The promised Holy Spirit...

The promised
Holy Spirit
by John C. Ferreira

Natural man has always had a problem believing things that he can't see. We are natural beings who live by our five natural senses; sight, sound, touch, taste and smell. If something comes to us that doesn't fit into our senses we struggle with believing it. But I asked you, is this the requirement for something to be real that it fit into our five senses? There are many things in this world that are invisible but are very much real, for instance, air. When it's in the form of wind, we see, hear and feel the effects of it, but we can't see it.

John 3:8 The wind blows wherever it wishes. You hear the sound of it, but you don't know where it comes from or where it is going. It is the same way with everyone who has been born from the Spirit.''

The spirit world?
The spirit world has always intrigued the imagination of natural man where in lies the problem, the imagination of natural man. Romans 1:21 they knew God, but glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Without God and His word we could never grasp His spiritual truth. 1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of the word spirit is invisible. The spirit is something that can't be seen nor can it be understood without God's help. Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of God from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

The unseen things of God's creation are called invisible or spiritual. Knowing this, don't automatically think of a spirit as a person. We need to understand spiritual truths as God explains them through His word. Words need to be understood within the context of the whole verse, chapter and bible. Remember, the bible never contradicts itself, we just need to study it with God's help.

The word, spirit carries a couple of different meanings depending on the context of the verse.

One thought of the word spirit in the Greek is pneuma which is found in the word pneumatic. Pneumatic has to do with power generated by air as seen in pneumatic tools. Knowing this, the spirit can be understood as power or life . Luke 1:35 Acts 1:8, Acts 10:38, Rom.1:4, Rom.15:13

The word spirit can also be understood as the thoughts, disposition, or state of the mind such as seen in the spirit of anger or the spirit of patriotism. 1 Corinthians 4:21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness? Rom.11:8, Gal. 6:1, 2 Tim.1:7

The spirit is never a person in itself but rather an expression of the person in thought and/or in power.

As you study your bible keep these concepts in mind they will help you understand what God is saying.

What about the Holy Spirit?
Holy means set apart like in the word holiday. Holiday or holy day means a day that is set apart from all other days like in Thanksgiving or the Fourth of July. The holy Spirit is a spirit that is set apart from all other spirits usually only referring to God's Spirit/mind but eventually will refer to our spirit/mind when we submit to God's word. 1 Peter 1:16 God himself has said, "You must be holy, for I am holy.''

What is the Spirit of God?
The Spirit of God can be understood as God's power and/or presence. Luke 1:35 the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.

The spirit of God can also be understood as His thoughts or will. 1 Corinthians 2:11 For what person knows a man's thoughts except the spirit of the man which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

The spirit of man?
We too have a spirit very similar to God's Spirit. Remember, we are made in His image. Genesis 1:27 God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

God's Spirit is His mind, thoughts and will just like our spirit is our mind, thoughts and will. The problem is, our thoughts are not His thoughts and knowing that His thoughts are good and righteous tells us that our thoughts are not. Isaiah 55:8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,'' says the Lord.

Now here is where salvation begins. God will never allow anyone into His kingdom who is unholy and unrighteous. 1 Corinthians 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?

God needs and wants to make our spirit/mind holy like He is Holy so that we can be with Him in His kingdom. Eph.4:23 be renewed in the spirit of your mind, putting on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

 

We inherit the kingdom of God, We are joint heirs with Christ. Eternal life is a gift given to us through Christ. Within Christ dwells this life, we become graffted into this life when Jesus' words abide in us and we abide in them. No unrightouesness will be in this coming kingdom. Through Christ we can be cleansed daily of sin when we walk in the light as Jesus is in the light. We walk in the light until the coming day of the Lord where we will receive our own immortality/eternal life by which we are able to inherit the kingdom and live forever with Jesus and God will be our God and we will be His people.