Ruakh – The Bible Project Holy Spirit Resources

God’s Spirit (“Ruakh” in Hebrew) is personally present in all of creation and is sent out to Jesus’ followers to bring about the new creation.

Video:

https://thebibleproject.com/explore/holy-spirit/

Video Study Notes:

https://d1bsmz3sdihplr.cloudfront.net/media/Study%20Notes/TBP_HSP_studynotes_002.pdf

Bible Project Podcast about the Holy Spirt:

Crowder songs mentioned:

About The Holy Spirit

The Spirit is, first and foremost, God’s personal presence. The Spirit is a person and not merely a force. However, in order to let the text speak for itself, you have start one page one of the bible. Before creation ever even began, we see a depiction of the spirit of God hovering over the dark, disordered waters of the earth, ready to begin spreading goodness and creation. In the Bible, any time we see a description of the spirit of God, such as what is depicted in the first few verses of the Bible, the Hebrew word “ruakh” is used. This word is used to describe a number of things in Hebrew, but one thing they all have in common is that they are some kind of energy. Energy (such as the wind, which is one thing that the word ruakh describes) is invisible, powerful, and necessary for life, making it a fitting description for the spirit of God.

Throughout the Bible, we see the Holy Spirit power used to empower individuals for specific tasks. Joseph is empowered to understand and interpret dreams, an artist named Betzalel is empowered to create beautiful things for the tabernacle, and a group of people – the prophets – are empowered to bring messages from God to the people of Israel and to see what is happening from God’s point of view.

The prophets, though, were able to see a problem. While God’s spirit had created a good and perfect world, humans had given in to evil and unleashed chaos into it through their injustice. In a way, mankind had returned the earth to the dark, disordered state that it was in when the spirit of God was first hovering over it.

Addressing this problem, the prophets said that the spirit of God would come again, just like it had in Genesis, this time to transform the human heart and empower people to truly love God and others. It is through the life of Jesus that God carries out this return of His spirit.

At the beginning of Christ’s mission, there is this beautiful scene where He is being baptized in the Jordan River. The Holy Ghost, God’s spirit, comes down on Him in the form of a dove and empowers Him to begin his mission of healing the human condition and starting a new creation. We see this happen when He goes out and heals people and forgives them for their sins. Christ, empowered by the spirit of God, goes throughout the world fixing the chaos and disorder that mankind had brought to it.

Of course, the religious leaders of the time see these actions as a threat, and they have Jesus killed. Still, though, God’s spirit is at work. When the disciples saw that Jesus had risen from the grave, they proclaimed that He glowed with the spirit of God. When Jesus appeared to His closest followers, He breathed into them the Holy Spirit, empowering them too to spread God’s goodness throughout the world. Soon after that, God’s spirit comes over all of His followers.

Today, through Christ and the power He has given His followers, God’s spirit continues to hover over a dark and chaotic world, slowly healing it and working towards the day when it is restored to its former glory.

Source: https://thebibleproject.com/explore/holy-spirit/

From my Sermon notes:

God is doing something at the Bridge….for months we keep coming back to a larger understanding the HOLY SPIRIT.

Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

Water – ICE, Liquid, and Vapor

Spouse – Friend, Wife, Mother of my Children

Ruakh and Pneuma = Spirit

RUAKH in Old Testament (hold hand up when you say it)

PNEUMA in New Testament

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the (Ruakh) Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. – GENESIS 1:1–3

The Holy Spirit is amazing….but it doesn’t really seem like we are living Empowering Presence

Maybe we are not “Walking in Step with the Spirit”

But how?…how do we keep “in Step with the Spirit”

What might be keeping us from walking in Step with the Spirit.

Let’s look at Galatians 5:16-25

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy,[a] drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do[b] such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. – Galatians 5:16-21

You can’t Walk in Step with the Spirit if you are in the Chains of Sin

Search me, O God, and know my heart!

Try me and know my thoughts!

And see if there be any grievous way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting!

– Psalm 139 :23,24

King David – Great Name and Great Sin.

2 Samuel 7 – King David is told his name would be great.

Chapter 11 – David murders a man to cover up his adultery with Bathsheba.

Psalm 51 – Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit (Ruakh) within me.

Truth is…you can’t do it…You need the Holy Spirit to get in Step with the Holy Spirit.

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. – ROMANS 8:26–27

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22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. – Galatians 5:22-25

If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

How do you connect with God?

Music

Group bible studies/discussions

Beauty of nature

Study of Scripture

Creative Works

Pray in some way, somehow, often

God’s Ruakh can ‘enter’ human beings in order to influence and empower them by enabling their human abilities with divine enhancement.

Lastly, Where is the Spirit GOING? We won’t know unless we are in step with HIM.

Communion

Yes, The spirit is still hovering in Dark and Chaotic places, places in need of healing, love, hope, and peace.

But friends, those recetly from the dark are ARE NOT HERE at the Communion Table.

Benediction

May your love be genuine.

May you detest what is evil and hold fast to what is good.

May your communion with Christ cause you to Love one another with brotherly affection as you show everyone honor and grace. .

May you never be slothful in zeal, but be fervent in The Spirit as you serve the Lord.

May you Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, and constant in prayer.

May you contribute to the needs of your fellow saints and eagerly seek to show hospitality.

By the power of the Spirit living within…

May you live in harmony with one another and associate with the lowly and live peaceably with all

May you Never be wise in your own sight. May Pride never motivate you.

May you know your Heavenly Father’s Voice.

May the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you,

May you live by the Spirit and

Brothers and Sisters, together….

may we all Stay in Step with The Spirit.

Amen.

Based on Romans 12:9-18 and Gal. 5:25