Bring up the topic of the Holy Spirit and many people are confused. Take up the task of discussing the Holy Spirit and many are intimidated. Why is this? Often because each person has their own understanding (or misunderstanding) and people hold onto their personal preferences, perspectives, the perspectives of a favorite teacher, or some personal experience that they may be unwilling to honestly examine through the lens of God’s word. Personal opinions, pet projects, hobby horses, prejudices, and children all have at least one thing in common. There are none so beautiful and attractive as our own.
Many times, a narrow perspective results in limited understanding. Take for example the invasion of Normandy. It began with a thought and was spelled out, drafted, and implemented. Depending on which phase of the operation one saw, it looked like a paratroop operation, a sea to land invasion, a series of air strikes, or an insurgency. It was a comprehensive military operation unmatched in the history of the world, before or since. The objective was the defeat of the Axis Powers. It was actually a piece of a larger operation—the Allied attempt to defeat Germany, Japan, and Italy. The Allied objective never changed. It was rolled out in phases. So, it is with God’s revelation of Himself to humanity and so it is with His larger redemptive plan, settled in eternity past. People often ask, “Did God change the way He operates? When I read my Bible is seems that God has changed the way He operates from Old Testament to New Testament.” Appearances can be deceiving when one doesn’t see the proverbial forest for the trees.
God often reveals Himself to us incrementally. From the beginning of Scripture to the end, we see more and more of God’s wider redemptive plan revealed. He reveals more and more of Himself with each sentence, paragraph, book, chapter, and testament (Old and New). His redemptive plan begins and ends with Israel. There are stages of revelation and implementation. He begins with Israel (an ethnic group that becomes a nation), continues with the Church (a multi-national, multi-ethnic, and supra-national movement). His plan, like Him never changes—and neither does the Holy Spirit. Redemptive History occurs over time and in (for lack of a better descriptive term) chapters. The roles and goals of the Holy Spirit are implemented systematically in redemptive history and revealed in a linear fashion, as recorded in writing.
God’s plan for Israel differs from God’s plan for the Church. Each plays a different role in Redemptive History. Yes, people are saved by faith in both scenarios, in both groups, and through their ministries. His purposes for each group are generally the same but given each group’s time and place in History, their roles and goals differs—as does His plan and interactions with each. So what?
The Holy Spirit’s mission and ministry is one coherent mission and ministry. The Holy Spirit’s ministry, like a diamond, has many facets—but it’s a single, coherent, monolithic ministry. His methods vary in different corners of the various ‘theaters of operations’ like the Allied military operations in the invasion of Normandy. One can obsess over the details. But to do so is to miss the larger picture and that would be unfortunate and unprofitable.
Our discussion will focus on the latter perspective of the Spirit’s ministry. Our discussion concerns the ministry and mission of the Holy Spirit in our present era of operations (in this phase of the ‘invasion’). Consequently, we will concern ourselves with the New Covenant phase of the unfolding drama of redemption. That said, we will also touch briefly on the Holy Spirit’s mission and ministry in the Old Testament (and Old Covenant) for what we hope will lead to added clarity. The briefest survey of passages reveals that the Holy Spirit performed a variety of ministry functions, many of which parallel or somewhat resemble His mission and ministry today. The difference being, as we will see later, that His ‘falling upon people’ is not to be confused with indwelling people as we see today. The ministry of the Holy Spirit differs between Israel and the Church in many nuanced and obvious way. What follows is a brief survey of the Old Covenant ministry of the Holy Spirit. Think of it like a prequel to the New Testament or New Covenant Era—but each is a part of the other, a piece of “The Invasion.”
What’s with the “the invasion” analogy? The Bible is the record of God’s unfolding drama of redemption. It is the playbook, of sorts, of something greater than the Invasion of Normandy. God is reclaiming His creation from an enemy more evil, more powerful than the Axis Powers or the Nazis: Satan. The Holy Spirit’s mission and ministry has many more facets than the Allies mission. His mission and ministry is coherent, widespread, and of greater importance: the eternal salvation of souls. Let’s do our best to understand this mission because we are the infantry. So, let’s get started.
God the Holy Spirit was involved in every work of creation (Genesis 1:2; Job 33:4). In the Old Covenant Era, as in the time following Pentecost, the Holy Spirit empowered people to do God’s will, enabling them to serve His purposes, like Joseph to Pharaoh (Genesis 41:38):
And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are (Genesis 41: 38-39).
During the Exodus, the Holy Spirit imparted expertise to artisans to perform above their natural abilities to build the Ark of the Covenant and the Tabernacle (Exodus 31:1-11).
The LORD said to Moses, 2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, 4 to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, 5 in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. 6 And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you: 7 the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furnishings of the tent, 8 the table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, 9 and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, 10 and the finely worked garments, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests, 11 and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the Holy Place. According to all that I have commanded you, they shall do.” (Exodus 31:1-11)
You see a repeat of this in Exodus 35:
Then Moses said to the people of Israel, “See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; 31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, 32 to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, 33 in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft. 34 And he has inspired him to teach, both him and Oholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. 35 He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver—by any sort of workman or skilled designer. (Exodus 35:30-35)
For Moses, the Holy Spirit gave Moses’ subordinates wisdom to perform the role of deputy or magistrate (Numbers 11:17, 25). The Holy Spirit often authenticated the role of His representatives by enabling them to prophecy (Numbers 11:24-29).
So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD. And he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tent. 25 Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it. 26Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. 27 And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, stop them.” 29 But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD’s people were prophets, that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!” (Numbers 11:25-29)
There is a phenomenon we like to call a theocratic anointing that was given to Moses (then to Joshua) and others enabling them to rule and govern as God’s representative (cf. Numbers 27:18). Notice that aspects of their gifting were temporary: “And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it. (Numbers 11: 25b).” In a similar, or analogous fashion, throughout the book of Judges one sees the Spirit of the Lord coming upon judges, empowering them to lead, moving them to action (Judges 3:10; 6:34; 11:29; 13:25). In some cases, the Judges, like Sampson, were granted supernatural strength (Judges 14:5-6, 19; 15:14):
Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Timnah, and they came to the vineyards of Timnah. And behold, a young lion came toward him roaring. 6 Then the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and although he had nothing in his hand, he tore the lion in pieces as one tears a young goat. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done… 19And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck down thirty men of the town and took their spoil and gave the garments to those who had told the riddle. In hot anger he went back to his father’s house. (Judges 14:5-6, 9)
When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting to meet him. Then the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and the ropes that were on his arms became as flax that has caught fire, and his bonds melted off his hands. 15 And he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, and put out his hand and took it, and with it he struck 1,000 men. (Judges 15:14-15)
Let’s return briefly to the idea of theocratic anointing. Saul, David, and Solomon (as kings ruling theocratic Israel) were endowed with the ability to think, reason, rule, and lead beyond their natural abilities, as if changed into another man (1 Samuel 10:6, 10; 11:6; 16:13). In 1 Samuel 10:6-13 we read this:
6 Then the Spirit of the LORD will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. 7 Now when these signs meet you, do what your hand finds to do, for God is with you. 8 Then go down before me to Gilgal. And behold, I am coming down to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait, until I come to you and show you what you shall do.” 9 When he turned his back to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart. And all these signs came to pass that day. 10 When they came to Gibeah, behold, a group of prophets met him, and the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he prophesied among them. 11 And when all who knew him previously saw how he prophesied with the prophets, the people said to one another, “What has come over the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?” 12 And a man of the place answered, “And who is their father?” Therefore, it became a proverb, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” 13 When he had finished prophesying, he came to the high place. (1 Samuel 10: 6-13)
As we look at such passages, we note the perplexing reality that the Holy Spirit did not necessarily remain on (or in) a particular person permanently. He might “rush upon them” or “cloth them” or “fall upon them.” As we will see later, this is not the case with the post-Pentecost born again Christian. It was very much the case with King Saul (1 Samuel 16:14-15) and Sampson (Judges 16:28-30). David feared suffering the same fate as Saul (Psalm 51:10-12). Saul’s case is particularly heartbreaking: “Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the LORD tormented him. 15 And Saul’s servants said to him, “Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you (1 Samuel 16:14-15).” David pleads with God to allow David to retain the Spirit: “10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me (Psalm 51:10-11).” Sampson’s case is an instructive picture of redemption:
Now the lords of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to rejoice, and they said, “Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hand.” 24 And when the people saw him, they praised their god. For they said, “Our god has given our enemy into our hand, the ravager of our country, who has killed many of us.” 25 And when their hearts were merry, they said, “Call Samson, that he may entertain us.” So they called Samson out of the prison, and he entertained them. They made him stand between the pillars. 26 And Samson said to the young man who held him by the hand, “Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean against them.” 27 Now the house was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there, and on the roof there were about 3,000 men and women, who looked on while Samson entertained.28 Then Samson called to the LORD and said, “O Lord GOD, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes.” 29 And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and he leaned his weight against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other. 30 And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” Then he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he had killed during his life. 31 Then his brothers and all his family came down and took him and brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. He had judged Israel twenty years. (Judges 16:28-31)
The Spirit’s ministry could / can be as perplexing. Prophetic anointing can be a challenge to understand. The problem is not Him but our limited attention spans as well as our finite understanding. The Spirit’s anointing also came upon the prophets, both good prophets and bad prophets, like Balaam—the mercenary prophet (Numbers 24:1-).
When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. 2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him, 3 and he took up his discourse and said, “The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened, 4 the oracle of him who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered: 5 How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your encampments, O Israel! (Numbers 24:1-5)
In contradistinction to Balaam, good prophets like Ezekiel would be empowered or called to action, receiving a prophetic anointing for ministry (Ezekiel 2:2; 3:12, 14; 24; 11:5; 14:24—this list not exhaustive but illustrative). We see this in Ezekiel 2:
And he said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.” 2 And as he spoke to me, the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. 4 The descendants also are impudent and stubborn: I send you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ 5 And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them. (Ezekiel 2:1-5)
The Spirit would empower the Messiah, as He did the prophets (see Isaiah 11:1-5; 41:1 61:1). We read this in Isaiah 11:
There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. 2 And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. 3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, 4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. 5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins. (Isaiah 11:1-5)
Prophets like Ezekiel hint and wrote that the future ministry of the Spirit would be different. The future ministry of the Holy Spirit to Israel will be different than the Old Covenant ministry. One also sees that there is a future coming change in the ministry of the Holy Spirit with Israel in the ages to come:
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. (Ezekiel 36:26-27)
And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD.” (Ezekiel. 37:14)
The ministry of the Holy Spirit will eventually spread to all people, meaning beyond believing Israel.
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.29 Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit. (Joel 2:28-29)
It is the partial fulfillment of this era in which we live today. Jew and Gentile, once receiving Christ as Lord and Savior, are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. One’s ethnicity does not matter. One’s station in life is irrelevant (i.e. king or prophet). For the purposes of our discussion, we will not explore the Old Covenant ministry of the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, for reference purposes and for purposes of understanding and context, we include below a series of references, some of which we’ve already referred, showing or mentioning the Holy Spirit’s ministry from the Old Testament.
Our study will focus on the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Church Age. This is what some call the time of the Gentiles. We hope you find the ensuing study useful and helpful. Moreover, we hope that this little survey of the Old Covenant ministry of the Holy Spirit has been edifying and clarifying in some sense.
Application:
Dig deeper. By way of application, let’s ask and answer the following questions.
How have I developed my understanding of the Holy Spirit? Have I read my Bible cover to cover and developed a profile? Have I generalized principles from the many vignettes of the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures, inductively? What is my hermeneutical approach? What is “hermeneutics?”
What is my approach to interpretation and application of Scripture? Do I take the narrative approach, or headline approach? Do I expect to do what I see people do in the Bible in the same way? Should I be able to do what I see people doing in the Bible from Old Testament to New Testament?
Is my view of the Holy Spirit a balanced view? Have I cultivated a narrow view of the Holy Spirit that overemphasizes some aspect or attribute of the Holy Spirit over and against another?
Am I teachable? Given the amount of time that I have held my beliefs about the Holy Spirit, am I open to changing them, if changing them means to harmonize them according to the Scriptures?
Appendix: All References to the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament
Gen. 1:2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
Gen. 41:38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?”
Ex. 31:3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship,
Ex. 35:31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship,
Num. 11:17 And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone.
Num. 11:25 Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it.
Num. 11:26 Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp.
Num. 11:29 But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD’s people were prophets, that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!”
Num. 24:2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him,
Num. 27:18 So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.
Judg. 3:10 The Spirit of the LORD was upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the LORD gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. And his hand prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim.
Judg. 6:34 But the Spirit of the LORD clothed Gideon, and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him.
Judg. 11:29 Then the Spirit of the LORD was upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh and passed on to Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he passed on to the Ammonites.
Judg. 13:25 And the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Judg. 14:6 Then the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and although he had nothing in his hand, he tore the lion in pieces as one tears a young goat. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.
Judg. 14:19 And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck down thirty men of the town and took their spoil and gave the garments to those who had told the riddle. In hot anger he went back to his father’s house.
Judg. 15:14 When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting to meet him. Then the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and the ropes that were on his arms became as flax that has caught fire, and his bonds melted off his hands.
1Sam. 10:6 Then the Spirit of the LORD will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man.
1Sam. 10:10 When they came to Gibeah, behold, a group of prophets met him, and the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he prophesied among them.
1Sam. 11:6 And the Spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was greatly kindled.
1Sam. 16:13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.
1Sam. 16:14-16 Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the LORD tormented him. 15 And Saul’s servants said to him, “Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you. 16 Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the harmful spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well.”
1Sam. 19:20 Then Saul sent messengers to take David, and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.
1Sam. 19:23 And he went there to Naioth in Ramah. And the Spirit of God came upon him also, and as he went he prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
2Sam. 23:2 “The Spirit of the LORD speaks by me; his word is on my tongue.
1Kings 18:12 And as soon as I have gone from you, the Spirit of the LORD will carry you I know not where. And so, when I come and tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will kill me, although I your servant have feared the LORD from my youth.
1Kings 22:24 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “How did the Spirit of the LORD go from me to speak to you?”
2Kings 2:15 Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him opposite them, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. 16 And they said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men. Please let them go and seek your master. It may be that the Spirit of the LORD has caught him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send.”
2Kings 19:7 Behold, I will put a spirit in him, so that he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land, and I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.’”
1Chr. 12:18 Then the Spirit clothed Amasai, chief of the thirty, and he said, “We are yours, O David, and with you, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to your helpers! For your God helps you.” Then David received them and made them officers of his troops.
2Chr. 15:1 The Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded,
2Chr. 24:20 Then the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God, ‘Why do you break the commandments of the LORD, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, he has forsaken you.’”
Neh. 9:20 You gave your good Spirit to instruct them and did not withhold your manna from their mouth and gave them water for their thirst.
Neh. 9:30 Many years you bore with them and warned them by your Spirit through your prophets. Yet they would not give ear. Therefore you gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.
Job 33:4 The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
Psa. 51:10-12 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Psa. 104:30 When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.
Psa. 139:7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?
Psa. 143:10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!
Is. 11:2 And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
Is. 30:1 “Ah, stubborn children,” declares the LORD, “who carry out a plan, but not mine,
and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin;
Is. 32:15 until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is deemed a forest.
Is. 40:13 Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel?
Is. 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.
Is. 44:3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.
Is. 48:16 Draw near to me, hear this: from the beginning I have not spoken in secret, from the time it came to be I have been there.” And now the Lord GOD has sent me, and his Spirit.
Is. 59:21 “And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the LORD: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring,” says the LORD, “from this time forth and forevermore.”
Is. 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
Is. 63:10 But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; therefore he turned to be their enemy,
and himself fought against them. 11Then he remembered the days of old, of Moses and his people. Where is he who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of his flock?
Where is he who put in the midst of them his Holy Spirit,
Is. 63:14 Like livestock that go down into the valley, the Spirit of the LORD gave them rest. So you led your people, to make for yourself a glorious name.
Ezek. 2:2 And as he spoke to me, the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.
Ezek. 3:12 Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great earthquake: “Blessed be the glory of the LORD from its place!”
Ezek. 3:14 The Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness in the heat of my spirit, the hand of the LORD being strong upon me.
Ezek. 3:24 But the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and he spoke with me and said to me, “Go, shut yourself within your house.
Ezek. 8:3 He put out the form of a hand and took me by a lock of my head, and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and brought me in visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the gateway of the inner court that faces north, where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy.
Ezek. 11:1 The Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of the house of the LORD, which faces east. And behold, at the entrance of the gateway there were twenty-five men. And I saw among them Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.
Ezek. 11:5 And the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and he said to me, “Say, Thus says the LORD: So you think, O house of Israel. For I know the things that come into your mind.
Ezek. 11:24 And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me in the vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to the exiles. Then the vision that I had seen went up from me.
Ezek. 36:26-27 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
Ezek. 37:1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones.
Ezek. 37:14 And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD.”
Ezek. 39:29 And I will not hide my face anymore from them, when I pour out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, declares the Lord GOD.”
Ezek. 43:5 the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the temple.
Joel 2:28 “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.29 Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.
Mic. 3:8 But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin.
Hag. 2:5 according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not.
Zech. 4:6 Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.
Zech. 6:8 Then he cried to me, “Behold, those who go toward the north country have set my Spirit at rest in the north country.”
Zech. 7:12 They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the LORD of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great anger came from the LORD of hosts.
Mal. 2:15 Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth. 16 “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the LORD, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the LORD of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.”