A Breath of Fresh Air
EMPOWERED – Message #1
INTRODUCTION:
I often find myself running low on strength, passion, and energy in life. It’s as though I can get used up so quickly (physically, emotionally, and even spiritually). Maybe it’s because my natural reserves are simply too limited. Life just has a way of requiring so much — and then calling for more. And, unless we are continually being replenished, we will find ourselves spent and exhausted, with little or nothing to offer. For even on our best days we lack what is need to accomplish all that God has called us to do in this life. We lack in ourselves the ability to live every moment for His glory.
At times life is like a trek, a hike, a journey up a steep mountain — in which after a while we find our lungs burning and our legs tightening with the stress of the load, leaving us breathless. In moments like that, what is most needed is a BREATH OF FRESH AIR. And that’s just what God has promised to give you. A breath of fresh air to fill your spiritual lungs, enabling you to find the strength to ascend the mountains before you and fulfill the call on your life.
But that promise must be embraced and welcomed into your life each and every day.
TRANSITION:
Some time ago I came across a story that I think parallels the way some of us think about the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives. It’s a story about a wealthy plantation owner and one of his former slaves. According to the story, one day the plantation owner died — leaving an inheritance of $50,000 to the former slave who had served him faithfully his entire life. The amount was almost unimaginable to the man, as $50,000 during that day would be equivalent to about half a million dollars in today’s economy.
Well, after several weeks, the estate’s lawyer notified the aged former slave and informed him of the money he had been given. He further noted that the money had been deposited into a local bank account (in his name), and that he could access the funds whenever he needed them.
Several months passed and the money was never touched. More than that — the man never even inquired about it. He never should to invest it, use it, or share it. Well, the bank thought this strange — but did nothing about it.
Several years passed by, and in time the banker himself called the elderly man to explain that he now possessed a very large account of resources which was just sitting idle. He told the man how he had could use the funds any way he wanted…that they were completely available for him to draw upon at any time.
The old man thought for a few moments and then asked the banker, “Sir, might you be able to spare me $0.50 so I could buy a sack of cornmeal?”
So here’s my point, just as that man had been made heir to an unlimited supply of resources — but failed to comprehend, or appropriate it in his life. So also, you and I have been given a gift — made an heir to the Kingdom of God. And the most dynamic resource we’ve ever been given is the very presence and power of the Holy Spirit. For He resides within us — just waiting to be accessed and employed in our daily lives.
Understand —God has given us much. He has promised us more than we could imagine. So, may we live up to the level of his presence and power in our lives!
MESSAGE:
There’s a story in Acts chapter 19, where Paul and his traveling companion encounter some new Christians. And when they begin to speak with them, they ask them a very important question. They ask they about their understanding of the person and work of the Holy Spirit. Listen to how this conversation went. Again, this is Acts 19:1-2. Here Luke tells us,
“While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
Acts 19:1-2 (NIV)
As your pastor, I want to make sure that you never find yourself in the position of these new disciples. I don’t want you to be uninformed about the person or the work of the Holy Spirit. And so, just as Paul and Apollos introduced those men to the Holy Spirit, today I want to introduce you to the Holy Spirit.
So, if you have your Bible, turn with me to John chapter 14. I want to take you to one of the places where Jesus introduced the concept of living a Spirit-filled life. In this chapter, we find Jesus talking with His followers about a change that was coming. A day when He would send His Holy Spirit to take His place on the earth. Look with me at verse 16. Here Jesus says.
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[c] in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”
23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. 25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14:16-27 (NIV)
This passage tells us two things about the Holy Spirit — who He is and what He does. And that’s where I want us to begin this morning.
WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?
In verse 16, Jesus says,
“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever…”
In verse 16, Jesus told His followers that a day was coming when things would change. Up until that point, they had gotten very comfortable with Him being with them. They trusted Him, they listened to Him, they followed Him. And everywhere Jesus went — the disciples went with Him.
But Jesus was letting them know that things were going to be changing. Now, no one really likes change — unless it’s there idea. But this was Jesus idea. This was His plan from the beginning. He was going to die, rise again, and then ascend into the heavens. He was going to be leaving them — but He wasn’t going to leave them helpless or alone. In fact, He says, when He goes away — He would ask the Father (God the Father) to send them “another” advocate. Up until that time, Jesus had been their advocate. He had stood for them. He had blessed them. He had talked with them. He had led them. He had given them the words to pray. He had loved them. But He was going to be leaving them so that He could send them “another”.
Another, who would take his place. Another, who would be with them!
Where Jesus had walked with them, this one would dwell in them! So, what did He mean by “another”? Well, there were two ways of saying “another” in Jesus’ day.
— One way meant — I will ask God to give you “another” — of a different kind. Something new and different than what you had before.
— But the word that Jesus used actually meant — I will ask God to give you “another”, another one of the same, one like me, to come and comfort and empower, and dwell with you.
Remember, Jesus was prepping His disciples for His departure. He was leaving, but He was saying, although I am going to be leaving — I am going to ask the Father to send you “another” like me — one who will do what I’ve done and be like me, to come alongside you to help you, to lead you, to guide you, to encourage you! Jesus said,
“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever…”
And then He identifies this one whom God will send. And who is He? He is . . .
17 “the Spirit of truth.”
He is the Spirit of truth. He is the Spirit of truth. And this is a reference to the fact that the Spirit of God — is God Himself. Just as Jesus and the Father are one, so also — the Spirit and the Father are one. And the Spirit and the Son are one. So, this is one of those unique and powerful declarations by Jesus that God exists as three yet one.
Now, I realize that the Trinity is a fairly difficult doctrine to grasp. But this is critical to understanding WHO THE SPIRIT IS. He is God. Fully God. Listen again to what Jesus says in verse 23. He says,
“Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.”
John 14:23 (NIV)
So again, the Spirit is fully God. And when you welcome the Spirit’s work in your life — you also welcome that of the Father and the Son.
So, the Father, Son and Spirit are distinct in Persons, so we can talk about them separately; but they are one in nature — they are united in essence. They are three, yet one. One God!
— The one who sits enthroned in the heavenlies (High and lifted up) is God the Father.
— The one who walked upon the earth who was seen and listened to, is God the Son.
— And the one who comes close, who empowers, comforts, and strengthens is God the Spirit.
Listen, we believe in the Trinity not because we understand it, but because it is revealed as truth in God’s Word. This (like everything else in our walk with Christ), tends to be an act of faith. While we may want an Explanation; God chooses to give us a Revelation. So, my encouragement to you is not to get hung up trying to figure out what you can’t understand; but instead, to behold the wonder — and experience the glory of God as He has revealed Himself to us. Let’s trust Him. Love Him. Serve Him. And obey Him.
So that’s who the Holy Spirit is, but what does He do?
How does He work or interact with us?
WHAT DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT DO?
Jesus loved to talk about the Holy Spirit. He described Him by His nature. He told us that He would be our comforter, our encourager, our empowerer. We know that He is our advocate. He resides with us. He lives within us.
And we know this from all the things that Jesus said. But one of the best ways to know what He does is to understand His nature.
In John chapter 3, Jesus introduces us to Him. Most of you probably know this passage well, because it’s where we find those beloved words:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
That’s found in John 3:16. But before He said that, Jesus said something else. In verse 5, as He was talking with a man named Nicodemus about what it meant to be “Born Again”, Jesus said,
5 . . . “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.
Being born of water was a reference to repentance. Repenting of our sin. But being born of the Spirit was a reference to God’s work in our lives to save us! And so, Jesus continues in verse 6 and says,
6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
So, Jesus describes the Holy Spirit and His work in our lives to Nicodemus, and He likens Him to the wind. And this is a really good description, because the Holy Spirit is like the wind. In fact, every where the Spirit of God is described in scripture, He is described as WIND. And that’s because the very words that we translate as Spirit — mean just that — WIND!
Let me show you what I mean. The Bible speaks of the Holy Spirit over 800 times throughout the Bible. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew writers used the word RUACH to describe the Holy Spirit. But this is a hard word to define. And it really describes something more than what probably comes to your mind when you hear the word Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost.
Let me try and define it for you. The ancient Hebrew word RUACH is best defined in this way:
Ruach: // (n.) a breath, a wind; a mighty blast of air
This is first found in Genesis 1:2. Here in the second verse of the Bible, God reveals this wonderful part of His nature. Moses is writing here, and he says,
“Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”
Genesis 1:2 (NIV)
Moses tells us, in the beginning of creation — while all was void, the RUACH of God (or the breath of God, the wind of God) was hovering over the waters. So, when the translators sought to translate this Word in a way we could understand in English, they choose the English word Spirit. And so, we understand, “…the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” But a literal rendering of this would be — that the WIND OF GOD’S PRESENCE was hovering over the waters. Or the BREATH OF GOD was hovering over the waters of creation. So, when we read that God breathed out — and things came into being, it was the Spirit of God’s presence that was working to create.
Literally, GOD BREATHED OUT and live came into being! This was the work of His Spirit in our world. That’s the Old Testament. But in the New Testament, the writers also used a very similar word. The New Testament was written in Greek, and the word they used was the word PNEUMA.
It’s the word that we get our English words pneumatic (meaning air pressure) or pneumonia (a sickness that attacks the lungs — or breath).
Pneuma: // (n.) a wind, or breath; a powerful exhalation
It was this word that Jesus used in John 3 and in John 14 when He talked about the Holy Spirit. And, if want to understand who the Holy Spirit is and how He works in our lives, then think about the nature of wind.
Well, what can we know about Him?
1. LIKE THE WIND HE IS UNSEEN!
Wind is unseen. It’s invisible. We can’t see the wind, but we can feel it’s existence. We can sense it’s presence, we can recognize it’s effects when it’s moving — but we can’t see the wind itself. In the same way, we can’t see the Holy Spirit, but we can sense His presence and feel His existence, and we can recognize when He’s moving. Just because we can’t see Him with our eyes doesn’t mean He isn’t real.
To this point the Jesus said in John 20:29,
“Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
John 20:29
While the Holy Spirit may be unseen — we can still recognize His presence. And we can still witness the effects of His work among us.
Let me give you an example:
- We can see when the Spirit of God shows up and heals someone’s body. (This happened this past Sunday — and during the last message of this series, you’ll hear this testimony).
- We can also see when someone is saved and their lives are changed. Some have seen the work of the Holy Spirit in you. You are not who you used to be — AMEN!
- We can see when the Holy Spirit begins to BLOW through our midst and people’s lives are touched and blessed.
These are all demonstrations of the UNSEEN being SEEN! Some of us don’t like it that the Holy Spirit comes to us as unseen. And maybe that’s because we can’t control what we can’t see. But we need to understand — because He is fully God, He is uncontainable, and uncontrollable! He is all-powerful and completely divine. And He is also here right now! Because HE IS GOD! The Spirit of God is here in this place and He is here for you! But what else do we know about wind that coincides with the nature of God’s Spirit?
We know that . . .
2. LIKE THE WIND HE IS POWERFUL.
As we read a few moments ago in John 3:8, Jesus said…
“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
John 3:8
So, He is powerful and unpredictable. This is one of the things that make some people nervous. But this is truly wonderful. If He were weak and predictable, then He wouldn’t be God. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to serve a SMALL GOD. I like knowing that MY GOD IS GREAT! He is powerful and unpredictable and able to still do the supernatural and the miraculous. God isn’t going to do anything that isn’t for your good. So, get comfortable with the idea that the Spirit of God loves you and wants to work in your life in ways of power and victory and strength and supernatural empowerment.
Jesus described this wonderful blessing of His Spirit in Acts 1:5-8, when He said,
“For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.”
Acts 1:5-8
Paul described the work of the Holy Spirit in His own ministry. And he said,
“…our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.”
1 Thessalonians 1:5 (NIV)
When we submit ourselves to the work of the Holy Spirit, we will discover that our lives will become empowered.
There’s at least one other think that we can know about the Holy Spirit . . .
3. LIKE THE WIND HE IS REFRESHING!
There is really something wonderful about sitting in the cool of the day and feeling those late afternoon winds as the blow the stale warm air out and bring in the cool airs of the evening.
To a weary and tired soul, a gentle breeze can be refreshing. And in the same way, the Holy Spirit comes into our lives — and breaths life again into us. He blows in through the gusts of His presence when we are weak and tired and disheartened to revive us. To refresh us. To encourage us.
This is really what the apostle Peter describes in Acts 3:19, when he speaks of a time of spiritual refreshment that took place on the Day of Pentecost. He exhorted his listeners to repent and respond to the message of Christ and the goodness of God, and if they did, then “…times of refreshing…” would come to them from the presence of the Lord.
I get used up so quickly. My natural reserves are so limited. Life has a way of requiring all there is within us and then — call for more. The people around us, even those who love us — those whom we trust and treasure, even they can take and take and take and ask for more.
Unless we are constantly being replenished, we soon find ourselves spent and exhausted, with nothing more to offer.
Resist the Lord and He becomes a headwind to us, slowing us down, making our way hard. But if we go “with the Wind of God” and we soon find we are being lifted and carried along by an incredible power beyond ourselves. So, let’s be refreshed by His Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 2:9-10, the apostle Paul seems to describe this refreshing of God’s Spirit when He writes,
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” — but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:9-10
CONCLUSION:
When it comes to our relationship with the Holy Spirit, I want us to regard Him the same way that those early followers did. May we trust Him, may we seek Him, may we welcome Him, may we rely upon Him. And just as a sailor would have to depend upon the power and the movement of the wind to fill their sails and direct their ships, may we also become so dependent on the Holy Spirit that our lives welcome Him to come and fill our lives with power.
It’s not our job to determine which way we want the wind of His Spirit to blow, but simply to adjust our sails to the direction in which the wind of His Spirit is already blowing. May we find in Him a breath of fresh air. A refreshing and life-giving gust upon which we rely. Would you stand and gather with me this morning?
Would you come and invite the presence of the Holy Spirit to fill you, to revive you, to refresh you? And would you declare that where He leads you, that you will follow.
CLOSING PRAYER
God bless you! I hope you have a great week.