October 22nd, 2024
This week, God has been speaking to me about the Holy Spirit and I want to share some thoughts with you!
Job 33:4 says,
“The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”
Isaiah 42:5 says,
"God, the LORD, created the heavens and stretched them out. He created the earth and everything in it. He gives breath to everyone, life to everyone who walks the earth"
Acts 17:24-25 says,
“The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.”
What’s so fascinating is the word for spirit in the Bible’s original language also means breath. It can be translated breath, wind, or Spirit. We are alive because God breathed life into us and into all mankind!
Genesis 2:7 says,
"Then the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man's nostrils, and the man became a living person."
We aren’t alive just because we breathe but because He breathed! In Ezekiel 37, the prophet saw a fascinating vision depicting the state of God’s people. The Lord brought him to a valley full of dry human bones and said:
“'Son of man, can these bones live?' And I answered, 'O Lord GOD, you know.' Then
he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the
word of the LORD. Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath
to enter you, and you shall live." (Ezekiel 37:3-5)
Ezekiel obeyed and bones responded to God’s word. It goes on in Ezekiel 37:7-8,
“As I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them.”
At God’s command, the bones came together and formed human bodies, with everything they needed to live, but they still weren’t alive. Ezekiel 37:9-10 concludes the vision:
“Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus, says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.”
Something can look very much alive while still being dead. The bodies had everything they needed to live, except the breath of life. This is truly a picture of religion without the Spirit of God. Without God’s breath blowing in His church, we are no better than an army of bodies lying lifeless. We may look like we should, but the valley of dead men was not an “exceedingly great army” until His breath filled their lungs. Jesus dealt with this in the religious people of His day. Matthew 23:27 says,
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.”
Jesus told them they looked good, but there was no life on the inside! Colossians 2:3 says,
“You, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses.”
Christianity is spiritual resurrection. We are made alive by the Spirit of God! Religion without the breath of God is no better than an army of dead men. Romans 8:11 says,
“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.”
Again, the word for spirit there can also mean breath. The Holy Spirit, the same One who hovered over the waters and resurrected Jesus, breathes the life of the Father into us! The very breath of God is in you, so drink deeply of His presence! We see this depicted in John 20:21-22 when Jesus breathed on His disciples. It says:
‘Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.’
He breathed on them. Picture how this moment would have played out. It may seem a little odd, but there was life in the breath of the resurrected Christ. Just as the Father breathed life into the first Adam, Jesus, the second Adam, breathed life into His bride. When the Holy Spirit came in the upper room, they heard a sound like a “mighty rushing wind” as tongues of fire descended and the church was endued with power (Acts 2:8). The Father sent the Holy Spirit, the breath and wind of God, to fill His people. It was then and only then that the church exploded. Thousands were converted as God moved with miracles, signs, and wonders. The early church turned the world upside down. That’s still the purpose of the church as she lives full of the breath and Spirit of God!
This week, if you’re feeling tired, discouraged, or lifeless, I encourage you to spend time in the presence of God. His Spirit is the breath in our lungs and just as we can’t survive without oxygen, we spiritually must be in constant communion with Him to live. It’s only in Him that we receive the breath of life! There is healing in the breath of His presence. There is hope in the breath of His presence. Don’t live like the army of lifeless bodies that Ezekiel saw. Don’t live like the religious people of Jesus’ day, who worked so hard to look alive while they were completely dead on the inside. When God breathes His Spirit into your life, there is joy, peace, strength, and hope. Take a deep breathe! There’s abundant life and it’s for you!
Job 33:4 says,
“The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”
Isaiah 42:5 says,
"God, the LORD, created the heavens and stretched them out. He created the earth and everything in it. He gives breath to everyone, life to everyone who walks the earth"
Acts 17:24-25 says,
“The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.”
What’s so fascinating is the word for spirit in the Bible’s original language also means breath. It can be translated breath, wind, or Spirit. We are alive because God breathed life into us and into all mankind!
Genesis 2:7 says,
"Then the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man's nostrils, and the man became a living person."
We aren’t alive just because we breathe but because He breathed! In Ezekiel 37, the prophet saw a fascinating vision depicting the state of God’s people. The Lord brought him to a valley full of dry human bones and said:
“'Son of man, can these bones live?' And I answered, 'O Lord GOD, you know.' Then
he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the
word of the LORD. Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath
to enter you, and you shall live." (Ezekiel 37:3-5)
Ezekiel obeyed and bones responded to God’s word. It goes on in Ezekiel 37:7-8,
“As I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them.”
At God’s command, the bones came together and formed human bodies, with everything they needed to live, but they still weren’t alive. Ezekiel 37:9-10 concludes the vision:
“Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus, says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.”
Something can look very much alive while still being dead. The bodies had everything they needed to live, except the breath of life. This is truly a picture of religion without the Spirit of God. Without God’s breath blowing in His church, we are no better than an army of bodies lying lifeless. We may look like we should, but the valley of dead men was not an “exceedingly great army” until His breath filled their lungs. Jesus dealt with this in the religious people of His day. Matthew 23:27 says,
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.”
Jesus told them they looked good, but there was no life on the inside! Colossians 2:3 says,
“You, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses.”
Christianity is spiritual resurrection. We are made alive by the Spirit of God! Religion without the breath of God is no better than an army of dead men. Romans 8:11 says,
“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.”
Again, the word for spirit there can also mean breath. The Holy Spirit, the same One who hovered over the waters and resurrected Jesus, breathes the life of the Father into us! The very breath of God is in you, so drink deeply of His presence! We see this depicted in John 20:21-22 when Jesus breathed on His disciples. It says:
‘Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.’
He breathed on them. Picture how this moment would have played out. It may seem a little odd, but there was life in the breath of the resurrected Christ. Just as the Father breathed life into the first Adam, Jesus, the second Adam, breathed life into His bride. When the Holy Spirit came in the upper room, they heard a sound like a “mighty rushing wind” as tongues of fire descended and the church was endued with power (Acts 2:8). The Father sent the Holy Spirit, the breath and wind of God, to fill His people. It was then and only then that the church exploded. Thousands were converted as God moved with miracles, signs, and wonders. The early church turned the world upside down. That’s still the purpose of the church as she lives full of the breath and Spirit of God!
This week, if you’re feeling tired, discouraged, or lifeless, I encourage you to spend time in the presence of God. His Spirit is the breath in our lungs and just as we can’t survive without oxygen, we spiritually must be in constant communion with Him to live. It’s only in Him that we receive the breath of life! There is healing in the breath of His presence. There is hope in the breath of His presence. Don’t live like the army of lifeless bodies that Ezekiel saw. Don’t live like the religious people of Jesus’ day, who worked so hard to look alive while they were completely dead on the inside. When God breathes His Spirit into your life, there is joy, peace, strength, and hope. Take a deep breathe! There’s abundant life and it’s for you!
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