February is known for love; and since I am a Christian writer, it seems appropriate to write about God’s love. Although, I do want to take a different approach on the subject. Christ-followers are known for telling others, “God loves you” or “Jesus loves you,” but has anyone ever exclaimed, “The Holy Spirit loves you!”?
I’m sure someone out there has said this, but I don’t think it happens often. Why? In our minds, God, and Jesus usually over-shadow the Holy Spirit. Not through their perspective, of course. They never shadow anything or anyone, but bring all things into the light. This happens only through our skewed perception. We have the tendency not to give the third member of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) the honor, respect, and recognition that we do the others – even though in our hearts we know these Three are One. So, if that’s not enough, let’s look at some more ways the Holy Spirit shows His love.
I already mentioned the Spirit being the third person in the Trinity of God. Our interpretation of this alone, may be cause for injustice. Being third does not make Him less than. God is God in all forms, and the Spirit side of Him, does more work with us as humans than the others. “Blasphemy!” You may cry. “What about Jesus! He lived as a man! He died for our sins!” Yes, He did; for thirty-three of THE MOST IMPORTANT years of earth’s entire existence – past, present, and future - Jesus (as man) lived, died, and rose – conquering death. My point is, the Holy Spirit being the Spirit of God and Jesus, is how God interacts with His creation the most often. Because Jesus was not born of man (had no original sin), and by the power of God, given through His Spirit, Christ was able to live a sinless, perfect life, love unconditionally through His sacrifice, defeat death, and ascend to the throne.
“Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot—
yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.
And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord” Isaiah 11:1-2.
The Apostle Paul understood God’s power that moves by the Spirit, and the importance of our understanding too.
“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom, and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.” Ephesians 1:17,19-21.
The Spirit reveals our hope, our inheritance, God’s glory, His mighty power, and so much more. We wouldn’t be free of death if Jesus (the man) had not been given the strength and power, through God’s Holy Spirit, to say to His Father, “Yet not as I will, but as you will” Matthew 29:39. God moves through His Holy Spirit!
Speaking of moving, let’s go back further. At Creation, the Spirit of God was the first to move.
“Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters” Genesis 1:2.
“And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters” Genesis 1:2 (KJV).
The Bible tells us as God’s Word, Jesus (John 1:1-3) brought our world into existence, His Spirit was there moving through the earth as it formed. All the water, land, and air, all the plants, birds, and fish, all the animals, the sun, moon, and stars are the intricate, loving work of the Trinity.
“The Lord merely spoke,
and the heavens were created.
He breathed the word,
and all the stars were born.
He assigned the sea its boundaries
and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs.
Let the whole world fear the Lord,
and let everyone stand in awe of him.
For when he spoke, the world began!
It appeared at his command”
Psalm 33:6-9.
The Trinity; God, His Word (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit, have worked together in unity from the beginning. So much so that when God decided to make man and woman, He said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness…” (Genesis 1:26). You may have heard this verse used as reasoning for Jesus being with God in the beginning, as John, chapter one confirms. Yet, this includes the Holy Spirit as well. We were created to be in unity with all of God.
It was not until after Jesus (as man) fulfilled God’s will that God sent His Spirit to dwell in the hearts of believers. At Pentecost (meaning “fifty” days after Christ’s resurrection), the hearts of the disciples (and all believers since) became the dwelling place of His Spirit.
“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” Acts 2:1-4.
The Spirit’s involvement with people did not start there, however. He has been an active part of humanity’s entire journey. Numerous times in the Bible, we encounter men, and women whom God chose to empower with the Holy Spirit, for the purpose of carrying out His plan of redemption – Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Mary – to name just a few.
“The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. So Pharaoh asked them, ‘Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?’ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you’” Genesis 41:37-39.
Before Pentecost, God gave to each a portion of the Holy Spirit, as needed to carry out His work; and we can conclude from God’s word, they absolutely felt His presence. As David wrote:
“Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me”
Psalm 51:10-12.
David experienced God’s presence through the Holy Spirit; and when David sinned, he was devastated to think that God would take the Spirit from him. Moses experienced God’s glory up close, but with Mary, it was much more personal.
“The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God” Luke 1:35.
This was the greatest act of love! The Trinity, as always, working in unity to allow an opportunity for God’s beloved creation to return to Him. First, God giving His Son to us, then Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, and finally through the gift of the Holy Spirit (Spirit of Truth) for those who accept the authority of King Jesus as their Lord.
If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept “him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” John 14:15-18.
When we respond to Jesus and receive His Spirit, an amazing thing happens! We are adopted back into God’s Kingdom, not as slaves (like we were to sin and death), but as sons and daughters!
“Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—"
“…if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children” Romans 8:12a, 13b-16.
The Holy Spirit is a life-giving, child-making, beautiful gift from God; He is Christ’s Spirit in us, by whom we live.
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” Galatians 2:20.
If we truly love Jesus, and wish to follow His commands; we must do so through His Holy Spirit. It can be difficult learning to hear His voice (that still small voice in our head), but if we stop and listen, we will hear Him. Then we must obey – even more difficult. There are so many other voices in our heads, many seeming quite rational. But, if we “Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19), with time and practice, His love will shine through making His voice ever so clear!
It is when we learn to hear, and heed the Spirit’s voice that our prayers become active; as we pray in the Spirit, through Jesus, to God our Father. It is also when we can begin to be transformed into the likeness of Jesus; receiving characteristics of our Lord through the fruit of the Spirit.
“… the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” Galatians 5:22-23.
I have only touched the tip of the many sides (names) of the Holy Spirit. He is the Spirit of Truth, Spirit of the Lord (God and Christ), Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, Spirit of Counsel and Might, Spirit of Knowledge and the Fear of the Lord…
He is also our Advocate, Counselor, Comforter, Adopter, Resident Teacher, and a Deposit of Guarantee for eternal life…
“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” John 14:26.
Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” 2 Corinthians 5:5.
I could fill a book with the attributes of the Holy Spirit and would still fall short, mostly because we don’t know them all. From what God has told us through His word however, we have no excuse for not sharing with others this amazing part of the Trinity! For the utmost characteristic of the Holy Spirit is God’s Love, as expressed by Paul in Romans 5:1-2, and 5.
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God" vs 1-2.
"And hope does not put us to shame,
because God’s love has been poured
out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit,
who has been given to us” vs 5.
What a most incredible gift! God does nothing frivolously. If we accept Jesus as Lord, we are not merely sprinkled with God’s love, like a temporary cleansing. Just as Christ blood was poured out for full redemption (Matthew 26:28), and His grace is poured out for eternal salvation (1 Timothy 1:14); God’s love is continuously poured out into our hearts - all through the power of His beautiful and mighty Holy Spirit who loves us!
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