When people think of the Holy Spirit, they think of an entity that they would put on a pedestal. They mostly associate feelings of worldly wisdom and insurmountable power with him. Although, these are a part of the Holy Spirit’s characteristics, there are a few more intrinsic things. He is a being who wills and feels with us throughout our journey and tries to guide us on the righteous path.
In his all-knowing wisdom, he knows what is good for us and sends us help and clues from time to time. He gives chances to get back on the right path if we have been led astray. He forgives us for our insolent actions and makes sure that we understand our wrongdoings. He does not absolve us of the consequences of our actions but incorporates them.
Here are the 7 defining characteristics of our Holy Spirit
1. Knowledge
The Holy Spirit is not just illumination but it is also a being that helps us with his deep knowledge of God and his sayings. The Spirit teaches us what God knows and helps us in leading a pious and rightful life. As stated in the Corinthians 2:10,11, “But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so, the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.” Here the knowledge is attributed to the Holy Spirit.
When someone asks you ‘What are the 7 characteristics of the Holy Spirit’ make sure you include this one as knowledge is one of the defining characteristics of a Holy Spirit.
2. Will
According to the bible, the Holy Spirit is just not a mere power or influencer in our lives, but he has the power to use us according to his better judgment and will. This acknowledgment and acceptance are of fundamental importance. In the Corinthians 12:11, “But all these worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally as He will.” Here He is not God, he is the Holy Spirit. Many Christians look over this fact and assume that it is God that can use us as his vessel. We are instruments of the Holy Spirit, and he may use our abilities to mankind’s benefit.
This does not mean that we are completely surrendering ourselves to him but only use us according to his infinitely wise will. One must rejoice that there is no divine power that shall make use of me according to my own ignorant will. It is a reason to rejoice that when the Holy Spirit decides to take the helm of my life, it will ultimately lead to betterment. One must rejoice the fact that when they will have the divine power in their heart and mind, they will only lead them to a greater goal. A being of infinite wisdom will use one wisely as he is wise beyond my measuring capabilities, therefore I put my trust in him.
When people ask ‘What are the 7 characteristics of the Holy Spirit’ then ‘Will’ should be on the upper half of your reasons as it is one of the salient ones.
3. Empowerment
The Holy Spirit empowers one for service. He enables and guides people to do what they have been destined to do. He takes control and bolsters our natural capabilities, and while doing this, he also prepares us for a special task. All of us have our destinies prewritten but when they will come true and how prepared we are for it is a matter of time. Thus, the Holy Spirit not only gets us closer to our destiny but also helps us in being the most prepared for it.
This is also a good explanation of how God can achieve his works even through the ordinary or rejected members of society. The fact that anyone can change their lives 180 degrees is a testament to the fact that when we surrender our control willingly to the Holy Spirit he only makes lives better. This is the very reason why one should be humble as anyone can be the receiver of such divine intervention in their lives. , The Holy Spirit is empowering to all and wants to give us the courage and means to live a life that fulfills our destiny and God’s plan.
4. Love
The Holy Spirit is not just a blind influencing power that runs parallel with God but also one that interprets and teaches us the word of God. He loves us as tenderly as God and Jesus Christ himself. We think of God’s love and Jesus’s love daily. We are reminded of it in our teachings and sermons every Sunday. But months or years pass by without us thinking about the love of the Holy Spirit.
If it had not been for the Holy Spirit, we would not know what the word of God means, and we would fight over different interpretations. What the Holy Spirit does is transcribe the all-knowing wise wisdom of God into words and phrases that are understandable by the mere mortal us. He not only does help us in becoming what we are but also how power must not corrupt us. Love shall conquer even the strongest of demons. Whether they be in our minds or in hell, vile sentiments of hate and anger shall never surmount kindness, love and respect. Tolerance and empathy to help people who go through this change in life are also what we need to learn. Unlearning past behaviors and trying to become a good person are behaviors that should receive our love instead of scorn.
5. Intelligence
Some people will confuse intelligence with knowledge but the two are worlds apart. Knowledge can be compared to the raw data that has been given and intelligence is the data after it has been quantified to be interpreted. Our knowledge is what drives our intelligence to be what it is. All of us have the same mouth and heart but how we use it defines our intelligence. The bible is available to all of us, whether it be in a soft or hard form. Thanks to the internet, our Lord has reached countless people overseas. When we use our intelligence to make the world a better place, the Trinity smiles on us as we are doing their work. They are happy that we have interpreted their words wisely and help our fellow man.
6. Grief
The Holy Spirit is not just a force sent by God to guide us but a person that dwells in everyone’s hearts. He observes everything we do or think and if some impure thought or action is done by us, he grieves. He grieves not for us but for us being astray from the pious path of goodness and kindness. He was deeply saddened by our actions. This is one of the most salient attributes of the Holy Spirit and one of the main motivations one can get. The motivation should be interpreted as one of conviction to one’s path. Think of it as disappointed that your mother might feel if she came to know of your wrongdoing. The Holy Spirit feels the same level of grief as he sees and feels all you think.
It is up to you whether you want to upset him or make him proud of you. Grief is a strong emotion that humans try to avoid, so why should it be any different for our Holy Spirit. Follow the righteous path and let him help you in realizing and fulfilling your purpose.
7. Guidance
The guidance provided by the Holy Spirit is second to none as he resides inside you, thus he knows you the best. Surrendering to him and becoming a vessel of his will lead you to spiritual fulfillment. This also means that the Holy Spirit has your best interest at heart, whether the path is perilous or not. The guidance offered is for everyone, and whether they accept it or not is up to them.
The Holy Spirit resides in all of us and offers advice from time to time. He, with his wisdom, knows what destiny awaits you and how you can fulfill it. He works at guiding us at a deep and personal level but it is up to us whether we accept his moral ground. His words are not empty, nor will they lead to meager results, but to pious and happy endings. He will lead you closer to God and slowly reveal what he has planned for you along the way. One must stay on this path and reap the benefits later on in their lives.
When someone asks you ‘What are the 7 characteristics of the Holy Spirit’ then you can always state the above-mentioned reasons.