Fruitful Living

The names and ministries of the Holy Spirit

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise – Ephesians 2:11

Introduction

Often in the scripture one may learn much about someone simply by studying the names and titles given to that person. So it is with the Holy Spirit

These 13 titles ascribed to Him provide much insight into His true nature. He is called:

1. The Spirit of God – “Don’t you realise that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?’’ – 1 Corinthians 3:16

2. The Spirit of Christ – But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) – Romans 8:9

3. The Eternal Spirit – Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered Himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. – Hebrews 9:14

4. The Spirit of Truth – When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own but will tell you what He has heard. He will tell you about the future. – John 16:13

5. The Spirit of Grace – Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? – Hebrews 10:29

6. The Spirit of Glory – If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you – 1 Peter 4:14

7. The Spirit of Life – And because you belong to Him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. – Romans 8:2

8. The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation – I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. – Ephesians 1:17

9. The Spirit of Promise – On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. – Acts 1:4

10. The Comforter – But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you – John 14:26

11. The Spirit of Adoption – For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father. – Romans 8:15

12. The Spirit of Holiness – and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in powerby His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. – Romans 1:4.

13. The Spirit of Faith – It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak – 2 Corinthians 4:13

There are various ministries of the Holy Spirit and today we bring you two of them.

A. HIS MINISTRY CONCERNING THE UNIVERSE

According to David, the Father created all things. ‘The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.’ – Psalm 19:1

However, John declares the Son did it. ‘Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind’ – John 1:3-4.

Finally, in other passages, the Holy Spirit is said to have performed the initial act of creation. What are we to believe? The answer is, of course, that all three persons in the Trinity had a part. As an illustration let us consider an important executive who determines to build a spacious and expressive home. He thus employs an architect to design the necessary plans for this home. The architect thereupon secures a competent contractor to follow his blueprints. In this illustration the executive is the Father, the architect the Son, and the contractor is the Holy Spirit. The following verses then refer to the work of this divine Contractor.

When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. – Psalm 104:30

By His breath the skies became fair; His hand pierced the gliding serpent. – Job 26:13.

The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life. – Job 33:4

Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. – Genesis 1:2

B. HIS MINISTRY CONCERNING THE SCRIPTURES

In a word, the Holy Spirit is the author of the Word of God. He has furthermore chosen three basic methods in the preparation and reception of His divine manuscript, the Bible. These ‘steps of the Spirit’ are:

Revelation: that process whereby the Holy Spirit spoke to the forty human writers of the Bible the message He wanted them to transmit.

Inspiration: that process whereby the Holy Spirit guided the very pen of these forty human writers so that the spoken message would be accurately written.

Illumination: that process whereby the Holy Spirit takes the written word when it is preached and read and enlightens those human ears who will hear it.

The following passages bear all this out:

1. The Holy Spirit is the Author of the Old Testament.

According to David –The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me; His word was on my tongue. – 2 Samuel 23:2.
According to Isaiah –As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit, who is on you, will not depart from you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants—from this time on and forever,” says the Lord. – Isaiah 59:21.
According to Jeremiah –Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. – Jeremiah 1:9.
According to Jesus – For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. – Matthew 5:18.

If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken) – John 10:35

According to Peter – for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. – 2 Peter 1:21
According to Paul – and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. – 2 Timothy 3:15-17.

2. The Holy Spirit is the author of the New Testament

According to Jesus – All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. – John 14:25-26.
According to Paul – If anyone thinks they are a prophet or otherwise gifted by the Spirit, let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command. – 1 Corinthians 14:37.
According to Peter – So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. – 2 Peter 3:14-16.
According to John – On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.” – Revelation 1:10-11.

Stay blessed!

For further enquiries please contact us on Tel Nos. 0268130615 or 0243588467

Email: saltnlightministries@gmail.com

Website: saltandlightgh.org

By Dr Joyce Aryee, the author

Fruitful Living

Has man lost the essence of his creation? A reflective call to rediscover our divine purpose (Part 1)

Introduction: Rediscoveringour purpose

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. We praise Him, seek His help and forgiveness, and ask for His mercy. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our noble Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), his family, his companions, and all those who follow his guidance until the Day of Judgment.

In today’s increasingly materialistic and turbulent world, a profound question echoes louder than ever: Has man lost the essence of his creation? It is a question that compels every thinking soul to pause and reflect deeply.

In the midst of scientific breakthroughs, booming technology, and economic pursuits, we must ask ourselves: are we fulfilling the sacred purpose for which we were created? Are we still living as stewards of Allah on earth, or have we strayed from our divine assignment?

This article explores the Qur’anic foundation of man’s creation, the noble position he holds, and the deviation from this divine path in modern times. It further calls for a return to spiritual consciousness and outlines practical steps to help realign mankind with his intended purpose.

Man: Allah’s Vicegerent on Earth

The Qur’an states: “And when your Lord said to the angels, ‘Indeed, I will make upon the earth a vicegerent (Khalifah)…’” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:30).

This declaration marks the beginning of man’s honorable journey on earth. Mankind was created from clay, as recorded in Surah Al-Hijr:

“And We did certainly create man out of clay from an altered black mud. And the jinn We created before from scorching fire. And [mention] when your Lord said to the angels, ‘I will create a human being out of clay from an altered black mud.’ So when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My [created] soul, then fall down to him in prostration.” (Surah Al-Hijr, 15:26-29).

This prostration of angels was not to worship Adam, but to recognize the honor Allah had bestowed upon man. It signified a spiritual hierarchy in which man, though of earthly origin, carries a divine trust and responsibility.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) emphasized this dignity. He taught that every human is born upon the natural disposition (fitrah) and bears the potential to fulfill their purpose as a servant of Allah and custodian of His creation.

The Purpose of Creation

Allah did not create man in vain. The Qur’an states clearly: “And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (Surah Adh-Dhariyat, 51:56).

“And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah. And that is the correct religion.” (Surah Al-Bayyinah, 98:5).

Another profound verse underscores that life was not created aimlessly:

“And We did not create the heaven and the earth and that between them aimlessly. That is the assumption of those who disbelieve, so woe to those who disbelieve from the Fire.”(Surah Sad, 38:27).

These verses convey that creation is intentional, meaningful, and divinely ordained. The essence of man’s creation lies in his recognition of Allah, his conscious submission to the Divine Will, and his dedication to a life of worship, service, and ethical living.

Worship in Islam is not confined to rituals alone but extends to every aspect of human existence—how we earn, govern, lead our families, engage with society, and preserve the environment. Every righteous deed done with sincerity for Allah’s pleasure becomes an act of worship.

Imam Al-Ghazali explains in Ihya Ulum al-Din that true worship stems from knowledge of Allah and a heart that submits lovingly to His will. Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah likewise stresses that man’s highest honor lies in fulfilling the purpose of servitude (`ubudiyyah) to Allah, which brings inner peace and divine elevation.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) demonstrated this perfect balance of worship and engagement in worldly affairs. He was a husband, a leader, a statesman, and a worshipper who said: “The most beloved deeds to Allah are the most consistent, even if they are few.”

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6464)

Living in harmony with this divine purpose not only brings personal fulfillment but also collective peace. Conversely, neglecting it results in moral confusion, injustice, and spiritual emptiness.

Therefore, recognizing and living by our purpose is not a luxury but a necessity. It is the key to real success in this life and salvation in the Hereafter.

By Imam Alhaji Saeed Abdulai, the Author

Fruitful Living

Trusting God with our anxieties (final)

Jesus not only instructs us not to worry — He explains why worrying is counterproductive to our well-being:

❖ Worry is blind. It refuses to learn from nature, history, or personal experience. Birds and flowers testify to God’s faithfulness. The history of Israel is filled with God’s miraculous provision — from Egypt to the Red Sea to the Promised Land (Deut. 8:14–15).

❖ Worry refuses to learn the lesson of life. Time and again, God has helped us bear the unbearable and overcome the insurmountable. He strengthens us even when we reach the breaking point — and keeps us from breaking.

❖ Worry is irreligious. It stems not from our external circumstances, but from a heart full of fear and distrust. Yet Scripture declares:“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” — Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)

The antidote to worry: El shaddai

Proverbs 18:10 says, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” One of the most comforting names of God is El Shaddai, which first appears in Genesis 17:1 and appears 218 times in the Bible.

❖ El means “Strong One.”

❖ Shaddai means “The Breasted One.”

Together, El Shaddai paints a picture of God as:

❖ Our Strong Nourisher

❖ Strength Giver

❖ Satisfier

❖ All-Bountiful Supplier

❖ Fulfiller of Needs

❖ The Life-Giver who brings dead things back to life

(e.g., Abraham and Sarah conceiving Isaac at 150 and 90 years respectively)

In knowing who God is, we find the courage to release our anxieties. If He is truly El Shaddai — strong, sufficient, and sustaining — then we are safe in His hands.

Practical steps to peace

In Philippians 4:6–7, we are given a divine prescription for peace:

1. Stop being anxious and fretful. Recognize the emotional and spiritual toll of worry.

2. Go to God in prayer about everything. Nothing is too big or small.

3. Pray for yourself. God is your Father — your relationship with Him is personal.

4. Thank Him as you pray. Gratitude builds faith and reminds us of His past faithfulness.

When we do this, God’s peace — not the world’s peace — will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 4:7 (NIV)

CONCLUSION

We are living in uncertain times. Pressures abound and anxieties easily multiply. But as children of God, we are called to walk a different path — one of quiet confidence, steady trust, and daily surrender.

God’s Word is clear: worry doesn’t help — but trust in God brings peace. Let us shift our focus from fear to faith, from anxiety to adoration. Let us anchor our hearts in the unchanging character of El Shaddai — our Almighty God — and rest in His perfect care.

By Rev. Dr Joyce Aryee, the author