The Holy Spirit, active in the created world, works to show the futility and sinfulness of life without God, and brings a conviction of the presence of God, his righteousness and coming judgment.
The Holy Spirit is active in the created world
In creation itself
Job 33:4; Psalm 33:6 See also Genesis 1:2; Job 26:13; Psalm 104:30
The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all the stars by the breath of His mouth.
In ordering the natural world
The desert owl and screech owl will possess it, and the great owl and raven will dwell in it. The LORD will stretch out over Edom a measuring line of chaos and a plumb line of destruction. No nobles will be left to proclaim a king, and all her princes will come to nothing. Her towers will be overgrown with thorns, her fortresses with thistles and briers. She will become a haunt for jackals, an abode for ostriches. The desert creatures will meet with hyenas, and one wild goat will call to another. There the night creature will settle and find her place of repose. There the owl will make her nest; she will lay and hatch her eggs and gather her brood under her shadow. Even there the birds of prey will gather, each with its mate. Search and read the scroll of the LORD: Not one of these will go missing, not one will lack her mate, because He has ordered it by His mouth, and He will gather them by His Spirit. He has allotted their portion; His hand has distributed it by measure. They will possess it forever; they will dwell in it from generation to generation.
The Holy Spirit is present everywhere in the world
Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence?
The unbelieving world will not recognise the Holy Spirit
John 14:17 John uses “the world” to describe those who live apart from God. See also 1 Corinthians 2:14
the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you.
The Holy Spirit testifies to the truth
John 15:26 See also Romans 8:16; 1 Corinthians 2:11–14
When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father — the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father — He will testify about Me.
The Holy Spirit convicts the world
John 16:7–11 See also 1 Corinthians 14:24–25
But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And when He comes, He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because they do not believe in Me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see Me; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world has been condemned.
The Holy Spirit empowers the church to serve the world in mission
Acts 1:8 See also John 15:26–27
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.