Who is God? (The Holy Spirit)

Welcome to Pray.com's new podcast, the Heartbeat of Faith with Dr. Andrew Farley. Continue your exploration of the Bible in a Year with this series that delves into the profound nature of God the Holy Spirit, inviting you to journey deeper into your faith.

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In this episode, we delve into the identity of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, and how His presence and work are woven throughout biblical history. Tracing the thread of His influence from the Old Testament to the New Testament, we witness how these stories provide glimpses of the Holy Spirit's role in the unfolding of God's plan.

In this episode, listeners will gain a deeper appreciation for the Holy Spirit's vital role in the grand biblical narrative. Join us as we explore the work of the Holy Spirit, drawing connections between Old Testament events and the ongoing presence of the Spirit in the lives of believers. Stay tuned for more episodes that highlight the intricacies and interconnectedness of the Bible's stories and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let us pray. Where could I go from your spirit?
Or where could I flee from your presence? If I
ascend up into heaven, you are there. If I make
my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there. If I
take the wings of the dawn and settle in the

(00:20):
uttermost parts of the sea, even there, your hand will
lead me, and your right hand will hold me. Psalm
Chapter one, thirty nine, Verses seven through ten. Dear Lord, today,
I am thankful for your spirit. There is no low
point in my life beyond your comfort, or highs in

(00:40):
my life beyond your celebration. You are ever present and
ever loving to me. Thank you for the counsel of
your spirit as you lead me in the highs and
lows of my life, whether it be feast or famine,
I can have confidence in your divine plan and lean
on the strength of your spirit. Remind me of my
new heart that is sensitive to your lie, so that
I'm aware of your inspiring love within me. In Jesus name, Amen,

(01:07):
thank you for praying with me today. Now discover the
profound intricacies of scripture through prey dot COM's podcast The
Heartbeat of Faith with doctor Andrew Farley. Stay tuned after
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Speaker 2 (02:21):
Hello. I'm doctor Andrew Farley with today's episode of the
Heartbeat of Faith podcast. Today, let's explore the depths of
scripture as we continue our special series through themes of
the Bible. As we journey through this year together, we
will discover how each story, letter, prophecy, and poem are

(02:42):
interwoven like threads of an elegant tapestry revealing a grand
Biblical universe. I pray we'll be able to appreciate just
how interconnected the stories in the Bible are. So let's
move together in rhythm with the heartbeat of faith. Today
will further explore a simple yet profound question, who is God?

(03:05):
And now will dive deeper into the third and more
mysterious person of the Trinity, God, the Spirit, otherwise known
as the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit convicts the world
of their unbelief, comforts the believer in times of trouble,
and empowers us with his love and counsel. If you've

(03:26):
been listening to the Bible in a year podcast up
until now, you may recall many times the Spirit of
God gave life, guidance, and power to believers. Perhaps the
best way to begin understanding the Holy Spirit is by
looking back to the beginning, when God's Spirit hovered over
the chaotic nothingness.

Speaker 3 (03:50):
In the very beginning, out of nothingness, God formed and
created the expanse of space and the details of Earth.
The earth was empty, chaotic, and without life. God's Spirit
hovered over the empty and chaotic void. Then at an instant,
God spoke, Let there be light, he called out, and

(04:17):
there was light, just as he commanded for. From God's
lips springs forth reality.

Speaker 2 (04:25):
In the Old Testament, the word for God's Spirit is rua,
which means breath or wind. In the same way, our
breath sustains our life, and the wind, although unseen, moves
with incredible force. God's Spirit gives us life and moves
within us in an inspiring way. Jesus described the Spirit

(04:48):
in this way when he spoke with Nicodemus. Nicodemus was
an expert in the Old Testament scriptures, but he had
difficulty understanding what Jesus meant by born of water and
born of the spirit. Every human is born of water
after spending many months in their mother's womb. This is
what Jesus meant when he said flesh gives birth to flesh.

(05:12):
But a second birth, being born of the spirit, is
also needed if we want to experience new life with God.
When we believe the Gospel message, we open the door
of our lives to God's Spirit and he causes us
to be born of him. This second birth means we
get a new heart, a new spirit, and God's Spirit

(05:35):
living in us. Forever. This radical exchange of personhood changes
our very nature. This is the true essence of what
it means to be saved by Jesus, and the Holy
Spirit is the one who causes this dramatic transformation of
new birth within us.

Speaker 3 (05:57):
Nicodemus began speaking, there is no doubt in my mind
you are a teacher sent from God. No one can
do these things that you have been doing otherwise. Jesus
nodded in agreement. However, he was more than a teacher.
Unless one is born again, he truly cannot see the
Kingdom of God, Jesus said. Nicodemus was confused at his statement.

(06:22):
I'm not sure I follow, Rabbi. Are you suggesting that
someone needs to re enter his mother's womb and be
born again? Jesus gave a gentle laugh. No, no, listen.
Unless you are born of the spirit, you cannot enter
into the Kingdom of God. We are all born in
the flesh, yes, However not all are born of the spirit.

(06:43):
Jesus could tell that Nicodemus was having difficulty understanding. He
leaned forward and touched Nicodemus's shoulder. Don't be confused by this,
he said, reassuringly, the wind blows and nobody can see it.
It is the same with being born by the Spirit.

Speaker 2 (07:00):
Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit more than anybody else
in the Bible. While being fully God yet fully man,
Jesus trusted the Holy Spirit as he performed miracles, resisted temptation,
and was raised from the dead by the Spirit's power.
Just as Jesus would have remained in the tomb without

(07:22):
the Holy Spirit, we are spiritually dead without him. The
Holy Spirit is God's breath of life made available to us.
We see this in the very beginning in the Book
of Genesis.

Speaker 3 (07:37):
The world was new, and its refreshing mist was covering
the land. Streams and rivers flowed from the ground, giving
life to all plants and living creatures. Among the quiet
and new earth, God was at work personally and intricately.
God formed a man from the dust as a potter

(07:58):
does with clay. He breathed life into him. God named
him and knew him. His name was Adam, the breath
of life. God's rua gave Adam's unanimated body life and
power in the Garden of Eden, And just as Adam
was physically powerless in the Garden of Eden. Without God's life,

(08:21):
the disciples were spiritually powerless to overcome their fears. That's
when Jesus gave them a sample of things to come
by breathing on them, saying, receive the Holy Spirit. The
disciples were entrenched in their homes, but the doors locked,
afraid that the High Priest would come for them next.

(08:44):
So much sorrow, so much grief, so much loss welled
up within them. Their king, their teacher, and their friend
had died. All hope seemed lost as they rotted in
their home waiting to be taken. Then still quiet voice
spoke from the corner of the room, Peace be with you.

(09:04):
The disciples turned their heads to see Jesus standing among them.
His smile was radiant, and his presence was refreshing, like
a cool spring in a desolate desert. The disciples were
frightened at first, thinking that they were witnessing a ghost.
Do not be scared, Jesus said, why do your hearts
rise with trouble, as if in the storm. The disciples

(09:26):
grew closer to see Jesus in his glory. Look upon
my hands and feet, See the scars for yourselves. They
fell at his feet, and worshiped him. Jesus ate with
them and spoke of the fulfillment of prophecy, that the
Messiah must suffer and rise again for humanity to be redeemed.
Then Jesus embraced them and breathed on them, saying, receive

(09:49):
the Holy Spirit. The same breath that breathed life and
a mankind in the Garden of Eden breathed new life
into the disciples that day.

Speaker 2 (10:00):
Through the breath of Jesus, the disciples became acquainted with
the power of the Holy Spirit. It was a preview
of coming attractions, as Pentecost would bring the disciples a
permanent power from on high that was worth waiting for.
They would be born of the spirit and empowered for

(10:20):
the rocky road ahead. God's comforting and life giving breath
is available to you and me today. The same spirit
that hovered over the dark abyss in Genesis comforts you
and me in our darkest moments. The spirit that gave
Adam and Eve life in the garden provides us with

(10:41):
the power over sin and death. The spirit that raised
Jesus from the dead has raised us up to newness
of life too. And this same spirit of God living
in us even gives life to our mortal bodies as
we become walking expressions of Jesus to those around us.

(11:03):
This happens as we tune into the Spirit, into the
heartbeat of faith.

Speaker 3 (11:10):
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are
in Christ Jesus, who don't walk according to the flesh,
but according to the Spirit. For the law of the
Spirit of life. In Christ, Jesus made me free from
the law of sin and of death. For what the

(11:32):
law couldn't do, in that it was weak. Through the flesh,
God did sending his own son in the likeness of
sinful flesh, and for sin. He condemned sin in the flesh,
that the ordinance of the Law might be fulfilled in us,
who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

(11:54):
For those who live according to the flesh set their
minds on the things of the flesh, but those who
live according to the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
For the mind of the flesh is death, but the
mind of the Spirit is life and peace. Because the
mind of the flesh is hostile toward God, for it

(12:17):
is not subject to God's law. Neither indeed can it
be those who are in the flesh can't please God.
But you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit.
If it is so that the Spirit of God dwells
in you. But if any man doesn't have the spirit
of Christ, he is not his. If Christ is in you,

(12:42):
the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit
is alive because of righteousness. But if the spirit of
Him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
he who raised up Christ, Jesus from the dead, will
also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit

(13:03):
who dwells in you. Romans eight one through eleven.

Speaker 2 (13:09):
Thank you for listening to today's episode of the Heartbeat
of Faith podcast. Follow the podcast so you can experience
the Bible in this inspiring and entertaining way. Also download
the prey dot com app, and to be further encouraged
in God's grace, visit Andrew Farley dot org. That's Andrew

(13:30):
Farley dot org.