When Jesus returned to heaven after rising from the dead, the Father sent the Holy Spirit to “Convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (Jn 16:8). The Holy Spirit works in the hearts of all people, Christian or not, giving them an inner sense of morality. This common grace extended to all mankind attempts to convince them that they are sinners. Those who respond to that conviction are brought to salvation. Those who follow Jesus become temples of the Holy Spirit who now abides within them.

            Once the Holy Spirit takes permanent residence in the hearts of believers, He acts as a helper, comforter, and guide, counseling us forever (Jn 14:16, Rom 8:9, 1 Cor 6:19-20). One of the primary things that He guides us in is the revealing of the truth. The Holy Spirit teaches us so that we can understand the Bible (Jn 16:13). The Holy Spirit convinces us of Jesus’s identity, what His sacrifice meant for us, and how He will return one day to judge all of mankind. Everything that the Holy Spirit does will bring glory to Jesus (Jn 16:14).

The Holy Spirit also empowers believers with spiritual gifts designed to build up the church (1 Cor 12:1-30). These gifts may enhance natural talents or manifest in unexpected ways. They help us to perform our roles as ambassadors to the world and as the body of Christ. When we allow the Spirit to work through us, we show the world the grace of God and bring glory to Him.

The Holy Spirit also is a spiritual gardener. He produces fruit in our lives. Believers can often be identified by the fruit they display. The fruit of the Spirit is “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Gal 5:22). Mankind is incapable of producing these things on its own, they are not works that can be earned or accomplished. They are the outward expression of the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives.