CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0 Introduction

During one of his missionary trips the Apostle Paul questioned a group of believers

about the Holy Spirit. He asked if they had received the Holy Spirit since they

believed. Their answer was, “We have not so much as heard whether there be any

Holy Ghost” (Acts 19:2). Paul shared the message of the ministry of the Holy

Spirit with these Christians (Acts 19).

Today it is equally important that believers understand the ministry of the Holy

Spirit. God promised: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will

pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh...” (Acts 2:17)

The fact that God is willing at this time to pour out His Spirit upon us makes this

study important. We must understand the ministry of the Holy Spirit in order to be

part of this special revelation of the power of God. The study of the Holy Spirit is

one of the major doctrines of the Bible.

It is not through the natural powers of man that God moves in our world. It is

through the ministry of the Holy Spirit: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my

Spirit saith the Lord.”(Zechariah 4:6)

This research work examines the personality of the Holy Spirit. It discusses the

titles given the Holy Spirit and emblems which represent Him. Both reveal much

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about His ministry. The purposes, gifts, and fruit of the Holy Spirit are examined

briefly. How the Holy Spirit empowers the believer to go about his ministry works

on earth is also examined.

1.1 Background of the Study

One of the joys of having the Holy Spirit indwelling us is He will lead us to the

truth. Jesus said in John 16:13, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will

guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but

whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” I

believe as we dwell in the Holy Spirit and He in us, we can be confident that the

Holy Spirit will lead us to a unified, harmonious truth regarding our walk of faith

and godliness.

On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came not just to indwell believers, but to

permanently dwell within us. John the Baptist foretold this in Matthew 3:11, “I

indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but He that comes after me is

mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear; He shall baptize you with the

Holy Ghost, and with fire.” Acts 2 is a fulfillment of that Scripture.

To be a Christian and not be filled with the Spirit is a very unsatisfactory state. It

can be frustrating to find ourselves failing and faltering, unable to obey the many

exhortations in the Scriptures and unable to overcome sin or the world. We know

from the Scriptures there is much that God intends for His children, yet we

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experience very little of the reality. The abundant life that the Lord Jesus came to

give us seems elusive.

Some of us may have sought the Lord to fill us with the Spirit and may wonder

why we are not filled. The Lord Jesus has already been exalted and glorified, and

the Holy Spirit has been poured forth. God’s will is for all His children to be filled

with the Holy Spirit and it is feasible for every believer to be filled. Experiencing

the fullness of the Spirit is vital if we want to grow well and serve God effectively.

We should therefore give priority to this issue.

1.2 Statement of the problem

The most tragic element is that many Christians understand a non-supernatural life

to be normal for the Christian life. They have trusted Jesus Christ as their Lord and

personal Savior. They have received the Holy Spirit into their lives, but there is no

evidence of the power of God in and around their lives. These Christians do not

sense God leading them daily. It does bother them, but they do not know what to

do about it. They have not been taught or challenged to a life in which God moves

in real and observable ways.

This research stands on the conviction that this is due in a large part to a lack of

understanding of the enabling power of the Holy Spirit given to all believers,

(1John 2:20-27). The manifesting Christians encompass both the Holy Spirit’s

presence and His potential power within all believers’ lives. Therefore, the believer

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is living daily in the manifest presence and power of God (1 Corinthians 2:4-5).

Christians’ lives are so affected by His presence that they live in daily expectation

of His intervention in their life. God has given believers principles to live by to

experience the many benefits of the presence of the Holy Spirit. Some believers

have never been taught to strive to be like Christ and to receive the power to

accomplish this from Christ.

The purpose of this research work is to provide biblical principles to increase the

understanding of the Holy Spirit with the members of Mountain of Fire and

Miracles Ministry. It will help members to increase in their daily experiences of

the power of the Holy Spirit at work in them because of the increased

understanding of the personality of the Holy Spirit.

1.3 Objective of the Study

The main objective of this study is to discover the important of the gift of the Holy

Spirit in the life of a believer. In order to have direction as regards achievement of

the research purpose and also arrive at a reasonable conclusion at the end of the

study, the following specific objectives will also be considered during the study:

1. To examine the personality of the Holy Spirit?

2. To examine the Names and Symbols of the Holy Spirit.

3. To examine briefly the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

4. To identify how the Holy Spirit enables the believer in his works.

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 5. To examine the Hindrances to experiencing, maintaining and deepening the

fullness of the Spirit

1.4 Significance of the Study

Although the Holy Spirit works to keep the focus off Himself (John 16:14), the

active work of the Holy Spirit is indeed an intriguing and imperative study as

witnessed by the number of books and theologies that have been written and will

be written in the future. The pity is that Christians seem to have little to no

understanding of His work and ministry.

This study is aimed to bring to light the person of the Holy Spirit and its

importance in the life of the believer. The study demonstrated that a proper study

of the Holy Spirit’s work in the End Times period will show that He is continually

active in convicting, saving, sanctifying, and glorifying men and women, as well as

continuing to be active in the lives of glorified saints in the Eternal State.

It would be my hope and joy that there would be a greater focus on not just the

biblical doctrines of Eschatology, but that the Holy Spirit would lead and guide us

into discovering its truths and how they are related to Him. After all, He is “the

Helper, the Deliverer…that is, the Spirit of truth” (John 14:16).

Finally, the study may provide a form of scientific information which could aid in

further research works on the topic in future.

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1.5 Scope of the Study

This study is intended to cover “the Gift of the Holy Spirit” and its intricacies with

special emphasis on its impact on the spiritual life of church members, using

Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries Asaba, its branches as a study area.

1.6 Research Procedure

This study is about the personality of the Holy Spirit, His gifts and importance in

the life of a believer. The method used for the collection of data is categorized into

sections, which are primarily on the procedures that have been used in conducting

the field work. These are the population description, sample, method of data

collection and method of data analysis.

1.6.1 Study Population

The population the researcher used in this study includes pastors, prayer group

leaders, members and youths of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries in Asaba

and its environs.

Since it would be practically impossible to survey all the hundred of members in

all the branches, the researcher deemed it wise to utilize a sample opinion of very

experienced and well informed pastors in the field, group leaders and youths who

are very outstanding members.

1.6.2 Sample Size

This work is based entirely on the sample opinion of 200 respondents both pastors,

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prayer groups and youths are included. Out of this number 25 are pastors, some

with responsibilities like regional pastors, group pastors of their denominations.

Other contributors are church members with serious and strong spiritual

background who are 100 in number and 75 outstanding respected youths who play

key role in every activities of the church.

1.6.3 Instrument Selection

Semi-structured interviews make the instrument along with researcher who is the

primary instrument in qualitative research. All interviews were conducted in

person by the researcher. Each participant provided with a complete understanding

of the purpose of the study and their consent was taken to represent their original

views in the study.

1.7 Limitations of the Study

This project seeks to increase the biblical understanding of the Holy Spirit in the

believers at Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries for the possibility of them

experiencing increased events and benefits of His presence. This project cannot

guarantee any new experiences because these experiences are the actions of God.

This project is able only to teach believers principles related to the Holy Spirit.

Moreover, because of the nature of the project, all participation was voluntary and

was not of a controlled group; thus, all observations, conclusions, and applications,

are general in nature and limited to the people of MFM members who voluntarily

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chose to participate in the surveys.

The desired outcome of the project is to increase the biblical understanding of the

person of Holy Spirit so that believers are in a better position to experience the

benefits of His indwelling. All of the advantages of the Holy Spirit come by the

wisdom and power of God and are completely at His discretion.

1.8 Definition of terms

Most of the words and concepts in this paper are clearly recognizable and easily

understood. There are a few, however, which deserve to be defined for the sake of

enhanced clarity. There are listed as follows:

Gift: The gifts of the Holy Spirit are supernatural powers of God, that are given to

those who believe in Jesus Christ, so they can be used by God to encourage and

strengthen one another.

Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is called God: “But Peter said, Ananias, why hath

Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost...thou hast not lied unto men, but

unto God”. (Acts 5:3-4) Since He is called God, the Holy Spirit is equal with God

the Father and Jesus Christ the Son.

The Holy Spirit, the third person of the trinity, He has a personality as much as the

Father and Son does; therefore has the elements, that are involved within a

personality.

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 CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0 Introduction

Everyone has a great destiny, but it takes the power of the Holy Spirit to make it a

reality. The Holy Ghost is for our profitable living on earth, to make life most

profitable for us.

Vision is God’s plan for our lives and it can only take the Holy Spirit to translate

the vision into reality. The outpouring of God’s Spirit enables the fulfillment of

vision (Joel 2:28).

The Holy Spirit helps us to see the plans of God for our lives. In addition, the most

profitable companion for any believer is the Holy Spirit. We are products of God’s

predestination. Every saved believer is a child of destiny, (Romans 8:30). It is not

enough to know Christ; we also need to know and be baptized in the Holy Ghost

for the fulfillment of God’s glorified plan for us, (2 Peter 1:3).

There is a lot of information and myths around about the Holy Spirit, but what do

the Scriptures really teach? What does the Church teach? Sadly, it is one area that

is not taught often and not taught well. Sometimes there is an uneven emphasis on

the Holy Spirit. In some Churches it’s all about the Holy Spirit and in others there

is almost an absence of teaching/acknowledgement of the Holy Spirit.

In order to locate the present research within the existing frame of knowledge and

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direct its focus, it is necessary to review the literature related to the issues being

researched upon.

2.1 Getting to know the person of the Holy Spirit

The Christian church exists to proclaim the love of God and His salvation to the

world. This is a great task. It is safe to say that there is a New Testament consensus

that this kind of mission will only be possible through the power of the Holy Spirit.

To try and to complete God’s gospel commission without the power of the Spirit is

like wanting to drive a car without fuel, or navigating the Internet with without a

modem. It is practically impossible. ( De Benedicto, 2004)

When a man is not born again, he’s ignorant of the things he doesn’t know. He’s so

blind that he can’t tell what he doesn’t know because he walks according to his

senses. If you’re born again, you’re different from the world. Your eyes have been

rubbed with the eye-salve of the Spirit of God and now you can see, (1Cor. 2:12).

Paul wasn’t referring to mental knowledge but revelation knowledge. Specific,

exact, and absolute knowledge. It is possible for us to know the will of God for our

lives. The Bible says, it can only be spiritually understood; it can only be grasped

by the spirit of man. When your human spirit is enlightened by the Word of God,

then you are able to know God’s will for you.

God’s Word is the light that shines on your path (Psalms 119:105). However, the

fact that the light is shining on your path doesn’t mean you’re traveling the exact

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route mapped out for you to get to your destination; there could be several routes

along your path. This is where the guidance of the Holy Spirit comes in.

(Oyakhilome, 2005)

2.1.1 Who is the Holy Spirit?

For the majority of Christian denominations, the Holy Spirit, or Holy Ghost, is

believed to be the third person of the Trinity, (Gilles, 2011). a Triune God

manifested as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, each entity

itself being God.

“The Holy Spirit illuminates the minds of people, makes us yearn for God, and

takes spiritual truth and makes it understandable to us.” –Billy Graham. The Holy

Spirit is a beautiful and powerful part of who God is. We need Him in our life as a

conduit to become who God created us to be, and through His power we have aid

in all situations. Without Him, we are powerless. (Hinn, 1997)

Who is the Holy Spirit? This is a question many Christians find difficult to answer.

When we talk about God the Father, we can understand the concept of a Father,

when we talk about God the Son, again we can understand a Son, but what happens

when we say, God the Holy Spirit? People can understand something they see or

know, but we can’t see the Spirit. However, the Holy Spirit is God, He’s not an it,

but a person of the Godhead, and He is in every believer. The Holy Spirit does

today what Jesus did 2000 years ago.

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The term Holy Spirit occurs in only two historically late texts in the Old Testament

(Isaiah 63:10.11; Psalms 51:13), but much can nonetheless be deduced about the

term. God's spirit (ruah Yahweh) is the “wind,” the breath of life, which proceeds

from and will return to Yahweh. It determines life spans (Genesis 6:3;

Psalms104:29–30; Job 33:4) and tames natural forces (Exodus 15:8). Psalm 33:6

(“by the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath

of His mouth”), uses it synonymously with word (dabar), which Genesis uses to

explain how God created the world.

The Holy Spirit is a person; in fact He is God; for God the Father, the Son and the

Spirit are one. He is not a thing or “it”. One way that the Scripture describes the

Holy Spirit is by using pronouns. In John 16, Christ talked about the Spirit coming

by using the pronoun “He” for reference of the Holy Spirit twelve times. (Wood,

2010)

Another way Scripture describes the Spirit through the use of His name or titles.

Theologians have distinguished at least eighteen specific names which include: the

in the Old Testament we see the title “the Spirit of Yahweh”, more commonly seen

in English bibles as “the Spirit of the Lord,” or “Spirit of God” (Genesis 1:2). The

title Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13), this name is used thirteen times in the NIV Bible.

John 14:16 uses several other titles for example: “Counselor”. Another title is

“Spirit of Truth” (John 14:16, 15:26). The epistles give us a list of title for the

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Spirit: “the Spirit of holiness” (Romans 1:4); “the Spirit of life” (Romans 8:2); “the

Spirit of sonship” (Romans 8:15); the “promised Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 1:13);

“the eternal Spirit” (Hebrew 9:14); “the Spirit of grace” (Hebrew 10:29); and “the

Spirit of glory” (1 Peter 4:14). Through His names, believers become aware of

whom the Spirit is in their lives. (Horton, 2003)

According to Oyakhilome (2005) the Holy Spirit is not some smoke or cloud, nor

is He a light. He is not a thing as some refer to Him. He is the third person of

Godhead, equal to God the Father and God the Son. In the same vein, Pink (1886-

1952, cited by Chapel Library, 1990) says the Holy Spirit is not a vague, ethereal

life force. He is not impersonal or unthinking. The Holy Spirit is a “person” equal

in every way with God, the Father, and God, the Son.

Holy Spirit is a person. A “person” is a living entity, endowed with understanding

and will, being an intelligent and willing agent. Such is the Holy Spirit: all the

elements that constitute personality are ascribed to and found in Him.

“As the Father hath life in Himself, and the Son has life in Himself, so has the Holy

Spirit, since He is the Author of natural and spiritual life to men, which He could not be

unless He had life in Himself; and if He has life in Himself, He must subsist in Himself”

(Gill, 1697-1771).

In the view of Hinn (1995), the Holy Spirit is a Person. He is not a force or an

influence. He is a Person and only when we understand that can we appreciate His

work. He continues that the “Holy Spirit” is both the predominant name we use for

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the Third Person of the Trinity and a power-packed summary of what He is. He is

Spirit, as opposed to flesh, not having a body; and He is Holy, as opposed to

common or defiled.

2.2 The Names and Symbols and of the Holy Spirit

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my

name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance,

whatsoever I have said unto you”(John 14:26).

Scripture uses various names for the Holy Spirit, each reflecting some aspect of

His nature. “Holy Spirit” and “Spirit of Holiness” emphasize His holiness

separation from the profane and common. The Old Testament most frequently

refers to Him as “the Spirit of Yahweh,” signifying His unity with the God of

creation. (McLean, 1995)

In John 14:16–17, Jesus refers to the Spirit as an “advocate,” highlighting His role

in assisting believers, and the “Spirit of Truth,” referring to His work in revealing

God’s truth. Paul often refers not only to the “Holy Spirit,” but also to the “Spirit

of God” or “Spirit of Christ” whenever he wants to emphasize the activity of the

Father or the Son being conveyed to believers by the Spirit. (Lee, 2018)

According to Wilson (2019), the Holy Spirit is known by many names, some of

which are according to work He performs in the life of the believer, among which

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are:

 Author of Scripture (2 Peter 1:21; 2 Timothy 3:16)

 Spirit of Counsel (Isaiah 11:2)

 Eternal Spirit (Hebrews 9:14)

 Spirit of Adoption (Romans 8:15)

 Spirit of Burning (Isaiah 4:4)

 Convicter of Sin: (John 16:7-11)

 Deposit / Seal / Earnest (2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:13-14)

 Guide: (John 16:13)

 Indweller of Believers (Romans 8:9-11; Ephesians 2:21-22; 1 Corinthians

6:19)

 Intercessor (Romans 8:26)

 Revealer / Spirit of Truth (John 14:17; 16:13; 1 Corinthians 2:12-16)

 Spirit of Judgment(Isaiah 4:4, 28:6)

 Spirit of Life (Romans 8:2)

 Teacher (John 14:26; 1 Corinthians 2:13)

 Witness (Romans 8:16; Hebrews 2:4; 10:15)

2.2.1 The Symbols of the Holy Spirit

The workings of the Holy Spirit are invisible, glorious, and gentle, and within

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them, He never tells us about Himself. He comes to glorify Jesus, helping us to see

Jesus more, to understand Jesus better, to respond to Jesus more obediently, and to

love Jesus with a deeper heart of commitment.

The symbols of the Holy Spirit become essential to our gaining an understanding

of what He’s like, not only in an objective way of analyzing truth, but also in the

subjective way that He comes to penetrate our lives—ways in which the reality of

the invisible penetrate the visible. When we talk about the Holy Spirit as rain, for

example, the purpose isn’t to think, “Oh, the Holy Spirit is like rain.” The purpose

is to get wet. (Hayford, 2010)

According to Sloun (2011) some of the symbols of the Holy Spirit are as follows:

1. A Dove. The dove is the most common symbol of the Holy Spirit. In the Old

Testament, it was a dove that signaled the end of the flood (Genesis 8:8-12). When

Jesus was baptized, the heavens were opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon

Him in the form of a dove (Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32).

2. A Tongue of Fire or a Flame. Fire is an age-old symbol for God, whether it be

God making the covenant with Abraham in a burning torch (Genesis 15:7),

speaking to Moses from the burning bush (Exodus 3:2), guiding the Israelites with

a column of fire (Exodus 13:21), or sending down fire to consume the holocaust

offered by Elijah (1 Kings 18:38). God’s voice is a fiery flame (Psalms 29:7).

3. The Wind. This symbol is very difficult to show artistically, but one of the key

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ways that Luke uses to describe the presence of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:2). The

wind represents the Holy Spirit’s share in the creation of the world (Genesis 1:2),

and the breath or wind of God represents the Holy Spirit’s participation in the

creation of human beings (Genesis 2:7). The Holy Spirit is present in the

whispering wind (1 Kings 19:12).

4. A Lamp. A lamp, light, or burning candle is a symbol of the Holy Spirit’s role

as Enlightener. The Holy Spirit is the source of our inspiration, insight, mental

illumination, revelation, guidance, and direction.

5. Rays of Light. This image is taken from the Annunciation announcement when

the Holy Spirit came upon Mary, and she was overshadowed with the power of the

Most High (Luke 1:35).

6. A Cloud. The Holy Spirit is the mysterious and abiding presence of God, and

clouds appear frequently throughout both the Old and New Testaments to signify

God’s presence.

7. Water. The symbolism of water signifies the Holy Spirit's action in Baptism

(Luke 3:16)., since after the invocation of the Holy Spirit it becomes the

efficacious sacramental sign of new birth: just as the gestation of our first birth

took place in water, so the water of Baptism truly signifies that our birth into the

divine life is given to us in the Holy Spirit. As “by one Spirit we were all

baptized," so we are also "made to drink of one Spirit.” Thus the Spirit is also

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personally the living water welling up from Christ crucified as its source and

welling up in us to eternal life. (1 Corinthians 12:13)

8. Oil. Sacred Chrism is used at Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders, and it

imparts the gift of the Holy Spirit, as well as the gift of knowledge (1 John 2:20)

and truthful teaching (1 John 2:27). The Oil of the Infirm reassures someone who

is sick or injured of the healing, strengthening, forgiving, and consoling presence

of the Holy Spirit (James 5:14-15).

9. The Seal. “The seal is the symbol close to that of anointing. ‘The Father has set

His seal’ on Christ and also seals us in Him (John 6:27; 2 Corinthians 1:22;

Ephesians 1:13; 4:30; 5:5).

10. A Hand. Jesus heals the sick and blesses little children by laying hands on

them (Mark 6:5; 8:23; 10:16). In His name the apostles do the same (Mk 16:18;

Acts 5:12; 14:3). Even more pointedly, it is by the Apostles’ imposition of hands

that the Holy Spirit is given (Acts 8:17-19; 13:3; 19:6).

11. A Finger. “‘It is by the finger of God that Jesus cast out demons’ (Luke 11:20).

If God’s law was written on tablets of stone ‘by the finger of God,’ then the ‘letter

of Christ’ entrusted to the care of the apostles, is written ‘with the Spirit of the

living God, not on tablets of stone, but on the tablets of human hearts’ (Exodus

31:18; 2 Corinthians 3:3).

2.2.2 Attributes of the Holy Spirit

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Although the Spirit comes to indwell us immediately upon salvation, His work

within us takes a lifetime. His job is to enable us to do everything God desires and

to transform us into the people He wants us to be. Since we now have a constant

Helper reminding us who we are in Christ and equipping us for each day’s

challenges, we never have to struggle through life in our own strength. This

doesn’t mean we’ll never have difficulties, conflicts, or misunderstandings; but

through them all, He guards our way and gives us His wisdom. And when we sin,

He immediately convicts us so we can confess and receive forgiveness (1 John

1:9).

Stanley (2018) listed the followings as the special attributes of the Holy Spirit

which also shows His works in our lives:

 He convicts us of sin (John 16:8).

 He permanently indwells us (John 14:16-17).

 He seals us (Ephesians 1:13).

 He teaches us (John 14:26).

 He guides us into all truth (John 16:13).

 He reminds us (John 14:26).

 He bears fruit through us (Galatians 5:22-23).

 He comforts us (John 16:7).

 He equips us with spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4-7).

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  He fills us (Ephesians 5:18).

 He empowers us (Acts 1:8).

2.3 The Gifts of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit gives certain gifts to the church for the purpose of building up the

body of believers. Scripture does not give a single, complete list of the Spirit’s

gifts. The lists that do appear (Romans 12:3–8; 1 Corinthians 12:4–11; Ephesians

4:11-13) have some commonalities, as well as differences, indicating they are

representative lists rather than exhaustive catalogs, (Gordon, 2005). No individual

believer should expect to exercise all the gifts, and Scripture does not seem to

specify any one particular gift given to every believer. (Erickson, 1998) Rather, the

Spirit sovereignly distributes the gifts “to each one, just as He determines” (1

Corinthians 12:11).

Some of these gifts are related to natural skills such as teaching or administration

that the Spirit enhances beyond the believer’s innate talent. Other gifts, such as

prophecy, miracles, or tongues, are entirely supernatural, not building on any prior

knowledge or skill of the person exercising the gift. (Bicket, 2010) Whichever

category a gift belongs to, its purpose is to benefit the church as a whole, not to lift

up the particular individual who manifests the gift. Spiritual gifts should never be a

motive for pride, because they are gifts given by the Spirit, not prizes earned by

believers through some personal merit (1 Corinthians 4:7).

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Horton (2003) gives an excellent introduction to the gifts of the Spirit; he states

that Paul showed us how each person of the Trinity played a vital role in the

expressions of the gifts in 1Corinthians 12:4-6 and in Ephesians 4:4-6:

“Each Person of the Trinity plays a vital part in the manifestation of gifts…

the Father superintends the plan of salvation and the expression of the gifts

from beginning to end. Jesus redeems us and sets us in our place of ministry

in His body, the Church. The Holy Spirit gives gifts. The Persons of the

Godhead have different roles, yet vitally work together, blending into a

perfect unity of expression.”

He shows a pattern to the believers that they are to follow, though they may

possess different gifts, working together will produce a mature Church.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit in the words of Sorensen (2019) are supernatural

powers of God, that are given to those who believe in Jesus Christ, so they can be

used by God to encourage and strengthen one another. The gifts of the Holy Spirit

cannot be earned. God gives them to whom He chooses. Sorensen identifies special

nine (9) gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are;

“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of

knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to

another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working

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 of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another

divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all

these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man

severally as he will. (1 Corinthians 12:6-12).

Bicket, (2010) in his sermon, “Gifts of Holy Spirit” listed several gifts of the Holy

Spirit for the effective working of the ministry. These gifts are: Prophecy, Service,

Teaching, Exhortation, Giving, Leadership, Wisdom, Knowledge, Faith, Healing,

Miracle, Discerning of Spirit, Tongues, Apostle, Help, Administration, Pastor, and

Evangelist.

In the same vein, Wellman (2014) citing from the book of Isaiah 11:2-3, identified

seven (7) gifts of the Holy Spirit. They are: wisdom, understanding, knowledge,

counsel, fortitude, piety and fear of the Lord.

One thing one must remember not to do; is to confuse these gifts with natural

talent, which God can use after salvation as a spiritual gift. Nor are we to confuse

the spiritual gifts with the fruits of the Spirit, which are love, joy, peace,

longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

2.3.1 Using Your Spiritual Gift

Holdcroft(2006) list seven important points to consider in using ones gifts of the

Spirit. They are tool that make God’s people more effective in His work. The early

church grew from the use of these gifts and our churches can grow when Christians

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allow themselves to be use by the Spirit within their gifts. When studying the gifts

in Scripture and their use, seven insights can be seen:

1. Gifts are given to meet a specific need. They are to be used to minister or serve

God in the Church and at times outside the church. To help build the Church of

Christ, (1 Corinthians 14:12, 26).

2. Gifts are kept by using them. The Apostle Paul tells us that we are not to

ignore our gifts (1 Timothy 4:14), but we are to “fan into flame the gift of God” (2

Timothy 1:6).

3. Gifts are only one of God’s methods. In 1Corinthians 12 Paul tells us that God

gives different gifts to people (1 Corinthians 12:8) but the promise to all believers

is that if he lacks wisdom to ask God (James 1:5). This means one’s gift will not

always be used constantly.

4. Gifts are given mainly to benefit the Church. 1 Corinthians 12 gives an

extended teaching on how the gifts are to benefit the Church. This also helps in

that no gift is for private or personal use. They are for use in benefitting the

Church, not one individual. Many people are misled here when they begin to make

it their gift and not the Church’s.

5. Gifts continue to dwell in the Godhead. In other word, we don’t have them in

us, they are only manifested through us (1 Corinthians 12:7). We don’t control it

the Spirit does through us. We are just instruments that the gifts are manifested

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through.

6. Chosen humans are the Spirits channel. Though it is demonstrated that often

the same gifts are manifested through the same person, we are just instruments

being used of the Spirit as He determines (1 Corinthians 12:11; Romans 11:29).

7. All gifts are equal. Though at times the gifts are manifested, one might preside

over the others; in reality they are all equal. It is dependent on the need of the

moment.

Gifts were meant to build up or edify the Church, but in order to truly edify, a

proper understanding of the gifts and their use must be taught in our churches.

When no teaching is done, it created an improper doctrine of gifts and causes

damage to the Church instead of building it up.

2.4 The Benefits of the Holy Spirit Indwelling in a Believer

God has made a provision for our spiritual growth and encouragement by assuring

us of his presence in the person of the Holy Spirit. This presence of God is one of

his great covenant promises. Smith (2014) listed the various ways we as believers

can benefit the indwelling of the Holy Spirit;

1. The Holy Spirit seeks to bring greater glory to the Lord through every

believer. Jesus said, “He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and

making it known to you.” (John 16:14)

2. The Holy Spirit intercedes for believers in ways that He pleads our

24
concerns to the heavenly Father. Paul wrote, “In the same way, the Spirit helps

us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit

himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” (Romans 8:26)

3. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of guilt. Jesus said, “When he comes, the

Spirit will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and

judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me.” (John 16:8, 9)

4. The Holy Spirit guides believers into truth. Jesus said, “But when He, the

Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His

own; He will speak only what he hears and He will tell you what is yet to

come.”(John 16:13)

5. The Holy Spirit comforts us in times of affliction and hardship. Paul wrote,

“Who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble

with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:4)

6. The Holy Spirit cleanses, sanctifies and justifies us. Paul wrote, “And that is

what some of your were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were

justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (I

Corinthians 6:11)

7. The Holy Spirit restrains evil. Moses wrote, “Then the Lord said, ’My Spirit

will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and

twenty years... The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had

25
become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the

time.” (Genesis 6:3, 5)

8. The Holy Spirit refreshes us daily with hope and love. Paul wrote, “And hope

does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the

Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” (Romans 5:5)

9. The Holy Spirit regenerates. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the

kingdom of God unless he is born again. How can a man be born when he is old?

Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born? Jesus

answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is

born of water and the Spirit.” (John 3:3-5)

10. The Holy Spirit reminds us of important truths we forget. Jesus said, “The

Counselor, the Holy Spirit, will teach you all things and will remind you of

everything I have said to you.” (John 14:26)

11. The Holy Spirit helps us prioritize. Jesus said, “You shall be my witnesses,

first in Jerusalem, then Judea, Samaria and then to the uttermost parts of the earth.”

(Acts 1:8)

2.4.1 Engaging the Power of the Holy Spirit for the Fulfillment of Destiny

Everyone has a great destiny, but it takes the power of the Holy Spirit to make it a

reality. The Holy Ghost is for our profitable living on earth, to make life most

profitable for us.

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Oyedepo (2015) in one of his Tuesday messages enumerated the ways we can

engage the power of the Holy Spirit for the fulfillment of our glorious destinies:

1. He empowers us to see the scriptures: God is committed to those who can see

within the scriptures, (Isaiah 2:1). Very few people see the wonders within the

letters, (Luke 24:16). The Holy Spirit gives us revelation into the scriptures, to see

what God is saying about our lives.

2. He empowers us to see the vision of God for our lives: God defines, advances

and reserves our course through vision. Vision is not a destination but an

adventure. The Holy Spirit also delivers us from the trap of death, to make us

realise the plans of God for our lives, (Isaiah 55:8).

3. He empowers us to overcome barriers of our destiny: Your progress and

success are not pleasant to the ears of the enemies. You need the Holy Spirit to

tread upon serpents and scorpion looking for whom to devour.

4. He empowers us to see vision fulfilled: It is impossible to fulfill our destiny

without the help of the Holy Spirit, (Zechariah 4:16).

5. He empowers our love for God: The Holy Spirit empowers our love for God,

which keeps all things working together for good, (Romans 5:5). The Holy Spirit

makes us to love God unconditionally, unreservedly and consistently. We keep

bouncing for God through the help of the Holy Spirit.

6. He sanctifies us fit for triumphant living and eternity: We need the Holy

27
Spirit to be sanctified. He also nullifies the deeds of flesh, keeping us alive in

Christ to make Heaven.

It is not enough to see the plan; the Holy Spirit must empower us to see the vision,

(John 14:26). He is our guide, putting us on the path of commitment with God,

(Romans 8: 14 John 4:4-5). The Holy Spirit also does the following:

 He empowers the plan of God to work in fulfillment.

 He goes with us in every area of our lives, (Exodus 33:13)

 He works for us, (John 14:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:24)

The Holy Spirit teaches us all things and reminds us everything. Not only spiritual

things but things in all facet of life, (Acts 5:20, John 7:15).

2.5 Hindrances to and Deepening the Fullness of the Holy Spirit

There are literally hundreds of thousands of Christians in every denomination who

hunger and thirst for the power of God. Yet, they are blocked from receiving it

because they don't understand what the Bible says about the Holy Spirit.

There is an unnatural, unified opposition to speaking in tongues in the religious

realm. No other manifestation of the Spirit is so despised in the denominational

world as speaking in tongues. Yet Jesus Himself talked about the Holy Ghost and

speaking in tongues. (Mark 16:17, Acts 1:8)

There are a few hindrances to receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit. These must

be dealt with before the Spirit will come with power. (Grady, 2014)

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1. Ignorance (1 Corinthians 12:1) Ignorance about the personality and nature of

the Holy Spirit or how He works. There are lots of misconceptions about the Holy

Spirit. There are plenty of groups that abuse the work of the Holy Spirit and cause

others to want to stay away.

2. Religious tradition. Religious people who are locked into "the way we've

always done it" find it hard to receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit. You must

be willing to break free from tradition.

3. Unbelief: Unbelief (doubt) is the worst enemy of faith. You will not be able to

come to God or receive from Him without faith. (Hebrews 11:6). When

approaching God, doubts such as “What if the infilling of the Holy Spirit doesn't

happen for me?” must be conquered with the shield of faith. (Romans 10:17).

4. Unconfessed Sin. The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit can be “quenched” as

well as “grieved” (1 Thessalonians 5:19; Ephesians 4:30). Because He is so holy,

our sinful habits and attitudes can cause Him to withdraw. This is why it's so

important for us to walk in constant communion with God, and to be willing to

repent quickly when we know we have sinned.

5. An Unyielded spirit. You cannot be filled with the Holy Spirit if you are full of

yourself. Some people are too willful. They have not surrendered their plans,

finances, relationships or time to God. They have their lives planned out and they

don't want God interrupting their agendas. Yet God is looking to fill hearts that

29
have been emptied and surrendered. Only the fully yielded can experience the

fullness of His power.

6. Self-centredness, self-confidence, self-sufficiency and self-desires. An attitude

of self-centredness, self-confidence, self-sufficiency and seeking to satisfy our

personal desires is a major hindrance to the Holy Spirit working in our lives. It is

contrary to a spirit of consecration, submission to and reliance upon the Lord,

which is at the heart of readiness to receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Such an

attitude is a manifestation of self-life, and causes us to focus and rely on ourselves

instead of on the Lord.

7. Pride and self-exaltation. The Scriptures clearly teaches that God is opposed to

the proud but gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5). Pride is very destructive to

our lives. Although it is a common problem, it may not be obvious and we may not

be conscious of its subtle manifestations in our lives.

Self-exaltation can also be manifested in subtle ways, even in the context of

serving God. We may be genuinely seeking to serve God and others, but if we are

also seeking to be exalted, recognized and appreciated, the Holy Spirit will be

hindered from coming into our lives in a fuller measure. Remember, the role of the

Holy Spirit is to glorify Christ, not us.

8. Love for the world. (James 4:4) Love for the world is a significant hindrance to

the Spirit of God filling us. As we live in this fallen world, it is easy to be

30
preoccupied with the affairs of this life and to be gripped by the spirit of the world.

The apostle James has strong words for those who become friends of the world.

9. Unwillingness to pay the price. A major problem area with regards to

experiencing the fullness of the Spirit is that we often desire a Spirit-filled life but

are unwilling to pay the price for it. The Spirit filled life goes together with a life

of consecration and submission to God. But we are often unwilling to pay this

price. We still hold on to personal desires and inclinations which are contrary to

the will of God. We are not prepared to submit to God and live on the basis of truth

when it involves significant difficulties and hardships in the path of true

discipleship. So even though we keep crying out to God to fill us with the Spirit,

we find that we are not experiencing it.

10. Unwillingness to be disciplined and diligent in the truth. Another problem is

the unwillingness to be disciplined and diligent in the truth. This is related to lack

of love for the truth. If we love the Lord, we will love the truth. And if we love the

truth, we must be disciplined and diligent in the truth. We must make the effort to

understand the truth and be willing to walk in it even when it is painful and

difficult.

The Spirit of truth fills us in order that we may know the truth and walk in truth. So

we must be prepared to be helped in that direction. If we are not even prepared to

be helped in that direction, how can we be ready to be filled with the Spirit?

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 CHAPTER THREE

BIBLICAL / THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES

3.0 Introduction

God’s supernatural power can accomplish much more than the human intellect will

ever be able to do. God’s Spirit can accomplish in a second what human beings

wouldn’t be able to do in a hundred years.

People can give biblical teaching intellectually but it will not have the same impact

as when a person is teaching under the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

The first is just theological knowledge that will only touch our intellect. The mind

of a person can remain unchanged while listening to even a thousand intellectual

teachings. Only when somebody speaks through the authority of the Spirit of God

will the spirit of the person listening be touched and a deep inner change be

realized. Only the Spirit of God can transform our heart.

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye

shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria,

and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

Everything Jesus did and said was the result of the Holy Spirit Who was alive and

living in Him. When that same Holy Spirit, which lives in Jesus, dwells in us, we

can do what Jesus did when He walked upon this earth. The baptism of the Holy

32
Spirit gives us the power to be His witness upon the earth and testify that we can

do what Jesus did because the Holy Spirit that lives in Him lives in us as well. The

power that enabled Jesus to do all that He did now dwells in us, therefore we pick

up in the ministry upon the earth where Jesus and His disciples left off.

3.1 The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament

From the beginning of Genesis, the Spirit is moving. The Spirit’s activity is

inseparable from the work of God. It is an extension of God Himself. Spirit is

involved in creation, in bringing order, and preventing chaos. The Spirit gives life

to humanity. The Spirit communicates God’s will and Word through the prophets.

The Spirit equips craftsmen and artisans (Exodus 31:3; 35:30-35, 38:3). The Spirit

brings wisdom for leadership (Numbers 11), equips for service (1 Samuel. 16:13,

14; Numbers11:24-30), and brings good insight (Isaiah 11:1-5; 42: l-4). The Spirit

even protects God’s people through feats of strength and daring that can hardly be

imagined.

The Spirit cannot be controlled or predicted. See how the wind dries the land and

divides the sea (Genesis 8:1; Exodus 14:21). It comes with force and power. In

Judges (3:10 and 11:29) the Spirit (literally) “clothed itself with Gideon” or “took

possession” of him. The Spirit grants Samson extraordinary strength (Judges 14:6)

and overwhelms Saul (1 Samuel 10:5-11; 19:18-24). The Spirit is sovereign.

The Spirit is mysterious and comes in strange ways-like dreams (Genesis 41:38,

33
39) and visions (Genesis 15:1; 46:2; Ezekiel 1:1; Daniel 1:17), guerrilla warfare of

Gideon, and wild dances! In 1 Samuel 10:7-13, King Saul becomes “a different

man.” In fact, so strange is the Spirit that Amos (7:14-16) tells the people, “I’m not

a prophet!” But, God invades the world, not to scare us, but primarily to

communicate. The prophets, for instance, are there to communicate the will of God

not to manipulate people or pad their pocketbooks.

In the Historical Books, the Spirit gives power for service and wisdom for

leadership. Joshua (Numbers 27:18) is raised up to lead the people. The Judges

(Judges 3:10) settle disputes, answer questions, solve problems, comfort the

people, and lead them to victories (all in the power of the Spirit). The Scripture

describes the activity of the Spirit as one of “rushing into” (Judges 14:6, 19; 15:14)

or “putting on as clothes” (Judges 6:30; 6:34; and 1 Chronicles 12:18). There is an

outward sign that God’s presence is there. God is at work. But as spectacular as all

this is, the Spirit is only temporary and occasional.

In the Wisdom Literature, the Spirit is again seen as “God-at-Work” within the

world-giving life (Job 27:3; 33:4; 34:14,15), bringing wisdom (Job 28:12-18;

Proverbs 1:7; 9:10), prompting to action (Job 32:18), bringing judgment (Job 4:9;

34:14), coming in power (Job 26:12,13) and making holy (Psalm 51:11, Isaiah 63

where the holiness of God is in sharp contrast with the unholiness of His people).

In the Prophets, the activity of the Spirit turns from the outward sign and witness to

34
the real content of God’s message, the redemption of His people. The work of the

Spirit is especially seen in connection with prophecy of the Messiah (the Anointed

One). In Isaiah, the Spirit anoints the Servant of God (11:1-5; 61: l-4). The seven-

fold Spirit speaks of a complete and unlimited giving of the Spirit. This anointing

leads to the fulfillment of the new covenant, the restoration of God’s people, and

judgment on the unbeliever (Isaiah 42:1-9; Isaiah 61:1-11; Jeremiah 31:31-34;

Ezekiel 36:25-28; 39:25-29).

3.2 The Holy Spirit in the New Testament

In John, the Paraclete (the Intercessor, Interpreter, Comforter, Mediator, the “one

called along beside”) appears. The “Spirit of truth” comes who makes known the

things of Christ and glorifies Jesus, who teaches us of God and convicts the world

of sin (John 14:16). Here, the breath of God regenerates human souls (John 3:5, 6),

leads to true worship (John 4:24), gives life (John 6:63), and promises greater

things to come (John 7:38, 39) for “out of your innermost being shall flow rivers of

living water.” (John 14:26), “the Holy Spirit will teach you” and will “abide with

you and be in you” (John 14:17).

Throughout both Testaments, the Holy Spirit inspired the writers of Scripture,

giving them God's message to record. In the case of the apostles, He stimulated

their recollection of Jesus' teachings and the events of His earthly ministry,

preserving those memories from error. As the divine author of Scripture, the Spirit

35
now aids believers in the interpretation of Scripture and its application to current

contexts.

In the process of salvation, the Spirit brings about conviction, causing people to

recognize their sin and state of separation from God. This frequently occurs

through the reading or preaching of the Spirit-inspired Scriptures. When a person

repents of sin and places his or her trust in Christ, the Spirit regenerates that

person, producing the new birth in the individual (John 3:5-8). In the ongoing

process of sanctification, the Holy Spirit continually sets the believer apart from

sin in principle and increasingly delivers him or her from sin in fact by enabling

the believer to resist temptation.

3.3 The Holy Spirit’s Work

In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit performed several different actions. He was

active in the creation of the world (Genesis 1:2). He endowed Bezalel and Oholiab

with special skills in craftsmanship for building the furnishings of the wilderness

tabernacle (Exodus 31:2-11). The Spirit also enabled Moses and the seventy elders

of Israel to render wise judgment in the cases brought before them (Numbers

11:16-17). The Spirit of God came upon Samson and other judges to aid them in

military endeavors to liberate Israel from her oppressors. He also gave messages to

the prophets of God, revealing to them God's promises and words of judgment

concerning His people.

36
In the New Testament, the Spirit is God's active agent in the incarnation of the Son

(Luke 1:25). He comes and rests upon Jesus at His baptism, thereafter empowering

Christ's earthly ministry, declaring from Isaiah 61: “The Spirit of the Sovereign

LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me.” The Holy Spirit also gives

the apostles and other believers boldness to speak the word of God in the face of

opposition (Acts 4:31), and He directs the route of Paul and his companions on

their missionary journeys (Acts 16:6-7).

Throughout both Testaments, the Holy Spirit inspired the writers of Scripture,

giving them God's message to record. In the case of the apostles, He stimulated

their recollection of Jesus' teachings and the events of His earthly ministry,

preserving those memories from error. As the divine author of Scripture, the Spirit

now aids believers in the interpretation of Scripture and its application to current

contexts.

In the process of salvation, the Spirit brings about conviction, causing people to

recognize their sin and state of separation from God. This frequently occurs

through the reading or preaching of the Spirit-inspired Scriptures. When a person

repents of sin and places his or her trust in Christ, the Spirit regenerates that

person, producing the new birth in the individual (John 3:5-8). In the ongoing

process of sanctification, the Holy Spirit continually sets the believer apart from sin

in principle and increasingly delivers him or her from sin in fact by enabling the

37
believer to resist temptation.

CHAPTER FOUR

RESEARCH FINDINGS AND PRESENTATION OF RESULTS

4.0 Introduction

This chapter is concerned with the presentation, analysis, and interpretation of data

gathered from the responses to administered questionnaires.

4.1 Method of Data Collection and Analysis

The researcher personally distributed the questionnaire. In presenting the data, the

researcher chose tabulation form which was convenient, simple and relevant to the

type of survey questions. The tabular method adopted here for all parts was to put

the information in four columns with the research questions, responses, respondent

and the percentage in this order.

The analysis was based primarily on the information provided by the respondents.

The questionnaire supplied information about the cause, effects and solutions of

worldly lifestyle among church members.

The analysis of the provided data depended on the actual return of 200

questionnaires from respondents, since the direction of the thesis is not a

comparison of the responses of the groups but rather the general opinion from

them, responses are combined.

4.2 Presentation of Data

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The research questionnaire was administered to two hundred (200) persons who

the sample size is representing the study population from which it was drawn. Of

this lot, one hundred and eighty (180) questionnaires representing 90% were

returned, and twenty (20) questionnaires representing 10% were not returned. The

table below shows the details at a glance.

4.2.1 Demographic Data

The percentages of those who agreed on each item were determined by adding the

figures under the columns Strongly Agree (SA) and Agree (A). The figures under

the columns Disagree (D) and Strongly Disagree (SD) were added to make the

percentages of those who disagreed with the item.

Table 1: Gender Classification of Respondents Sex Frequency Percentage

Variable Frequency Percentage (%)

Male 109 60.5
Female 71 39.7
Total 180 100
Source: Field Survey, 2021

Table 1 above presented the frequency distribution of the respondents by their sex.

As indicated in the table, 93 male was used in the sample representing 60.5% of

the entire population used. While a total of 71 female were used in the sample

representing 39.7%. This table shows that majority of the respondents used for this

study were males.

Table 2: Showing Analysis of respondents on Marital Status

39
 Variable Frequency Percentage (%)
Single 87 48.3
Married 93 51.7
Total 180 100
Source: Field Survey, 2021

The above table reveals that 44.4% of the respondents used for this research are

married which represent 88 and were the most prominent. From the analysis it

shows that the married class represents the general interest of the distribution.

Section B

Research Question One:

Who is the Holy Spirit?

S/N Items Responds Frequency Percentage

1 The Holy Spirit, or Holy Ghost, is believed to be SA 135 90%
the third person of the Trinity, a Triune God A
25 26.5%
manifested as God the Father, God the Son, and D
5 3.3%
God the Holy Spirit, each entity itself being SD
15 10%
God.
2 The Holy Spirit is not a vague, ethereal shadow, SA 115 70%
nor an impersonal force. He is a person equal in A
45 20%
every way with God the Father and God the D
10 6.6%
Son. He is considered to be the third member of SD
10 6.6%
the Godhead.
3 The Holy Spirit is a beautiful and powerful part SA 100 66.7%
of who God is. We need Him in our life as a A
40 26.7%
conduit to become who God created us to be, D
25 3.3%
and through His power we have aid in all SD

40
 situations. 15 3.3%
Source: Field Survey, 2021

The above table in column 1 shows that 160 respondents which represent 90%

strongly agree that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, a Triune God

manifested as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, each entity

itself being God, while 20 respondents which represent 30.5% strongly disagreed.

Colum 2 shows that respondents 165 which represent 91.7% strongly agreed that

The Holy Spirit is not a vague, ethereal shadow, nor an impersonal force. He is a

person equal in every way with God the Father and God the Son. He is considered

to be the third member of the Godhead; while 15 respondents which represent

8.3% strongly disagreed.

Colum 3 shows that 140 respondents which represent 77.7% strongly agreed that

The Holy Spirit is a beautiful and powerful part of who God is. We need Him in

our life as a conduit to become who God created us to be, and through His power

we have aid in all situations. While 40 respondents which represent 22.3% strongly

disagreed.

Research Question Two:

Why is the Holy Spirit the most neglected and abandoned aspects of Christian

theology?

S/N Items Responds Frequency Percentage

1 Little or no faith in the power of the Spirit. SA 70 38.8
While we may mention the Holy Ghost or Holy A

41
 Spirit in prayers for “spiritual effect,” most D 10 5.5
Christians do not have a vital relationship with SD
5 2.7
the Spirit. Too often, we trust in our human
95 52.8
strength, insight, and intellectual powers rather

than in our supernatural God.

2 Confusion and impotence are inevitable when SA 120 66.7
the wisdom and resources of the world are A
45 25
substituted for the presence and power of the D
15 8.3
Spirit of God. SD
- -
3 Lack of understanding of the personality, nature SA 150 83.3
and the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the A
24 13.3
believer. D
6 3.3
SD
- -
Source: Field Survey, 2021

The above table in column 1 shows that 80 respondents which represent 44.4%

strongly agree that little or no faith in the power of the Spirit. While we may

mention the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit in prayers for “spiritual effect,” most

Christians do not have a vital relationship with the Spirit. Too often, we trust in our

human strength, insight, and intellectual powers rather than in our supernatural

God. While 100 respondents which represent 55.5% strongly disagreed.

Colum 2 shows that respondents 165 which represent 91.7% strongly agreed that

Confusion and impotence are inevitable when the wisdom and resources of the

world are substituted for the presence and power of the Spirit of God. While15
42
respondents which represent 8.3% strongly disagreed.

Colum 3 shows that 175 respondents which represent 96.7% strongly agreed that

Lack of understanding of the personality, nature and the work of the Holy Spirit in

the life of the believer. While 6 respondents which represent 3.3% strongly

disagreed.

Question Three

Why do people find it difficult to be baptized in the Holy Ghost?

S/N Signs Response Categories

SA % A % SD % D %
1 Lukewarmness and 55 58.3% 15 15.9% 10 10.5% 15 15.9%

laziness towards prayer

2 Discouragement 74 78.5% _ - 11 11.6% 5 5.3%
3 Pride over self and 41 43.2% 24 25.4% 45 47.4% 20 21.2%

achievement party
4 Arguments over the 33 34.9% 20 21.2% 10 10.6% 20 21.2%

Scripture
5 Not interested in Studying 60 63.6% 25 26.5% 10 10.6% _

the Word
6 The focus of your heart 30 31.6% 23 24.2% 2 10.6% 40 42.1%

changes from the things of

God to the things of the

world
Source: Field Survey, 2021

The table above presents the perception of respondents on the possible reasons

why people find it difficult to be baptized in the Holy Ghost. Specifically, (90.1%)

respondents strongly agreed that when a believer starts falling away from the faith,

43
he/she will start pulling away from the things of God making it difficult to receive

the baptism of the Holy Ghost, following this is Discouragement (78.5%),

Lukewarmness and laziness towards prayer (74.2%), Pride over self and

achievement (68.6%), and Arguments over the Scripture (56.0%), while The focus

of your heart changes from the things of God to the things of the world (55.8%) is

a close call.

Research Question Four:

Why is the Holy Spirit important in the life of the believer?

S/N Relevance Response Categories

SA % A % SD % D %
1 He equips us with spiritual 80 44.4% 24 13.4% 45 25% 41 22.8%
gifts
2 He permanently indwells us 130 72.2% 20 11.1% 10 5.6% 20 11.1%
3 He convicts of sin 95 52.8% 55 30.6% 13 7.2% 17 9.5%
4 He bears fruit through us 150 83.5% 15 8.5% 5 2.8% 10 5.6%
5 He guides us into all truth 100 55.5% 55 30.6% 10 5.6% 15 8.5%
Source: Field Survey, 2021

It could be observed from the table above that majority respondents of (89.5%) are

of the opinion that the Holy Spirit bears fruit through us; item 1 showed that

44
(57.8%) agree that He equips us with spiritual gifts. The respondents to item 5

show that (86.1%) agree that He guides us into all truth. The response of the

respondents to item number 3 shows that (83.4%) agree that He convicts of sin.

The responses of the respondents to item 1 indicate that (83.3%) agree that He

permanently indwells us.

Research Question Five:

What are the Hindrances to the move of the Holy Spirit?

S/N Hindrances Response Categories

SA (%) A (%) SD (%) D (%)
1 Grieving the Holy Spirit 153 85.0% 27 15%
2 Sin 107 59.5% 60 33.4% 10 5.5% 3 1.6%
3 Unwillingness to be disciplined 100 55.5% 55 30.6% 15 8.5% 10 5.5%
and diligent in the truth
4 Self-centredness, self- 155 86.1% 23 12.8% 2 1.1% -
confidence, self-sufficiency
and self-desires
5 Unwillingness to pay the price 55 30.6% 99 55.0% 16 8.9% 20 11.1%
6 Wrong Motives 67 37.2% 45 25.0% 43 23.9% 25 13.9%
Source: Field Survey, 2021

The table above presents the perception of respondents on the possible Hindrances

to move of the Holy Spirit. There were multiple responses to the Hindrances;

hence all the listed hindrance are associated with Holy Spirit. Specifically, (100%)

respondents strongly agreed that Grieving the Holy Spirit hinder His moves and

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operations in our lives, Self-centredness, self-confidence, self-sufficiency and self-

desires (99.9%), Sin opens the door for the enemy thereby hindering the Holy

Spirit (93.3%). Following this is the agreement that Unwillingness to be

disciplined and diligent in the truth (86.1%), and Unwillingness to pay the price

(85.6%) were all high in respondents’ opinions. Notwithstanding that Wrong

Motives stood at (62.2%).

4.3 Summary of Major Findings

The following major findings were observed in the study:

1. That the Holy Spirit is a divine person worthy of adoration, faith and love, the

Holy Spirit is a personal being infinitely wise, infinitely holy, and infinitely tender.

2. The Holy Spirit gives wisdom beyond our natural abilities, as we learn to listen

to Him. (James 3:17) If we allow ourselves to be totally immersed in God, to focus

on His thoughts, then we can do powerful things in this world.

3. The Spirit helps us to pray. He guides us in what to pray for and how to pray.

(Romans 8:26) When we are committed to praying seriously, the Spirit helps us

know what to pray for and can bring God’s power into the lives of those we care

about through intercession

4. It was revealed that Gifts were meant to build up or edify the Church, but in

order to truly edify, a proper understanding of these gifts and their uses must be

taught in our churches. When no teaching is done, it created an improper doctrine

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of gifts and causes damage to the Church instead of building it up.

5. Findings revealed six ways the Holy Spirit empowers the believer, the Holy

Spirit: Is the principal agent of the second birth of the believer, energizes the saints

for service, enables believers to operate in the supernatural and enhances

communalism, purifies the believers, fortifies and empowers believers and

provides believers utterance to speak in tongues.

6. It was also revealed that the Holy Spirit impart in believers/deliverer some

spiritual gifts which will enable them function effectively as Christians, these gifts

are: Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Faith, Gifts of Healing, Working of

Miracles, Prophecy, Discerning of Spirits, Divers (or different) kinds of Tongues,

and Interpretation of (different) Tongues.

4.4 Discussions of the Findings

Scripture describes the Holy Spirit in personal terms, not as an impersonal force,

when it says that He teaches, guides, comforts and intercedes. He possesses

emotions, intellect and will. The Holy Spirit spoke to Philip and gave counsel to

the church at Jerusalem. He was sinned against and lied to.

The Scriptures also attest to the deity of the Holy Spirit. He is spoken of as God

and is identified with the title of Jehovah. The Christian who is indwelt by the

Spirit is indwelt by God. The Holy Spirit possesses the attributes of deity, such as

omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence and eternality. He does works only God

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can do, such as creating, regenerating and sanctifying. He is equally associated

with the other members of the Trinity.

The work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament differed somewhat from His

work in the New Testament. The possession of the Holy Spirit by the believer was

not permanent in every case. The Spirit had a ministry of restraining sin and in the

creation of the world.

The Holy Spirit today plays a major role in the application of salvation to the

individual. It is the Spirit who brings conviction to the unbeliever and causes him

to see the truth of the gospel in a clear light. Those who respond to this conviction

and place their faith in Jesus Christ receive eternal life and a new nature. The Holy

Spirit unites the believer with Christ and places him in the body of Christ, the

church. He also unites the believer with Christ in His death, enabling him to live

victoriously over sin. The Holy Spirit controls the believer who yields to God and

submits himself to God's Word. When these conditions are met, the believer lives

in the power of the Spirit and produces the fruit of the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit indwells the believer permanently. While the child of God may sin

and grieve the Spirit, the Spirit will never leave the true believer. Absence of the

Holy Spirit is the mark of the unsaved. The Holy Spirit seals the believer. This

ministry guarantees the security of the believer "until the day of redemption."

The Holy Spirit sovereignly bestows spiritual gifts or abilities for service to every

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believer. Although His restraint of evil in the world today will cease with the

rapture, He will continue to be present in the earth. In the tribulation period the

Spirit will be involved in salvation and filling. In the coming kingdom of Jesus

Christ, the Spirit will be in God's people and the Spirit will be upon the King.

In summary, the Holy Spirit is a person, not a force. “He thinks (Acts 15:28),

speaks (Acts 1:16), leads (Romans 8:14), and can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30).”4

The Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity, and is rightly called God the Spirit,

for the Spirit is God. The Spirit’s gifts of perpetual guidance include counseling;

comforting; teaching; power; conviction; quickened minds; sharpened faculties; a

hunger for the Word, worship, and prayer; and many other heightened attributes.

Our very desire to respond to Christ for salvation is initiated by the Spirit (1

Corinthians12:3). We learn from various passages—Ephesians 4:11, Romans

12:3–8, and 1 Corinthians 12:8–10, 2 8–30—about gifts of the Spirit, charismata,

made available to Christian believers. In Galatians 5:22–23, we learn that the fruit

of the Spirit, holy character traits, are brought forth in us by the Spirit. The Spirit is

our “seal” or “deposit,” a guarantee of life eternal now with God and of

“something more” that is coming (2 Corinthians 1:22).

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 CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.0 Introduction

This chapter presents the summary, conclusion recommendations and offered

suggestions for further studies.

5.1 Summary

And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the

Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. (Mark 1:10)

The Holy Spirit doesn’t seek to be mysterious, but He is the most mysterious of the

Godhead. We can read in the Word about the Father, and we can read about the

Son who came and walked among us. But Jesus tells us that when the Spirit comes,

He will not speak of Himself; that “whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak:

and He will shew you things to come” (John 16:13).

The workings of the Holy Spirit are invisible, glorious, and gentle, and within

them, He never tells us about Himself. He comes to glorify Jesus, helping us to see

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Jesus more, to understand Jesus better, to respond to Jesus more obediently, and to

love Jesus with a deeper heart of commitment.

When we accept Jesus our Lord, and Savior, we receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy

Spirit enters, and establishes a new relationship with us and God but this is only

the beginning of His work in us. The Holy Spirit marks us as belonging to God.

(Ephesians 1:13-14) He is our seal of salvation, so that God can see from Heaven

and know us to be His sons and daughters; He becomes our direct line, through

Jesus, to the Father. He convicts us of sin and the need for righteousness in our

lives. (John 16:8) He teaches us to obey the Lord and to trust Him to direct our

every step, and to put all our cares on Him for He is greater than any problem.

Through the Spirit we learn to develop greater reliance on the Lord, and less on

human wisdom, or strength, or our own abilities.

The Spirit knows our search for truth in the visible world is futile; we must seek

God’s Word. (John 17-7 John 16-13) He teaches us ways to see things deeper than

what is on the surface, to help point out blind spots in our mind’s eye to those areas

that are not completely yielded, or fully surrendered to God.

The Holy Spirit helps us to know God. (Ephesians 1:17-18) He makes us wise and

reveals God to us, and He helps us to understand the mind of God. Without the

Spirit, you cannot understand the things of God. We need spiritual “eyes” in our

hearts in order to see God and His ways more clearly. That’s when we begin to

51
understand the mind of God, how He thinks, and how that knowledge will help us

in our daily walk. The more we want to know of Him, the more the Spirit reveals

to us.

5.2 Conclusion

Despite the fact that the Holy Spirit is the member of the Trinity whose work is

most prominent in the present age, much confusion and controversy surround

nature, personality, the study of the Spirit. Even among Christians who believe in

the continuation of the supernatural gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12, there is

disagreement on the definition of terms and the nature of certain evidences of the

Spirit’s work.

Pentecostals and Charismatics who believe in and practice the gifts of the Spirit

would greatly benefit the broader body of Christ if they spent less time debating

the proper terminology for and timing of the Spirit’s work and focused more on

actually following the Spirit’s leading and serving God and others while infused

with the Spirit’s power. With more genuine Spirit-led activity taking place, Christ

would be exalted in a greater way and more people would see His glory and be

drawn to Him.

5.3 Recommendations/Suggestions for further Studies

The result of this has been that there has been little understanding of the nature of

the ministries of the Spirit in the prophesied period of tribulation, in the

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millennium, and in the eternal state. Some probably wish to not make any

dogmatic statements concerning this doctrine because of the seemingly lack of

Scriptural clarity, but the truth is that the Word of God, written by the Spirit of

God, has shown forth His dynamic work for the future. Therefore, I wish to

propose that a proper study of the Holy Spirit’s work in the End Times period

(spanning from Rapture to Millennium) will show that he is continually active in

convicting, saving, sanctifying, and glorifying men and women, as well as

continuing to be active in the lives of glorified saints in the Eternal State. It is to

this task that I now turn.

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