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Saturday, December 10, 2011

THE HOLY SPIRIT IN ACTION

The earth
God used the holy spirit to create the earth and the rest of the universe. “How many your works are, O Jehovah! All of them in wisdom you have made. The earth is full of your productions,” the psalmist exclaimed. “If you send forth your spirit, they are created.”—Psalm 104:24, 30; Genesis 1:2; Job 33:4.

The apostle Paul
Holy spirit inspired godly men to write the Bible. “All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial,” wrote the apostle Paul. (2 Timothy 3:16) The Greek word translated “inspired of God” literally means “breathed into by God.” Jehovah’s breath, or spirit, guided the Bible writers’ thoughts, so that they transmitted “the word of God.”—1 Thessalonians 2:13.

Noah and the ark
Holy spirit empowered God’s servants to foretell the future with accuracy. The apostle Peter explained: “No prophecy of Scripture springs from any private interpretation. For prophecy was at no time brought by man’s will, but men spoke from God as they were borne along by holy spirit.”—2 Peter 1:20, 21; Joel 2:28.

Jesus healing a blind man
Holy spirit helped Jesus and other men of faith to preach the good news of God’s Kingdom and to perform miracles. Jesus said: “Jehovah’s spirit is upon me, because he anointed me to declare good news to the poor, he sent me forth to preach a release to the captives and a recovery of sight to the blind.”—Luke 4:18; Matthew 12:28.

“Keep On Asking, and It Will Be Given You”

You may never write a psalm. But you may well face obstacles as daunting as a towering Goliath. For example, consider Isabel.* Her husband abandoned her for a younger woman. He left her saddled with debt, and he gave her no economic support to help her provide for their two young daughters. “I felt betrayed and treated like dirt,” she says. “Nevertheless, since he left me, I have felt that God’s holy spirit has sustained me.”
‘I prayed fervently every day, asking God to give me strength. I knew I could not succeed on my own. And I saw how he answered my prayers’
Did Isabel expect to receive holy spirit automatically? No, she implored God every day to send her his spirit. She knew she needed God’s strength to help her face the future with courage, to care properly for her children, and to rebuild her shattered sense of self-worth. She took to heart Jesus’ words: “Keep on asking, and it will be given you; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking, and it will be opened to you.”—Matthew 7:7.
Roberto also felt that he needed God’s spirit but for different reasons. He was addicted to tobacco and hashish, which he smoked constantly. He fought his addiction for two long years, and he relapsed several times. “You suffer anxiety when you stop taking drugs,” Roberto explains. “The body keeps on clamoring for the drug day after day.”
Roberto continues: “But I was determined to change my life so that I could serve God acceptably. I tried to fill my mind with positive thoughts from the Bible. I prayed fervently every day, asking God to give me the strength to clean up my life. I knew I could not succeed on my own. And I saw how Jehovah answered my prayers, especially when I felt demoralized after a relapse. I believe that God’s holy spirit gave me renewed strength; without his spirit I would never have overcome my addiction.”—Philippians 4:6-8.

WAYS IN WHICH THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN HELP US

A woman praying
Holy spirit can strengthen you to fight temptation and overcome harmful habits. The apostle Paul said: “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear, but along with the temptation he will also make the way out in order for you to be able to endure it.”—1 Corinthians 10:13.

A man helping a woman with groceries
Holy spirit can help you to cultivate godly qualities. “The fruitage of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, self-control.”—Galatians 5:22, 23.

A family at a cemetery
Holy spirit can fortify you to endure trials. “For all things I have the strength by virtue of him who imparts power to me.”—Philippians 4:13.
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