Holy Spirit

Verse
No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God — his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord.

...

But people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can't understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.

—...

 

Verse
But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God's love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real  life!

— Jude 20-21 MESSAGE

Thought
Prayer is a gift from God empowered by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit intercedes for us, and this intercession goes beyond our words (Romans 8:26-27). Jesus...

 

Verse
They [the apostles]  told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God's Spirit in them.

— Jude 18-19 NLT

Thought
Having the Holy Spirit dwelling within us is the litmus test of whether we belong to Christ or not (Romans 8:9; Act 19:1-7). Without the Spirit of God within us —...

 

Verse
If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

— 1 Peter 4:14 NIV

Thought
What an incredible phrase: "the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you." Jesus reminded us that we are blessed when people insult and persecute us because we have a great reward in heaven (Matthew 5:11-12). In today's verse, Peter plugs into this theme. In doing so, he also reminds us of an immediate reality as we await our reward in...

 

Verse
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.

— 1 Peter 3:18 NIV

Thought
I will confess that this is one of the most challenging and difficult passages in all the Bible for me when I look at the whole context. What I take out of this, however, is that while Jesus' body died, his spirit — or better yet, his spirit and the Holy Spirit within him — never died. Jesus...

 

Verse
[God said:]  "Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations."

— Isaiah 42:1 NIV

Thought
The last part of Isaiah contains what are often called the Servant Songs. Jesus claims several of these songs for his self-identity. The early church claimed several others, quoting them to define Jesus' ministry and understanding them as prophecies of his coming. Not only were these words of...

 

Verse
For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

— 2 Peter 1:21 NIV

Thought
True prophecy — the word of God put into the hearts of his servants — didn't arise in the hearts of the prophets. God planted it there and their words brought the word of God to people because the prophets were being moved by the Holy Spirit to speak the words they shared. As we read the words of these prophets...

 

Verse
There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon 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 ESV

Thought
Jesus is the promised Messiah, a descendant from "the stump of Jesse," a descendant of King David. And the Spirit of God was at work in Jesus without limitation (John 3:34). All...

 

Verse
All they [the prophets]  were told was that they were serving you, you who by orders from heaven have now heard for yourselves — through the Holy Spirit — the Message of those prophecies fulfilled. Do you realize how fortunate you are? Angels would have given anything to be in on this!

— 1 Peter 1:12 MESSAGE

Thought
Angels stood on tiptoe longing to look over the horizon of heaven, trying to understand the promises the Holy Spirit inspired in the words of the prophets...

 

Verse
This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ's suffering and his great glory afterward.

— 1 Peter 1:10-11 NLT

Thought
One of the most important claims Scripture makes about itself, and its origins, is that it is God-breathed and Spirit-inspired (2 Timothy...