Air

     Approximately 20% of our atmosphere is oxygen. This was not always the case. Without oxygen larger life forms like mammals would not be possible. animals with more cells require more oxygen to break carbohydrates down into ATP the fuel that our cells use.  Most of this oxygen came from photosynthetic organisms that give off the oxygen as waste. Nothing is wasted in the economy of God. 

      Just like the planet needs air, we too need air to breathe our lungs take in oxygen,  disperse it to the iron on the hemoglobin in our blood that is then used to chauffer the oxygen around to all the parts of the body. If our blood oxygen falls below 88% we are in hypoxia and our heart can die. Oxygen in the form of ozone reduces pain, encourages healing, reduces inflammation, supports immune system function. Just like the Holy Spirit.

      Just like the earth, just like our bodies our spirits need air. The Greek word for air is "pneuma" which can be translated Spirit, wind and/ or breath. Let's take a look at wind first. Wind is a secondary energy source created by the relative position of the earth to the sun. (See earlier blogs on light) Winds travel down gradients from hot to cold and are named based upon the direction they come from i.e. a north wind blows north to south. The Beaufort scale is a way to meaure the speed of wind based upon observation.
holy spirit

 
 
     We have already discussed air particularly the oxygen in the atmosphere but let's go a little further. The troposphere  which is the nearest layer to the earth  is made up of a mixture of gases and these gases serve as a shield to the earth, reflecting harmful UV radiation back out into space.

     It is this air, this breath that makes us different from the animals. Genesis 2:7  
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. The difference between being an animal and being made in God's image is His breath. When Jesus ascended after the crucifixtion He sent ALL believers a helper the Holy Spirit once again God's breath created life in us.
 

What is this breath of God?

  • Part of the Trinity:
    The Holy Spirit is God, co-equal with the Father and the Son, not a created being or lesser power.
  • It is Divine Presence:
    He is God's personal, animating presence in the world and in believers.
  • It is the Spirit of Truth:
    The Holy Spirit teaches, guides, and reveals the depth of God's truth to believers, taking what is Christ's and showing it to them.
  • It is the Giver of Life:
    In Genesis, the Spirit is shown hovering over the uncreated world, bringing life and order to chaos.

Actions and Ministries

     The wind that gave us physical life Job 33:4, gives us new spiritual life. Jesus had to ascend so the Spirit could be sent.  What should we do with that life? Unlike creation that passively glorifies God Ps 19:1 or the angels who worship by command Heb 1:6  we get the divine privilege to worship Him in Spirit and truth Jn 4:23 to send that holy breath back to God to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice -holy and pleasing to God - this is our true worship

When we worship we are positioned under His Lordship Ps95:6-7
We are protected from the enemy
        Praise breaks chains Acts 16:25-26
        It drives out fear Is 61:3'
        It defeats the enemy Chron 20:21-22
Worship positions us to live on mission Rom 12:1

BREATHE Maverick City Music

This goes out to the worriedThis goes out to the stressedSorting out a million thoughts running through your head
To everyone that's waitingFor better days aheadTired and frustrated and leaving words unsaid
Please don't hold your breath
Just breathe'Cause it's a miracle we can breatheThere's power in the way that we breatheRelease your heavy burdensAnd let everything that has breath, praise the LordThis is why we have breath, so praise the Lord(Praise, praise, praise)
Sometimes you're in the desertSometimes you feel the painSometimes He calms a storm and sometimes He let's it rainPlease don't hold your breath
Just breathe (it's a miracle)This is a miracle, we can breathe (c'mon, release the breath of God)There's power in the way that we breathe ('cause it's power)Release your heavy burdensAnd let everything that has breath, praise the LordThis is why we have breath, praise the Lord (c'mon breathe)
Just breathe (sing, "It's a miracle")It's a miracle we can breathe (there's power in)There's power in the way that we breathe (release your heavy burdens)Release your heavy burdensAnd let everything that has breath, praise the Lord (this is why we have breath)This is why we have breath, praise the Lord (somebody praise the Lord)Somebody praise the Lord (c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, eh)Somebody praise the LordSomebody praise the LordHe's worthy, He's worthyHe's glory, He's glorySo everybody praise the Lord
Oh, and I can feel my lungsTaking air againJust breathing, I'm breathing in oxygen
And I can feel my strengthIt's coming back againBreathing, breathing in oxygenSay it y'all, say, "I can feel my lungs, yeah"
I can feel my lungs (taking air again)Taking air again (breathing)Breathing, breathing in oxygen (I can feel my strength)
I can feel my strength (it's coming back again)It's coming back again (breathing)Breathing (Hey)Breathing in oxygen
I can feel my lungs (I can feel my lungs)It's taking air again (taking air again)Breathing, breathing in oxygen
I can feel my strength (I can feel my strength)Coming back again (coming back again)Oh, breathing (I'm breathing)I'm breathing in oxygen (let's say, "I can feel my heart, I can feel my")
I can feel my heart (there it goes again)There it goes again (it's beating)It's beating, I'm breathing in oxygen (one more time, let's go)
I can feel my heart, ya, ya, ay (I can feel my heart)There it goes again (there it goes again)It's beating (beating)Breathing in oxygen
This goes out to the world and to this church, praise, yeahThis goes out to the wonderingThis goes out to the high blood pressureThis goes out to the people staying up onPlease just praise the LordI know you can't believe thatThis would turn out rightI just need you to praise the LordIt defies all logicIt just don't make senseBut I really need you to praise the LordOhBut I, I really need you to come through right nowAnd we know that You're worthyAnd we know that You're greatYes, we know You can work it outSo I praise the Lord, yeah (praise the Lord)YeahI promise I will praise the LordOh, praise is thee to Jesus (to Jesus)You're worthy, You're worthyPraise the Lord
Oh, praise is thee to Jesus (to Jesus)Praise the LordOh, praise is thee to Jesus (to Jesus)We're gonna praise the LordOh, praise is thee to Jesus (to Jesus)We're gonna praise, praise the LordOh, praise is thee to Jesus (to Jesus)We're gonna praise, praise the Lord




 
 
 
 
 

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