A New Way to Be Human - Life in the SpiritShembull

Stranger Things / Embrace the Mystery

A realm of mystery surrounds the character and actual being of the Holy Spirit. What is His role? When did the Holy Spirit come onto the scene in the Biblical narrative? How important is the Holy Spirit to my daily life?

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament, the Spirit dwelled among the people and was usually a tangible symbol of God’s presence, like pillars of clouds and fire. In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit fell among the early church upon Jesus’ ascent into heaven and is now considered God’s indwelling presence in His people.

The Holy Spirit can be traced all the way back to Genesis: “And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:2-3). Psalm 29:3 parallels this language and further characterizes the Spirit of God: “The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.”

By creating this parallel in the imagery of hovering over the water, the Spirit of God can also be tied to being the voice of the Lord: the Holy Spirit speaks through the character of Yahweh – gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. The Spirit of God is powerful and reflects the majesty and sovereignty of God. The Spirit of God is how we hear and know God’s voice.

The first time we read about the Holy Spirit in the New Testament is in Matthew 1:18, where the author writes about the conception of Jesus: “When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.” Jesus became incarnate through the Spirit of God, making him fully God and fully man.

The Holy Spirit was also present at Jesus’ baptism. In the gospel of Luke, the author describes the scene: “...and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased’” (Luke 3:22). Jesus received His anointing from the voice of God and through the tangible presence of His Spirit. The Holy Spirit, then, gives life and purpose.

The book of Acts follows the events after the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, including the beginnings of the early church. In order for the church to be equipped for and fulfill its mission, they needed the Holy Spirit. Acts 2 describes the first time the Holy Spirit falls on the body of believers, a scene marked with “a mighty rushing wind” and “divided tongues of fire.” It’s a scene of power and supernatural mystery. However, through speaking in tongues, we can see a reversal of the events of the Tower of Babel, where the people began speaking different languages and were unable to understand each other. The early church became unified in speech, empowering them to be unified in the mission of their anointing. Therefore, the Holy Spirit unifies and bestows supernatural power.

A common image associated with the Holy Spirit is one of charismatic chaos. However, Scripture lays out an image of intimate knowing and sovereignty. In his letter to the Roman church, Paul writes that the Holy Spirit “himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26). The idea of intercession invokes a picture of the Holy Spirit whispering the desires and needs of your heart to God. Because the Spirit of God dwells in you, He knows both you and Him fully and works to bridge the gap between our sin and the work of sanctification.

Through the Holy Spirit, we are alive in Christ Jesus.

What do you believe about the Holy Spirit? What images come to mind when you think about the presence of God?

How can/do Scripture and your personal experience shape the way you interact with Him?