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About The Holy Spirit
from ► The Bible ProjectThe Spirit is, first and foremost, God’s personal presence. The Spirit is a person and not merely a force. However, in order to let the text speak for itself, you have start on page one of the bible. Before creation ever even began, we see a depiction of the spirit of God hovering over the dark, disordered waters of the earth, ready to begin spreading goodness and creation. In the Bible, any time we see a description of the spirit of God, such as what is depicted in the first few verses of the Bible, the Hebrew word "ruakh" is used. This word is used to describe a number of things in Hebrew, but one thing they all have in common is that they are some kind of energy. Energy (such as the wind, which is one thing that the word ruakh describes) is invisible, powerful, and necessary for life, making it a fitting description for the spirit of God.
Throughout the Bible, we see the Holy Spirit power used to empower individuals for specific tasks. Joseph is empowered to understand and interpret dreams, an artist named Betzalel is empowered to create beautiful things for the tabernacle, and a group of people - the prophets - are empowered to bring messages from God to the people of Israel and to see what is happening from God's point of view.
The prophets, though, were able to see a problem. While God's spirit had created a good and perfect world, humans had given in to evil and unleashed chaos into it through their injustice. In a way, mankind had returned the earth to the dark, disordered state that it was in when the spirit of God was first hovering over it.
Addressing this problem, the prophets said that the spirit of God would come again, just like it had in Genesis, this time to transform the human heart and empower people to truly love God and others. It is through the life of Jesus that God carries out this return of His spirit.
At the beginning of Christ's mission, there is this beautiful scene where He is being baptized in the Jordan River. The Holy Ghost, God's spirit, comes down on Him in the form of a dove and empowers Him to begin his mission of healing the human condition and starting a new creation. We see this happen when He goes out and heals people and forgives them for their sins. Christ, empowered by the spirit of God, goes throughout the world fixing the chaos and disorder that mankind had brought to it.
Of course, the religious leaders of the time see these actions as a threat, and they have Jesus killed. Still, though, God's spirit is at work. When the disciples saw that Jesus had risen from the grave, they proclaimed that He glowed with the spirit of God. When Jesus appeared to His closest followers, He breathed into them the Holy Spirit, empowering them too to spread God's goodness throughout the world. Soon after that, God's spirit comes over all of His followers.
Today, through Christ and the power He has given His followers, God's spirit continues to hover over a dark and chaotic world, slowly healing it and working towards the day when it is restored to its former glory.
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Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
~ Ephesians 4:3 ~
T H E H O L Y S P I R I TThe Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and possesses the same Divine Nature. There are countless symbolic forms and descriptions of the Holy Spirit (dove, wind, fire) recorded in the Holy Bible (1). Also referred to as the Helper, Comforter, Counselor and/or Advocate, the Holy Spirit is mentioned in both in the Old Testament (2) and New Testament (3). To exhort that its unleashing was not relegated to some far off, third world village 2,000 years ago, we offer herein an overview on what Jesus Christ (4) had to say about the Holy Spirit and what that means to us present day.
Christians believe that the coming of the Holy Spirit was foretold by an Old Testament Prophet (Joel 2:28-32) and promised by Jesus in the New Testament (John 14:15-17). This prophecy was first fulfilled on Pentecost (5), a Jewish feast celebrated fifty days after Passover. As a result, even in the midst of endless secular persecutions, Christianity spread like wildfire for its first 400 years.
JESUS EXPLAINS THE HOLY SPIRIT TO HIS DISCIPLES
After Jesus and His Apostles (6) broke bread with one another at the Last Supper, He spoke to them about many things, including the coming of the Holy Spirit (John 14 - John 16). As would be expected, they were confused and did not understand what He was trying to tell them. They focused more on Him sharing that He was going to leave them, rather than on what was to come, for their benefit, afterward. Translation: The Son of Man announced that change was coming and His Apostles were resistant to the concept. Are we any different today? Jesus shared with His followers that He had to leave them in order for the Holy Spirit to be poured out upon them. Rather than be WITH them physically whenever nearby, Jesus would be IN them spiritually for all time.
John 15:26 (The Work of the Holy Spirit)
“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—He will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning."
All four Gospels (Matthew 26:47-56, Mark 14:43-52, Luke 22:47-53 & John 18:1-14) tell us that Jesus was subsequently arrested on charges of blasphemy and, after Six Trials (7) (3 Roman, 3 Jewish), He was sentenced to death. On what is now known as Good Friday, Jesus was crucified (8) on Calvary and buried in a tomb donated by Joseph of Arimethea (Matthew 27:33-61, Mark 15:22-47, Luke 23:33-56 & John 19:17-42). The most joyous occasion on the Christian calendar is Easter Sunday (9), when Christians celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus (10), as He conquered the grave and defeated sin and death for all mankind (Matthew 28:1-10, Mark 16:1-8, Luke 24:1-12 & John 20:1-18).
THE RISEN CHRIST SHOWS UP IN A BIG WAY
John 20:19-23 (The Risen Jesus Appears to His Disciples)
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After He said this, He showed them His hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again, Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
Forty days after His miraculous Resurrection, Jesus ascended into Heaven (Mark 16:19-20 & Luke 24:50-53). Prior to being taken up, Jesus told His disciples, "I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high" (Luke 24:49).
PENTECOST: THE HOLY SPIRIT IS UNLEASHED
About ten days after Christ ascended to His Father's Kingdom, 120 believers (Acts 1:14-15) in all were huddled in the Upper Room when the Holy Spirit was unleashed upon them. This anointed all with the Holy Spirit to go out and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ (11) to the four corners of the Earth. This day, known since Old Testament times as Pentecost, is now celebrated as the "Church's birthday." Additional related Holy Scripture references are recorded in The Acts of the Apostles, chapter 2.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO US PRESENT DAY?
The narrative included herein shares with us that Jesus Christ is with us where ever we go (like it or not) 24 hours a day/7 days a week. Luke 9 tells us that we already possess the ability to tap into the power and authority of the Holy Spirit. Doing so enables God to do a work in us to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose (Philippians 2:13).
How does this happen? The Lord of lords Himself tells us in Luke 11:9-13 that all we need to do is ask our Father in Heaven for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit:
“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Here's the critical part: 1 Corinthians 2:10b-16 instructs us to be eagerly desirous for the Holy Spirit to make sense to us. Otherwise, we won't accept the Spirit's teachings and, instead, consider them foolish:
These are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?”(Isaiah 40:13) But we have the mind of Christ.
IT'S ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST
Remembering that it's called "The Holy Spirit" and not "The Holy Religion" helps us avoid rigidity in our envangelistic endeavors. 2 Corinthians 3:1-6 cautions us not to become full of ourselves or to be "legalistic," beating non-believers and/or prospective converts into a doctrinal submission with our newfound authority:
"Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
For the Fruits (12) and Gifts (13) of the Holy Spirit, please explore the links offered in the lower sidebar. Both contain printer friendly versions designed for sharing in Next Steps (14), Faith Sharing Groups, Bible Studies (15) and Personal Faith Enrichment. Also posted in the lower sidebar are numerous resources from The Bible Project (16) about the Holy Spirit. Enjoy and share!
Modifications to this page are welcome at goodnews@downriverdisciples.com.
FOOTNOTES:
(1) http://www.downriverdisciples.com/the-word-of-the-lord
(2) http://www.downriverdisciples.com/old-testament
(3) http://www.downriverdisciples.com/new-testament
(4) http://www.downriverdisciples.com/jesus-christ
(5) http://www.downriverdisciples.com/pentecost
(6) http://www.downriverdisciples.com/twelve-apostles
(7) http://www.downriverdisciples.com/six-trials-of-jesus
(8) http://www.downriverdisciples.com/obituary-of-jesus
(9) http://www.downriverdisciples.com/easter
(10) http://www.downriverdisciples.com/resurrection-of-jesus
(11) http://www.downriverdisciples.com/called-to-evangelize
(12) http://www.downriverdisciples.com/fruits-of-the-holy-spirit
(13) http://www.downriverdisciples.com/gifts-of-the-holy-spirit
(14) http://www.downriverdisciples.com/next-steps
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