The Holy Ghost can only refer to the third person in the Godhead. The Holy Spirit can also refer to the third person in the Godhead, but it can also refer to other things, and if it is not obvious from the context how to understand the term “the Holy Spirit”, it can only be understood by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit can refer to;

• The Holy Ghost.
• Jesus Christ’s as the pre-mortal God.
• The spiritual existence of the risen Lord (Even though Jesus has a tangible body he is Spirit since forever).
• The Light of Christ which is the governing force that rules the universe.
• The spiritual existence of the Father, even though he also has a tangible body, just like his son. (“God is Spirit, and should be worshiped in spirit and truth”).

Most of the times when the Holy Spirit appears as a term in the Scriptures it refer to the Holy Ghost. But why does the Lord use two terms that usually are interchangeable, but all of a sudden it means something else? Well, When God wants us to be absolutely sure, he will have the prophets use the term “the Holy Ghost”. When he wants to teach us something today, that he wants us to understand some day when we are spiritually mature to receive it, then he will cause the writers to use the term “the Holy Spirit”.

We have seen this method used before, have we not? By Jesus himself! He taught in parables for the very same reason! The spiritually mature, or those who were in tune with the Holy Ghost, would easily understand his parables. But the spiritual midgets, the scribes and Pharisees, they could not understand his teachings.

Since the parables and the term “The Holy Spirit” is to be understood by those who have the gift of the Holy Ghost, it would probably be silly to give the key to any- and everybody on a simple website. Suffice it to say that you know the five different meanings it could have, and that the Holy Spirit never, ever looks like a dove. The dove is a symbol that represents the Holy Ghost. Seek the Lord. Ask and ye shall receive, Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.