Walking by Faith

Genesis 8:6-12 – A Picture of the Work of the Spirit

 6And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark  which he had made:

 7And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.

 8Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground;

 9But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.

 10And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark;

 11And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.

 12And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more.

The ark is a picture of salvation.

The door is a picture of Jesus Christ

Noah, like ourselves is safe in Christ, in salvation so to speak. In every instance of God’s working we usually see the Godhead

In the beginning – Genesis 1 – we see the Godhead at work in creation

At the baptism of Jesus – Matthew 3 – we see the Godhead at work in calling Jesus the Son

After the burial – John 20 – we see the Godhead at work in the resurrection of the coming King

So if the ark is a picture of the salvation of God and the door is Jesus then the work of the Spirit is pictured by the one window. Why because the window let the light in just as the Spirit lets the Light into our lives.

But we see here that Noah had the ability to open and close the window as he pleased in order to let more or less light in.

We have that same ability. We can either let more or less Light into our lives by either allowing the Spirit of God to work in our lives or we can grieve or quench the Spirit and we will not produce much fruit

1 Corinthians 2:9-11 (King James Version)

 9But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

 10But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

 11For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God

1 Thessalonians 5:18-20 (King James Version)

 18In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

 19Quench not the Spirit.

 20Despise not prophesyings.

The dove represents the work of the Spirit of God, while the raven, represents the work of the flesh.

The dove is peaceful, the raven is restless

The dove found no rest for her feet so she returned to Noah. The Spirit of God is looking for people. The Spirit is searching and sometimes He does not find rest. Why because we won’t give Him room.

Is there room for Him in us?

Christians have the Spirit. We are indwelled with the Spirit but does the Spirit have us?

He could have sat there and waited. He could have proclaimed “well I am open and ready so if you want to land on me then that’s ok!”

Have we done that? Have we been that way? Have you ever said that? I have.

“Well God, I am right here. I am waiting for You to give me the Spirit. I am waiting here so if You want to work through me go ahead. I’ll just set here and wait”

Noah didn’t do that. He reached out and he pulled her into him.

God wants our action. He wants us to participate with Him

All through Scripture, God commands, He tells His people to choose, to listen, to obey but it is up to them as to how much blessings and curses they want in their lives

Luke 11

9And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

 10For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

 11If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

 12Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

 13If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

The Spirit interacts with mankind in three ways

 

John 14 – The Spirit is with us  - before salvation

15If ye love me, keep my commandments.

 16And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

 17Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

 18I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

 19Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

 20At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

 21He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

 22Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?

 23Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

 24He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.

 25These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.

 26But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

The Spirit is with us, along side of us, telling us “You need salvation, you need Jesus Christ!”

The Spirit is with in us – indwelling us – He has come to us and we are saved through Jesus Christ

22And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

 23Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

The Spirit is upon us – Working through us

Acts 1

 1The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

 2Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

 3To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

 4And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

 5For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

 6When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

 7And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

 8But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Reach out and grab the Spirit today. If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior – let Him have rest in and on you today. Open up that window and let the Light shine in!!!!!!!!!