A passage in the book of Acts gives us many of these proofs that the Spirit is a person:

2. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

In just this one short verse, we see that the Holy Spirit:

This passage alone can show us that the Spirit is not a force but a person. But this is not the only passage that give us personal attributes, the rest of the Bible is full of them.

Personal Attributes

  1. Speaks
  2. Hears:
  3. Thinks:
  4. Teaches:
  5. Guides:
  6. Bears Witness:
  7. Intercedes:
  8. Convicts of Sin:
  9. Can Be lied To:
    • When members of the church tried to lie to Peter, He accused them of lying to the Holy Spirit and called it God (Acts 5:3). He did so again when he says that "You always resist the Holy Spirit"(Acts 7:51) but refers to God speaking in Malachi 3:7
  10. Can Arrive:
  11. Makes Decisions/Commands
  12. Casts Judgment:
    • Not only does the Spirit make decisions for us, but even casts Gods Judgement on us. John 16:7-14.
  13. Has Feelings:

Impersonal Language Also Used For God

Furthermore, there are instances where "impersonal" language used of the Holy Spirit is paralleled by similar language used of other persons of the Trinity. For example, the Holy Spirit is compared to fire in verses such as Matthew 3:11 and Luke 3:16, echoing the descriptions of God as a consuming fire in Deuteronomy 4:24 and Hebrews 12:29. This comparison is reminiscent of God's revelation to Moses through the burning bush (Exodus 3:2-4) and His manifestation on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:18). Moreover, God's judgment is also likened to fire, as seen in Isaiah 33:14 and Isaiah 66:15. Additionally, the concept of being "filled with the Holy Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18) is compared to being "filled with the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:17-19). Similarly, God is described as wind, which is associated with His presence and power (Psalm 104:4;Isaiah 66:15). The Holy Spirit is also depicted as wind, as seen in John 3:8 and in Acts 2:2:. Moreover, Gods power and life is likened to water (Isaiah 44:3; Jeremiah 2:13). The Holy Spirit is similarly compared to water, as illustrated in John 7:38-39.

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