The Holy Spirit has many names revealing His nature, character and function. The Holy Spirit is God; that is why He is mentioned in the Scriptures as a Person, not as a thing or power. He speaks (Acts 8:29; 10:19, 20; 13:2; Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22)), listens (Acts 5:3) and can be grieved (Eph 4:30).

Even the Tamil Bible contains a couple of instances where He is cited as a ‘thing’; this is very much like how the Word of God, Jesus, is mentioned in Jn 1:1 as a thing but as a Person in Jn 1:2.

As God, He is omniscient (all-knowing), omnipresent (all-pervading) (definitely not in hell but He sees and knows what is happening there) and omnipotent (all-powerful). Ps 91, Ps 139.

God, as the Father, is the Originator of everything; He purposes everything and plans His moves according to His will. God, as the Holy Spirit, is the Enabler in all (that includes the Lord Jesus Christ too) who execute the Father’s holy purpose and plan. He empowers, skills, and strengthens us and provides us guidance, help, and support all the while to accomplish the Father’s will. God, as His Word, is the Executor of the Father’s will. Always enabled by God’s Spirit, the Son of God brings His Father’s will to fruition by fulfilling the Father’s purpose as per the Father’s plan. These three are One and bear record in heaven.

The Holy Spirit of God is Spirit. He cannot be seen with man’s naked / physical eyes. Because a sinner’s spirit is dead to God, he cannot connect with God. The Spirit cannot be known by the world. So, He cannot be received by them. (Jn 14:17). They cannot know where the spiritually born-again person comes from and where he / she is going. (Jn 3:8). However, believers can hear and feel His move among us. We can also communicate with Him because our spirit has been made alive by the Holy Spirit. (Eph 2:1). We can ‘know’ the hope of His calling, the riches of the glory of His inheritance, and exceeding greatness of His power through our ‘inner’ eyes of understanding (Eph 1:18, 19).

The Holy Spirit is also mentioned in the Scriptures as the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of God and the Spirit of the Lord. רוּחַ ruwach in Hebrew and πνεῦμα pneuma in Greek.

He is the Holy Spirit because He is unique, different from, and incomparable to every other spirit. He sanctifies the believers - sets us aside from among the world for a special purpose by His purifying and refining work. (2 Thes 2:13). He is the Holy One (1 Jn 2:20) Whose unction helps us know all things that are true (and what are lies!). He helps us discern the deceptions of the enemy (1 Cor 12:10; 1Jn 4:1) and fight against the wiles of the devil with the word of God. (Eph 6:11, 17).

He is the Living Water that the Lord gives freely to quench the thirst of everyone who drinks. He shall be in us a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (Jn 4:14; 11:38). He waters the parched soul that would become a pool in due course.

He is the Comforter because He pacifies believers who might find ourselves orphans in the absence of our Lord who has ascended to our Father (Acts 9:31); He comforts believers through those ‘who need consolation and comfort themselves’. (Acts 16:40; 2 Cor 1:5-7). He abides with us forever (Jn 14:16); He comforts the ‘bride’ of Christ until His return; in fact, the Spirit yearns for His return as does the bride (Rev 22:17).

As the Author of all Scripture, He makes this profitable for us for doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. (2Tim 3:16, 17).

As the Teacher He shall teach us all things and bring all things to our remembrance, whatsoever Jesus has said unto us (Jn 14:26); He helps us compare spiritual things with spiritual (1 Cor 2:13) in contrast to man’s wisdom.

As the Witness He will testify of the Lord Jesus Christ (Jn 15:26; 1 Jn 5:6); He bears witness for the believers by filling us (Acts 15:8). He will also help us testify about the ways that the Lord had been dealing with people in ministry (share experiences) (Act 14:27; 15:4, 12; 21:15).

He is the very present (‘favorable’ as per the Tamil Bible) (Ps 47:1) Helper, remaining with believers in our weaknesses, desperation, and struggle with the flesh every day of our lives. He helps us win every battle we have against our sinful nature. (Rom 8:26). The Holy Spirit helps us to overcome the world through faith because we are born again of God (1 Jn 5:4).

He is also the Intercessor on earth for every believer (as is Jesus the intercessor in heaven). The Spirit also helps our infirmities: a believer does not know what to pray for as we ought to or express our heart and mind. He that searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is; so, the Holy Spirit prays according to the will of God on behalf of the saints with unutterable (‘beyond words’) groanings. (Rom 8:26, 27).
He is the Spirit of truth; the world cannot receive, see or know Him; believers can know Him because of His presence in us (Jn 14:17); He manifests Christ in us. He will guide us into all truth (Jn 16:13); He speaks expressly (not hiding anything at all). (1 Tim 4:1). However, He might also speak through sign language (Heb 9:8); Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22). As the Spokesperson for God, He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: As the omniscient One, He will shew us things to come (Jn 16:13); He shall glorify Jesus: for He shall receive of Jesus, take of His (that which belongs to Him), and shall shew them unto us (Jn 16:14, 15) for us to appropriate.

He is the Reprover; He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment to come. (Jn 16:8). That is why, if anyone speaks against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. (Matt 12:32). The Holy Spirit might even condemn a person to physical torture because of an obstructive attitude (Acts 13:9-11). Men can also intentionally tempt the Holy Spirit forcing Him to slay a person physically (Acts 5:5, 10). Our God is an awesome God!