“Is the Holy Spirit some force – some kind of impersonal power or influence?”

Simply put — the Holy Spirit is God! He is the third person in the Trinity (Triune nature of God). He has a mind, emotion and will (Acts 5:3-4; Psalm 139:7-8; Ephesians 4:30; Romans 8:26-27; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11; John 14:16, 26, 15:26).

The question becomes …

“What is the mind of the Holy Spirit?” “What is His will?” “What is the Holy Spirit ‘really good at’ (so to speak)?”

When the Holy Spirit has His way in our lives there is:

Intimacy with the Father. 

• “And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”(Gal. 4:6)

Christians are strengthened and the church is strengthened. 

• “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all…” (1 Cor. 12:7)

The Lord works through His church to draw people to Christ!  

• “… He will convict the world of sin…because they do not believe in Me…”  (John 16:7-10)
• “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
• (The Bible does not say that the whole world should go to church, but rather the church should go to the whole world.)

The person and work of Jesus becomes front and center. 

• “But I will send you the Advocate–the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me.” John 15:26
• The Holy Spirit will inspire hearing from Jesus, being informed and renewed by Jesus, a heart inclined to Jesus; sins confessed to Jesus; and one’s worship to Jesus!

There is order and edification in church gatherings. 

• “Let all things be done decently and in order.” (1 Cor. 14:40)

The Holy Spirit is really good at these realities!

Perhaps we can better understand why Jesus said, “…I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.” (John 16:7)

You can see then that Christianity is not merely a psychological phenomena.It is not something that merely brings “new ideas” and a “unique experience” to to our lives.But rather, Christianity brings the living God into our lives!