The manifestation of the spirit of the saint in the Bible. Who is the Holy Spirit? Orthodox prayers to the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is inseparable from God and constitutes with Him a single consonance and splendor, just as the rays of light emanating from the Sun are inseparable from their source and constitute one whole with it. The Holy Spirit is a hand. His active omnipotent force, which transforms and deifies everything. The Holy Spirit is the breath of God. The Most High eternally gives birth from Himself, in His breath, the Holy Spirit or the Spirit of God, which means that the Holy Spirit is by nature eternal, like God. Since the Spirit of God is one single whole with God, He has the consciousness of God, Divine Will and His qualities: calm joy, life-affirming power, mercy, omnipresence, omniscience and much more. Through the Holy Spirit, God unselfishly, with love gives these qualities to the entire universe. The Spirit of God is the primary energy of God, and it is white-transparent, light and cool.

The Spirit of God is the driving force that sets everything that exists in motion, for everything moves, following the breath of God. This process is called evolution (from dense matter to more subtle, invisible). In this process, He turns everything (returns) to Himself. And the exhalation of God is a process of involution (from subtle to denser matter), where He manifested in the creation of all that exists, for everything came from Him. He is the beginning and end of everything. The Holy Spirit maintains the life of all that exists, protects the laws of God and enforces them, rewards in justice and mercy. He gives life to everything around, cherishes, comforts and admonishes, so long as we shift our gaze to Him and ask Him for mercy.

The Holy Spirit is a guide and mentor, friend and helper. He protects us for the truth and gives himself as a gift to help all living things and people. For God has promised us the help of the Holy Spirit to those persecuted for Him and the gift of the Holy Spirit to all who ask for it. The Spirit of God is inspiration, an impulse for Eternal life. He reveals or manifests himself to the world out of his own favor. He is the fragrance and the Light of God. The Holy Spirit is a personal and impersonal existence. He reveals himself as a personal expression of life, the image of God and God, and by impersonality the Holy Spirit manifests itself as an unknown, invisible power.

How to acquire the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the impulse of God's Love or the power of God's Love. The Spirit of God is the beauty and light of the Divine Truth, which is in everything that exists. The Holy Spirit is freedom and fearlessness, not a spirit of bondage and fear. He makes us righteous by taking our heart, dignity and honor away from sin, madness, passion and ignorance. The Spirit of God, just like the Lord, is close to us, since He dwells in us and unites us with God. All spiritual ascetics acquired (attracted) the Holy Spirit through spiritual practices, and thus they acquired the likeness of God. Acquiring the Spirit of God, they were spiritualized or deified, became one with God.

In our life we \u200b\u200bcan attract the Holy Spirit: when we think correctly, take a wise step or do a good deed in relation to people and the world; remembering God; fulfill His Will, etc.

Performing such actions, it works: “like attracts like” or the law of attraction: “where or to whom we turn our inner gaze, this is what supports us,” such is the Will of God. On the spiritual path of development, when we are aware of something, then at that moment the Holy Spirit rushes to us and fixes true knowledge in our mind and heart. The Holy Spirit of God affects our soul, which makes us wise and loving, compassionate and merciful, gentle and affectionate. He proclaims to us a message from God and gives inspiration for a good deed. The Holy Spirit makes a person a healer, believer, humble, prophet or herald of the Will of God. When the Holy Spirit takes possession of us fully, we become an instrument of God's providence in this world.

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I would like to talk about the Holy Spirit in the Church - about Himself and about what He does both in the Church and over us, how He influences us, how He acts in us and through us.

There are two stories in the Holy Scriptures about the gift of the Holy Spirit. Immediately I remember what is described in the second chapter of the book of Acts - Pentecost. Another story - in the 20th chapter of the Gospel of John - puzzled many commentators. They tried to combine it with the first, merge them together, equally link both stories with the Ascension. I will approach these two stories in a simpler, more direct way, as we find them in Scripture, and try to show what they have in common and how these two events differ.

In the 20th chapter of the Gospel of John, we read about the first appearance of Christ after His Resurrection. His first words are soothing words: peace to you... The peace that Christ gave, this world could not give. The peace that Christ gave filled the whole house and stayed with the Apostles forever. This is the peace that came over them when they discovered that the horror of Good Friday was gone forever, that human hatred did not kill Divine Love, that human society could not exclude the Living God from its midst into outer darkness. This peace came down on them, because they knew that life was not killed, life was not extinguished, that God is truly among them and that the name of the Messiah, Emmanuel, which we learn about at the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew (1:23), is true not only at the beginning, but as the final victory: Emmanuel, God among us, god is with us.

And then the Lord breathed on His disciples and said: Receive the Holy Spirit.This gift of the Holy Spirit should be approached, it seems to me, very carefully and thoughtfully. First, this gift was communicated to all the Apostles in their totality, to all present, but none of them possessed it individually. On the other hand, those who joined the apostolic circle later did not need to receive, as it were, this gift in addition. You remember that the Apostle Thomas was not there that evening with the other Apostles. When a week later Christ again appeared to His disciples and Thomas was with them, and Christ rebuked him for his unbelief and suggested that he touch the wounds on his hands and sides so as not to remain an unbeliever, to believe, then after the confession of the Apostle Thomas: My Lord and my God!(John 20:28) - Christ did not give him the Spirit, which the other Apostles had already received before. Since Thomas belonged to the apostolic circle, was one of them, did not break away from them - he, together with everyone, possessed what was entrusted to their community, to all in aggregate, not as a group of people, but as a whole.

Perhaps here we can draw a parallel with the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Lord Jesus Christ Himself on the banks of the Jordan (Mark 1: 9-11). These eleven Apostles who made up His body received the Holy Spirit, He was entrusted to them. He was in their midst, in their community, and He united them into a community. The congregation did not possess the Holy Spirit, - He embraced the community, led it, conquered it. And at the same time something else was lacking in the fullness that the Church learned later. They received the Holy Spirit, kept Him, but none of them reached the fullness that should belong to members of the Church, is their calling. Despite this gift, this pledge of eternity, this eschatological invasion of the Spirit among the Apostles, the relationship between the Holy Spirit and the created world has not yet reached fullness, as John the Theologian says in one place: because Christ has not yet ascended to the Father (see John 7 : 39).

Time passed. Together they possessed this gift of the Holy Spirit, but they were still unable to bear the fruits of the Spirit, because He was entrusted to their community, their unity, but did not yet fulfill them, did not embrace each of them so that each of them could personally - even in unity with others - to act in the name of God. This happened fifty days later, on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended on them and each of them received a gift, received a fiery tongue, which signified the descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2: 3). None of them could have possessed the Spirit if all together, in the embryonic unity as the Body of Christ, they were not already embraced by the Spirit: this was inherent to everyone, belonged to everyone, and therefore could belong to each of them. Yes, to all, but in different ways. You can lose the gift of the Spirit. It is possible to become alien to this Presence given to us in our personal lives, and yet the Holy Spirit does not leave the Church. For example, if in ancient times apostates, those who publicly denied Christ and returned to paganism, were then accepted into the bosom of the Church, they were received not only through repentance, but they had to receive the seal of the Holy Spirit again. They became alien to Him because they themselves denied Him.

On the other hand, not only from the theological point of view, but from the experience of life in the Church that each of us has, from the life of the Church in history or in our days, we see that the Spirit of God does not leave the Church when its members hesitate. deviate from the truth, seek the truth, but fall into mistakes on the way of this search. The Spirit of God is always present, always active, He calls, teaches, instructs, acts in us, renews all of us, whether we remain faithful or hesitate and turn out to be traitors. The Holy Spirit, bestowed in an event that one Orthodox theologian called John's Pentecost, an action described in the Gospel of John, is preserved by the entire totality of the Church. No one possesses Him, and at the same time, for everyone who is part of the apostolic circle, which has been expanding throughout the centuries - and when I say “apostolic circle,” I do not mean the clergy, I mean all those who connected with the apostolic faith, the apostolic life, or rather, the life of Christ Himself, dwelling, acting in His body - this gift of the Holy Spirit constitutes a condition for our personal holiness.

Who is the Holy Spirit?

If we ask ourselves the question of Who the Holy Spirit is, I think we can start with a remark made by Vladimir Nikolaevich Lossky many years ago. He says that the Father is revealed in the Son, through the Son. The Son is revealed by the Holy Spirit. But the Spirit Himself remains elusive. He is not yet manifested as the Father is manifested in the Face of the Son. The revelation of the Spirit, the victory of God, the radiance of the Divine Life is manifested by humanity itself. The Hieromartyr Irenaeus of Lyons says in one of his writings that the glory of God is a person fully realized. Each of us individually and all together, each of us and the community that we make up - this is where the radiance of the Spirit should be visible. No other is given. And this puts us in a very special relationship with the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, the Lord the Holy Spirit. It seems to me that it is impossible to define appropriately who the Holy Spirit is; It seems to me that the best thing that can be done is to approach the question descriptively, in images, or try to capture through the fruits of the Spirit, through His action, everything that can be captured about Him.

First, one image. This is to some extent a reworking of an ancient analogy, an ancient parable. If you try to imagine or convey to someone the relationship of the Persons of the Holy Trinity, Their features, you can turn to the ancient image from the Holy Scriptures, the image of a burning bush that Moses saw in the desert (Ex 3: 2): a bush that burned without burning. We can indirectly observe the mysterious, unimaginable property of this non-combustible flame. When Moses was in the face of this burning bush, he did not catch the burning - he caught the flame and heat. The combustion itself does not fit into the framework of what is available to our knowledge, our perception - combustion can be seen, heat can be felt insofar as we are covered by it, we share it. In such images, one can speak of the mystery of God, in terms of a burning bush, a bush that burns and is incomprehensible, incredible for us - does not burn. And at the same time, we comprehend this burning through the tongues of flame and heat, which becomes a part of ourselves, or rather, of which we ourselves become a part. What is the difference between this heat and this flame? Flame is an objective phenomenon, part of visible experience. It speaks about something, but remains an external phenomenon for us. Imagine it this way: you can stand in front of a burning fireplace, see a log burning in it, not understanding the essence of combustion, but perceiving it through the flame. At this moment, we perceive simultaneously burning, flame, heat. But you can be on the street, look out of someone's window, see tongues of flame and feel nothing but the cold surrounding us. The fact that we see a flame objectively asserts that it exists, but tells us nothing about the flame itself. If I did not know from experience that flame means combustion and warmth, I, standing outside, in the street, would have had the right to assert that the flame does not heat. This statement is incomplete unless we add something else to it.

Isn't this what Scripture means when it tells us that the Spirit reveals to us who Jesus is (John 15:26)? His nature, His Personality truly answer the question "Who?" Only when we felt the heat, we can grasp the connection between the flame and combustion, but if we have not experienced the warmth, in other words, if the Holy Spirit has not touched us, we can know everything about the flame and nevertheless make erroneous, blasphemous judgments. Again, isn't this what Scripture says in the words of Christ Himself, that any blasphemy against Christ will be forgiven: because He is “Yes,” “Amen,” He is an affirmation, a positive fact outside ourselves. He is the objective statement of God in history; and sin against the Spirit cannot be forgiven (Mark 3:29).

Who is the Holy Spirit and what is sin against Him?

How, then, to understand who the Holy Spirit is and what is sin against Him? And here I want to emphasize that what I am about to present is one of many and varied conjectures that have been voiced regarding sin against the Holy Spirit. If the images that I have cited are convincing, then you will understand and agree that the elusive warmth that does not lend itself to any of our analysis, pouring from a burning bush, can only be known by experienced sensation; but once we have experienced it, it cannot be denied. And if it is denied, then there can be two reasons for this denial: either the person is insane and claims that he freezes, although he is engulfed in warmth, or for some reason of his own - and the reasons can be very different - he is ready to deny his own experience, to deny that most definitely he himself knows as the truth. And this can only be corrected by that change of mind, which is called repentance, conversion, metanoiain Greek, - a change of mind, the willingness to truthfully say what we know to be true, to renounce our own inner rejection of truth. The same images, perhaps, can help not only deepen, but at least peer a little into another, more complex issue of the procession of the Holy Spirit.

I will present it, like everything I have said so far, in a very primitive way. Heat is born not from a flame, but from the fact that a log is burning. Heat comes from the same source as the flame. Due to the fact that there is a burning bush, there is both flame and heat. One origin, one, one and only source.

Again, if these images are acceptable in their own way, it becomes clear to us that we know the nature of the flame only through the fact that we feel warmth. Only the Holy Spirit can reveal to us Who the “Yes” and “Amen” are, the visible manifestation of the Father in history. And this is the first action and quality of the Holy Spirit. He is the Spirit of Truth. He reveals to us the Truth about God and the Truth about man. He reveals to us in the prophet from Galilee the incarnate Son of God. He reveals to us the meaning of all His words, His Word. He is the Spirit of Truth and leads us to all truth. And I didn’t use the word “leads to” in vain, because truth is not something that is established once and for all. This is not a statement, not a belief system, not a worldview. It is a living, dynamic reality. Truth is not something, Truth is Someone: I am the truth(John 14: 6). And therefore, revealing Christ to us in all his fullness, in all His content, in all that Christ Himself reveals to us as the Word, revealing the depths of the Divine, as the Son, revealing the mystery of Fatherhood, the Holy Spirit leads us step by step not to new truths, but into ever new depths, to an ever greater vision of the One Who is Truth.

The Holy Spirit also reveals to us the depths of man

The Holy Spirit also reveals to us the depths of man. He also reveals to us the connection that exists between us and God. He explores the depths of a person. He reveals to us that depth that is deeper than the psychological field: our rootedness in the creative Word of God, our rootedness in the life-giving Word of God. He also teaches us a completely new relationship with God. Outside the relationship with the Holy Spirit, outside the trusting relationship through Him with the Only Begotten Son of God, we could talk about God as the Creator, the Almighty, Lord and Judge, as the Provider, perhaps as the Savior. But we could not call Him Father otherwise than purely metaphorically, without a real ontological relationship between Him and us, without an essential connection. It would be an image, not a deeply authentic relationship. But insofar as we are connected with Christ, as the members of one body are connected, since the Spirit of God, who rested on Christ, permeates this body with the gifts of the Holy Spirit (see the Gospel of John and the book of Acts), insofar as Christ is our brother, we are consubstantial with Him ... And these are His own words: Go and tell My brothers that they will meet Me in Galilee(see Mark 16: 7). In this brotherhood with Christ we discover in an embryonic way, dimly, what sonship is and what fatherhood can be — not in the empirical life of our broken, complete division of the world; we discover in Him what it means to be a son, and through Him we can conceive in an embryonic, fortuitous way what it means to have a Father and who, what this Father can be. The moment we stop using words like Lord Almighty, God, God is Judge, and we are capable of at least rudimentary pronounce Father, we can say that the breath of the Holy Spirit has touched our prayer. Otherwise, by the power and action of the Holy Spirit, through revelation given by the power and action of the Holy Spirit, we cannot turn with the word Father to Him who is the Holy One of Israel.

And finally, as I have already mentioned, the coming of the Holy Spirit, what He reveals to us, the germ of all this takes place in this world, but leads us to the fullness, which will be manifested in the next world, in the Kingdom of God, in eternal life. The Holy Spirit has a property, a purely eschatological element, belonging exclusively to the last things, the ultimate accomplishment of everything. Only when everything is completed, all humanity will become in its glory the revelation of the Holy Spirit abiding in it, who communes humanity with the Divine, transforms the whole world into a place of the indwelling of God. But in our time, the Holy Spirit acts in the Church in two ways, and about this I want to say briefly: it acts in the eschatological dimension and in the work of the Christian.

Holy Spirit. Eucharist

The first belongs to the liturgical area. Every time when the sacraments are performed, in particular the sacraments of the Eucharist, the Orthodox Church calls on the Holy Spirit, prays for Him to come and overshadow both the assembled community and the prepared Gifts. This is not just a peculiar way to perform a mysterious action, as if the best way to consecrate the Holy Gifts. The essence of the Epiclesis, an appeal to the Holy Spirit so that He descends on us and on the prepared Gifts, is that what must be accomplished so that bread and wine can become the Body and Blood of Christ, partake of the Divine, belongs to the age to come. This can be accomplished only because the Spirit of God, given to the Church, abiding in her, acting in her by the sovereign power and might of God, introduces into historical time the dimension and quality of the latest achievements, the fulfillment of everything. Otherwise, it could not have happened in our historical time, in our state of becoming. This invasion of eternity, this expansion of the present state of things into what it will be when everything reaches fullness - this is an indispensable condition for the performance of the sacrament. And this becomes completely clear (although it sounds ridiculous from a linguistic point of view) from the prayer in the liturgy, where we ask God to grant us today His coming Kingdom.

And the second thing. The Holy Spirit, in His eschatological dimension of finite things, also determines what the action of a Christian should be, Christian action. The unique distinguishing feature of Christian action is that it is an action of God carried out through a person, be it an individual person or a community of people. Christian action is the action of God, accomplished, accomplished through man. And it is inherent, like all actions of God, the eschatological dimension of the last achievements. Human wisdom, wisdom collects all possible answers from the past human experience and includes them in the present in order to solve the problems of today, and projects them into the future, planning future achievements. Divine Wisdom, it seems to me, is not determined by such causality; the action of each present moment is not conditioned by either the present or the past, but always only by the future. God works for the sake something, not due to something. In Divine action there is always something unprecedented, unexpected, which brings absolute novelty to the situation. An example of this action of the Holy Spirit belonging to history is the Incarnation. Incarnation is not only a response to the past of humanity and to its state of the present moment, when it happened, when everything is ripe for this event. Incarnation is an action of God that introduces into a historical situation something that was not there before. The living God becomes a part, a particle of human history, of human becoming. And at the same time humanity is so united with God, so included in the mystery of God, that in the Ascension our humanity is carried away to the core of the mystery of the Holy Trinity. Here you can see how the Holy Spirit, who overshadowed the Mother of God, carried out the action of God, in which the Most Holy Virgin fully participates with Her Behold, Servant of the Lord, be it to Me according to your word(Luke 1:38), and introduces into history something that has not existed, a new image of the Presence of God.

From answers to questions about the Holy Spirit

You mentioned the place in John the Evangelist that the Spirit was not yet on earth, because Christ had not yet ascended to the Father. How to understand this if only the Holy Spirit is the source of life, grace, knowledge of God, everything ..?

There was no time when the Holy Spirit simply was not in the world. Otherwise, there would never have been any meeting between God and His creation. If “God” were just an objective concept, inaccessible to His creation, not evoking any response from the creature, then there could be an objective knowledge of the dead deity, but not the Living God. But the ancient commentators believed that when Scripture tells us that the Spirit did not yet exist, because Christ had not yet ascended to the Father, then it says that the Spirit was present, overshadowing the world created by God, the Spirit attracted people, led them, but as if from the outside, knocking as if outside at the door, calling from outside, waiting for a person to respond, because a person was created in such a way that he is able to understand this call and respond.

The difference between what happened in the Church on that particular day and on the day of Pentecost is that the relationship between the Spirit and the Church, the Spirit and each individual member of the Church - take the Apostles for example - was a real dwelling, the Spirit was in them, the Spirit was bound with them ... Again, if you take the image that the Fathers offer: how fire can penetrate iron. It was not an external influence, a voice, as it were, from the outside, it was an internal Presence, unknown to others in this form, in this sense. I do not think that there can be an adequate teaching about the Holy Spirit until everything reaches its fullness and until all of humanity in the person of each of its members shines with the Spirit, becomes His reflection, vision.

Still, the words that sin against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven are very terrible. Sometimes you realize in yourself not just sins, but sinfulness, pride, rebellion, evil will. Where is the line after which we are cut off?

When people contritely tell me that they think their main sin is pride, I usually answer: “Don't worry. You are too shallow to be proud. It's just vanity. " I think when you talk about the Luciferian rebellion, you are talking about what you are incapable of. It seems to me that the rebellion you are talking about is not just self-will, like the capriciousness of a child who does not want to do what should be done. The rebellion that could cut us off from God is not just an act of self-will. This is a deliberate, deliberate action, a decision, and not just a choice based on a momentary mood, but a decisive choice against God.

Scripture tells us that god gives the Spirit without measure(John 3:34), which means: gives Him Everything - to everyone who is ready to receive Him. There is, however, an ancient saying that supplements these words and says that, sadly, we accept Him in his measure. That is, according to the breadth and depth of our heart, our generosity, our ability to surrender as completely as possible, to be faithful to the end, we receive more than if we hesitate, we doubt. Everything is offered, absolutely everything - we can take as much as our heart can accommodate ... We can say that the Holy Spirit dwells in fullness in the Church, and each of us participates in the Holy Spirit to the extent that he is able to perceive and bear It. And I would add that it is not an immutable state; there are times when bad will replaces goodwill. But God never leaves us, unless we say bluntly: “Go away! I chose the other side! ”.

But even then, He will not just walk away with indifference. He will knock at the door of your heart with memories of Himself, with the outbursts of your heart, with His voice, with everything that leads to Him - because we are created so that we are able to respond; He will knock through the circumstances of life, through people ... I would say that each of us can be attributed a phrase from “Shepherd” Hermas, who describes his visions, where his guardian angel (he calls him Shepherd) gives him instructions. And in one place the angel says to him: "Do not be afraid, Herm, God will not leave you until he breaks either your heart or your bones."

In our time, people often do not know about God, about Christianity, but they seek God, turn to Him, as if they know Him in embryo. Someone comes to Christ, someone passes by ...

I do not know what is happening, in what mysterious way the soul is connected with God. I am sure that everyone who calls on God, no matter what name he calls Him, turns to the One God. Let a person pray and turn to an imaginary God, his true God hears ... God responds to what is in a person's heart, not to his mental ideas or insufficient knowledge. But it seems to me that when a person discovered Christ for himself, then at some point all other names should disappear, because in Christ there is something so unique that it cannot be put on a par with any other names. Humanity had great and holy mentors besides Christ, but none of them was and will not be who Christ was: God who came into the world. It’s not that His teaching was the best, it’s all about His personality and the Incarnation.

Translated from English by E. Maidanovich

Cm. Archimandrite Cassien (Besobrasoff).La Pentecњte Johannique. Valence-sur-Rhene, 1939.

You have read the resource “The Holy Spirit”. Read also:

You have read the resource “The Holy Spirit”. See also a video that may interest you: Professor of the Moscow Theological Academy, Doctor of Theology Osipov A.I. about the Holy Spirit

Originally a Hebrew word ruach like Greek pneuma , meant "breath" or "wind", and the meaning "spirit" acquired later. In the New Testament, the word pneum has five meanings:

1. in the main meaning - "wind" - this word is used by Jesus in a conversation with Nicodemus: "The wind blows where it wants ..." (John 3: 8 - trans. NT edited by Bishop Cassian; compare Heb. 1: 7: "making His angels with winds" - trans. NT under the editorship of Bishop Cassian);
2. this word is repeatedly used in the sense of "human soul": "The spirit is willing ..." (Matt 26:41). So, about the daughter of Jairus it is said: “and her spirit returned” (Luke 8:55). The spirit of the apostle Paul "rebelled" at the sight of Athens, "a city full of idols" (Acts 17:16). God's Spirit “bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Rom. 8:16). We should keep our Spirit without blemish (1 Thess. 5:23), etc .;
3. the word pneumata (plural of pneum) occurs in the context “The spirits of the righteous who have attained perfection” (Heb. 12:23) and “the spirits that are in prison” (1 Pet. 3:19);
4. the Bible also speaks of evil spirits: Evil Spirits (Mt 8:16; Acts 19:12) are usually called "unclean" Spirits (Mt 10: 1; Acts 5:16, etc.), divinatory Spirits (Acts 16:16), and also "the spirit of weakness" (Luke 13:11), the Spirit of sleep (Rom 11: 8), etc. In these cases, we are not necessarily talking about a certain person, since the word "spirit" can be used in an allegorical meaning;
5. usually the word pneuma is used in a phrase "Holy Spirit".

II. HOLY SPIRIT

A. THE CREATING SPIRIT OF GOD

The creative Spirit of God creates and sustains all that exists.

Before the universe was created out of the initial chaos, “the Spirit of God hovered over the water” (Gen. 1: 2). There was a creative principle in him that brought to life all that exists. God's Spirit is the breath of God that creates life.

Job 27: 3; 33: 4; Psalm 103: 29 et seq.

This “spirit of life” revived the “scattered bones of Israel” (Eze 37: 1-14) and the two witnesses of God (Rev 11:11). It is like a "word" (logo) who was in the beginning with God, through whom everything was created.

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
(John 1: 1 et seq.)

This creative Word is Christ Himself.

45 So it is written: The first man Adam became a living soul; and the last Adam is a life-giving spirit.
(1 Cor. 15:45)

The identity of Christ and the Holy Spirit is expressed by Paul in the words:

“The Lord is Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:17).

B. DIVINE POWER AFFECTING HUMAN LIFE

The Holy Spirit is God's power to determine and direct the course of human life.

This is recognized even in the Old Testament. God's Spirit gives man understanding.

8 But the spirit in man and the breath of the Almighty give him understanding.
(Job 32: 8)
20 And you gave them your good Spirit to instruct them, and you did not take away your manna from their mouth, and you gave them water to quench their thirst.
(Nehemiah 9:20)
5 My covenant, which I made with you at your departure from Egypt, and my spirit is among you: do not be afraid!
(Agg. 2: 5)

• Man should trust this Spirit (Ps 142: 10)
• He performs great deeds, next to which human efforts seem insignificant (Zech 4: 6)
• He gives extraordinary gifts and abilities to people called to special ministry, for example, artists (Ex 31: 1 et seq.), Judges (Judges 3:10; 6:34, etc.), prophets (Is 59:21), anointed kings. Israel (1 Sam.10: 6,10; 16:13 et seq.)
• Often the Spirit of God descended upon individuals or entire groups, endowing them with the gift of prophecy (1 Samuel 19: 20,23);
• 70 elders received a portion of the Spirit who rested on Moses (Num 11:17)
• The Spirit of Elijah "rested" on Elisha (2 Kings 2:15)
• First of all, the Spirit of God will rest on the Messiah (Isa.11: 1 et seq .; 42: 1)
• The Spirit of God descended on Jesus after His baptism in Jordan (Matt 3:16)
• By the power of this Spirit He healed and did good (Acts 10:38).

This Spirit, resurrected, Jesus breathed into His disciples, saying to them:

“Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22).

When it is said about the earthly life of Jesus: “There was no Spirit yet, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (John 7:39 - trans. NT edited by Bishop Cassian), it means the forthcoming descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost: the condition of this descent was the ascension of Jesus after His sacrificial death and His taking his place at the right hand of God.

Therefore, Jesus could say:

“It is better for you that I go; for if I do not go, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you ”(John 16: 7).

C. CHRIST'S DURING IN THE BELIEVERS

Christ's representative on earth.

In His farewell speeches (John 13:31 - 16:33), Jesus promised the disciples the coming of the Comforter (John 14: 16,26; 15:26; 16: 7), whom He would send after His departure.

Jesus' words: “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you ”(John 14:18) make it clear that Jesus Himself will appear in the promised Comforter to His disciples to dwell in them.

Thus, Christianity knows no other "representative of Christ on earth" except the Holy Spirit, in which Jesus comes to believers. But the world cannot accept Him, because “it does not see Him and does not know Him” (John 14:17).

The World Does Not Receive the Holy Spirit “It is not forever that My Spirit be neglected by men; for they are flesh ”(Genesis 6: 3; cf. Isa 63:10).

The reconciliation brought by Jesus on Calvary opened the way for the Holy Spirit to the hearts of people who accepted Christ's sacrifice and believed in Him. The disciples of Jesus were the first to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit. They were commissioned to remain in Jerusalem and wait until they were clothed with "power from on high."

49 And I will send the promise of my Father upon you; but you remain in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high.
(Luke 24:49)
4 And, having gathered them, he commanded them: do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the promised from the Father, which you heard from me,
(Acts 1: 4)

Descent of the Holy Spirit.

The descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2 chapter) was accompanied by noise, strong winds and "separating, as if tongues of fire." These signs revealed the moving and all-enticing power of the Holy Spirit, its illuminating and cleansing power. At that moment, Jesus' disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit. Thus, Christ ascended to heaven took them into His possession.

The power gained by the disciples is already shown in Peter's preaching; it contributes to the birth of the Church and the unification of its members into a living community

Acts 2: 37-47 4:32 - 5:11

The impact of the descended Holy Spirit.

a) dwelling in a Christian through the Holy Spirit, Christ Himself "glorifies" in him.

14 He will glorify Me, because He will take of Mine and declare it to you.
(John 16:14)

Then what Christ did "for us" on Calvary appears before us in a bright light. We learn from our own experience what the words mean: "you are in Me, and I am in you."

20 On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.
(John 14:20)

The Christian finds a new living space in which he can and must live from that moment: in Christ. The inner world of man is already ruled by another ruler: "and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me."

20 and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And what I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
(Gal. 2:20)

His "Spirit of Truth" will guide us to the truth and herald us the future.

13 When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth: for he will not speak of himself, but he will speak that he hears, and he will declare the future to you.
(John 16:13)

The Holy Spirit is a true teacher who will remind us of the words of Jesus.

26 But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of everything that I have told you.
(John 14:26)

He testifies about Jesus and about His saving deed.

26 But when the Comforter comes, whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me;
(John 15:26)

A believer learns through the Holy Spirit a perfect rebirth, acquires the state that Jesus called mandatory for entry into the Kingdom of God.

3 Jesus answered and said to him: Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith to him: How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
(John 3: 3-5)

From now on he is a "new creature": "the old has passed, now everything is new!"

17 So if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, now everything is new.
(2 Cor. 5:17)

Only now the believing person is fully God's son and possesses the associated freedom, “for all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (Rom. 8:14).

Indeed, there is a “Spirit of adoption” that teaches us to cry: “Abba, Father!”;

15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery, [so that] [to] [live] again in fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by which we cry: "Abba, Father!"
(Rom. 8:15)

b) a believer who has received Christ into himself through the Holy Spirit is called to serve the Lord and receives gifts corresponding to his purpose.

Thus, the disciples, on whom the Holy Spirit descended on the day of Pentecost, were given authority and power so that they could testify to people about Christ.
They "began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
(Acts 2: 4)

The Holy Spirit has endowed believers from the beginning with gifts that empower them to fulfill their mission.

In the first Christian communities, these were the most varied gifts of the Holy Spirit, which later Christians were partially deprived of. About these gifts and their proper use.

They were intended to glorify the Lord and build up His Church. These were gifts of knowledge, testimony, healing, prophecy, discerning of spirits, etc.

8 To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 faith to another, by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healings, by the same Spirit;
10 to another miracles, to another prophecy, to another discernment of spirits, to another different languages, to another interpretation of tongues.
(1 Cor. 12: 8-10)

The Church has all these gifts; each member receives, according to God's will, only those gifts that correspond to his mission.

11 All these things are done by one and the same Spirit, distributing to each separately, as He pleases.
(1 Cor. 12:11)
7 But to each of us grace has been given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
(Eph. 4: 7)

All the multitude of gifts are given by one Holy Spirit.

4 The gifts are different, but the Spirit is the same;
(1 Cor. 12: 4)

And when in Rev 1: 4; 3: 1; 5: 6 speaks of the seven Spirits of God who are before the throne of God, this image means the perfection of the Spirit in all its manifestations;

c) a believer who has received Christ into himself through the Holy Spirit obeys the new law of the Spirit, which frees him in the divinely inspired “life in Christ Jesus” from the old “law of sin and death”.

2 because the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus freed me from the law of sin and death.
(Rom. 8: 2)

Now man lives not "according to the flesh", which determined the life of people before their salvation, but "according to the spirit."

4 that the justification of the law may be fulfilled in us, who do not live according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
(Rom. 8: 4)

That is why Paul calls out to the Galatians: “Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh” (Gal 5:16). Guided by the Spirit, they no longer obey any law, they have royal freedom.

16 but when they turn to the Lord, then this veil is removed.
(2 Cor. 3:16)
18 But if you are led by the spirit, then you are not under the law.
(Gal. 5:18)

• He instructs him (Rev. 3: 6,13,22),
• denounces his secret sins (Acts 5: 1-11; 1 Cor. 14:24 et seq.),
• strengthens him in prayers, intercedes for him with “groanings that cannot be uttered” (Rom. 8:26).

The fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, mercy, faith, meekness, temperance

18 And Simon, seeing that the Holy Spirit was given by the laying on of the apostles' hands, brought them money,
19 saying, Give me this power also, that he on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.
20 But Peter said to him: Let your silver be with you in perdition, because you thought you would receive the gift of God for money.
(Acts 8: 17-20)

The prerequisites for receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit are repentance and conversion to Jesus Christ in faith.

38 Peter said to them: Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
(Acts 2:38)

The baptism mentioned here ("... and let each of you be baptized ...") symbolizes conversion to Christ. The Christian must be filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18) and not “quench the spirit” (1 Thess 5:19).

18 And do not get drunk with wine, from which there is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit,
(Ephesians 5:18)
19 Quench not the Spirit.
(1 Thess.5: 19)

But as Jesus said, “whoever has, to him will be given and he will increase; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. "

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

31 Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men;
32 if anyone speaks a word against the Son of Man, he will be forgiven; if anyone speaks to the Holy Spirit, he will not be forgiven either in this century or in the future.
(Matthew 12: 31.32)

You probably already know or have heard something about the Holy Spirit. It's time to get to know Him better. What does the Scripture say about Him? Is the Holy Spirit God's power, the embodiment of Divine energy, or is He a Person?

WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?

No mystery occupies the human mind so much as the question of the nature of God.

“Oh, the abyss of the wealth and wisdom and knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are His judgments and past tracing His ways! " (Romans 11:33).

Let's open the biblical texts that speak of the essence, character and mission of the Holy Spirit.

At the very beginning of Holy Scripture, when it tells about how God created the earth, there is a mention of the Holy Spirit.

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness was over the abyss, and the Spirit of God hovered over the water ”(according to another translation -“ hovered over the chaos of the waters ”) (Genesis 1: 1,2).

Having once created an endless multitude of worlds, God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit to this day do not stop their creative activity, giving life to every earthly and heavenly being: “The Spirit of God created me, and the breath of the Almighty gave me life” (Job 33: 4).

The Bible also says that the Holy Spirit is omnipresent and works in this world, saving people from eternal destruction: “Where will I go from Your Spirit and where will I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven - you are there; if I go down into the underworld - and there you are. If I take the wings of the dawn and move to the edge of the sea, then Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will hold me ”(Psalms 139: 7-10).

After the resurrection and ascension of Christ, the Holy Spirit became His personal representative in our world. Before ascending to heaven to His Father, Jesus said to His disciples: “It is better for you that I go; for if I do not go, the Comforter will not come to you, but if I go, I will send Him to you ”(Gospel of John 16: 7).

Our earthly mind is not given to fully understand the essence of the Holy Spirit. In a conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus compared His influence on the human heart with a light breath of wind:

“The Spirit (in another translation -“ wind ”) breathes where it wants, and you hear its voice, but you don't know where it comes from and where it goes: this is the case with everyone who is born of the Spirit” (Gospel of John 3: 8).

One with God the Father and the Son, He knows all the secrets of this world. Our future is open to Him: “The Spirit permeates everything, and the depths of God. For who among men knows what is in a man, besides the human spirit that lives in him? Likewise, no one knows God except the Spirit of God ”(1 Corinthians 2: 10,11); “When He comes, the Spirit of truth ... will declare the future to you” (Gospel of John 16:13); “For the prophecy was never uttered according to the will of man, but God's holy men spoke it, being moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). Holy Scripture tells us about the love of the Spirit, about His beneficial, transforming and saving influence on a person: “... I beg you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of the Spirit, to strive with me in prayers for me to God ... because the love of God she was poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which was given to us ”(Romans 15:30; 5: 5); “He saved us not by works of righteousness that we would have done, but by His mercy, by the bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, which He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Epistle to Titus 3: 5,6).

The saving mission of the Holy Spirit is to convict people of sin upon coming to our fallen world. With love, relentlessly, through the voice of conscience, life circumstances, through other people and the Holy Word, He leads us to repentance and acceptance of God's forgiveness. Jesus Christ says about the Holy Spirit: “And He, having come, will convict the world about sin and about righteousness and about judgment: about sin, that they do not believe in Me; about righteousness, that I am going to my Father ... about judgment, because the prince of this world has been condemned "(Gospel of John 16: 8-11).

The Holy Spirit also comforts, sustains, and inspires loyal people by guiding their lives and helping them spread the light of the truth of salvation through Jesus:

“But the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee and Samaria were at rest, being edified and walking in the fear of the Lord; and, with the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they multiplied ”(Acts of the Holy Apostles 9:31);

“And they will lead you to rulers and kings for Me, for a testimony before them and the Gentiles. When they betray you, do not worry how or what to say; for in that hour it will be given you something to say, for you will not speak, but the Spirit of your Father will speak in you "(Gospel of Matthew 10: 18-20).

The Comforter lifts up our prayers to the throne of the Lord and Himself intercedes for us with Christ: “Likewise, the Spirit also strengthens us in our weaknesses; for we do not know what to pray for, as we ought to, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings inexpressible. But he who tries his heart knows what the Spirit has, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God ”(Romans 8: 26,27).

So, we see that the Spirit of God is spoken of in the Bible as a special Person, constantly dwelling among people and carrying out God's plan on earth.

The Holy Spirit is one of the Personalities of the Triune God, the Holy Trinity. He has life in Himself and divine essence. He stands on the same level with God the Father and God the Son, as the Holy Scripture says about it: “So, go teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Gospel of Matthew 28:19) ; “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:13).

PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF CHRIST

Speaking for the last time with Jesus before His ascension, listening to His parting words, the disciples suddenly felt alone and forsaken. However, the Savior did not leave them without hope and support, having promised them the Holy Spirit.

"And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever, the Spirit of truth ... I will not leave you orphans" (Gospel of John 14: 16-18).

The incarnation of Jesus Christ, His birth, baptism, service to people - all are marked by the blessed presence of the Holy Spirit. Taking upon Himself a weak human flesh and not taking advantage of His divine nature, Jesus especially needed His help and strength. It is also promised to us if we accept God into our hearts.

According to the divine plan, Jesus was destined to ascend to heaven after the resurrection, “To present himself today for us before the face of God” (Hebrews 9:24). As the Holy Scripture says, “We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous One” (1 John 2: 1). Thus, in heaven we have a Great Mediator - the Son of God, thanks to whom we have the opportunity to make requests for forgiveness and blessing to God the Father. The Representative of heaven in the person of the Holy Spirit was sent to earth to us.

“But I tell you the truth: it is better for you that I go; for if I do not go, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you ”(Gospel of John 16: 7).

SAVING POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit revives us to a new life. Without His presence, the human heart cannot change. Only the Spirit transforms our sinful nature into the likeness of God:

“... truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (Gospel of John 3: 5).

Convictions of the Holy Spirit help us see our present state and feel the great need for forgiveness and healing that Heaven offers.

“And when He comes, He will convict the world of sin and righteousness and judgment” (Gospel of John 16: 8).

The voice of the invisible Friend speaks to our hearts, helping to make the right choice: "And your ears will hear the word that says behind you:" this is the way, walk along it "if you deviated to the right and if you deviated to the left" (Isaiah 30 : 21).

“When He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth; for he will not speak of himself, but he will speak that he hears, and the future will declare to you. He will glorify Me, because He will take of Mine and declare it to you ”(Gospel of John 16:13, 14).

The Holy Spirit leads people to Jesus, revealing to them His redemptive mission and fulfilling the wonderful promise of the Savior: “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to Me” (John 12:32).

Hearing a voice in the telephone receiver, a person feels the proximity of his interlocutor, as if he was standing next to him, although they are separated by a great distance. By pressing the switch button, an invisible current is applied to the light bulb, and the room in the dark is illuminated by a stream of light.

Both of these examples can be compared to the work of the Holy Spirit. It is He who invisibly, with his quiet, gentle voice, introduces us into the presence of Christ, and it is through Him that we receive spiritual light from the Father. All Divine power is directed to the salvation of a sinful person today. The Spirit of God works tirelessly in us and for us to bring about our transformation.

"... not by armies and not by might, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts" (Zechariah 4: 6).

"... He dwells with you and will be in you" (Gospel of John 14:17).

THE COMPLETENESS OF THE GIFT

On the day of the feast of Pentecost, Christ's disciples received a special precious gift from God. The Comforter, the Holy Spirit, was sent to them.

If during the baptism of Jesus the Spirit descended on Him in the form of a dove, then at Pentecost He took the form of a burning flame: “And tongues that separated themselves appeared to them, as it were, of fire” (Acts of the Holy Apostles 2: 3). Having received the Holy Spirit, the apostles began to speak in other languages, thanks to which they were able to tell about Christ to more than twenty nations who were on that day in Jerusalem for the feast.

Thus the prophecy of the Lord was fulfilled: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be witnesses to Me ”(Acts of the Holy Apostles 1: 8).

The Lord says about Himself in the Holy Scriptures: “I will be the dew to Israel; he will blossom like a lily, and take root like Lebanon ”(Hosea 14: 6).

Just as rain or dew saturates the earth, nourishes the seeds and awakens new life in them, the Spirit of God fills the word left by Christ with life-giving power and transfers it to people. This was the meaning of what happened on the day of Pentecost. Only the Holy Spirit, penetrating into the very heart of man, could lead people to the realization of their sinfulness, to the question: "What should we do, brothers and sisters?" (Acts of the Holy Apostles 2:37).

In response, they heard from Peter: “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit ”(Acts of the Holy Apostles 2:38).

Jesus gives His great gift to someone who has made the decision to turn from sin. Only through the power of the Spirit of God can people respond to the call to repentance. The Holy Spirit, acting on our conscience and convicting of sin, leads us to strive to change our life, fill it with meaning, receive inner renewal and liberation. Our openness to the Holy Spirit also depends on how well we keep the commandments of the Lord. Where the Spirit of God dwells, there is no room for sin. Conversely, persisting in sin casts out the presence of the Spirit of God.

“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him and does not know Him; and you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you ”(Gospel of John 14: 15-17).

A person waiting for the gift of the Holy Spirit and at the same time deliberately violating the Creator's law is on the wrong path. While wanting to take advantage of God's blessing, he does not want to heed the convictions of the voice of Heaven. The apostle Paul addresses such people: "Or do you neglect the riches of God's goodness, meekness and longsuffering, not realizing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?" (Romans 2: 4).

Let's not forget that there are also evil spirits, that is, Satan and his dark angels. They resist the Holy Spirit, counterfeiting Him and deceiving people. One who expects the Lord's gifts for himself, but does not see his need for repentance, is in great danger. Instead of these gifts, he can receive a deceptive feeling instilled in him by the angels of Satan.

“Beloved! believe not every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are of God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world ”(1 John 4: 1).

“Look to law and revelation. If they do not speak like this word, then there is no light in them ”(Isaiah 8:20).

So, the Holy Scripture speaks of false teachers and spirits who mislead a person. The Book of God warns that before the Second Coming of Christ there will come a time of global deception of mankind, when all who rejected the pure biblical truth will be deceived by a false spirit and led away from the path of salvation.

“And then the wicked will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the spirit of His mouth and destroy with the manifestation of His coming - the one whose coming, according to the action of Satan, will be with all power and signs, and false wonders, and with all unrighteous deception of those who perish because they did not receive the love of the truth for their salvation ”(2 Thessalonians 2: 8-10).

TRUE FREEDOM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

“We are the seed of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone,” the Jews declared to Jesus in response to His call: "And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free" (Gospel of John 8: 32,33). They did not understand that inwardly they were in a humiliating bondage to sin and Satan.

Offering them real freedom, the Savior said: “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. But a slave does not dwell in the house forever; the son abides forever. So, if the Son sets you free, you will truly be free ”(Gospel of John 8: 34-36).

How can we get this true freedom? Here's what the Bible says: “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:17).

Being born of the Holy Spirit, the believer gains a new, special relationship with God. The feeling of guilt and fear of punishment is replaced by trusting love for the heavenly Father, confidence in His care and protection.

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Romans 8:14).

“And as you are sons, God has sent His Son Spirit into your hearts, crying:“ Abba, Father! ” Therefore, you are no longer a slave, but a son; but if he is a son, then he is also the heir of God through Jesus Christ ”(Galatians 4: 6,7).

"Abba" is translated from Hebrew as "daddy". We address our parents in this way only if we have a very warm, tender relationship with them. It is to such a relationship with the Heavenly Father that the Holy Spirit calls us.

“We know that everyone who is born of God does not sin; but he who is born of God keeps himself, and the evil one does not touch him ”(1 John 5:18).

This is where true freedom lies. Having a close relationship with the Lord, we no longer depend on sin and do not feel attracted to it, since what Heaven endows us with, immeasurably surpasses all the riches and pleasures of this world.

The perfect harmony in which the three Persons of God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - are, is reflected in the heart of a believer. Communicating with the Holy Spirit, he becomes one with God in his feelings, thoughts and desires.

FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Bible says: “Every tree is known by its fruit, thereforethat they do not pick figs from the thorns and do not take grapes from the bushes "(Gospel of Luke 6:44)... Just as a well-groomed tree, grown with care, pleases its owner with good fruits, so a person who has received the Spirit of God invariably begins to bear the fruits of Divine righteousness. Unlike the feelings that this world gives, along with the Holy Spirit, “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, mercy, faith, meekness, temperance” settle in the heart of a person (Epistle to Galatians 5: 22,23) ...

The fruits of the Spirit in our hearts testify that we are grafted into the Divine Vine: “I am the Vine, and you are the branches; He who abides in Me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit; for apart from me you can do nothing ”(Gospel of John 15: 5).

Of the fruits of the Spirit listed by the apostle Paul, the first and most amazing gift is love. "... Because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, given to us" (Romans 5: 5). God's love in us is very different from human love. We usually love those who love us, and our feelings are conditional and selfish. But the love given by the Lord is disinterested and unconditional. It elevates and ennobles a person, making him truly happy. Here is how one of Christ's disciples, the Apostle Paul, describes it: “Love is longsuffering, merciful, love does not envy, love is not exalted, is not proud, does not rage, does not seek its own, does not get irritated, does not think evil, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth ; Covers everything, believes everything, hopes everything, endures everything. Love never fails ”(1 Corinthians 13: 4-8).

A loving Christian spreads around him joy and peace that overflows his heart. It is impossible to lament and be discouraged by accepting all that God does for us. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in faith, so that you, by the power of the Holy Spirit, may be enriched with hope ... For the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13; 14:17).

“Love is longsuffering, does not envy, does not boast, does not pride itself, does not rampage, does not seek its own,” says the Apostle Paul, who has learned from his own experience what it means to bear fruit of meekness and longsuffering. Let's take a look at his biography:

“I… was in labor, immeasurably in wounds, more in dungeons and many times dying. From the Jews five times I was given forty blows, without one; three times they beat me with sticks, once they stoned me, three times I suffered a shipwreck, I spent night and day in the depths of the sea; I have been many times on journeys, in dangers on rivers, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from fellow tribesmen, in dangers from pagans, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the desert, in dangers at sea, in dangers between false brethren, in labor and in exhaustion, often in vigil, in hunger and thirst, often in fasting, in the cold and in nakedness ... In Damascus, the regional ruler of King Aretha guarded the city of Damascus in order to seize me; and in a basket I was lowered from the window on the wall and escaped his hands ”(2 Corinthians 11: 23-27,32).

If the Spirit of God lives in us, we can endure a lot and remain happy, following in the footsteps of Christ, who once “humiliated Himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming like men and looking like a man; He humbled Himself, being obedient even to death, and the death of the cross ”(Epistle to Philippians 2: 7,8).

A person born of the Spirit is characterized by kindness and mercy. One who has become involved in Divine love will never be able to calmly pass by injustice and untruth. “You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord: act like children of light, for the fruit of the Spirit consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth” (Ephesians 5: 8,9).

Faith is also the result of the Holy Spirit acting on the human heart. She maintains our purity in this world of evil, gives hope for the future and helps to accomplish the great and even the impossible. Scripture says a lot about the meaning and power of faith. Here are some verses: “... and above all, take the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the fiery arrows of the wicked one” (Ephesians 6:16); "... the righteous shall live by his faith" (Book of the Prophet Habakkuk 2: 4). "May he grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be firmly established by His Spirit in the inner man, by faith to dwell in Christ in your hearts" (Epistle to Ephesians 3: 16,17); “And whatever you ask for in prayer in faith, you will receive” (Gospel of Matthew 21:22).

Another very important fruit of the Spirit is self-control. A person who has cognized God's grace is ready to give up a lot. In the battle with the flesh, with the unrighteous desires and sinful principles of this world, he is armed with the Holy Spirit. By His Power, he can resist all temptations and temptations. This is what the apostle Paul writes about this: “But if Christ is in you, then the body is dead to sin, but the spirit is alive to righteousness” (Romans 8:10).

So we see that the Christian who has the Spirit of God in him brings the fruits of righteousness to the Lord. They testify to the whole world about the power of Christ's promises: “Whoever believes in Me, as it is said in the Scripture, rivers of living water will flow from his belly. He said these things about the Spirit, which those who believed in Him had to receive ... I came so that they might have life and have it in abundance "(Gospel of John 7: 38,39; 10:10).

How can we have abundant life? The Bible says:

“So put on, as the elect of God, saints and beloved, in mercy, goodness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, condescending to one another and forgiving each other, if anyone has a complaint against whom: as Christ forgave you, so you. Above all, put on love, which is the totality of perfection ”(Colossians 3: 12-14).

GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Christians who serve the Lord and others are endowed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

“... and it is said:“ He ascended to the height, captured captivity and gave gifts to men ”... And He appointed some as Apostles, others as prophets, others as Evangelists, others as shepherds and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the building up of the Body of Christ ”(Epistle to Ephesians 4: 8,11-12).

“The gifts are different, but the Spirit is the same; and the offices are different, but the Lord is the same; and actions are different, but God is one and the same, working everything in everyone. But everyone is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the benefit. One is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; faith to another, by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healings, by the same Spirit; to another miracles, to another prophecy, to another discernment of spirits, to another different languages, to another interpretation of tongues. Yet one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one separately, as He pleases ”(1 Corinthians 12: 4-11).

As you can see, the Lord does not endow everyone with the same gifts, but distributes them “To each one separately, as he pleases” (1 Corinthians 12:11). What is given to one is complemented by what is given to another.

Among God's gifts, Paul names wisdom, knowledge, faith, the gift of healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits. There is the gift of speaking in other languages \u200b\u200band interpreting them. In the days of the first Christians, it was very relevant, since the language barrier was a serious obstacle to the spread of the gospel message. The apostle was alarmed by the opinion prevailing in the Corinthian church that the gift of tongues was the most significant of all gifts. On this basis, there was even a division between the believers. Paul tried to make it clear that true spiritual gifts are in harmony with each other and that the manifestation of one of them in no way devalues \u200b\u200bthe other. A misunderstanding of gifts and the lofty purpose for which they are sent to the church can lead its members to disorder, confusion and division. We do not force the Holy Spirit to act according to our will, but He distributes gifts between us as He deems it necessary: \u200b\u200b“So that there is no division in the body, and all members take equal care of each other ... Until we all come into the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son God, into a perfect man, according to the full age of Christ ”(1 Corinthians 12:25; Ephesians 4:13).

EARLY AND LATE RAIN

“And you children of Zion, rejoice and be glad in the Lord your God;for He will give you rain in proportion and will send you rain, the early and the latter rain ... ”(Joel 2:23).

The people of Palestine understood the importance of the early and late rains. The early rains prepared the ground for sowing. Late rains gave the opportunity to ripen the harvest. It happened that the Lord, punishing the Israelites for apostasy, kept them from timely rains, and then famine set in in the country. The dried up fields denounced the apostates, pointing out to them their inner barrenness and emptiness. Often such harsh measures helped, and repentant sinners returned to the true Source of life. With what hope they listened then to the prophetic promises of rain, and how strong was their joy when, as a sign of forgiveness and mercy, the land was finally watered with the long-awaited precious streams! “O God, you poured abundant rain on your inheritance, and when it was weary of labor, You strengthened it.” - Psalm 67:10.

The descent of the Holy Spirit on the first disciples of Jesus on the day of Pentecost was the “early rain”, when the Christian church was still in its infancy and it was necessary to give life-giving power to the sown seeds of the Gospel. Centuries have passed since then. The Bible and the message of salvation it contains are spreading throughout the earth. The time for the "late rain" is approaching. He will have to water the ripening ears and prepare them for the final harvest, which “ there is the end of the age ”(Gospel of Matthew 13:39). This is how the prophecy describes the moment when the Holy Spirit will again descend on Christians:

“And it will come to pass after that, I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy; your elders will have dreams, and your young men will see visions ”(Joel 2:28).

Shortly before the Second Coming of Christ, the Comforter will manifest His regenerating power in every person who has repented of his sins, and will prepare him for eternal life. Anyone who is not ready to accept this great gift of God will lose everything. Already today we need to have a strong connection with Heaven and abide in the Spirit of truth so as not to be deprived of the blessings of the latter rain and to enter God's granary during the final harvest.

“Sow yourself in righteousness and reap mercy; open up your new wine, for it is time to seek the Lord, so that when He comes, He will rain down on you the righteousness ”(Hosea 10:12);

“Ask the Lord for rain at a good time; The Lord will flash with lightning and give you abundant rain, each grain in the field ”(Zechariah 10: 1);

"... you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be witnesses to me ... to the ends of the earth" (Acts of the Holy Apostles 1: 8).

PRAYER FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Spirit of God does not suppress or dissolve the personality of a person in Himself, does not enslave his consciousness. He comes as a loving, caring Friend and speaks to us through reason, feelings and conscience. He illuminates our inner world with His wonderful light. The Holy Spirit respects our freedom and never imposes Himself. Therefore, we ourselves need to daily invite Him into our hearts and ask God the Father for His constant presence and action in us.

"...Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you, for everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Which of you is a father, when a son asks for bread, will give him a stone? or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or, if he asks for an egg, will he serve him a scorpion? So, if you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him "(Gospel of Luke 11: 9-13).

The Holy Spirit is the greatest of all gifts of God. If we turn to the Lord with a request for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, He will never refuse us this. Earthly parents can sometimes turn away from their children, but the One who gave His Only Begotten Son to die for us will never ignore the prayer of a languishing soul.

“Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Return to me the joy of Thy salvation and establish me with the Spirit of dominion "(Psalm 50: 13-14), - we repeat after David and in response we receive a wonderful promise: "... for God does not give the Spirit by measure" (Gospel of John 3:34).

So, the Holy Spirit is one of the Personalities of the Divine Trinity. He is the representative of Christ on earth and was sent to us with a special mission - to prepare God's people for eternal life. He convicts, consoles, instructs, encourages, guides a person's path, gives him wisdom and true freedom from sin. A person who is born of the Spirit receives adoption from God and brings forth the fruits of righteousness that are pleasing to Him. The Holy Spirit rules the church, empowering its members with the skills and talents needed to spread the gospel and grow spiritually. Not long before the Second Coming of Christ, He will manifest Himself in a special way.

We conclude with a wonderful biblical promise about the Holy Spirit: “If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, then He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies by His Spirit who dwells in you” (Romans 8:11 ).

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit with you all. Amen ”(2 Corinthians 13:13).

“My dear Heavenly Father! I thank You for the greatest gift that You send to every person, the gift of Your Holy Spirit. God, give me a Comforter to lead me by the hand in this life, revealing Your love and wisdom. May He convict me of sin and lead me to repentance. Teach you how to hear and distinguish His voice, like the gentle blow of the wind. In the name ofJesus please. Amen".

• Jn. 4:24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.
• 2 Cor. 3:17 Lord is Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom

Named in Scripture

Shine

• Isaiah 60:19 The sun will no longer serve you as the light of day, and the radiance of the moon will shine upon you; but The Lord will be your eternal lightand your God - by your glory.
• Jac. 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift comes down from above, from Of the father of lightswho has no change and no shadow of change.
• 1In. 1: 5 And this is the gospel that we have heard from Him and proclaim to you: God is lightand there is no darkness in Him.

Love

• 1In. 4: 8 He who does not love has not known God, because God is love.
• 1In. 4:16 And we have come to know the love that God has for us and believed in it. God is loveand he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

Invisible

• Job 23: 8-9 But behold, I go forward - and He is not, back - and I do not find Him; 9 whether He is doing what on the left side, I do not see; whether it is hiding on the right, I do not see.

Unsearchable

• Job 11: 7 Can You Search For God? Can you fully comprehend the Almighty?
• Job 37:23 Almighty! we do not comprehend Him. He is great in power, judgment and fullness of justice. He [anyone] does not oppress.
• Ps. 144: 3 The Lord is great and praiseworthy, and his greatness is unsearchable.
• Is. 40:28 Don't you know? Have you not heard that the eternal Lord God, who made the ends of the earth, is not weary and faint? his mind is untraceable.
• Rome. 11:33 Oh, the abyss of the wealth and wisdom and knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are His destinies and his ways are unsearchable!

Imperishable

• Rome. 1:23 and glory incorruptible god changed into an image like a perishable man, and birds, and four-legged, and reptiles, -

Ancient

• Tue 33:27 Your refuge is an ancient God, and you are under everlasting arms; He will drive the enemies away from your face and say: Destroy!
• Ps. 89: 3 Before the mountains were born, and You formed the earth and the universe, and from time to time you are God.
• Open 4: 8-10 And each of the four animals had six wings around, and inside they were full of eyes; and they have no rest day or night, crying out: holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, is, and is coming. 9 And when the animals give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives for ever and ever, 10 then the twenty-four elders fall before Him who lives on the throne, and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and sets their crowns before the throne, saying:

Immortal

• 1 Tim. 6:16 the only one who has immortality, Who dwells in an unapproachable light, Which no man has seen or can see. Honor and eternal power to him! Amen.

Omnipotent

• Gen. 17: 1 Abram was ninety-nine years old, and the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him: I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless ...
• Ref. 6: 3 I poured myself into Abraham, Isaac and Jacob with the name "God Almighty", but with My name "Lord" did not reveal Himself to them ...

Omniscient

• Ps. 138: 1-6 1 To the director of the choir. Psalm of David. Lord! You have tested me and you know. 2 You know when I sit down and when I get up; You understand my thoughts from afar. 3 Whether I walk or rest - You surround me, and all my ways are known to You. 4 There is still no word in my tongue - You, Lord, already know it perfectly. 5 Behind and in front you embrace me, and lay your hand on me. 6 Marvelous for me is your knowledge, - high, I cannot comprehend it!
• Proverbs 5:21 For the ways of man are in the sight of the Lord, and he measures all his paths.

Ubiquitous

• Ps. 138: 7 Where can I go from Thy Spirit, and where can I flee from Thy presence?
• Jer. 23:23 Am I God [only] near, says the Lord, and not God in the distance?

Unaltered

• Ps. 101: 27-28 they will perish, but You will remain; and they all, like a garment, will become old, and like a garment, you will change them, and they will change; 28 but you are the same, and your years will not end.

The only wise

• Rome. 16:27
• 1 Tim. 1:17 But to the King of ages incorruptible, invisible, only wise God, honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Glorious

• Ref. 15:11 Who is like You, Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, honored in praises, doing wonders?
• Ps. 144: 5 But I will meditate on the high glory of Thy majesty and on Thy wondrous works.

The supreme

• Ps. 82:19 and let them know that you, whose only name is Jehovah, is the Most High over all the earth.
• Acts. 7:48 But the Most High does not live in temples made with hands, as the prophet says ...

Perfect

• Mat. 5:48 So be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.

Saint

• Ps. 98: 9 Exalt the Lord our God, and worship on His holy mountain, for holy lord, Our God.
• Is. 5:16 but the Lord of hosts will be exalted in judgment, and Holy god manifest His holiness in righteousness.

Righteous

• Tue 32: 4 He is a rock; His works are perfect, and all His ways are righteous; God is faithful, and there is no unrighteousness in Him; He is righteous and true ...
• Is. 45:21 Declare and say, having consulted among yourself: who has proclaimed this from ancient times, said this in advance? Am I not, Lord? and there is no other God besides Me, a just God and a Savior; there is none besides Me.
• Ps. 24: 8 The Lord is good and righteous, therefore he instructs sinners on the way,
• Ps. 91:16 to proclaim that the Lord is righteous my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
• Ps. 144: 17 The Lord is righteous in all His ways and good in all His works.
• Ezra. 9:15 Lord God of Israel! You are righteous. For we have survived to this day; and behold, we are in our iniquity before Thy face, although after this we should not have stood before Thy face.

True

• Jer. 10:10 And the Lord God is the truth; He is the living God and the eternal King. The earth trembles with His wrath, and the nations cannot endure His indignation.
• Jn. 17: 3 This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You sent.

Good

• Ps. 24: 8 The Lord is good and righteous, therefore he instructs sinners on the way ...
• Ps. 118: 68 Thou art good and beneficent - teach me Thy statutes.

Great

• 2 years old. 2: 5
• Ps. 85:10 For Thou art great and do wonders, Thou, O God, Thou alone.

Merciful

• Ref. 34: 6 And the Lord passed before him and cried out: The Lord, the Lord, God is loving and merciful, longsuffering and many-merciful and true ...
• Ps. 114: 5 The Lord is merciful and righteous, and our God is merciful.

Right

• 1 Cor. 10:13 You are not tempted other than human; and God is faithful, Who will not allow you to be tempted beyond your strength, but when tempted, He will also give relief so that you can bear it.
• 1 Pet. 4:19 Let them therefore, those who suffer according to the will of God, surrender their souls to Him as a faithful Creator, doing good.

Gracious

• Ref. 34: 6-7 And the Lord passed before him and cried: The Lord, the Lord, God is loving and merciful, long-suffering and many-merciful and true, 7 retaining mercy in thousands [generations], forgiving guilt and crime and sin, but not leaving without punishment , punishing the guilt of fathers in children and in children of children up to the third and fourth kind.

Long-suffering

• Num. 14:18 The Lord is long-suffering and merciful, forgiving iniquity and transgressions, and not leaving without punishment, but punishing the iniquity of the fathers in children up to the third and fourth generation.

Zealot

• Navin 24:19 Jesus said to the people: You will not be able to serve the Lord, for He is a holy God, a jealous God, will not tolerate your iniquity and your sins.
• Nahum 1: 2 The Lord is a jealous God and avenger; The Lord is avenger and terrible in anger: the Lord avenges His enemies and will not spare His opponents.

Compassionate

• 4 Kings. 13:23 But the Lord had compassion on them, and had mercy on them, and turned to them for the sake of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and did not want to destroy them, and did not reject them from His face until now.

Consuming fire

• Heb. 12:29 because our God is a consuming fire.

None before him

• Tue 4:35 It is given to you to see [this], so that you know that [only] the Lord is God, [and] there is none yet besides Him;
• Is. 44: 6-7 Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: I am the first and I am the last, and apart from me there is no God, 7 for who is like me? Let him tell, proclaim and present to Me [everything] in order from the time when I organized the ancient people, or let them proclaim the coming and future.

Not one after him

• Is. 43:10 But My witnesses, says the Lord, you and My servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me, and understand that it is I: before Me there was no God, and after Me there will not be.

No one like him

• Ref. 9:14 For this time I will send all My plagues in your heart, and on your servants, and on your people, so that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth.
• Deut. 33:26 There is none like the God of Israel, who in heaven was brought to help you and in His glory in the clouds ...
• 2Kings 7:22 Thou art great in everything, my Lord, Lord! for there is none like Thee, and there is no God but Thee, in all that we have heard with our ears.
• Isaiah 46: 5 To whom will you liken me, and with whom will you compare, and with whom will you compare, so that we may be alike?
• Isaiah 46: 9 Remember the former, from the beginning of the age, for I am God, and there is no other God, and there is none like Me.

Nobody is good like him

• Mat. 19:17 And he said to him, Why do you call Me good? No one is good but God alone. If you want to enter into eternal life, keep the commandments.

Fills heaven and earth

• 3Kings. 8:27 Truly, does God live on earth? The heavens and the heavens of the heavens do not contain You, the less this temple that I have built.
• Jer. 23:24 Can a person hide in a secret place where I would not see him? says the Lord. Am I filling heaven and earth? says the Lord.

Worship in Spirit and Truth

• Jn. 4:24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.