Holy Spirit

When 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 NIV

Key Thought​

In Jesus' final words of comfort to his apostles 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 he (Jesus) did and taught. In 1 John 2, John again reminds us that the Holy Spirit is our...

 

The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come on you [Mary], 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 NIV

Key Thought​

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

 

[An angel said, "John the Baptizer] will be a joy and delight to you [his parents], and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he 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 1:14-15 NIV

Key Thought​

Some of the Old Testament prophets — Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Joel — had spoken of God's coming time when the Holy Spirit would be present and active...

 

Jesus 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 MESSAGE

Key Thought​

"Gushing fountains of endless life" really captures Jesus' message here. These fountains correspond with "the river of the water of life" and "springs of living water" in other places in John's...

 

Jesus replied [to the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well], "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

Key Thought​

Over the last several days, we've been looking at Jesus providing living water to those who follow him. This water of life is a readily available blessing. Jesus connects the promise of this living water with the Holy Spirit and says that it will be in us. Jesus'...

 

The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let the one who hears say, "Come!" Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

—Revelation 22:17 NIV

Key Thought​

There are two powerful invitations in Revelation 22: The first is an invitation to the free gift of the water of life. We are invited to come to Jesus and receive the water of life as believers in him — he has promised us rivers of living water (John 7:37-39) by...

 

Then the Angel showed [John] 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 MESSAGE

Key Thought​

The water of life that Jesus promised to us as believers and followers is now seen in a different way in heaven. For us on...

 

[God] said to [John]: "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 NIV

Key Thought​

Jesus' promise early in his ministry about the Spirit bringing us refreshment (John 7:37-39) is made again years later in the revelation to John. This time, however, the promise is not given by Jesus during his earthly ministry, but by God in his heavenly power...

 

On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, "Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.'" (When he said "living water," he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)

—John 7:37-39 NLT

Key Thought​

It...

 

And [an angel] carried me [John] away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.

—Revelation 21:10 NIV

Key Thought​

The Holy Spirit brings hope. There is the hope for current circumstances that the Spirit brings through his comforting and enabling presence. The Spirit also brings hope for the future through the promise of Scripture and God's visions for us of greater things that lie ahead for...