The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he became Israel’s judge and went out to war.

— Judges 3:10a

And I have filled [Bezalel] with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of craftsmanship,

— Exodus 31:3

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

17a ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people.

— Acts 2:4, 17a

As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. Suddenly the heavens were opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and resting on Him.

— Matthew 3:16

And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.

— Romans 8:11

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and love from Christ to you.

In the Old Testament, the spirit came upon people for a specific task. He filled artisans, judges, kings, and prophets. In the New Testament, He came to stay. At Pentecost, He didn’t just visit, He filled people and everything changed. The same disciples who run away and fear became bold enough to face prison, persecution, and even death. Why? Because the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead now lived in them. The Holy Spirit is the same Spirit who raised Christ, the same Spirit who spoke through the prophets, the same Spirit who descended like a dove on Jesus at His baptism and now He lives in us.

So when we say the Holy Spirit is God, we’re saying He is not far away. He’s not waiting for us to perform. He’s not stuck in a temple or trapped in our emotion or feelings. He is with us right now in every breath, battle, confusion, fear, temptation, and decision. The Holy Spirit fills in our inner being and indwells us. We are never alone any more.