Quotes About the Holy Spirit for Sermons on Pentecost and the Christian Life
Scripture on the person and work of the Holy Spirit, helper, teacher, and the one who intercedes when words run out.
The Holy Spirit is the person of the Trinity scripture describes most often in verbs rather than titles: teaching, interceding, filling, producing fruit. The quotes below follow that pattern rather than trying to define the Spirit abstractly.
This is a shorter list than some of the others in this collection on purpose: confident, well-documented non-scriptural quotes specifically about the Holy Spirit (as opposed to the Trinity generally) are harder to verify than they first appear, so this page stays close to the biblical text.
Quotes about the holy spirit
Scripture is quoted from the World English Bible (public domain). Every non-scripture quote names its specific source so you can verify it before you preach it.
“The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you.”
Jesus — John 14:26 (WEB)
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be witnesses to me.”
Jesus — Acts 1:8 (WEB)
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control.”
Paul — Galatians 5:22-23 (WEB)
“The Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can't be uttered.”
Paul — Romans 8:26 (WEB)
“The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don't know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Jesus — John 3:8 (WEB)
“When he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth.”
Jesus — John 16:13 (WEB)
Using these quotes in preaching
- 1John 14:26 names two distinct works, teaching and reminding, worth separating in a sermon; the Spirit is described as both a source of new understanding and a keeper of what has already been given.
- 2Romans 8:26 is a comfort text more than a doctrinal one. It is aimed at prayerlessness born of not knowing what to pray, not at eloquence, worth using with a congregation that feels its prayers are inadequate.
- 3Galatians 5:22-23 lists "fruit" (singular) rather than "fruits": the nine qualities are presented as one integrated outcome of the Spirit's work, not a checklist to pursue individually.
- 4John 3:8's wind metaphor is worth preaching on its own terms: Jesus is describing the Spirit's unpredictability as a feature, not a problem to be explained away.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Bible say the Holy Spirit does?
Scripture describes the Spirit teaching and reminding believers of Jesus's words (John 14:26), empowering witness (Acts 1:8), interceding in prayer (Romans 8:26), producing character (Galatians 5:22-23), and guiding into truth (John 16:13).
What is the "fruit of the Spirit"?
Nine qualities listed in Galatians 5:22-23 (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control) presented as the singular, organic result of the Spirit's work in a believer, in contrast to the "works of the flesh" listed just before it.
What does it mean that the Spirit intercedes with "groanings"?
Romans 8:26 describes the Spirit praying on a believer's behalf in moments when words fail entirely, a comfort for prayer that feels inadequate, not a description of a specific prayer practice.
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Related quote themes
Quotes about Relationship with God
Scripture and two well-documented voices, Augustine and A.W. Tozer, on knowing God rather than merely knowing about him.
Quotes about Jesus
Jesus's own words about himself, plus C.S. Lewis's well-known argument that a merely good teacher is not on the table.
Every quote theme
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