Hi Darren,
The way I understand this, is that God gives all physical creatures that have breath, the spirit of life. This is given with the first breath of any creature, human or animal. This is God's spirit, and it goes back to Him when we die.
Here is an excerpt from Ray's 'Exposing those who contradict' paper.
http://bible-truths.com/kennedy2.htm --------------
SPIRIT
When a man dies his spirit returns to God Who gave it (Lk. 23:46, Psa. 104:24-30). The "spirit" is never said to go to hades or sheol, and the "soul" is never said to go to Heaven at death. Men and beasts have the same spirit [ruach] and they go to the same place (Ecc. 3:18-21). There is no getting around this: when God takes away a living soul's spirit, it always dies. The spirit "gives life." No one can live without "spirit," no matter how young and healthy he may be. There are no exceptions. If there are, where is the Scripture?
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Now the
Holy Spirit(said that by mistake) human spirit is also from God, but it is not the same as the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is given to those God chooses to open their eye, and bring into the knowledge of the truth. This is when a person is begotten and given the earnest of the spirit.
2Co 1:21 But He confirming us and anointing us with you in Christ is God.
v. 22 And He has sealed us and having given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
Eph 1:11 in whom also we have been chosen to an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His own will,
v. 12 for us to be to the praise of His glory, who previously had trusted in Christ;
v. 13 in whom also you, hearing the Word of Truth, the gospel of our salvation, in whom also believing, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
v. 14 who is the earnest of our inheritance, to the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
Here is an excerpt from Ray's 'trinity' paper. This goes into much details about the 'Comforter' is the Holy Spirit.
http://bible-truths.com/trinity.html --------------------
We will show from Scripture that both the Father and His Son have, and posses "holy spirit," and that They BOTH impart that same spirit to US! And that is how they BOTH dwell with us and in us and make their abode with us (John 14:23).
Next let’s consider who or what is the "comforter" mentioned only in John’s gospel account.
"And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you [it is not "from" the holy spirit, but "from" the Father] another Comforter [this word does not require a capital letter], that he [it] may abide with you for ever [Greek: for the aion--eon or age]. Even the Spirit of truth..." (John 14:16-17 KJV).
Remember that Jesus said "I am the truth." How then can this "comforter" be coming from both His Father and Himself? Is this possible? Once we understand just what this "spirit of truth," "spirit of God," "holy spirit," "holy ghost," "comforter" really is, we will see that it certainly DOES come from both the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.
From The Concordant Literal New Testament:
John 14:16-18, "And I shall be asking the Father, and He will be giving you another consoler, that it, indeed, may be with you for the eon--the spirit of truth, which the world can not get, for it is not beholding it, neither is knowing it. Yet you know it, for it is remaining with you and will be in you. I will not leave you bereaved; I am COMING TO YOU."
In this section of Scripture, Philip, Thomas, Peter, and Judas (and possibly all the Apostles) did not quite understand what Christ was teaching them. They especially didn’t understand how that Jesus was going away and that were He was going they could not come, but that it was necessary for Him to go away to His Father, or He could not send them the comforter or consoler.
Jesus was assuredly "the spirit of truth" of which He spoke. And as such Jesus was with the disciples. But now He is telling them that when He leaves them to be with the Father, He will come back to them, only this time He will not just be with them, but He will be IN them! The spirit of truth was with the apostles in the person of Jesus Christ, but He told them that after He left to be with the Father that this same spirit of truth would be in them. This is all done by "spirit," the spirit of God.
Notice verse 26 of John 14:
"Now the consoler, THE HOLY SPIRIT, which the Father will be sending in MY NAME..."
And see how this is done, verse 23:
"If anyone should be loving Me, he will be keeping My word, and My Father will be loving him, and WE shall be coming to him and making OUR abode with him.
This is done through the consoler, the comforter, the spirit of truth, THE HOLY SPIRIT of God! Jesus said He would not leave them "comfortless" (Ver. 18), so for sure Jesus must return to His followers to "comfort" them. This He did and still does by the "spirit of God" which God gave to His son Jesus and which the Father then turns around and gives FROM that very same spirit in Christ TO US! The following Scripture make this plain:
"All things that the Father hath are mine [all things include the holy spirit]: therefore said I, that He shall take of Mine [that is, of the spirit that His Father gave to Him], and shall shew it UNTO YOU" (John 16:15).
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Hope this helps
mercy, peace, and love
Kat