Holy Spirit

VerseAnd the child [John the Baptizer] grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

— Luke 1:80 tniv

ThoughtThis verse doesn't speak directly to the work of the Holy Spirit. Yet Luke uses it as a contrast between John and Jesus — "And the child [Jesus] grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him" (Luke 2:40). While Jesus grew in every way like any other little boy, Luke is careful to make...

 

VerseHis [John the Baptizer] father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied...

— Luke 1:67 tniv

ThoughtZechariah had originally doubted God's gift of a son in his old age, especially with Elizabeth's inability to conceive during her childbearing years. Yet in their old age, God used the Holy Spirit to bring about the miracle of conception. Yet Zechariah's voice had been silenced by his experience of God in the Temple because of his doubt. But with the birth of his...

 

VerseWhen Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby [John the Baptizer] leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

— Luke 1:41 tniv

ThoughtIn Jesus' final words of comfort to his apostles found in John chapters 14-16, he repeatedly talks about the Holy Spirit being our Counselor-Comforter-Helper-Advocate who will guide us into all truth and remind us of the things Jesus did and taught. In 1 John 2, John again reminds us that the Holy Spirit is our Anointing...

 

VerseThe 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 tniv

ThoughtJesus is Son of God and holy because he is conceived in the womb of Mary through the power of the Most High, revealed to us as the Holy Spirit. This is not something we can know empirically or understand logically. This is something we recognize as a miracle of God's power and reflective of...

 

VerseFor he [John the Baptizer] will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.

— Luke 1:15 tniv

ThoughtSeveral of the Old Testament prophets — Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Joel — had spoken of God's coming time when the Holy Spirit would be active and present for all people. Luke is the gospel that most clearly picks up on this theme and tells the story of Jesus with a strong emphasis...

 

VerseJesus said, "Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again and again. Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst — not ever. The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life."

— John 4:13-14 msg

Thought"Gushing fountains of endless life" really captures Jesus' message here. It corresponds with "River of Life" and "living water" in other places in John's writings. The Spirit is a living gift — dynamic and powerful, not static...

 

VerseJesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”

— John 4:10 nlt

ThoughtOver the last several days, we've been looking at Jesus providing living water, the Water of Life that would be inside those who were his true followers and be a readily available blessing in heaven. Jesus identifies this with the Holy Spirit. However, Jesus' interaction with this Samaritan reminds us that this Water...

 

VerseThe Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let those who hear say, "Come!" Let those who are thirsty come; and let all who wish take the free gift of the water of life.

— Revelation 22:17 tniv

ThoughtThis invitation is powerful because if we listen, we are invited to the free gift of the water of life in two different ways. The first invitation is to come to Jesus and receive the water of life as a believer in him — he has promised us rivers of living water (John 7:37-39) and he...

 

VerseThen the Angel showed me Water-of-Life River, crystal bright. It flowed from the Throne of God and the Lamb, right down the middle of the street. The Tree of Life was planted on each side of the River, producing twelve kinds of fruit, a ripe fruit each month. The leaves of the Tree are for healing the nations.

— Revelation 22:1-2 msg

ThoughtThe water of life that Jesus promised to us as believers and followers is now seen in a different way in heaven. For us on earth, the Holy...

 

VerseHe said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life."

— Revelation 21:6 tniv

ThoughtJesus' promise earlier in his ministry about the Spirit bringing us refreshment (John 7:37-39) is made again. This time, however, the promise is not given by Jesus during his earthly ministry, but by Jesus in his heavenly power — Jesus is now ascended into heaven and directing the...