Tag: Holy Spirit

Finding Jesus and the Holy Spirit with God in the Bible is a process of discovery and opens up the opportunity for greater understanding of the connection between the Old and New Testament – and to us.

What if I told you all three could be found in the Old Testament? What if I told you all three were together on day one?

Simple introduction to the Holy Spirit

In a previous post I gave a simple introduction to the Holy Spirit and indicated where I first noticed God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in the Bible.

As I continued reading, keeping an eye out for this trio, the more I saw them throughout the Bible.

Expecting to see

Before we go further, let’s consider we don’t have to figure everything out or understand it on the first pass, the second, or the fiftieth. This process is about discovery, looking, expecting to see something.

Now that we have an introduction to where to find God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, we can discover additional places where they were already present.

Once I was aware of the Holy Spirit in the Bible, I noticed the Holy Spirit in more places, saw the Spirit turn up in locations I had never noticed before. Like the beginning of the Bible.

Spirit in the Old Testament

I was surprised when I first noticed the Spirit in the Old Testament. In fact, when I looked closely, I saw the Spirit in the first verses of the first book of the Bible.

“The Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” Genesis 1:2b NIV

The Spirit was hovering in verse two of the Bible?

How had I not seen that before?

It doesn’t actually matter.

When you first see it

That’s the cool thing about reading the Bible. It’s not about who saw it first, it’s about when you first see it. Diving into the Bible is a personal journey of discovery.

Discovery is the gift

The personal discovery is the gift, not whether or not you’ve caught up to whatever measure of general knowledge you think you should have.

Look further

Now that we’ve cut ourselves some slack, given ourselves a bit of grace in the matter, let’s look a little further for a few instances of members of this trio being present.

A little farther into the first chapter of Genesis and the story of creation, we find this verse:

“Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness.” Genesis 1:26 NIV

Did you notice “Let us”?

I think I read right past it the first time I looked at that verse.

What I’m reminded of now when I see that verse is our God is a relational God and was already speaking relationally in the beginning.

Jesus in the Old Testament

Another book of the Bible starts with the first words of Genesis, “In the beginning.” If we jump to the New Testament Gospel of John, we’ll find this verse:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” John 1:1 NIV

This verse initially confused me. As I look closely, I see the relational element here too.

“The Word was with God.”

We receive insight into the Word in verse 14:

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 NIV

Jesus is the Word. Jesus was with God.

Jesus was with God in the beginning.

The Holy Spirit was with God in the beginning.

With us too

Finding Jesus and the Holy Spirit with God in the beginning of the Bible helps connect the Old and New Testament together. Observing this relationship present on day one reminds us that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are present with us too.

Here’s the introduction to the Holy Spirit:

A simple introduction to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit

We can gain basic understanding of the Holy Spirit with a simple introduction to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in the context of Scripture.

Confused about the Holy Spirit

Have you ever been confused about the Holy Spirit or wondered what the relationship is between God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit?

I have. I’ll share some observations from the Bible to help us grasp some basics about this trio.

Don’t have to understand to experience the gift

I want to give a disclaimer. You don’t have to fully understand these three to experience the gift of God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit in your life.

Simple introduction

In my evolving understanding of this trio, I once described them this way:

God is in the Old Testament.

Jesus is in the New Testament.

The Holy Spirit comes after Jesus.

The more I read the Bible, the more I see all three in more places, but for a simple introduction, we can start there.

Old Testament

God spoke to individuals

In the Old Testament God spoke to individuals like Noah and Abram.

“The Lord then said to Noah, ‘Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.’” Genesis 7:1 NIV

“The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.’” Genesis 12:1 NIV

God spoke through individuals

God spoke through individuals like Moses.

“The Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting. He said, ‘Speak to the Israelites and say to them.’” Leviticus 1:1 NIV

God spoke through the Prophets like Jeremiah (Major Prophet) and Malachi (Minor Prophet).

“The word of the Lord came to me.” Jeremiah 2:1 NIV

“A prophecy: The word of the Lord to Israel through Malachi.” Malachi 1:1 NIV

God in church

For some reason this had me thinking of God in the place where we go to church. Maybe that’s because I remember only praying to God in church. Or maybe it’s because of that verse from Leviticus about the “tent of meeting.”

I used to think I would only experience God on Sundays. Church was the place to go to hear about God and pray to God. I think after I left the building, I would leave God behind.

What’s been your experience with God?

New Testament

Jesus spoke

In the New Testament Jesus spoke to and through individuals, as well as to crowds of people.

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” John 8:12 NIV

Holy Spirit

While Jesus was still with His disciples, He told them of the Holy Spirit:

“All this I have spoken while still with you. 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.” John 14:25-26 NIV

God present wherever we go

As I write this we are emerging from a long winter and a long year. Much of that time was spent either close to home or at home. Now the temps are warming up and the spring flowers are starting to stretch and unfurl their blossoms. As we step outside our doors, do we leave God behind in the confines of a room or do we remember we have access to His Presence wherever we go?

Worship from home

In this past season, church met online. In our church as we navigated participating in worship from home, we learned to set up a personal sanctuary or use an element to help designate a time and space to enter into worship. A candle, a Bible, anything that helped us focus on time with God. To create and designate a space to meet with God.

God already there

With this transition from the church building to online, God may have appeared to enter into homes and spaces He hadn’t been in before. I think it’s more likely He was already there. We may have associated His space with a church building and not realized He was with us at home.

Now that winter is waning and spring is blossoming, we may venture out more frequently. Is God confined to the spaces we’ve been confined to? Thankfully not.

Wherever we are, we can connect with God

Through the words of Jesus, we’ve received the Holy Spirit.

“The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in (Jesus’) name.”

These are comforting words.

I like to think of the Holy Spirit as God to go. Wherever we are, we can connect with God.

What is your experience with the Holy Spirit?

A few more thoughts on connecting with God:

Doing something differently – where my focus is

How to hear from God – where to look