Brethren, understanding what God's Holy Spirit is may be the most crucial element in all of theology. It is the Spirit of God within us that enables us to comprehend God's way of life, His laws, and His doctrines, transforming us into true Christians or Firstfruits. The Holy Spirit makes us children of God and imparts eternal life to us. When the Holy Spirit works within us, our lives produce the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, meekness, and self-control—elements of the very character of God. There is no law against these qualities anywhere in the world. What is the Holy Spirit? It is the power of God, not a third being or part of a trinity. It is the great power that moved upon the face of the waters, the very power and mind of God. It is not a person that can be poured out, but God can pour out His Holy Spirit to us. It resides in us as the power of God and a portion of His mind, granting us the ability to understand His laws, doctrines, and way of life. Through baptism, God gives us the Holy Spirit, opening our minds to the mysteries of truth vital for salvation. The Holy Spirit also intercedes for us, helping us pray for things we may not even know to include in our requests. It comforts and aids us in expressing ourselves to God. As we grow spiritually by keeping God's laws and living His way of life, God lives in us through the Holy Spirit, shaping traits that produce spiritual fruit. Only through the Holy Spirit, given to those called by God, who repent, and are baptized, can we understand the whole truth of God. It provides wisdom, teaches us God's way, and leads us to eternal life if we remain faithful and obedient to His laws and doctrines. The Holy Spirit is a gift from God, not something we can earn. After receiving it through baptism, we begin to understand God's laws and doctrines, and it gives us the power to change. We must yield to it, allowing it to lead us and bear spiritual fruit, demonstrating a sound mind. It is the vine of God's divine nature, through which He carries out His will, granting us the power to understand spiritual things and the faith to overcome sin. Though God has not yet offered salvation to most of mankind, when Christ established His church, He began offering His Holy Spirit to those called as Firstfruits, providing the gift of eternal life to the faithful.

The Holy Spirit manifests as a profound power in the lives of those called by God, marking the Day of Pentecost as a pivotal moment of spiritual empowerment. On that day, the Holy Spirit descended with abundance and strength upon the first 120 members of God's church, accompanied by supernatural signs such as the sound of a mighty, rushing wind and tongues as of fire resting on each disciple. This wind, though not felt physically, filled the house with its powerful sound, symbolizing the invisible force of God's Spirit producing audible effects. The tongues of fire further represented God's presence and holiness, signifying the gift of understanding the things of Christ and the proclamation of God's truth through preaching. The Holy Spirit serves as the spiritual power essential for overcoming a self-centered way of life, enabling believers to turn toward a God-centered existence. It is through this power that individuals triumph over the temptations of the world and the influence of Satan, as the Spirit of God within is mightier than any opposing force. This power is not of human origin but is granted by God dwelling within, preserving and strengthening through His grace. Moreover, the Holy Spirit is the power by which believers develop holy, righteous, and perfect character, aligning with God's purpose for humanity. It is described as a flame to be kindled, requiring personal effort to maintain the zeal for God's truth, yet fueled by the Spirit's energizing force. This Spirit imparts courage, love, and a sound mind, equipping individuals to face trials, endure persecution, and meet challenges with confidence, casting out fear and fostering a balanced, spiritually mature perspective. Through the Holy Spirit, God provides the strength needed to uphold those afflicted for their faithfulness, ensuring they are sustained beyond their own capabilities.

The Holy Spirit, as the power of God in action, manifests in extraordinary ways to accomplish His will. At Pentecost, this power was displayed with the sound of a mighty wind filling the house, though no air moved, and with flames appearing as cloven tongues of fire resting on each disciple, yet without heat. This divine power enabled the disciples to speak in unfamiliar languages, astonishing all who heard, as every man understood in his own dialect the wonderful works of God, despite the crude reputation of the Galileans. The Holy Spirit's power continued as a miracle of hearing, ensuring the message reached a multitude, leading to thousands repenting. This same power of God's Holy Spirit performs mighty acts throughout history, inspiring individuals with superhuman strength and courage, as seen in David's mighty men who achieved impossible feats. It intervenes in critical moments, guiding events to protect and support His people. The Holy Spirit's power is evident in miracles like the ax head floating, the sun moving backward for Hezekiah, and the parting of the Red Sea, all demonstrating God's command over creation. Given as an awesome gift, the Holy Spirit assists in fulfilling the calling to become members of God's family. It teaches personally, shaping the will of each individual with righteous knowledge, reminding them of Jesus Christ's obedience, faith, and character to imitate. As a witness, it testifies to the truth of Christ's life and amplifies God's laws, urging obedience amidst a world of persecution and hatred. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, revealing the necessity of righteous living through Christ's victory and resurrection, guiding into divine truth and freeing from worldly lies. This power enables overcoming, providing the strength to resist Satan's lies and temptations, which appear as fiery darts aimed to destroy. It equips with the shield of faith to stand against the wiles of the devil in personal, hand-to-hand combat within the mind. The Holy Spirit's power supports developing godly character, essential for eternal life in God's Kingdom, by urging resistance to sin and fostering obedience. Sealed with this Spirit of promise, it serves as a down payment of the inheritance to live as members of the God family, marking authenticity and approval by God.

The Holy Spirit is depicted as a profound power and essence from God, not a separate personality, but a vital force that aids in spiritual understanding and strength. In Acts 13:2, the original Greek term "pneuma hagion" (spirit holy) without the article suggests that Paul was inspired by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:26 indicates that the Holy Spirit serves as an instrument, helping us become more spiritually articulate in our requests before God. God's Holy Spirit must become an integral part of us if we aspire to sonship as offspring of God, as noted in Romans 8:11 and 14, making the difference between deification or oblivion. In Zechariah 4:6, the Spirit is likened to oil poured out upon a person to accomplish His work, showing how pervasive and fluid this Spirit is, permeating the universe. Jesus, in John 7:38-39, compares the Holy Spirit to a gushing river flowing from those who believe in Him. In I Corinthians 2:16, Paul describes the Holy Spirit as the gift received from God, specifically called the mind of Christ, helping us understand spiritual things. Ephesians 3:16-17 further elaborates that God's Spirit supplies internal spiritual strength, being the means by which Christ dwells in our hearts through faith, rooting and grounding us in love. Just as man has a spirit that provides the power of mind and will, God also has a Spirit, far more potent and effective, an essence of mind and power that accomplishes His will. This basic understanding, upheld throughout Scripture, cuts through misconceptions, revealing the wondrous nature of God's Spirit as a source of understanding and power to do His will and ultimately become His glorified children.

The Holy Spirit, as described, is a spirit of power, linked with the capacity for achieving and accomplishing God's will and work through individuals. This power, from the Greek word dunamis, translates to ability, strength, or mighty works, and is not a personal power but the outworking of God the Father. It is critical that this power is constrained by the love and sound-mindedness of God's Spirit, ensuring it is not used for self-gratification or self-glorification, but to focus on God Himself. In Acts 1:8, the resurrected Christ tells the apostles that they shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them, enabling them to be witnesses to Him in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the end of the earth. This capability to witness is not limited to the apostles; everyone who has received God's Spirit has the capacity to reflect His glory to the world by becoming like Him. However, this power can be sought for wrong reasons or misused, as seen with Simon Magus who tried to buy it for his own ends, and the Corinthian congregation who needed admonishment for not using their spiritual gifts for the benefit of the Body. The use of God's power must always be guided by godly love and sobriety, ensuring that any spiritual ability or gift remains a testimony to the goodness, mind, love, holiness, and stability of God.

Ephesians 1:13-14 reveals that the Holy Spirit serves as the instrument of our regeneration as children of God, acting as a pledge or down payment on the life to come. The Bible describes the Holy Spirit as the spirit and mind of Christ, emphasizing its role as a transformative power. Romans 8:9 underscores that without this spirit displacing our carnal minds, we are not in the process of conversion and thus not candidates for the God Family. Numerous verses throughout Scripture, particularly in Luke's writings, demonstrate that the Holy Spirit is a power rather than a personality, as seen in the original Greek where no article is used with "pneuma hagion," indicating it is an essence rather than an entity. Additionally, Matthew 28:19 suggests that baptism into the name of the Father and the Son is accomplished by means of the Holy Spirit, further highlighting its function as a powerful force in spiritual transformation.

The Holy Spirit is the power of God, not a personage or entity. It is described as the power or mind of God, the power of love and of a sound mind, emanating from Him. This power can be poured out, breathed, used to fill, and anoint those who receive it. It is through this divine power that God imparts wisdom and understanding, teaches His way of life, comforts, and helps His children. Even in moments when we struggle to express ourselves in prayer, this power aids us in making our requests before God. God gives this powerful Spirit only to those who have repented, demonstrated obedience through their attitude and behavior, been baptized, and follow His commandments. It is by this power that God calls us to the knowledge of the truth, opening our minds to the mysteries of His will through divine revelation. Without this power, no one can comprehend the whole truth of God by mere human reason or intelligence. This power of God works within us to create and shape traits that produce the fruit of the Spirit, by which a person is known. It delivers us from death and leads us to the gift of eternal life, a gift that cannot be earned or inherited at birth but is bestowed by God on His faithful and obedient children. Once received, we must continually be led by this power, bearing spiritual fruit throughout our lives. If we exhibit the fruit of the Spirit and a sound mind, we know this power is active within us, empowering our minds to comprehend spiritual matters, produce conversion, and give us the strength, will, and faith to overcome our sins.