“In the beginning, the earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”
– Genesis 1:1-2
The Holy Spirit is the activating power of God, the breath that creates life.
“Then the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.”
– Genesis 2:7
As much as the Holy Spirit is the power of God, He is also a person. His personality reflects the very nature and depths of the Father and of Jesus. And it is He Who reveals to us the deep knowledge of Who God is.
“But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.”
– 1 Corinthians 2:10-12
The Spirit of God reflect these traits of the Father and of Jesus, among many others. He is gentle, He is powerful. He brings courage and peace. He leads and He guides. He counsels and He speaks. He comforts. He prays.
The Church of Christ was born and activated once the Holy Spirit was breathed over the disciples by Jesus.
“Again He said, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.’ Then He breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.'”
– John 20:21-22
We, His body, are entirely dependent on the Spirit of God to guide and lead us, to breathe life into and over us, and to empower our acts of faith and serving.
