The Holy Spirit

May the Holy Spirit, who has begun a good work in you, direct and uphold you in the service of Christ and his kingdom. Amen.
                                                                                                        From the service of Reaffirmation of faith, BCP pg. 310

As we encounter options and opportunities each day, without much fanfare, we must constantly choose –What to eat? Where to go? To join in? To pay a little extra? To tell the truth? To be unkind? These and so many more questions are answered in the span of a blink. In those moments, we are aided by the Holy Spirit, who lives in us and offers us counsel.

The Holy Spirit is the least understood person of the Trinity. Among the myths and the mistaken concepts, the Holy Spirit has been described as a force, a ghost, a second-class or replacement god, a created being, and simply, as a feeling. The Holy Spirit has been confused with the spirits, manifestations, the actions of God and has even been presented as an incidental figure that appears sporadically and is, in actuality, just a metaphor. Nothing could be further from the truth.

In worship and in our prayers we call on the Ruah, the Breath of God, in every  spiritual invocation and verbal trinitarian blessing, In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.  The following Bible verses will help you as you call upon the Holy Spirit right now and later, as you lean on the Holy Spirit for guidance.

First, in a very personal way, the Spirit is a Person.

We read (and know) that the Holy Spirit has feelings. The Holy Spirit can become sad or angry when God’s children turn aside or blaspheme: 

Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. So he turned and became their enemy and he himself fought against them. - (Isaiah 63:10)

And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. - (Matthew 12:31)

You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! - (Acts 7:51)

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. - (Ephesians 4:30)

How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated, as an unholy thing, the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? - (Hebrews 10:29)

The Holy Spirit reaches out in love and care for us, despite what is happening in the world.  

You gave your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and you gave them water for their thirst. - (Nehemiah 9:20)

When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. - (John 15:26)

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” - (Acts 13:2)

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. - (Romans 8:26-27)

I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. - (Romans 15:30)

All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. - (1 Corinthians 12:11)

In the Book of Acts, Jesus tells us that, once filled with the Holy Spirit, “You will be My witnesses” (1:8). The Holy Spirit reflects the person of Jesus in our lives, and that is the distinguishing mark of a disciple, being a witness to Jesus Christ. Loving everyone is not the sign of the Holy Spirit; being a loving witness to Jesus Christ is. It is for this reason that the Holy Spirit was given to the Disciples at Pentecost, to teach them and lead them into all truth, and remind them of all that Jesus has said. (John 14:26) This revelatory action of the Holy Spirit fills us with love for the other.

In the book of Genesis we see the Ruah, the Holy Spirit of God, hovering over the dark, disordered waters of the earth, ready to begin the New Creation. This same Holy Spirit is dwelling inside of you right now, reminding you that you are as much a new creation in Jesus as was creation itself in the beginning.

Sit now, and breathe slowly and deeply. With each breath, think of the indwelling Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity.  With each breath, let go of the questions and “have to’s” and breathe in the very presence of God. You speak to the Spirit all the time; be still now and allow the Spirit to speak to you.

Listening in the Spirit,
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Fr. Bill+