CONVINCED: The Spirit Descended

SCRIPTURE: Luke 3:21–22 (ESV) Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened,  and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

The Holy Spirit From The Beginning

  • Hovering Over The Waters - Genesis 1:1–2 (ESV) In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  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.

    • Ruach - breath, wind, spirit, air

    • This signifies that before creation, God's spirit was actively present over a formless, chaotic earth, poised to bring order and life, demonstrating the Spirit’s function and power to shape and transform the world from a state of nothingness into order.

  • Exhaled Into Man To Bring Life - Genesis 2:7 (ESV) then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

    • Job 33:4 (ESV) The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

    • Living Being

    • Interaction with God

    • Sin - Death

    • Illus: Ballooon/Air

  • Filled The Tabernacle During The Exodus - Exodus 40:34–38 (ESV) Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.  And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.  Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out.  But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up.  For the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.

  • Filled The Temple In Jerusalem - 1 Kings 8:10–11 (NIV) When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD.  And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple.

  • Came Upon Prophets For Miraculous Moments - 1 Samuel 10:10 (ESV) 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.

  • Came Upon Jesus Permanently - Matthew 3:16 (ESV) And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;

    • Jesus was a man

    • The Spirit elevated his relationship with the Father

    • The Spirit enabled him to step into the supernatural

    • The Spirit in your life is the key to both

  • Required To Interact With God Fully - John 4:23–24 (ESV) But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.  God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

  • Promised For Us By John - Luke 3:16 (ESV) John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

  • Promised In Us By Jesus - John 14:16–17 (ESV) And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,  even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

  • Received By Believers - Acts 2:1–4 (ESV) When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.  And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.  And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.


Acts 13:52 (ESV) And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Steve ParrishComment