Who is the Holy Spirit?

John 14:16-18; 16:5-8; Acts 1:3-8; 2:1-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14.

To understand who the Holy Spirit is, and the importance that he has in our lives.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8, NIV*).

Human beings have a natural inclination towards the spiritual. For this reason, thousands of people seek to satisfy that deep inner need with different religious doctrines and practices. Consequently, many end up with wounds in their soul that can hardly be cured.

However, the children of God receive a different treatment. God has provided us with a Comforter; and not only that, he has given us a teacher, guide and counselor: the Holy Spirit.

In the Old Testament, communion with God was normally through obedience to the law. In the New Testament, the first disciples experienced communion with God through the company of Jesus Christ, who was at their side. Now, neither of these two ways is available to Christians.

However, as Romans 8:26-27 says the Spirit:

• helps us in our weakness,• intercedes for us with unspeakable groans and,• intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Knowing who the Holy Spirit is and how he works in our life is the foundation of our trust and hope. Without adequate knowledge of this, God becomes unreachable and incomprehensible.

In this lesson, preadolescents will learn that God is with us through the Holy Spirit. The physical presence of God was with the first disciples in the person of Jesus. Now God is with us through the Holy Spirit.

Read John 14:16-17. In this passage, Jesus told his disciples that soon his physical presence would no longer be with them. However, he promised that he would not leave them alone, because the Father would send them “another Comforter”. The word that is translated as “other” is very important, because it contains the idea of “another of the same class.” Therefore, the Holy Spirit continues the ministry and message of Jesus.

This passage speaks of one of the primary roles of the Holy Spirit: he is the Spirit of truth that will live in the hearts of believers.

Read 2 Corinthians 13:14. Paul reminds the believers in Corinth that God works in them and through them to fulfill his will. The Corinthian church had gone through times of difficulty. However, God wanted to continue ministering to them through the Holy Spirit. This beautiful blessing reminds us of the abundant presence and concern of God for his children in the midst of difficulties.

Holy Spirit

After welcoming your students, ask them what they know about the Holy Spirit. Listen to their answers, and read aloud the explanation on Student Activity Sheet #345-A. Divide the class into pairs or small groups and give them five minutes to answer the four questions, based on what they understood from the reading.

When everyone is finished, review the answers and make sure they are all correct. We suggest that you prepare yourself in prayer and study of the Word so that you can explain with truth and clarity the subject of the Holy Spirit.

Study John 14:16-18; 16:5-8; Acts 1:3-8; 2:1-6 and 2 Corinthians 13:14 prior to the session. Be ready to guide the group in telling the Bible story.

Gather your students for this activity. Allow the boys to work together and the girls to work together. Ask the boys to read and discuss John 14:15-18, and the girls to read and discuss John 16:5-8.

Allow time for both groups to understand about their passage and then have them present their conclusions. Consider these conclusions, and elaborate on the biblical story.

How does the Holy Spirit help us?

This activity will help students better understand some of the functions of the Holy Spirit. Ask them to look closely at the pictures on Student Activity Sheet #345-B. Then divide the class into four groups. Give three questions to each group, and give them time to answer.

Then, ask each group to present their answers. Stay alert to help resolve any questions that arise during the activity.

Power from on high

Tell them that this time they will begin learning a new Bible verse, Acts 1:8: “But you will receive power, when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and to the end of the earth. “ Explain that this passage is closely related to the theme of study of this unit: the Holy Spirit.