In this Names of God reading plan, we are learning more about God by studying the names given to Him in Scripture. Rather than having our writers share their own reflections on these passages, we’ve instead provided research-rich content to aid in your study of each day’s featured name of God, including the background of the name(s), a brief explanation of the character of God emphasized by the name(s), and a reflection question to help you dig deeper into the text.
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Spirit
Ruach (Hebrew), Pneuma (Greek)
Scripture Reading: Numbers 11:24-30, Psalm 51:10-13, John 4:19-24, John 14:15-26, Acts 2:1-4, Acts 10:44-48
Description
The Old Testament contains many references to ruach, the Spirit of the Lord, which was the manifestation of God’s presence on earth. The New Testament uses pneuma for the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity.
In John 4, Jesus tells the woman at the well that God is spirit. He was referring to the time, which has now come, when the Spirit of the Lord would no longer reside in temples built by human hands. Instead, the Holy Spirit dwells inside those who believe in Jesus.
Emphasis
The non-incarnate, or non-physical, presence of God on earth
Reflection
What does this name teach me about God?
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85 thoughts on "Spirit"
The spirit of God is amazing
Pour out your Spirit, mighty God
All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. – Acts 10:45
Praise God that the Spirit is available to all people, both Jew and Gentile alike!
Thankful that as a gentile who could not even approach the temple and who had no access to the Spirit, Jesus came and tore down the dividing wall, he tore the curtain away and made it possible for the Spirit to come and dwell in me. Thankful for the encouragement, peace and pricking of my heart. Thankful I am not an orphan but a child of the King!
So good.
As quoted
In scripture, “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” He is present in us. Amen!
Psalm 51:10–13
Yes I want a clean heart and for God to renew in me a steadfast spirit. With God’s Spirit there is peace and life. It feels so good. But we have to remember the overall purpose of having a clean heart ❤️ and a renewed spirit – to the glory of God by teaching others and leading them to Jesus, our salvation. This is something that I will continue to be in prayer about for myself.
Prayer: God, by Your Spirit, give me more opportunities to share Your word and give me the words to say that are full of grace and seasoned with salt.
In Jesus name I pray,
Amen
God remains with us
By dwelling in me, God places Himself in perfect position for availability. He is not only today-present. He is today-available. Available to be seen, known, and worshipped — intimately close, drawing my focus off of myself, if I will just let Him. I need to Access. Request. Go beyond acknowledging God’s presence in Spirit, beyond His ability. I can ask for His wielding, His engagement in my life — my love toward family, my thoughts, my breath, my next move, next word, next hope.
This reminds me I need to live my life for Jesus in a way that shows His light because I do have the Holy Spirit within me!
He is never far away, His spirit lives inside of us, the power that raised JESUS from the dead lives INSIDE of us!
It is just incredible to think about how God’s Spirit literally lives inside of me. What comfort, boldness, and awe that brings!
In such awe of His glory always! Thank you Lord for your spirit thank you Lord!
It’s amazing that Gods Spirit dwells within our spirit when we’re born again! What a treasure! The living spirit of God. I ask today for a greater capacity to receive and have the Holy Spirit flowing in and through me. Thank you God for transforming me and for flowing through me to transform those around me and draw them to you.
I love that part of the work of the Holy Spirit is to remind us of what God’s Word says. It is not necessarily our ability to memorize scripture, but the Holy Spirit knows what scripture to bring to our mind in every situation. As followers of Christ, there is no where we can go without the Spirit going with us!
I pray that we can truly worship God in spirit and in truth.
So true! Thank you for sharing ❤️
Lord, give me a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit each day. Help me to recognize the leading, counsel and comfort of Your Spirit each moment of the day! Create in me a pure heart so that I might be a home that the Spirit is comfortable to live in. Thank you that by your Spirit you are always with me and I am never alone!❤️
Amen ❤️ praying the same alongside of you! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Father, for the precious gift of the Holy Spirit! ❤️
The Spirit of the Lord is within me.
Agreed…praise God for His Spirit, our True Friend!
You go girl!! With God’s help you can do it.
The same Holy Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in me! Amen!
He didn’t just save me and then disappear. He sought me as a sinner, saved me, and then STAYED with me—all the way into forever.
The Holy Spirit is the most beautiful gift that Christ could have left us with, and yet there are many days, when we take that gift for granted and we don’t want to hear what Jesus our Messiah has to say to us. We want Him to stay quiet, but we are missing out on the opportunity to experience a relationship with Him when we do that.
Amen.
Because of Jesus, we went from the manifestation of God’s presence on the earth, to the perpetual inhabitation of His presence because His Spirit lives within us as followers of Christ. We have full access to the presence of God at all times!!! Thank you, Jesus!
❤
God as Spirit emphasizes to me how much I don’t really comprehend the nature of God. I don’t really understand tongues. I don’t really understand prophecy. I don’t really understand the wind. He is God and I am not. I have heard it said that many of the things of God are “caught and not taught”. The more I walk with God the more I see the truth in that. Yes, there are principles, steps, and things you and I can do, but these pale in comparison to simply abiding and accepting.
We may not see our Lord God, but he is inside us in Holy Spirit! I hope that I am capable of breathing this life into others on this Earth!
I see “pneuma,” and I think of breath. Lungs. Greek: “that which is breathed or blown.” I think of the Breath of heaven, residing in me, and that’s what I want to exhale.
Yes! Love this!!
Mine hasn’t marked it in months. It’s frustrating
We’re sorry about that Allison. Be on the lookout for an app update that will correct this particular error. Thanks for your patience! -Margot, The SRT Team
For me, feeling so far from God, the spirit sounds and tastes like hope. An unbelievable and inconceivable hope. It doesn’t make any sense, but it doesn’t have to. I just need it to consume me again and again, and stay focused on feeling and trusting in the spirit of the Lord during this time.
This tells me that God is relational and he loves us so much that he wants to be with us and converse with us all day! I am so grateful for this!
Same here
Yep. Having the same issues. )=
Hi Samantha, we’re sorry about that. An app update is being released that should correct this particular error, so be on the lookout for that. We appreciate your patience in the meantime. We’re so glad that you’re here reading along with us! -Margot, The SRT Team
I have always believed and feel the Holy Spirit in me guiding me do right. But when I disobey, I can’t shake the guilt off. But I know that Our Lord is our might Savior, the feeling of guilt and are removed because I feel His presence taking over and telling me to get up and keep trying. It gets easier and easier
Yolanda, I understand your thoughts. I hold myself to high standards, and when I fail it is hard for me to shake the shame. I have to remind myself that God has forgiven me and only needs to forgive me once for my guilt to be gone. If I continue to remind myself of my shortcomings, it has turned into shame, which is not from God! Hugs to you as you lean on Him for strength.
Yes I’ve been having the same issues with the app. It won’t save my check marks next to the days I’ve read.
Agreed, I’ve noticed this issue for some time as well. I sent a message to SRT and was just told yesterday that their team is working on this issue and hope to have it fixed in the next update of the app. Hope that helps!
Same problem here. Mine hasn’t marked my days since the last study!
We’re sorry about that! An app update is being released that should correct this particular error, so be on the lookout for that. We appreciate your patience in the meantime. We’re so glad that you’re here reading along with us. -Margot, The SRT Team
God’s Spirit is His way of showing me the I am not forgotten. Even when I feel like I’m all alone in this world, God is with me and dwells within me. He is very present in my life and for that I am so grateful. I am loved, protected, and guided by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And because God lives within me, I also have His Spirit, so I can be more loving, humble, merciful, and strong.
The Spirit of the Lord is in me; His presence, love, and joy are in me because I have faith and I believe.
Your prayers are appreciated today. As most of you here know that I have been separated from my kids dad for now over a year. I have custody of the kids. Today is their dad’s birthday. My son sent him a card. Please pray that my kids hearts will be protected. Too much involved for details. God knows.
I am praying for the needs of your family to be met on this day.
Praying for you and you kids, Mari.
Praying for your children and for you today. And for your husband. Pain all around. God is more than able to make a good safe path for you in this long and difficult journey. He heals the broken hearted. I’m grateful you are trusting Him.
Acts 2:38-39 “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” When we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues, His Spirit swells inside of us. When we are baptized in Jesus name, His blood remits our sins and His name is applied to our life. Jesus said, “I and my Father are one!” When you receive the Holy Ghost, you don’t receive just His Spirit, you have Jesus living inside of you. The very same man who died on the cross, lives in you! The Holy Ghost is not just for the disciples or people in the Bible, but for us now! I’m so thankful for the Holy Ghost!
Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence oh Lord and take not thy Holy Spirit from me, restore onto me the joy of your salvation and renew a right spirit within me. I remember singing this, many, many years ago. And I go back to singing this when I’m feeling down or just need a reminder.
God is in all things in creation. He is in everyone and every thing. Whether we choose to accept this amazing gift, or not, is up to us.
Pneumo- is a root for things related to the lungs. This may be a stretch but if YHWH is breath then maybe the Spirit or pneuma is how we experience that breath. Because God the Father is beyond our comprehension, the Spirit breaks down his character into parts we can understand and need for that moment, day or season we are walking through.
Great analogy, thank you.
Makes perfect sense, love it!
He is always with us. He will never leave or forsake us. As NT Christians, we are blessed to have the Holy Spirit IN us! God not living just amongst us, but IN us. How amazing!
I love Michelle’s response about the Spirit being like the breath of God in us.
He is always with us. He will never leave or forsake us. As NT Christians, we are blessed to have the Holy Spirit IN us! God not living just among us, but IN us. How amazing!
I love Michelle’s response about the Spirit being like the breath of God in us.
Hi friend! That is a good thought. YHWH is actually a conjugation of the verb for being. You can see it all over Scripture in other forms. You see ‘yihyeh’ – ‘and so it was’ in a lot of the narrative passages. So it’s semi significant God would use what is technically a being verb as His personal name. So perhaps less ‘breath’ and more a sense of Being and having been. I think you’re spot on though with the Spirit helping us with understanding the other members of the Trinity. Blessings to you!
Love it!!
This is awesome because the letters of the name YHWH represent breathing sounds. You need to check this out (and the song by Jason Gray): https://rabbitroom.com/2011/08/is-the-name-of-god-the-sound-of-our-breathing/
Here’s a video of Jason Gray explaining it and playing the song he wrote inspired by it: https://youtu.be/1wIQDojp-MI
I love that one of the Greek words is pneuma because my science brain immediately went to analyzing that. Pneuma-Pneumonia-infection of the LUNGS-lungs-breath-yahweh. As we breathe in, we are filled with the spirit and we breathe out his name in the form of yahweh. Breath is one of the things I most associate with the spirit, that and wind, both of which can fill me up inside just like the spirit does.
Love this!!
Thank you Lord for leaving your Spirit with us! We are never alone…Praise God!
The Spirit is God dwells within me. He is my comforter, my guide, discerner of hearts and my encourager. So many times I don’t acknowledge the power of the Holy Spirit. I rely more on my strength which will disappoint me every time.
How does it look practically to rely on the Holy Spirit instead of your own power?
I do so by living the questions of my life. I hold a question and I pay attention to the way in which the Holy Spirit reveals ok my everyday life. Less desire to control and more curiosity.
For me it is relinquishing control. Putting away my anxiety to do things the “right” way. If I pray about it, asking for wisdom & guidance, I trust that the things that come to my mind are from the Holy Spirit. If I pray over a situation & say, “God this is Yours, help me to do what You want me to do,” I go confidently that He is in control. I pray that the fruit of the Spirit will be manifested in me.
Relying on the Holy Spirit is, I think, pretty passive. We must actively (pray & consciously decide) submit, but then just trust He will use you. But also knowing/trusting that He is ALWAYS in control of the things around you & depending on that.
I think living by and through the Holy Spirit is being sensitive to Gods speaking and guiding in my life. I recently had a disagreement with a friend and it happened over a text. I also was on a trip and had very little internet access. It was a condemning text in a way and I was distraught over it. But there was little I could do until I got back home. I prayed and sought scripture to help me speak with my friend when I got back. I will tell you tho my husband heard a lot of my hurt and anger. When I returned, I was able to go to her speak with her and boldly state my stance but also encouraging her in her gifts. It was the hardest thing I had to do as I don’t like confrontation but because I had time to pray through even in my anger and hurt I was able to approach her with love. I’m absolutely positive that it was the spirit in me working out the situation. We don’t have to back down but we speak the truth in love. The Holy Spirit gives us strength boldness and love
Hi Anna Rae:) Great question! I believe to practically rely on the Holy Spirit, we must first be women who know the Word of God because the Holy Spirit will never direct us to do something that is contrary to The Word, and most often He directs us by His Word. Our job is to listen, shut out the noise of the world, and just listen…then obey. For ones who are new in their walk with the Lord, and don’t feel they know the Bible very well, don’t fret, the Spirit will lead you to the verses that He wants you to hear in the same way He leads veterans in their walk. Your answer will come in a sermon you hear, through your daily reading, through a verse someone quotes for whatever reason. Your direction will come as a sacred echo where you seem to be hearing the same thing several times, in various places (sometimes over a period of days or weeks), and you say “Oh, this is the Lord speaking to me.” As you go about your day remember to not be so married to your own agenda that your not listening for His. Hope that helps a little!
I like that answer Kimberly, thank you! Explains well!
Loving God is connected to our actions and whether we are obedient or not. Do I truly love God? Yes, I do. Am I obedient? No, not always and some days not at all. Do I truly love God? I want to love God which means I must strive to be obedient to Him! God, I love you, help me with my disobedience. The Spirit of God will help me and give me the strength to be obedient and love God!
In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit descended upon and ascended from individuals for a period of time to accomplish God’s particular purpose. Since Pentecost the Holy Spirit descends and resides in believers forever. This. Is. Amazing. We have the presence of the Lord with us at all times and He serves as our Counselor. He is always with us and reveals to us the Truth. Is there any virtue, any Person, more desperately needed in our day and age? This world can’t receive the Truth because it doesn’t see or know the Spirit of God. This. Is. Tragic. And explains the mess our world is in. The challenge for us is to let the indwelling Spirit shine through us so that others might be drawn to Him. Shine, Holy Spirit, shine.
I love this. I am so grateful that the Holy Spirit “dwells” and “rests” in us. We are so blessed to be living in a time when our Helper doesn’t leave us. Boy, do I need Help!
Amen!
Yes! I like what Louie Giglio calls the Bible. He calls it God’s breath on a page.
Dear Father, I pray that Your Breath would continue to breathe life into me. That my heart and mind would be open to receive it.
Light and Life and Helper.
Amen! He is our/my Light, Life, and Helper!
The Holy Spirit is often misunderstood, but is the third person of the Trinity. This link explains a lot about the characteristics of the Holy Spirit. There’s even a message to listen to! It’s from Dr. Charles Stanley. http://www.intouch.org/Read/Blog/11-special-attributes-of-the-holy-spirit It’s good to know we don’t have to walk alone, but have the Holy Spirit to convict, guide, help, and comfort just to name a few.