Isaiah 61 Ministries

We end our exploration of Holy Spirit by looking at the celebration of Pentecost.

Pentecost was originally known as the Feast of Weeks, one of the celebrations God established for His people. It marked the beginning of the wheat harvest. In the New Testament, however, we find a new and powerful reason to celebrate this important feast.

The book of Acts opens with Jesus sharing His final moments with His disciples and followers before ascending back to Heaven. He instructs them to remain in Jerusalem and wait for the Promise of Holy Spirit. Jesus tells them that when Holy Spirit comes, they will receive power to carry the good news of the gospel to the ends of the earth.

The Bible tells us there were about 120 believers gathered together, waiting for this Promise to be fulfilled. Then, on the Day of Pentecost, it happened.

As they were praying together in what is known as the upper room, suddenly there came a sound like a “rushing mighty wind,” and what appeared to be “divided tongues, as of fire” rested upon each of them. They were all filled with Holy Spirit and began speaking in different languages as Holy Spirit enabled them (Acts 2:1–4).

Naturally, this caused quite a stir throughout the city. Thousands of people who had traveled to Jerusalem for the celebration rushed to see what was happening. They were both amazed and confused. Peter, one of the twelve disciples, stood and explained that this was the fulfillment of the prophecy spoken by the prophet Joel. He then boldly preached about Jesus, declaring that the very people listening had crucified the Son of God.

The crowd was “cut to the heart” (Acts 2:37) and asked Peter what they should do. Peter told them to repent of their sins and be baptized in the Name of Jesus, and they too would receive the gift of Holy Spirit. About 3,000 people responded that day. They repented, were baptized, and began gathering regularly for teaching, fellowship, prayer, and caring for one another’s needs.

The church was born, and the Lord continued adding to their number daily.

Lord God, we thank You for pouring out Holy Spirit just as You promised. May we be filled as that early group of believers was filled, and may we rise up empowered to share the good news of the gospel so that many more would be added to Your Kingdom. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

We continue to look at Holy Spirit’s work in our lives today.

In addition to the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians, Holy Spirit also gives spiritual gifts to believers. These gifts can be found in several different passages in the New Testament:

1 Corinthians 12:4-11
Romans 12:6-8
Ephesians 4:11-13
1 Peter 4:10-11

Again, I love the way God presents spiritual concepts in ways we can understand. In 1 Corinthians 12 after listing the gifts of the Spirit, God gives us a tangible way to understand how these gifts are to work by comparing them to a human body. God created each of us and knows us better than we know ourselves, Holy Spirit knows exactly what gift(s) to give to each of us as believers. All gifts are good and profitable for the body of Christ. He then arranges us together with other believers so we can operate as a body. Each part of this spiritual body is important and has a definitive role to play. All parts are to appreciate the other parts, to rejoice with them and to hurt when they hurt without jealousies or division.

Jesus also spoke of “gifts” or “talents” in Matthew 25:14-30. Jesus told a story or “parable” of a man who gives “talents” or “gifts” to three of his servants. The first received five talents, the second received two and the last received one. The master then went away and left the servants with their talents. When he returned he called his servants to ask them what they had done with their talents while he was gone. The one who had received five had put his to good use and was able to produce double for his master. Likewise with the one who received two. Even though these servants had received differently from the master, each one had used their talents and they both heard, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” However, the servant who had received one talent did not use it but hid his talent and his master was not pleased.

Holy Spirit has gifted each of us as He sees fit for the Kingdom. No matter what gift or gifts we have received, we are responsible to use it. We are not to compare our gift to others. It’s not a competition. We are not to look down on any of the gifts. They are all important and we are to encourage one another in the use of our giftings. All so that one day each of us can hear for ourselves:

“Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord!” Matthew 25:21 & 23 NKJV

Lord God, thank you for the gifts of the Spirit You have seen fit to give me. May I be found a good and faithful steward and use them faithfully and completely to Your glory and honor. Oh, that I would one day hear from Your lips, “Well done!” In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

We’ve looked at both the Old and New Testaments. Let’s take a look at Holy Spirit in our lives today.

We’ve only scratched the surface of all that we can have with Holy Spirit. There’s just so much! But let’s look at two of the many things spelled out in scripture: the fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit (in my next post).

First, the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

I love how Jesus teaches us spiritual concepts with tangible, relatable stories, word pictures and every day concepts. In John 15, Jesus is giving His disciples some final lessons as He about to be arrested and crucified. They are in a vineyard and Jesus uses what is around them to teach a spiritual truth of what it means to abide in Him and to bear much fruit. He says His Father is the Vinedresser or Gardner, He Himself is the True Vine and we are the branches. It is God the Father Who has provided the Vine (Jesus, His Own Son), God Who binds the branches to the vine (when we accept Jesus as our Savior) and God Who tends the Vine and the branches, including any necessary pruning. Now forgive my kindergarten mentality, but then Holy Spirit is kinda like the sap that runs through branches enabling them to flourish and bear fruit. John 15:5 says “much” fruit:

“I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

Once again we see the Trinity working together, this time in order that we would bear much fruit that He would be glorified, that others would see Him at work in us and that we would be enabled to live the life that Jesus died to give us. However we have to remember it is God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit that produce this fruit. There is one prerequisite: we must accept Jesus as our Savior and His death on the cross for our sin. Then we have one job and one job only if we want to bear much fruit: abide in Him. The word “abide” in the Greek means “to remain, to stay, to continue, to dwell, to endure” and implies “relationship; fellowship; obedience.”

None of us have the power or ability to simply will ourselves to produce the fruit of the Spirit that we find in those verses from Galatians 5. It simply cannot be done! However, if we will abide in Jesus and allow Holy Spirit to do His work in us, we have no choice but to produce fruit. The deeper the abiding and the greater the surrender to the working of the Spirit not just “some” fruit but MUCH fruit.

Oh Lord God! Let it be so for me! I surrender to You, to YOUR will and to the working of Holy Spirit that I would bear MUCH fruit for Your glory and for Your Kingdom here on earth! In Jesus ‘Name, Amen.

The presence and activity of Holy Spirit continue in the New Testament. Initially, we see Holy Spirit and His temporary presence just like in the Old Testament. Holy Spirit filled the priest Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth in connection with the birth of Jesus, even causing their unborn son, John the Baptist, to leap in his mother’s womb when Mary came to visit while pregnant with God’s Son Jesus.

Just as we found an account of all three Persons of the Trinity at the beginning of the Old Testament, we also see it in the New. Three of the four gospels (Matthew 3, Mark 1 and Luke 3) record the baptism of Jesus before He officially began His earthly ministry. Each of these accounts record Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus like a dove as Jesus was coming up out of the water and a voice from Heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased.” Again, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit all present at a crucial point in history.

Interesting and even intriguing, following His baptism, the Bible tells us that Jesus was “full of the Holy Spirit and led by the Spirit into the wilderness” for 40 days where He was tested and tempted by the devil in all ways just as we are. After He passed the testing in the wilderness with flying colors, Jesus then returned “in the power of the Spirit” and began His earthly ministry. (Luke 4)

Some of the last words Jesus spoke to His disciples before He died on the cross were instruction around Holy Spirit. Jesus informed them He was going away and it was to their benefit because then He could send them a Helper. This Helper would not only be with them but would live inside of them and be an Advocate and a Comforter. Holy Spirit would teach and guide them into all truth and remind them of the things they had been taught by Jesus. He would convict of sin and encourage a life of righteousness. (John 14 and 16)

Holy Spirit would then be the One Who equipped and empowered the disciples and early followers to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ with boldness and courage and perform miracles in Jesus’ Name.

This same Holy Spirit of both the Old and New Testament is alive and well today and living inside of every believer. Holy Spirit is our Helper, our Advocate, our Comforter, our Teacher and our Guide Who equips, enables and empowers us to do and be all God has called us to if we will allow and obey as He leads.

Lord God, thank You Holy Spirit isn’t just for Bible times. Thank You Holy Spirit is actively operating in our lives today just as He has throughout history enabling me to do and to be all God has purposed for me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

After our introduction to Holy Spirit in the beginning at the creation, we then find the presence of Holy Spirit throughout the Bible, in both the Old and New Testaments. Let’s first look at Holy Spirit’s presence in the Old.

In the Old Testament Holy Spirit would fill or come upon an individual for a specific purpose or a task. They would be empowered and equipped by Holy Spirit to fulfill the calling or the will of God and, when that task was complete, would then leave. After God’s people entered the Promised Land, Holy Spirit “came upon” several of the judges presiding over the nation of Israel such as Othniel (Judges 3:10), Gideon (Judges 6:34) and Jephthah (Judges 11:29) enabling each of them to judge the people with divine wisdom and discernment. Holy Spirit also “came upon” Samson “mightily” to tear a lion apart (Judges 14:6).

Similarly, we see Holy Spirit “coming upon” certain kings in the Old Testament.. King Saul, who was the first king to reign over Israel, experienced Holy Spirit coming upon him (1 Samuel 10:10). However, Holy Spirit later departed when Saul became disobedient to God (1 Samuel 16:14). In contrast, when David was anointed as a young boy to be the next king, the Bible tells us the Holy Spirit came upon him “from that day forward (1 Samuel 16:13).

Holy Spirit was also inspiring the Old Testament prophets as they wrote and spoke to God’s people. Holy Spirit spoke instruction to the people through the prophets on how to live in obedience to God and brought conviction when they would fall into sin and rebellion. Old Testament prophets such as Isaiah, Jeremiah and Zechariah shared prophecies given to them by Holy Spirit telling of the coming Messiah. Holy Spirit also revealed to Daniel, who was in exile, prophecies of the end times.

Each appearance, each instance of empowering and enabling, each revelation brought about by Holy Spirit was only a foretaste of what was to come with the arrival of the promised Messiah and even more so after His return to Heaven following His death and resurrection.

Oh Lord God, thank You for the stories of the Bible and how You Holy Spirit came upon various ones to carry out your plans and purposes. God, thank You we have so much more with Holy Spirit living in us. May we trust Your presence and Your filling for the tasks and calling you have on our lives for Your Kingdom work here on earth. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Genesis 1:1-2 NKJV
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

Our introduction to the Holy Spirit is found in the opening verses of the Bible as God is creating the heavens and the earth. There is so much to unpack in the first verses of God’s Word!

First, in Genesis 1:1, the Hebrew word for God used in Genesis 1:1 is “Elohim” which is in a plural form mean more than one. God, Elohim, was there from the very beginning. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit were all present and participating in the creation of the world.

Second, we see in verse two, a focus on the state of the earth. The earth was “without form,” was “void” and there was “darkness.” Our English translations are a bit flat in comparison to the Hebrew words being used here. The Hebrew words used in this verse further describe the earth to be in a state of “emptiness, confusion, chaos, nothingness” in addition to being formless, void and in darkness. The original language paints a much more vivid picture of the condition of the earth before God began to speak things into existence.

Then to take notice of the end of verse two. While the Holy Spirit is included in the “Elohim” of verse one, here we see the presence of the Spirit of God highlighted as the One Who “hovered over the face of the waters.” Yes, it is God but it is specifically the Holy Spirit Who is doing the hovering. The Hebrew word used here means “to flutter, move, shake” and implies “brooding” just like a mother hen “broods” over her eggs or chicks. Again, such an interesting choice of words to describe God, the Holy Spirit as the creation of the world is about to begin.
This Holy Spirit is the same Holy Spirit present with us today. Just as He was present and participating in the creation, speaking order, light and life, Holy Spirit is doing the same thing in our individual lives today. Once we accept Jesus as our Savior, Holy Spirit takes up residence with us and His purpose is still the same as it was in the beginning: Holy Spirit is moving, shaking, hovering and brooding to bring about the fullness of God into our lives, dispel the confusion and chaos, bring about purpose and meaning and be a catalyst that we might live the life Jesus died to give us.

I praise You God, Elohim! You are so big, so vast You exist as Three in One! Thank You Holy Spirit that You have hovered over the emptiness, confusion, chaos and darkness of my life and transformed me into a new creation in Christ where I enjoy the fullness of life in Him. Continue Your good work across all areas of my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Growing up and into my young adult years, I certainly had heard about Holy Spirit but never really understood Him…at all. Actually, in my younger years, I heard about The Holy Ghost and was quite honestly more than a bit confused and unsettled at the idea of encountering this “Holy Ghost.” It wouldn’t be until much later I came to better understand this all important, third Person of the Trinity though I still consider myself a kindergartener in my wisdom and knowledge of Him.

I don’t fully understand it and am hard-pressed to explain it adequately but there is One True God and that God exists in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Again, I’m not scholarly enough to comprehend just what that means but I know and believe it to be true. I have learned to live in peace with the unexplainable mysteries of my God though I will forever be a student in His Word and at His feet to grow in my understanding.

God the Father we see in the Old Testament as He was actively involved in the lives of His people. We see Him actually walk in the cool of the day with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:8). God the Father had such a personal relationship with Abraham He actually calls Abraham His “friend” (Isaiah 41:8). God showed up and introduced Himself as “I AM” to Moses in a burning bush (Exodus 3). Elijah personally met with God in a cave (1 Kings 19). Throughout the Old Testament, time and time again, God the Father showed Himself and was personally involved in the lives of His people and His prophets.

Then in the New Testament, we see God the Son. God the Father sent His One and Only Son Jesus into the world as a tiny baby for the sole purpose of being a sacrifice for our (my) sin. God the Son willingly came to earth and lived life just as you and I do. He experienced hardships, betrayals, rejection, grief, all the things yet so much more than you and I ever will. God the Son went about preaching and teaching, performing miracles and personally interacting with the people. Truly, Immanuel “God with us.”

When Jesus had completed His earthly mission of dying on the cross for our sin, being buried, rising from the dead and then ascending back into Heaven, it was then God sent Holy Spirit to be with us. This Holy Spirit is the Person of God, Who is not only “with us,” but once we accept Jesus as our personal Savior Who died for us, Holy Spirit then lives IN us. Yet another mystery I can’t fully comprehend or explain but oh how I know and believe it to be true!

And it’s this Holy Spirit I want to explore with you. Remember, I’m a kindergartner! But even a kindergarten understanding of Holy Spirit, Who He is and what He is can be life-changing!

Father God this Sunday we will celebrate Pentecost, the day you sent Holy Spirit to be with Your people. Teach us from Your Word what this gift is to us and then help us to live in the fullness of Holy Spirit living in us. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

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It’s Valentine’s Day, and this brings to an end my thoughts on love—God’s love—which brings me full circle back to John 3:16:

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

A number of years ago, God made me realize that even though this verse was very familiar to me, I did not readily recall its context. I had been taught the importance of not taking a verse from the Bible out of context. A general rule of thumb was to read ten or more verses before and after a passage to better understand it. John 3:16 certainly has enough depth all on its own, but I was curious about the context and discovered that it appears in the middle of the story of a man named Nicodemus.

Nicodemus held a prominent position among the religious leaders of his day. He certainly would have known the Scriptures and the prophecies of the coming Messiah. He had been hearing much about Jesus—His teachings and His miracles—and he was curious. Yet because of his religious position, Nicodemus went to Jesus at night so as not to create a stir.

The two had an interesting conversation. Nicodemus began by acknowledging that Jesus was a teacher who had come from God, because no one could do the things Jesus was doing unless God was with him. Jesus responded by speaking about being “born again.” Thinking Jesus was referring to a physical birth, Nicodemus was confused about how that could be possible. Jesus explained that He was speaking of a spiritual rebirth rather than a physical one, and further revealed that this new birth would only be made possible by His being “lifted up,” referring to His coming death on the cross.

It is at this point that we find John 3:16, spoken by Jesus Himself. Jesus knew Whose He was. Jesus knew Who He was. Jesus knew what He had come to do. And Jesus knew what this would mean for all mankind.

The Bible does not record Nicodemus’s immediate response, but later, in John 19:39, we see him publicly bringing spices for the body of Jesus as part of the burial ritual. Something must have changed in his heart—for a religious leader who once “came by night” to now come openly in honor and respect of the Man his fellow leaders had put to death.

So, what is significant about the context of John 3:16? There is much in this passage, but two things especially stand out to me.

First, it causes me to search my own heart. Am I in any way a “come by night” sort of Christian? Or am I bold and courageous enough to live out my faith publicly? Sadly, there are times I shrink back in fear of what others may think. Oh, how I long to be like Nicodemus—willing to risk it all for the sake of Christ!

Second, it is interesting—even striking—to read John 3:16 in context and realize that it was first spoken by Jesus to a religious leader. Let us not be fooled. Even the “religious”—perhaps especially the “religious”—need to hear the gospel. Just because I sit in church, read my Bible, or consider myself a “good person” does not save me or make me a Christian. My only saving grace, the only way to be born again, is found in John 3:16:

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

God’s love for us is the greatest love we will ever know.
God’s love is deeply personal, like that of a Father.
We are God’s beloved—dearly and divinely loved.
God’s love is the only true love.
God is the only One Who can love us perfectly.
And God’s love is the only love that can save us.

For God so loved….Happy Valentine’s Day!