What exactly is the Holy Spirit?
May I rephrase your question? WHO exactly is the Holy Spirit? Contrary to some of the teaching on the Holy Spirit (where they teach the Holy Spirit is simply an impersonal FORCE or POWER), the Holy Spirit is a real PERSON. A “person” is “one who possesses INTELLECT, SENSIBILITIES and WILL.”
1) The Holy Spirit possesses INTELLECT: “For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God NO ONE KNOWS EXCEPT THE SPIRIT OF GOD” (1st Corinthians 2:10-11…NKJV).
2) The Holy Spirit possesses SENSIBILITIES: “Do not GRIEVE the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30).
3) The Holy Spirit possesses WILL: “While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” (Acts 13:2).
The Holy Spirit IS GOD! He is called God in Acts 5:3-4, “But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit…you have not lied to men but to God.” He shares the Divine Attributes with God the Father and God the Son.
*OMNIPOTENCE: “The angel answered and said to her (Mary), ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the POWER of the Most High will overshadow you” (Luke 1:35).
*OMNISCIENCE: See 1st Corinthians 2:10-11 above, where we consider His INTELLECT.
*OMNIPRESENCE: “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence” (Psalm 139:7).
These passages all join to teach us that the Holy Spirit is indeed a PERSON. I would also point you to some scriptures which all use a PERSONAL PRONOUN to describe the Holy Spirit. John 14:16-17, 26 declare, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that HE may be with you forever; that is the SPIRIT of truth….But the Helper, the HOLY SPIRIT, WHOM the Father will send in My name, HE will teach you all things.” John 15:26 says, “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the SPIRIT of truth WHO proceeds from the Father, HE will testify about Me.” John 16:13 reads, “But when HE, the Spirit of truth, come, HE will guide you into all truth; for HE will not speak on HIS own initiative, but whatever HE hears, HE will speak; and HE will disclose to you what is to come.”
There are many passages which teach us that God is made up of THREE PERSONS; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I would like to close by quoting two of most well-known references.
Matthew 28:19 states, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the FATHER and the SON and the HOLY SPIRIT.”
2nd Corinthians 13:14 reads, “The grace of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and the love of GOD, and the fellowship of the HOLY SPIRIT, be with you all.” (297.5) (DO)