Fresh Air

Discovering the original Hebrew and Greek meaning of words can help us see what the text really means.  The Hebrew and Greek Languages are very descriptive and sometimes the pronunciation of the words even sounds like the meaning of the word. For instance, the word “Spirit” in Hebrew is “Ruwach” and is pronounced, “roo-haa,” and means “wind, breath.” Can you just imagine the Spirit of the Living God breathing life into Adam as He formed Him from the dust of the ground? That same Spirit, eternal in all aspects, breathes God’s eternal breath into us, His human creations. It is in this vein I want us to look at the Scriptures we have for this lesson. Allow the breath of God, His “Ruwach”  “roo-haa” to blow into your spirit.

1. Read Genesis 1:1-2. Focus on verse 2. What does the passage say hovered over the waters? 

“Roo-haa” hovered over the waters. The Creator, as the Triune God, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit blew Their eternal breath as the One Eternal God over the silent waters. The earth was  formless and empty and God blew His life and things began to happen. Can you imagine the emptiness? God took this empty nothingness and “roo-haa” there was the beginning of the earth and the waters of the earth. God’s breath created all we know out of complete nothingness. No one else could do what He did and what He continues to do.

Sometimes we believe God cannot help in our lives. He can create life, but can He repair our broken marriages, families, finances? Can He take the circumstances in life and breathe new life into it? The answer is a resounding “yes.” He can and He will.

2. What are some areas in your life you need God’s Spirit to blow on you? Tell Him.

Our text today is from Psalm 139:7-14. This whole chapter could be preached on for a year in my opinion. It speaks of God as the One who has cared for His creation and is caring for His creation and will care for His creation. We matter to God. He didn’t throw humans together willy-nilly. He had a plan and has a plan for each of us.

3. Read Psalm 139:7-10. Where can you go to escape or hide from God’s Holy Spirit? Where is God?

There is nothing we can do to escape from the One who watches over us continually and eternally. That should be a comfort. We aren’t left alone on this earth to fend for ourselves, although it may seem like it at times. The problem is that we don’t always acknowledge God’s presence. We don’t always turn to Him for help and comfort. We don’t always remember He is our constant companion an ever-present help in times of trouble.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1

4. Read John 14:16-17. What did Jesus ask God the Father for on our behalf? Why? Who is able to receive this gift?

If you know Jesus as your Lord, the Leader of your life, then you have been given this wonderful gift of God’s Holy Spirit. This eternal breath, life-giving and truth-filled Spirit, resides inside each believer. The sad thing is, we often don’t take advantage of Him and allow Him to counsel us in our everyday lives. He’s there willing and able to help us at all times. Even if we think, “Aw this is not too bad, I can deal with it,” His Holy Spirit desires to lead us in every aspect of our lives. He’s there for the big and the little things we face. All it takes is for us to ask Him. We must to tap into this awesome power from God.

5. Read Psalm 139:11-12. The dark can getting pretty dark so that even the seemingly easy and benign things in life seem too much for us to bear. What do these two verses say about how God views darkness? What are some areas in your life where you feel alone and in the dark?

The dark isn’t dark to God. He sent His Light into the world through His Son. Those who trust their lives to Him have no need to fear dark areas that seem to crowd in. “The night will shine like day; for darkness is as light to You.” Have you ever tried to speak truth to the darkness you face? Try saying, “Darkness, you have no authority over me because the Light of God’s Truth resides in me in Jesus’ Name.” Speaking truth into our life helps. It gets us to focus on Jesus and His Power given to us by the Holy Spirit. The evil one knows Truth (Jesus) and flees from Him. Christ is victorious over all darkness. Hold on to that.

“But I will send you the Advocate—the Spirit of truth. 

He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me.” John 15:26

Our Advocate, the One who goes to bat for us, resides in us. He continually breathes the “roo-haa” of God testifying to the Truth that is Jesus. Spend time listening to the Holy Spirit and breathe in His power to lighten the darkness you may face.

6. Read Psalm 139:13-14. What did God create within you? Where did He do this? What should we praise Him for? 

Do we really understand the knowledge God has about us? He knew us before we were born. He did the “knitting” and we are His design. “God don’t make no junk.” You are one-of-a-kind, perfectly created by God’s Hand. He cares deeply for you. Our earthly bodies may not be perfect by the world’s standards, but God’s standards are different. He created us out of the pureness and perfect purpose of His love.

This world is temporary. It’s pain and problems only a mist. He is drawing us to Him. He continues to whittle and shape the rough aspects of our being to line up perfectly with His ultimate design. He wants us to look and act like the only perfect One ~ Jesus. All we need to do is submit to the Master Designer.

7. Read Titus 3:4-7 (NLT) “ 4. When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, 5. he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. 6. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.”

    Circle the following words above.

    revealed- (vs. 4); kindness and love (vs. 4); saved- (vs.5); mercy (vs.5); washes (vs.5);       
    new birth and new life- (vs. 5); generously poured (vs.6) Spirit- (vs 6); grace- (vs. 7); 
    declared- (vs.7); righteous- (vs. 7); confidence- (verse 7); life- (vs. 7)


Look at all these words and take in the enormity of what God has breathed into all who have given their lives to Jesus. What does this say to you? How does it fit with the way you live your day-to-day life? You may know these things in your head, but have they made it down into your spirit, your heart, the eternal “roo-haa” God has breathed into you? His Spirit is active and powerful wanting us to tap into Him. Breathe in, breath out the Spirit of God as you live daily.

8. Read 2 Timothy 1:7. What did God NOT give you? What DID God give you? Why should this matter in your life?

The Holy Spirit gives us courage. He denies the lies the world and the evil one tells us. Instead He gives us an limitless supply of power, love and self-discipline. We can’t do it alone. We must rely solely on the Holy Spirit residing within us.

9. What are you afraid of in your life? According to scripture you aren’t subject to this fear any longer. Would you take the time to lay these fears before Jesus and allow His Spirit to replace your dread?

 Whose power do you depend on? Your’s or God’s? Explain.

You, friend, are filled with the same power that raised Jesus from the grave. In fact, it propelled Him from the grips of death and thrust Him to life as our Redeemer and King. He loves you so much He propelled you from death to eternal life. He didn’t leave you alone to fend for yourself. As He created you, His will was to fill you with His Spirit, “Ruwach” actively breathing every moment of everyday. He looks on you as His dearly loved creation and He’s made a way for us to be in perfect relationship with Him through Christ. Breathe Him in and live out your life knowing His Spirit lives within you.

“Jesus has the power of God, 

by which He has given us everything we need

 to live and to serve God. 

We have these things because we know Him. 

Jesus called us by His glory and goodness.” 2 Peter 1:3