Prayer and hearing God
Who is the Holy Spirit and what does He do?
Short answer
The Holy Spirit is God, the third person of the Trinity. He lives in every believer, changes you and gives you power to follow Jesus.
The Holy Spirit is a person, not a force. He speaks, teaches and can be grieved. Jesus called Him the Helper and said it was better that He Himself went away, so the Spirit could come.
Every Christian has the Spirit. He opened your eyes to Jesus, assures you that you are God's child, helps you pray, grows His fruit in you, and gives gifts so you can serve others.
Christians differ on some questions, like how certain spiritual gifts work today. Your local church will guide you there.
Ask Him for help every day: before you read the Bible, before a hard conversation, when temptation hits. Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
My verses
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever— 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.
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.
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.