and reach out to make peace with them. This is not something that is easy for the “natural man” to do.

Galatians 5:16,22-24 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Notice that the word “fruit” in the above passage is in a singular form. This means that the 9 items listed in the verses are to be seen as one fruit. Therefore all the 9 have to mature in the lives the believers. But we have to realize that only God can produce the fruit in us. This is why we need to allow Christ to live through (or in) us.

Galatians 2:19-20 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

7. He Imparts Knowledge

The Holy Spirit is given to us so as to teach and show us all the things necessary for life and godliness. He particularly fits in this role because He is the One who inspired the Word of God. He is also the one who illuminates our hearts with the truth. He is the mind and the wisdom of God in the life of the believer.

1 John 2:20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.

1 John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

The Bible says that the Holy Spirit inspired the Scripture. He illuminates our hearts today with truth of the gospel. He is also the One who helps us to obey the truth. If we listen to Him and follow His lead, we will do great in this Christian life.

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.

1 Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

8. He Gives the Power to Serve

The Holy Spirit endues the believer with the power to serve Christ. This is one of the promises of Jesus Christ in connection with the Holy Spirit. He is the source of our strength and the giver of the gifts needed for the Christian living and spiritual growth. Remember, He was always with Christ during Christ’s earthly life and ministry.

Acts 1:5,8  For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Acts 4:31  And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

Romans 15:19  Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

The Spirit gives us the power and boldness to witness. That is what Christ means when He says “and greater works than these shall he do” –  (John 14:12).

The Holy Spirit also gives us the strength to endure persecutions and hatred in the world while at the same time demonstrating the love of Christ.

9. He Sanctifies the Believers

The word sanctification means to set apart or make holy for God. It is the process whereby the Holy Spirit who already indwells the believers now works in them to produce the characters of Christ.

The tool that the Spirit uses to accomplish this is the Word of God. That is why a believer will not grow or be set apart for God without a good knowledge of the truth. The truth played a crucial role in our salvation and still continues in our sanctification.

John 17:17-19  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

1 Peter 1:22-23  Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

Romans 12:1-2  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Titus 3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.

The renewing of the Holy Spirit does not happen outside of the Word of God. Therefore our strong desire to learn and obey the Word will propel the sanctification work of the Spirit in our lives.

Refer to Ephesians 5:18-20 for more.

10. He Quickens Our Mortal Bodies

The Spirit is the one who raises us up at the resurrection, whether we are dead or still alive at Rapture. It is the Holy Spirit who makes our ‘catching up’ possible. Without Him, an individual cannot be ‘caught up’. This is why the baptism of the Holy Spirit is very important. Thank God we got it when we got saved!

“But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you” Romans 8:11.

1 Thessalonians 4:14-18  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Jesus Christ made reference to this in the Gospel of John:

John 5:28-29  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Those that have done good, that is received Christ (John 6:28-29) will be caught up at Rapture after which they will appear at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Others who have done evil (rejected Christ – John 3:18) will appear at the White Throne Judgment where they will face their sentencing.

The indwelling Holy Spirit guarantees the resurrection of the believers.

The Ultimate Goal

The goal of the presence and functions of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the believers is to conform them to the image of Christ. That is, to form Christ in us. The Bible says we are chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and without blame:

Ephesians 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

This short verse describes the amazing purpose of our salvation. It begins from the eternity past and ends in the eternity future to unveil God’s purpose in our redemption. We will eventually stand holy and blameless before God, worshiping Him for all eternity.

In the meantime, the Spirit is at work, forming Christ in us. When you carefully examine the above functions of the Holy Spirit, you will be persuaded that “he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

Ephesians 4:10-13  He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

The Holy Spirit was given to the believers to help us succeed in the Christian living just as Christ succeeded in His ministry. He is our seal and the sealer, supporter, power and empowerment, comforter, and the source of our gifts.

The Spirit is also our Sanctifier and the One who conforms us to the image of Christ. If we submit to His work in our lives, the Christian life will be easy to live as we continuously draw strength from Him.

Thank you for reading!