The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Triune God, coequal, coexistent, and coeternal with both the Father and the Son (Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Corinthians 13:14). In the Administration of the Godhead the Father is First (source), the Son is Second (channel), and the Spirit is Third (agent) [1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 2:18]. The Father eternally generates the Son and together with the Son spirates (makes common the undivided essence) the Spirit who eternally proceeds from both the Father and the Son (Psalm 104:30; John 14:26; John 15:26; Romans 8:9). The Scriptures identify the Spirit personally as God in activity from an OT perspective and as a member of the tri-personal Godhead in the NT (Hebrews 10:14-16; cf. Jeremiah 31:33; Acts 28:25; cf. Isaiah 6:1-13; Isaiah 63:10; 2 Samuel 23:2-3; 1 Corinthians 3:16). Since the Holy Spirit is Himself God (Acts 5:3-4) and possesses all the essential characteristics of personality such as life (Romans 8:2), intelligence (1 Corinthians 2:10-11), freedom (2 Corinthians 3:7), emotion (Ephesians 4:30), self-consciousness (1 Corinthians 2;11), and purpose (1 Corinthians 12:11), He must be a person (John 16:7-14) and not a force, energy, or abstract power (Zechariah 4:6).

The Holy Spirit was the active agent in creation (Genesis 1:2; Job 26:13; Ephesians 2:18), inspiration (2 Peter 1:20-21), and conception of the human nature of Christ in the virgin birth (Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:35). He theocratically anointed the judges and Kings of Israel (Numbers 11:17; Joshua 1:5; 1 Samuel 10; Matthew 3:16; cf. Isaiah 11:2). He operates in the world today by restraining sin and enabling the positive accomplishment of civic righteousness and good among all men [common grace] (Genesis 6:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:6-8; Luke 6:33), convicting (prove, convince) men of sin, judgment, and righteousness by the Word of God (John 16:8-11; John 3:20), and regenerating those who believe (Deuteronomy 5:29; Ephesians 4:18; cf. Psalm 116:10; Titus 3:5; John 3:3, 5-8). In the life of the believer, the Holy Spirit indwells (Numbers 27:18; Genesis 41:38; Proverbs 1:23; 1 Corinthians 6:19), baptizes (1 Corinthians 12:13), seals (Ephesians 4:30), guarantees (Ephesians 1:13-14), illumines (1 John 2:27), fills (Acts 13:52; Ephesians 5:18; cf. Luke 5:26; Luke 6:11), sanctifies (2 Thessalonians 2:13), produces fruit (John 15:16; Galatians 5:22-23), bestows gifts (1 Corinthians 12:11), and resurrects (Romans 8:11).

The Holy Spirit sovereignly bestows spiritual gifts upon believers for service within the ministry of the local church (1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:12; 1 Peter 4:10; Romans 12:6). A spiritual gift is a sovereign, God-given, Holy Spirit-energized ability, naturally inherited or miraculously endowed, temporary or permanent, and quickened for spiritual service in the local church at regeneration and Spirit-baptism. Every church-age believer has been gifted and is Scripture bound to serve for the edification and ministry of the church (1 Corinthians 12:27; 1 Peter 4:10). God will sovereignly and providentially bring each believer’s gift to light as he seeks to obey God’s command to exercise it. Certain miraculous gifts such as tongues (including interpretation), prophecy, and the working of miracles have ceased having served their original purposes of attesting, authenticating, and accrediting God’s messengers and their new revelation (2 Corinthians 12:12; Hebrews 2:1-4). Since the apostles have died, the church established, Israel dissolved, and the Scriptures have been completed, there remains no further purpose for the miraculous gifts in this church-age (Ephesians 2:20; Hebrews 2:1-4; Revelation 22:19). The present day Charismatic/tongues/healing Movement has no biblical basis and is certainly not a product of the Holy Spirit. This phenomenon may be explained as psychological or demonic in nature, but not of God.