4. How essential is the Holy Spirit to our existence?

The Holy Spirit was present at the creation of our world. We are dependent upon the Spirit to bring understanding and guidance “into all truth” (John 16:13). It is the Spirit that recreates in the believer a spiritual knowledge of God.JTL11 3.6

Maybe you have known someone whose life was “off the rails” until they invited Jesus to be Lord of their life. It is the Spirit who makes this heart transformation and enables them to live it out in their actions. It is the Spirit who calls us to God, gives repentance for sins and changes us to be like Jesus.JTL11 3.7

In John 3, Nicodemus struggled with this concept, which Jesus called being “born-again.” Over and over, Jesus patiently helped Nicodemus understand that without the Spirit, no amount of wisdom, leadership ability, education or wealth would enable a person to know God and be changed into a true follower of Christ.JTL11 3.8