The breath of God is mentioned many times throughout the Bible. Both in the New Testament and in the Old Testament, the breath of God is mentioned by various authors. For most readers, it can be easy to overlook the importance of the breath of God simply because it can be quite hard to understand.
Questions such as “what is the breath of God?” are common to arise in the minds of believers across the world. This article is going to be answering what exactly is the breath of God.
What Is the Significance of God’s Breath?
The first account that we have in the Bible of God’s breath being breathed out is found in the act of Creation. Psalm 33:6 tells us, “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host” (ESV).
Similarly, God created mankind and brought the first man to life by breathing into Adam’s nose. Genesis 2:7 reads, “Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”
With God’s breath, He breathed the “breath of life” into Adam, which brought him to life. Similarly, each human being has the breath of life in them throughout their lives. When we die, the breath of life is gone because we are no longer living in our present earthly lives anymore.
This does not mean we stop existing, but rather it means our life on earth is over. After we die, we go to be the Lord in heaven, in which we will have our heavenly bodies until the Rapture occurs and we receive our glorified bodies (Philippians 3:21; 1 Corinthians 15:42-44).
Therefore, the breath of life refers to the breath that God breathes into mankind to give us life. The breath of God; however, is something similar, but different. In exact terms, the breath of God is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third member of the Trinity, which means He is God.
When Jesus breathed on His disciples, they each received the Holy Spirit (John 20:22). Many scholars believe that the act of Jesus breathing on the disciples to receive the Holy Spirit was an act of “re-creation.”
In other words, ever since the Fall of Man, the world has been in chaos; however, after the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, all of God’s people could be once again restored as children of God by placing faith in Christ and receiving the Holy Spirit.
As stated by biblical theologian and scholar, Derek Thomas, “Pentecost was an epochal event, signifying the dawning of a new era” (Ibid.). This new era is symbolized by the breath of God — the Holy Spirit.
Knowing the Breath of God
Many people are unfamiliar with the Holy Spirit. Most people are aware that the Father and Jesus are both two distinct persons, yet one God; however, the Holy Spirit is often neglected even among streamlined churches.
Cults and false belief systems, such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Church of the Latter-day Saints (previously known as the Mormon Church) view the Holy Spirit as merely a “force” and not part of the divine Trinity.
This is, of course, an erroneous view because the Holy Spirit is the third member of the Holy Trinity. When Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit on the disciples, they received the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
All individuals who place faith in Christ today also receive the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit even though Jesus has not literally breathed on us. By the breath of God, the disciples were able to perform miracles and speak boldly in previously unknown languages to the people present from across the known world.
The disciples were only able to do this because of the Holy Spirit’s work among them. By the death of Christ on the cross for all people and through the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, God was opening the door for all people to be saved — including Gentiles.
Prior to Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, salvation was only attainable for Israel. Gentiles outside of Israel could not be considered as God’s people unless they had been brought into Israel. However, once Christ died for the sins of the entire world, salvation has become open to all (John 3:16-17).
Paul tells us in Romans 10:13, “for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” Through the power of the Holy Spirit, all believers can bring glory to God and serve Him with their entire souls.
By the breath of God, we can all boldly come to the Father and present our requests to Him. The Holy Spirit helps us when we do not know what we should pray for as He intercedes in moans, groans, and noises that we cannot hear (Romans 8:26).
Many people downplay the Holy Spirit, but as you can see, He plays a major role in our lives, our salvation, and in our future.
The Breath of God’s Work in Our Own Lives
Even in the present 21st century, the Holy Spirit is still at work in the lives of believers. While the gift of tongues, miracles, and prophecy ended during the time of the disciples, the Holy Spirit still gifts believers in different ways.
Examples of spiritual gifts include knowledge, teaching, serving, faith, wisdom, and discerning of spirits to name a few (1 Corinthians 12:8-10; Romans 12:3-8; Ephesians 4:7-13). Each believer will obtain at least one spiritual gift over the course of their Christian walk with the Lord.
It is important to mention that spiritual gifts are different from talents. If you are extremely talented in a sport, drawing, singing, or another way, it is not necessarily from the Holy Spirit. God has each gifted us with unique talents, abilities, and personalities; however, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are divine gifts given to us by the Holy Spirit.
Spiritual gifts can be hard to discover; however, the best way to discover your own spiritual gifts is to get involved in a local church, participate in life with other believers, talk to trusted Christian leaders in your life, and pray for God to reveal your spiritual gifts to you.
In time, you will discover your spiritual gifts and they will be affirmed to you by other Christians in your lives. The breath of God had a huge meaning not only for the people in the Bible but also for us in the modern day.
Why Does Understanding the Breath of God Matter?
Every single Christian in the world has the breath of God in them right now. It is important to mention that simply because we have the breath of God in us does not mean we are “gods” ourselves.
Rather, it means that we have the Holy Spirit living inside us because the breath of God is the Holy Spirit. Let your heart be comforted in the knowledge that the Holy Spirit lives in you and will always be with you. He will never leave you nor abandon you.
The Holy Spirit’s indwelling is permanent, which means He will never leave. Even though we may feel alone, we are never alone because the Holy Spirit is within us always and forever. The breath of God has taken up occupancy in our hearts forevermore.
For further reading:
What Is the Meaning of the Hebrew Word Ruach?
What Does it Mean That the Bible Is God-Breathed?
How Are We Created in the Image of God?
What Is the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit?
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