Holy Spirit

And 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 NIV

Key Thought
This verse doesn't speak directly to the work of the Holy Spirit. Luke does contrast the Spirit's work in John and the Spirit's work in 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...

 

His [John the Baptizer's]  father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: ...

—Luke 1:67 NIV

Key Thought
When the angel Gabriel told Zechariah that he and Elizabeth would have a son, Zechariah originally doubted. Why would God give them a son in his old age, especially with Elizabeth's inability to conceive even during her childbearing years? However, even in their old age God miraculously worked to bring them the gift of a baby — a baby we know as John the...

 

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 Jesus did and taught. In 1 John 2, John again reminds us that the Holy Spirit is our anointing...

 

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 reflective of...

 

He [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 active and present for all the faithful...

 

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 "living water" in other places in John's writings (Revelation 22:1, 7:17). The...

 

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. Jesus connects the promise of this living water with the Holy Spirit and says that it will be in us. Jesus' interaction with...

 

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 pouring out...

 

Then the Angel showed me [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...

 

He [God]  said to me [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. This time, however, the promise is not given by Jesus during his earthly ministry, but by God in his heavenly power. Jesus is now ascended into heaven and...