Genesis 1:2
Isaiah 11:1-2
Isaiah 61:1-4
Matthew 3:11
Matthew 28:19
John 3:5
Romans 8:6,10
1 Corinthians 2:10
2 Corinthians 3:5-6
2 Corinthians 3:17
2 Corinthians 4:13
The first place we see the evidence of the Holy Spirit is at the beginning. Genesis 1:2. He is involved in creation as God, the LORD, the Giver of life. Jesus is the prophesied "shoot from the stump of Jesse" (Jesse is King David's dad, and Jesus is born from that line.) The Spirit of the Lord rested on Jesus, giving Him wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and fear of the Lord. In Isaiah 61:3, we see the phrase "oil of gladness", which is a reference to the Holy Spirit. Often times in the Old Testament you will see people, especially priests, anointed with oil as a sign of the beginning of their service. Hebrews 1:9 says Jesus was "anointed with oil beyond His companions", the life-giving Spirit poured out over Jesus and His ministry. John the Baptist told his followers that he (John) would baptize them with water, but He (Jesus) would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. Then in the great commission, Jesus commands His disciples to continue this practice after He's gone (ascended to heaven, seated at the Father's right hand)--Go and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Jesus is teaching Nicodemus the same thing that Paul is teaching his reading in Romans and Corinthians--though our human self is dead, and will die, because of sin, our soul will live forever by the power of the Spirit of Life in us. But it's not in us automatically; we must be born again!
The Holy Spirit is, for me, the most misunderstood, or least understood, Person of the Trinity. I sometimes struggle to know what His role in my life is, outside of the "Holy Nudge" to keep me out of trouble. As usual, we only barely scratched the surface of all of the mentions of the Holy Spirit in the Bible. He dwells in us, He seals our salvation, He renews us, He helps us pray. We are baptized with His power, He guards our hearts, He comforts us. He gives us spiritual gifts. We are not set apart as holy without His leading us; He is the source of our sanctification. Look back over these verbs---Life. Giving. Just like Nicodemus, we may ask Jesus "How can we born again?" It's two different births. Our human body, born from our mom and dad. Then born again--our spirit brought to life in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. It may be hard to understand, but faith is the assurance of things hoped for, things not seen. I have felt the power of the Holy Spirit in my life, drawing me to Jesus, accepting salvation, renewing me, giving me words to pray, guarding my heart, comforting me. I am safe in salvation because He has placed His seal over me; and I am growing in righteousness as I learn from Him. The Holy Spirit, the LORD, the Giver of life. Since we have the same spirit of according to what has been written, so we believe and so we also speak.
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