The Spirit’s Power

When I opened my front door this morning to let our dog out, the wind was gusting so
strong that it almost pulled the door out of my hand. I was instantly taken to the book of
Acts where when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost that there was
“the sound of a mighty rushing wind.” Or as the Complete Jewish Study Bible reads,
“There came a sound from the sky like the roar of a violent wind.” (Acts 2:2) There is
power in the wind that is blowing across Northwest Oklahoma today, just as there is
power in the Holy Spirit, that has been shown across the ages.
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was unformed
and void, darkness was on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God hovered over the
surface of the water. Genesis 1:1-2
The first time the Holy Spirit is mentioned, is in Chapter 1 verse 2 of Genesis. He is there
with the Father and the Son, right out of the gate. John Chapter 1 verses 1 and 2 state: 1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2
He was with God in the beginning. The trinity was working in tandem at the dawn of
creation, and what awesome power each of them contain. It is greater than we can
fathom.
Joel 2:23-29 (verses 28 and 29 are equivalent to verses 1 and 2 of chapter 3 in the
Complete Jewish Study Bible) reads:
Be glad, people of T’ziyon! Rejoice in Adonai your God! For he is giving you the right
amount of rain in the fall, he makes the rain come down for you, the fall and spring rains
– this is what he does first. 24 Then the floors will be full of grain and the vats overflow
with wine and olive oil. 25 “I will restore to you the years that the locusts ate, the
grasshoppers, shearer-worms and cutter-worms, my great army that I sent against you.
26 You will eat until you are satisfied and will praise the name of Adonai your God, who
has done with you such wonders. Then my people will never again be shamed. 27 You
will know that I am with Isra’el and that I am Adonai your God, and that there is no
other. Then my people will never again be shamed. 3:1(2:28) After this, I will pour out
my Spirit on all humanity. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will
dream dreams, your young men will see visions; 2 (2:29) and also on male and female
slaves in those days I will pour out my Spirit.
What a powerful prophecy! The fulfillment of it began on the day of Pentecost in the
upper room in the book of Acts,(which also happened to be one of the rainy season in
Israel.) Perry Stone summed it up like this, “The early rain fell upon the dry, barren
hearts of the Hebrew nation as the seed of God’s Word was planted in Jerusalem, Judea,
Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth (see Acts 1:8).The latter rain will help
ripen the hearts of people around the world and prepare the final great harvest of souls
for the kingdom of God (see James 5:7-8).” From The Perry Stone Hebraic Prophetic
Study Bible How is this accomplished? By the Spirit of God.
The power of the Holy Spirit is not an afterthought. It is not an isolated incident in an
upper room in Jerusalem. The power of the Holy Spirit shakes foundations and shakes
foundations of lives. Too many times, we try to make Him a New Testament thing, when
He is shown to work mightily all throughout the Old Testament.
Judges 6:34: But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and
Abi-ezer was gathered after him.
Judges 14:6 And the Spirit of the Lod came mightily upon him (Samson), and he rent a
kid (baby goat), and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother
what he had done.
1 Samuel 16:13: Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his
brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel
rose up and went to Raman.
Psalm 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me.
Proverbs 1:23: Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you, I will
make known my words unto you.
The greatest thing, however, is that the Spirit of the Lord was not just for those who
lived during the time the Bible was written. He is continually active in the here and now
and wants to move powerfully in your life too. The Book of Mysteries by Johnathan Cahn
paints a vivid picture about the Spirit. The Hebrew word for Spirit is Ruach, but it means
wind as well. If I were to go outside right now and walk into the wind, it would be
difficult. It would be hard to walk, I would get tired quickly as it creates drag. But if I
were to turn around and walk WITH the wind, it becomes easier, almost as if it is
pushing me along, moving and propelling me forward. This is the illustration the teacher
uses in this mystery. The wind gives you power when you walk with it, just as the Spirit
gives us power when we walk in the Spirit. The student then makes the statement, “So if
you walk in the Spirit, life will go from being a drag to a breeze.”
The word power in Hebrew is hayil made up of the letters Chet, Yod, and Lamed. While
this word does indeed mean might, strength and force, it also has a very impactful
definition. Hayil also means, virtue. Proverbs 31 discusses a woman of virtue, hayil, and
looks at her as a “heroic woman” or a “woman of valor.” In the book of Luke, chapter 8,
the woman with the issue of blood reaches out and touched the tzitzit on Jesus’ robe
and He stopped and asked who touched Him. He knew because Hayil, power, virtue had
gone out of Him.
We are called to walk in the Spirit, and I do not know about you, but I want to walk in
his Hayil. The power of the Spirit, His virtue. I want Him to operate in fullness in my life,
and like David, so do I cry, Create in me a clean heart, God; renew in me a resolute spirit.
Don’t thrust me away from your presence, don’t take your Ruach Kodesh (Holy Spirit)
away from me. Restore my joy in your salvation, and let a willing spirit uphold me. Psalm
51:12(10)-14(12)