A Biblical Understanding of a Spirit
"For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God." 1 Corinthians 2:11
We often hear from those who believe in a Trinity understanding of God (3-in-1) that because the Bible says that God's spirit can talk and direct (Acts 8:29) can forbid (Acts 16:6,7), can teach (John 14:26), can comfort (John 14:16,18), can author prophecy (2 Pet 1:21), has a will (1 Cor 12:11), has a mind (Romans 8:27), has intellect (1 Cor 2:11), can love (Rom 15:30), can be grieved/vexed (Eph 4:30), can be tempted (Acts 5:9), and can be lied to (Acts 5:4,5), then it must be another being called God the Spirit and NOT the Father's own mind, life, power etc.
But when we see what the Bible also says about the spirit of MAN, we can see that it's not talking about another being, but the very mind, thoughts, life of man! Let us look at the evidence. The Bible says that man's spirit:
Can Have Joy
Col 2:5 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I WITH YOU IN THE SPIRIT, JOYING AND BEHOLDING your order.
Luke 1:47 And my SPIRIT HATH REJOICED in God my Saviour.
Can Be Troubled
2 Cor 2:13 I had NO REST IN MY SPIRIT, because I found not Titus my brother.
Dan 2:1 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith HIS SPIRIT WAS TROUBLED, and his sleep brake from him.
Psa 143:4&7 Therefore is MY SPIRIT OVERWHELMED within me; my heart within me is desolate. 7 Hear me speedily, O Lord: MY SPIRIT FAILETH: hide not thy face from me.
Job 21:4 As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my SPIRIT BE TROUBLED?
Gen 41:8 And it came to pass in the morning that HIS (PHARAOH) SPIRIT WAS TROUBLED.
Can Be Refreshed
1 Cor 16:18 For they have REFRESHED MY SPIRIT and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them that are such.
2 Cor 7:13 Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because HIS SPIRIT WAS REFRESHED by you all.
Judges 15:19 But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, HIS SPIRIT CAME AGAIN, AND HE REVIVED.
Genesis 45:27 And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the SPIRIT OF JACOB THEIR FATHER REVIVED:
Can Bless
1 Cor 14:16 Else when thou shalt BLESS WITH THE SPIRIT, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?
Can Pray
1 Cor 14:14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, MY SPIRIT PRAYETH, but my understanding is unfruitful.
Can Judge
1 Cor 5:3 For I verily, as absent in body, but PRESENT IN SPIRIT, HAVE JUDGED ALREADY, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
Can Be Fervent
Romans 12:11 Not slothful in business; FERVENT IN SPIRIT; serving the Lord;
Acts 13:25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and BEING FERVENT IN THE SPIRIT, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.
Can Serve God
Rom 1:9 For God is my witness, WHOM I SERVE WITH MY SPIRIT in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers.
Can Purpose
Acts 19:21 After these things were ended, PAUL PURPOSED IN THE SPIRIT, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem.
Can Be Stirred
Acts 17:16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, HIS SPIRIT WAS STIRRED IN HIM, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
1 Chron 5:26 And the God of Israel STIRRED UP THE SPIRIT OF PUL king of Assyria, and the SPIRIT OF TILGATHPILNESER king of Assyria.
Has A Will
Mark 14:38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The SPIRIT TRULY IS READY, but the flesh is weak.
Matt 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: THE SPIRIT INDEED IS WILLING, but the flesh is weak.
Exodus 35:21 And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one WHOM HIS SPIRIT MADE WILLING.
Can Be Poor
Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the POOR IN SPIRIT: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Can Be Grieved/Vexed
Daniel 7:15 I Daniel was GRIEVED IN MY SPIRIT in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
Isaiah 65:14 Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for VEXATION OF SPIRIT.
Ecclesiastes 1:14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and VEXATION OF SPIRIT.
Can Faint
Ezekiel 21:7 Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings; because it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and EVERY SPIRIT SHALL FAINT.
Can Be Humble
Isaiah 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is POOR AND OF A CONTRITE SPIRIT, and trembleth at my word.
Isaiah 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a CONTRITE AND HUMBLE SPIRIT, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
Proverbs 29:23 A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the HUMBLE IN SPIRIT.
Can Be Patient
Ecclesiasties 7:8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the PATIENT IN SPIRIT is better than the proud in spirit.
Can Be Arrogant
Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and AN HAUGHTY SPIRIT before a fall.
Can Search
Isaiah 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with MY SPIRIT WITHIN ME WILL I SEEK THEE early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
Psalm 77:6 I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and MY SPIRIT MADE DILIGENT SEARCH.
Can Be Hasty
Proverbs 14:29 He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is HASTY OF SPIRIT exalteth folly.
Can Be Controlled
Proverbs 25:28 He that hath no RULE OVER HIS OWN SPIRIT is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
Proverbs 16:32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and HE THAT RULETH HIS SPIRIT than he that taketh a city.
Can Be Broken/Wounded
Proverbs 18:14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a WOUNDED SPIRIT who can bear?
Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but A BROKEN SPIRIT drieth the bones.
Proverbs 15:13 A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart THE SPIRIT IS BROKEN.
Can Be Faithful
Proverbs 11:13 A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a FAITHFUL SPIRIT concealeth the matter.
Surely it would be foolishness to suggest that in each of these verses, it's not talking about the very spirit, mind, life of man but that's it's referring to a spirit that exists OUTSIDE of each individual?
That sounds very much like spiritualism and is a very dangerous concept to believe in.
So why do we spiritualise away God in the same way?
The trinity understanding of God causes such confusion, yet the Bible is so simple and clear to understand.
The spirit is the very mind, will, thoughts, life, breathe, power of our Heavenly Father, which he pours out through His Only Begotten Son. (Acts 2:33-34)
Once we understand what a spirit is, then all the scriptures that talk of a Holy Spirit make much more sense. It's the SPIRIT of GOD, which of course is HOLY as GOD is HOLY.