Who or what is the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Triune Godhead (aka Trinity). He is co-equal, and co-eternal with God the Father, and God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ!
Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19
And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Acts 5:3-4
But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own ? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
2 Corinthians 13:14
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
1 John 5:7
For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
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Why is He called the Holy "Spirit" sometimes, and the Holy "Ghost" at other times?
Yes, there is a difference. Although both words "Spirit" and "Ghost" both refer to the same Person...
Luke 4:1
And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
John 7:39
(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.)
Acts 2:4
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
1 Corinthians 12:3
Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
...each word does however have a different meaning. The word "Spirit" refers to His presence, while the word "Ghost" refers to His person/power/ministry.
In the bible, when He is referred to as "Spirit" it is in reference to His presence, or that He is with us.
Psalm 51:11
Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Isaiah 63:9-10
In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.
Ephesians 1:13;4:30
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,
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
But when it comes to the reference to the "Ghost," that has much more to do with Him being a real person (and not simply some "cosmic force" as the Jehovah Witnesses refer to Him as). The word "ghost" in scripture refers to a person.
Genesis 25:8
Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.
Job 10:18
Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me!
Matthew 27:50
Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
But not only His person, but His power and ministry!
If you look up the word "ghost" in a KJV concordance, you will notice that the word is mentioned much more in the N.T books than in the O.T. books, and that a great concentration of that in the book of Acts! The reason for that is that we see His ministry in the earth begin to take shape, and as the third person of the Godhead, His ministry is in full effect now.
John 16:13
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak : and he will shew you things to come.
Hopefully this helps...Maranatha!
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That ministry came fully into our world in Acts 2 at Pentecost and He is still ministering today in the Dispensation of Grace! Today He teaches the Mystery of Christ. He revealed it supernaturally to men through Paul and other gifted men before the 13 letters of Paul were completed. But now, with the completion of scripture, He wrote down the Mystery of Christ in the 13 letters of the Apostle Paul and as we study those out and believe them, the Holy Ghost teaches us and works in us.
1 Corinthians 2
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth ; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
He will do the same thing for Israel in the future Tribulation period, and also in their future earthly kingdom.
Luke 12
12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.
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.
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