Understanding the Holy Spirit’s Role in the Trinity

I Was Today Years Old When I Discovered This Truth…

It seems I wasn’t the only one who had never heard of Abraham’s Bosom until recently. If you this devotional, I encourage you to read: Where Did Old Testament Believers Go After Death. I had a reader tell me, “I am 78 years old, have gone to church my whole life and never heard this before. I had to check you out (I’m sure you would have wanted me to). My pastor said, ‘She is right on, keep reading that blog.’”

First of all, yes, I absolutely would have wanted you to check it out! We should all be in the habit of confirming any message we hear, even from a pastor. Humans make mistakes, but God’s Word never does.

This week, I’m diving into another truth that surprised me a few years ago. It’s something many of you may already know, but I had never fully understood it. Today’s topic is the Holy Spirit’s role in the Trinity.

What Is the Trinity, and Where Does the Holy Spirit Fit In?

Let’s start with a familiar verse:

Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)
¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

I’ve heard that verse countless times. I grew up in church and have gone through seasons where I drifted, only to find myself drawn back again. And while I understood God the Father and Jesus the Son, the Holy Spirit always left me puzzled.

The phrase Holy Ghost used to make me think of something spooky. I imagined a mist, or maybe an intense emotional feeling, like something that would overwhelm me in a big, dramatic way. But I never experienced that cloud or that overwhelming moment, so I assumed I must be doing something wrong.

The Holy Spirit Is a Person

A few years ago, our preacher mentioned something that shook me. He said, “The Holy Spirit is a person.”

Wait, what?! Why had I never been taught this before?

So, my reader, I did my own digging. I started listening to more sermons and diving into Scripture, and what I found was life-changing. The Holy Spirit isn’t just a vague force or a feeling. He is God. Just like God the Father and Jesus the Son, the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity.

God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit

We tend to understand the roles of God the Father and Jesus a bit more easily.

• God the Father is our Creator and Provider.
• Jesus the Son is our Savior, who came to earth, lived a sinless life, died for our sins, and rose again.

John 10:30 (NIV)
³⁰ I and the Father are one.”

Jesus and God are one. That concept alone is enough to stretch your mind a bit! But when you add in the Holy Spirit as also being God, it becomes even more powerful.

So where does the Holy Spirit come in?

The Holy Spirit Is God With Us

God the Father is on His throne in Heaven. Jesus, the Son, is seated at the right hand of the Father. But the Holy Spirit, He is here with us. Right now. In your living room, your kitchen, your car… and even when you’re scrolling through social media.

The Holy Spirit is our Helper, our Advocate, and our Guide.

I heard a sermon once that explained it this way:

• God the Father’s “job” was to create and provide.
• Jesus’ “job” was to redeem and save.
• The Holy Spirit’s “job” is to dwell within us, teach us, convict us, and guide us in our daily lives.

So, when you cry out to God for help, it is often the Holy Spirit who responds, nudging you, comforting you, directing your steps.

What the Bible Says About the Holy Spirit Living in You

Romans 8:9-11 (MSG)
^9-11 But if God himself has taken up residence in your life, you can hardly be thinking more of yourself than of him. Anyone, of course, who has not welcomed this invisible but clearly present God, the Spirit of Christ, won’t know what we’re talking about. But for you who welcome him, in whom he dwells—even though you still experience all the limitations of sin—you yourself experience life on God’s terms. It stands to reason, doesn’t it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he’ll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself? When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ’s!

Isn’t that beautiful?

The Holy Spirit lives within every believer. He is not something to fear or something we need to “summon.” He is already here, and He helps us resist temptation. He’s the still, small voice that urges you to give, to speak up, or to forgive. He’s the one who whispers, “Don’t do that. Let’s go another way.”

How to Welcome the Holy Spirit Into Your Life

Here’s the good news, you don’t have to do anything fancy or dramatic. You simply invite Him in. Ask Him to fill your heart, to guide your decisions, to help you grow closer to the Lord.

He wants to help you live a life that glorifies God.

He isn’t waiting for perfection, He’s waiting for permission.

To God Goes The Glory!

Have  Blessed Sunday!

Let’s End with a Prayer

Heavenly Father,
Thank You for revealing Yourself to us through the Trinity. I praise You for being our Provider, our Savior, and our ever-present Helper. Holy Spirit, I welcome You into my life. Teach me, correct me, guide me, and comfort me as I walk through each day. Help me to recognize Your presence, to lean into Your wisdom, and to grow in obedience and faith. Thank You for never leaving my side. In Jesus’ name, Amen.