Revelation 4:5
From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God
John 7:37-39
37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Revelation 22:1-2
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
*** Some of the concepts in this episode are discussed in episode 20 The River of the Water of Life and in episode 27 God the Multidimensional Trinity. It may help you to listen to those episodes along with this episode.
Have you ever wondered about the Holy Spirit? Maybe you’ve heard people talk about this mysterious part of God, but you’re not quite sure what – or who – the Holy Spirit really is. Today, we’re going to explore the Holy Spirit together in a way that I hope we can apply in our lives.
The Holy Spirit isn’t just some distant, mysterious force. Think of the Holy Spirit as God’s active presence in our world and in our lives today. Just like you can feel the wind but can’t see it, the Holy Spirit’s presence is real and powerful, even though we can’t see Him with our eyes.
Let’s start with something fundamental: God’s love. The Bible tells us in 1 John 4 that “God is love.” This isn’t just saying that God loves us – though He definitely does. It’s saying that love is at the very core of who God is. Love flows between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It also flows from God to us. God wants us to love God and love other people.
This may be a little difficult to understand. God is one unified God. However, God also is made up of three distinct persons that are all FULLY God. God the Father is God. God the Son is God. God the Holy Spirit is God. Think about water. Water can be a liquid, a gas, or ice. All three are made of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom called H2O. All three are 100% H2O also called water. All three are distinct from one another but they are all 100% the same in their essence. God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit are each 100% FULLY God. They are not 1/3 of God, they are all FULLY God.
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all equal yet they have different roles. The Father provides leadership, the Son carries out the Father’s will, and the Holy Spirit points Christians toward Jesus and transforms us to become more like Him.
The Holy Spirit played a crucial role right from the beginning of time. In Genesis, the very first book of the Bible, we read that the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters during creation. The book of Matthew tell us that Joseph was told by an angel “Do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. In Romans 8:11 we read “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” This shows us that the Holy Spirit has always been active in God’s work.
Think about a time when you needed help understanding something difficult. The Holy Spirit does something similar for us with God’s truth – He helps us understand and apply it to our lives.
One of the most exciting things about the Holy Spirit is that He’s not just a historical figure. He’s actively working in our world today. When Jesus left earth, He promised to send the Holy Spirit as a helper, guide, and comforter for all believers.
The Holy Spirit’s work in the Old Testament was pretty different from how He works today. Back then, He would come upon specific people for specific tasks. Kings, prophets, and artists would be filled with the Spirit to accomplish God’s purposes.
Have you ever built something and needed special tools? In the Old Testament, God’s Spirit was like a special tool given to certain people. For example, He gave special wisdom to the artists who built the temple, strength to Samson, and leadership abilities to King David.
But something amazing happened when Jesus came. After Jesus returned to heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to live within all believers. This was a game-changer! Instead of the Spirit coming and going, He now lives permanently in everyone who follows Jesus.
This permanent presence of the Holy Spirit started on a day called Pentecost. Picture this: Jesus’s followers were all together in one place when suddenly, they heard what sounded like a mighty wind. Then, something that looked like tongues of fire appeared over each person’s head.
That day, the Holy Spirit filled every believer present, and they started speaking in languages they had never learned. It was like a supernatural translator had suddenly been activated! This dramatic event marked the beginning of a new era where God lives in the hearts of the followers of Jesus.
The Holy Spirit does some pretty amazing things in our lives today. One of the most important is producing what the Bible calls the “fruit of the Spirit.” These are character qualities like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Think of it like growing fruit on a tree. Just as an apple tree naturally produces apples, when the Holy Spirit lives in us, these positive qualities naturally start showing up in our lives. It’s not about trying harder – it’s about letting the Spirit work in our lives.
The Holy Spirit also gives special abilities called spiritual gifts. These aren’t like natural talents, though He can certainly use those too. Spiritual gifts are special abilities given by the Spirit to help build up the church and serve others.
Throughout the New Testament, especially in the book of Acts, we see examples where people were given gifts like wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, speaking in different languages, and interpreting those languages, and many others. Every believer gets at least one spiritual gift, but no one gets all of them. It’s like we’re all different parts of one body, working together.
When someone becomes a Christian, the Holy Spirit does several important things. First, He helps us understand that we need Jesus. Then, He gives us new spiritual life – the Bible calls this being “born again.” Finally, He gives us assurance that we really are God’s children.
In Genesis 2:7 we are told that God breathed the breath of life into Adam. In Ezekiel 37:9 God breathed life into dead bodies and gave them life. When we accept Jesus as our Savior he sends us the Holy Spirit who breathes spiritual life into us. Jesus says we must be born again. What is the first thing a baby should do? Breathe right? Jesus sends the Holy Spirit so that after we are born again in Him we will breathe the breath of eternal life by being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Have you ever seen a seal on an important document? In ancient times, seals showed ownership and protection. The Bible says the Holy Spirit is like God’s seal on our lives, showing that we belong to Him and guaranteeing our future inheritance in heaven.
Prayer is one area where the Holy Spirit helps us in amazing ways. Sometimes we don’t know what to pray for, or we can’t find the right words. That’s when the Holy Spirit steps in, helping us pray and even praying for us with “groanings too deep for words.”
The Holy Spirit also helps us understand the Bible. Have you ever read something in the Bible and suddenly understood it in a new way? That’s often the Holy Spirit at work! He inspired the writing of Scripture, and He helps us understand and apply it today.
Living a Spirit-filled life means letting the Holy Spirit guide our daily decisions and actions. It’s like having the world’s best GPS system – He helps us navigate life’s challenges and stay on the right path. But just like a GPS, we have to choose to follow His directions!
The Holy Spirit gives us power to resist temptation and overcome sin. This doesn’t mean we’ll never mess up, but it does mean we have help in making better choices. It’s like having a wise friend who’s always available to give us good advice and help us do what’s right.
One of the Spirit’s most important roles is helping us become more like Jesus. This process, called sanctification, is like a sculptor gradually chiseling away everything that doesn’t look like the final masterpiece. It takes time and sometimes it’s uncomfortable, but the result is beautiful.
The Holy Spirit also helps us tell others about Jesus. He gives us courage when we’re scared, words when we’re not sure what to say, and power to be effective witnesses. It’s like having a master communicator helping us share the most important message in the world.
In the church, the Holy Spirit creates unity among believers. Even though we might come from different backgrounds and have different preferences, the Spirit helps us work together as one body. It’s like an orchestra where different instruments play different parts but create beautiful music together.
The Holy Spirit also helps us fight spiritual battles. The Bible says we’re in a spiritual war, but we’re not fighting alone. The Spirit gives us the wisdom to recognize spiritual attacks and the power to stand firm in our faith.
Sometimes people wonder if the Holy Spirit still does miracles today. While opinions vary on this, we can be sure that the Spirit is still actively working in our world. Sometimes he does amazing things. Other times He works in more subtle and less dramatic ways. Either way, He’s always working to accomplish God’s purposes.
The Holy Spirit wants to have a personal relationship with you. He wants to help you have eternal life with the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. You can experience His presence in your daily life.
Remember, the Holy Spirit is God’s gift to those who believe that Jesus is our Savior. Just like any gift, though, you do need to receive it. We must have faith and not deny the Spirit’s power.
As you continue your spiritual journey, pay attention to how the Holy Spirit is working in your life. He might speak through the Bible, through other believers, through circumstances, or through that quiet voice in your heart that guides you toward truth and righteousness.
The Holy Spirit is your helper, teacher, guide, and friend. He’s always with you, always working for your good. Most importantly, He is always helping you become more like Jesus. As you learn to recognize and respond to His presence, you’ll discover the amazing adventure of living a Spirit-filled life.
Whether you’re just starting to learn about the Holy Spirit or you’ve been walking with Him for years, there’s always more to discover. Keep seeking, keep learning, and keep growing in your relationship with this amazing person of the Trinity who lives within every believer.
Roots
Genesis 1:1-2
Genesis 2:7
Exodus 31:1-11
Judges 14:6
1 Samuel 16:13
Matthew 3:16-17
Matthew 28:18-20
Luke 3:21-22
Luke 4:1-14
John 1:1-3
John 1:29-34
Ephesians 1:13-14
Ephesians 2:18
Ephesians 4:4-6
Ephesians 5:18-21
Ephesians 6:18
Revelation 4:5
John 1:1-19
John 3:1-16
John 4:14
John 7:37-39
John 14:26-31
John 15:1-17
John 16:13
John 20:21-22
Colossians 1:15-19
Acts 1:4-8
Acts 2:1-41
Acts 4:31
Acts 10:38
Galatians 5:16-26
Ephesians 1:13-14
Revelation 22:1-5
1 John 4:7-16
Romans 8:1-17
Romans 8:26-27
Romans 12:6-8
Romans 15:13-19
Ezekiel 37:9
Ezekiel 47:1-12
1 Corinthians 2:6-16
1 Corinthians 3:16,19
1 Corinthians 12:1-27
1 Corinthians 14:1-40
2 Corinthians 3:14-18
2 Timothy 1:14
Titus 3:4-7
2 Peter 1:20-21
