The Trinity—The Triune God. Most believers are well acquainted with God the Father, and many have a deep understanding of God the Son. Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, is the One we especially celebrate during seasons like Christmas and Easter. Many believers understand God the Father and God the Son, but fewer grasp how to abide with the Holy Spirit—the often-misunderstood person within the Trinity.
Much of what we know about who the Holy Spirit is—and what His role entails—comes from the New Testament. In His final days on earth, Jesus offered a powerful and detailed teaching about the coming of the Holy Spirit. In His farewell discourse—some of the last words He shared with His disciples—Jesus gave both them and us a clear picture of the Spirit’s role. In this passage, we see two primary functions of the Holy Spirit: His work in the world and His work in the lives of believers.
His Work in the World (v. 8–11)
One of the Holy Spirit’s key roles is to act as a witness to the world. He testifies to the truth of who the Father and the Son are. In other words, the Holy Spirit directly confronts the sin of unbelief— the refusal to believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, sent by the Father for the salvation of the world.
The Holy Spirit also reveals the truth and power of Christ’s death and resurrection. He affirms that Jesus’s crucifixion, burial, resurrection, and ascension were not random events, but the fulfillment of the Father’s plan to defeat sin and death once and for all.
Through His presence and power, the Spirit convicts the world of its sin and opens eyes to the righteousness of Christ. He discerns the hearts of humanity—what is good, what is sinful, and what the eternal consequences are. He doesn’t simply expose wrongdoing; He lovingly draws us toward the truth of the gospel and the grace of Christ.
His Work in the Witness (v. 12–15)
The Spirit doesn’t only work in the world; He works within those who believe in Christ. He indwells us, empowers us, and directs our lives. The Holy Spirit is not a distant presence, but God Himself, actively guiding those who follow Jesus.
Our role? To listen. To yield. To walk in step with Him.
As we do, the Spirit bears witness through our lives. He continually points us to Jesus, reminding us of His words, revealing His will, and transforming us into His image. The Spirit does not speak on His own; He speaks what He hears from the Father and the Son. His mission is to glorify Christ. As we surrender to Him, our lives begin to do the same.
This is the beautiful gift Jesus promised: not that we would walk alone, but that God would dwell in us. Through the Holy Spirit, we’re not only given guidance—we’re given God’s presence. As we abide with the Spirit, He shapes our thoughts, redirects our desires, and transforms our character to reflect Christ.
So let us be people who don’t just acknowledge the Spirit, but abide with Him. Let us welcome His conviction, trust His leading, and respond to His voice. And, as we do, may our lives increasingly reflect the Son through the power of the Spirit, for the glory of the Father.
