Holy Spirit

No man ever did, nor ever shall, truly go forth to convert the nations, nor to prophesy in the present state of witnesses against Antichrist, but by the gracious inspiration and instigation of the Holy Spirit of God. ~ Roger Williams

Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost), is a term for various notions of a divine essence or entity within the Abrahamic religions. In the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) and Jewish writings ruach ha-kodesh (Hebrew: רוח הקודש, "holy spirit" also transliterated ruaḥ ha-qodesh) it is used to refer to the spirit of YHWH (רוח יהוה), literally meaning "the spirit of holiness" or "the spirit of the holy place".

Quotes

I am whole in spirit. I am the Holy Spirit. ~ Vincent van Gogh

Every time that a man has, with a pure heart, called upon Osiris, Dionysus, Buddha, the Tao, etc., the Son of God has answered him by sending the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit has acted upon his soul, not by inciting him to abandon his religious tradition, but by bestowing upon him light — and in the best of cases the fullness of light — in the heart of that same religious tradition. ~ Simone Weil

To minds that were open to the Holy Spirit, the significance of the Saviour's teaching unfolded more and more. Mysteries grew clear, and that which had been hard to grasp became evident. ~ Ellen G. White

We need the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit in order to discern the truths in God's word. ~ Ellen G. White

• Teach me to do your will, For you are my God. Your spirit is good; May it lead me on level ground.
  • David, Psalm 143:10, New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

• In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.
  • Isaiah 63: 10 - 14 (KJV)

• We glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
  • Paul of Tarsus, in Romans 5:3-5 (KJV)
  • Variant translation:
  • We rejoice in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who he has given us.
    • Romans 5:3-5 (NIV)

• A physical man does not receive the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot get to know [them], because they are examined spiritually. However, the spiritual man examines indeed all things, but he himself is not examined by any man.
  • Paul of Tarsus, The First to the Corinthians 2:14, New World Translation

• Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own.
  • Paul of Tarsus, in 1 Corinthians 6:19

• Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
  • Psalms 51:10 - 13

• There is no reason to believe that the Holy Spirit ever leaves awakened sinners, only as they leave the truth of God for some error or sin.
  • Ichabod Spencer, as quoted in Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 319

• The Holy Spirit would lead us to think much upon our own sins. It is a dangerous thing for us to dwell upon the imperfections of others.
  • Ichabod Spencer, as quoted in Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 357

• Je suis sain d'Esprit, Je suis Saint-Esprit.
  • I am whole in spirit. I am the Holy Spirit.
    • Vincent van Gogh, as quoted by Paul Gauguin, in article published in Essais d'Art Libre, (January 1894); English translation as declared in the Robert Altman film Vincent & Theo (1990)
  • Variant translations:
  • I am of sound mind, I am the Holy Ghost.

• Every time that a man has, with a pure heart, called upon Osiris, Dionysus, Buddha, the Tao, etc., the Son of God has answered him by sending the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit has acted upon his soul, not by inciting him to abandon his religious tradition, but by bestowing upon him light — and in the best of cases the fullness of light — in the heart of that same religious tradition. … It is, therefore, useless to send out missions to prevail upon the peoples of Asia, Africa or Oceania to enter the Church.
  • Simone Weil, in Letter to a Priest (1951), Section 8

• Christ had truths to present which the people were unprepared to accept or even to understand. For this reason also He taught them in parables. By connecting His teaching with the scenes of life, experience, or nature, He secured their attention and impressed their hearts. Afterward, as they looked upon the objects that illustrated His lessons, they recalled the words of the divine Teacher. To minds that were open to the Holy Spirit, the significance of the Saviour's teaching unfolded more and more. Mysteries grew clear, and that which had been hard to grasp became evident.
  Jesus sought an avenue to every heart. By using a variety of illustrations, He not only presented truth in its different phases, but appealed to the different hearers.
  • Ellen G. White, in Christ's Object Lessons (1900), Ch. 1

• Through the creation we are to become acquainted with the Creator. The book of nature is a great lesson book, which in connection with the Scriptures we are to use in teaching others of His character, and guiding lost sheep back to the fold of God. As the works of God are studied, the Holy Spirit flashes conviction into the mind. It is not the conviction that logical reasoning produces; but unless the mind has become too dark to know God, the eye too dim to see Him, the ear too dull to hear His voice, a deeper meaning is grasped, and the sublime, spiritual truths of the written word are impressed on the heart.
  • Ellen G. White, in Christ's Object Lessons (1900), Ch. 1

• We need the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit in order to discern the truths in God's word. The lovely things of the natural world are not seen until the sun, dispelling the darkness, floods them with its light. So the treasures in the word of God are not appreciated until they are revealed by the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness.
  The Holy Spirit, sent from heaven by the benevolence of infinite love, takes the things of God and reveals them to every soul that has an implicit faith in Christ. By His power the vital truths upon which the salvation of the soul depends are impressed upon the mind, and the way of life is made so plain that none need err therein. As we study the Scriptures, we should pray for the light of God's Holy Spirit to shine upon the word, that we may see and appreciate its treasures.
  • Ellen G. White, in Christ's Object Lessons (1900), Ch. 8

• No man ever did, nor ever shall, truly go forth to convert the nations, nor to prophesy in the present state of witnesses against Antichrist, but by the gracious inspiration and instigation of the Holy Spirit of God. … I know no other True Sender, but the most Holy Spirit.
  • Roger Williams, The Hireling Ministry, None of Christ's (1652)

• 'Tis true, those glorious first ministeriall gifts are ceased, and that's or should be the lamentation of all Saints... Yet I humbly conceive that without those gifts, it is no ground of imitation, and of going forth to Teach and Baptise the Nations, for, the Apostles themselves did not attempt that mighty enterprise, but waited at Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit descended on them, and inabled them for that mighty work
  • Roger Williams, The Hireling Ministry, None of Christ's (1652)