Although the Holy Spirit descended upon me with shining wings and glory, I don't believe He is some kind of a dove. Holy Spirit descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon Jesus when Jesus stepped out of Jordan river.
Not as a dove, but like a dove is descending.
"And after being baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him:" (Matthew 3:16)
Holy Spirit is a spiritual person. At the same way how he appeared to Jesus and to me, he may appear to you. It is, however, no expectation for having a contact or learning to know him. I have had a chance to experience him in a bodily shape only once, but in plenty of times in spirit. When the Holy Spirit arrives I simply feel His presence. His presence can be felt in many various ways.
Seven characters of the Holy Spirit
"And I saw between the throne with the four living creatures and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth." (Rev. 5:6) Prophet Isaiah clarifies, who these seven Spirits of God are. When the Holy Spirit of God descended upon Jesus He came on these seven different characters.
- Spirit of the Lord
- Spirit of Wisdom
- Spirit of Understanding
- Spirit of Counsel
- Spirit of Strength
- Spirit of Knowledge
- Spirit of the fear of the Lord
" And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord;" (Isaiah 11:2). In the life and ministry of Jesus we can see these seven characters of the Holy Spirit. Let us look closer these characters in the life of Jesus.
1) The Spirit of the Lord
The Spirit of the Lord was acting in Jesus when he was praying Father:" God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24). When Jesus was on this earth, God was in him. Jesus said: "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30)
2) The Spirit of Wisdom
There is wisdom that is from this earth and wisdom that is from heaven. "…that you may be filled with knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding" (Col 1:9) Now we shall study closer the wisdom of the Holy Spirit - wisdom that affects through the Spirit of Wisdom. Matthew tells us, how Jesus was teaching people in the synagogue of his home town. Certainly many of those people knew Jesus as a carpenter Joseph's son since his early childhood. In his home town they knew Jesus' mother Mary, his brothers James, John, Simon and Judah and his sisters. People knew his "family conditions". That's why they certainly wondered the wisdom he had. Jesus was not a son of a priest, neither had he got any kind of theological education. One cannot get spiritual wisdom by studying theology. Only the Holy Spirit can give you the Spirit of spiritual wisdom. "And coming to his hometown, He began teaching them in their synagogue, so that they became astonished, and said, Where did this man get this wisdom, and these miraculous powers?" (Mathew 13:54)
3) The Spirit of Understanding
There is the same rule with the spirit of understanding as with the spirit of wisdom. There is natural, human understanding , and there is supernatural, spiritual understanding, which is given by the Holy Spirit.
The spirit of understanding was affecting in Jesus e.g. in the case, when they brought to him a paralyzed man lying in his bed. Jesus was showing him the right priority of things and proclaimed his sins forgiven. As I told before, Jesus was well known in his hometown. There were Pharisees at present who said in their minds (not aloud): "This man is blaming God". The Holy Spirit was affecting in Jesus in supernatural way, so that he knew their negative thoughts and he said: "Why are you thinking evil in your hearts?" (Matthew 9:4)
The spirit of Wisdom revealed also the scriptures to the disciples: "Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures," (Luke 24:45)
4) The Spirit of Counsel
Name Jesus means a Wonderful Counselor. Isaiah confirms this by saying: "For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor " Isaiah (9:5)
The Greek word "hodegesei" used in the gospels means not only to guide but also to counsel. The Spirit of "Hodegesei" - the Spirit of Counsel affected in Jesus' life and worked continuously. Many times he was asked for help and advice. One of the best known cases is the story of Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a Jewish ruler. He was also a member of synagogue.
Without the Spirit of Counsel many of us would have advised Nicodemus to enjoy his life and to trust in that he is a member of synagogue. Through the Spirit of "Hodegesei" Jesus advised Nicodemus and told him the great importance of being born again. Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit and he did not want anyone to perish, not either Nicodemus, who was a member of synagogue. So he advised this Pharisee: "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3)
Jesus was able to councel all the people. He had the most amazing advice to everyone. One of the most wonderful piece of advice was, when he said to Peter: ".. throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth, you will find a stater. Take that and give it to them for you and Me." (Matthew 17:27) The gospels are splended of amazing advice of Jesus. Truly The Spirit of Councel was affecting in the life and ministry of Jesus!
5) The Spirit of Power
The great, miracle making power was working out in the life of Jesus in a marvelous way. Let's look closer some examples. I believe that Jesus was full of the the Holy Spirit. He was anointed "from top till toe". Luke writes, how power was coming from Him and healing them all. "And all the multitude were trying to touch Him, for power was coming from Him and healing them all. " (Luke 6:19)
In the very beginning of my ministry Lord spoke to me that there will be a period before his return , when we will experience this same power. Arvid Böhm, who was a Pentecostal pastor, arranged my first meetings, when I had started my full time ministry. One of these meetings was in Gislaved, in southern Sweden, on the local Pentecostal congregation. That evening the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, that before Jesus will return we shall have meetings where all the sick will be healed. In the evening meeting He confirmed His word and healed everyone who was sick and came in front that evening. As well as I know, there was not a single one, who would have left the meeting being still sick.
If you want to see more healing miracles in your meetings, be thirsty for the Holy Spirit. The power of the Holy Spirit is a healing power. Just as we just noticed: " ..
For power was coming from Him, healing them all"!
All! All at present! Fantastic, excellent, marvelous! Praise the Lord!
It is told in the Gospel of Mark about a woman, who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years. This poor woman had spent all she had when searching help from medicine. Although she had tried so many times, she didn't find help anywhere. The woman had heard about Jesus and decided to meet him. As she was so ill and there were so many people trying to see Jesus, she had to try hard to get in touch with him. When she at last touched Jesus, the healing power of the Holy Spirit came into her and she was healed. "For she thought: 'If I just touch his garments, I shall get well.' And immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said: 'Who touched my clothes?' " (Mark 5:28,30)
Have you ever been thinking that all these healings happened before Jesus was crucified, before he had given a single drop of His holy, sinless blood. It is written in the book of Isaiah: "…And by his Scourging we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5). The blood of Jesus is like seal of the will of Father's healing power on us. When you learn to know the Holy Spirit closer, he will for sure glorify Jesus for you as a healer. As Jesus knew how valuable thing it is to really know God, He said: "You are mistaken , not understanding the Scriptures, or the power of God" (Matthew 22:29).
Gospel without the Holy Spirit is just nice theory, beautiful but powerless words. This generation needs the gospel of Power. Only the Holy Spirit can make it happen among us. As the Bible says: "For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power."(1. Cor 4:20)
6. The Spirit of Knowledge
Supernatural Spirit of Knowledge was acting in the life of Jesus. Bible tells us about situations where Jesus simply but Supernaturally knew what some people around him knew. We should not mix this supernatural knowledge with some person's guessings about others thoughts. Neither to evil spirits, that are demonical and that Lord commands us to keep apart of. Maybe the best picture of this we get from the gospel of John, Chapter 2. "But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for he knew all men." (John 2:22).
Jesus knew his betrayer (John 13:11). Jesus knew, that Father always hears his prayers. "And I knew that Thou hearest Me always; but because of the people standing around I said it, that they may believe that Thou did send me. And when He had said these things He cried out with a loud voice: Lazarus, come forth!" (John 11:42-43)
Only the Holy Spirit and His presence can assure us, that our prayer has been heard. Without him we will have to pray the same prayer again and again. You surely don't believe that we are heard because of the many words? No! When we pray like Jesus in the Holy Spirit and truth, we too shall know that our prayers have been heard. Peace without explanation will fill our hearts, because in the Holy Spirit we know that God knows our things. God has no lack of memory. I am sure He remembers all your prayers even years ago better than you yourself may remember.
I ask you to read aloud following verses and think what they mean: "And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him." (1 John 5:14-15). The presence of the Holy Spirit can be so real, that when you are asking for something according to Lords will, the Holy Spirit will bring such a confidence to your heart, that you believe and know, that you own all you have just asked for, even if you don't see it physically.
Praying in Spirit doesn't mean only speaking with tongues. Spirit of knowledge isn't that you know for example what is written in Psalm 23, which is natural knowledge which you have got simply by reading that wonderful psalm. The Spirit of knowledge is working on supernatural level. Simeon, who was a righteous man, knew that he wouldn't see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ, Jesus (Luke 2:25-26). Simeon knew it, because the Holy Spirit had revealed it to him! Normally, none of us may know the days of his life.
7. The Spirit of the Lord's Fear
Fear of the Lord means respecting Father the God. Jesus honored Father highly. "Do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him, who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:28). So we should respect and fear more God than people. Jesus honored and feared God so deeply that he didn't care what people were thinking of him.
Respect of the Lord is respecting the word of God. It is putting God's Word in priority compared to the human opinions. The spirit of Lord's fear makes us free from the love of the world and shows us the way to the holy life.