Spirit Series: Part 1 | Most Holy Place

He tries to steady himself as he feels the heaviness tug at him. His muscles strain and he’s overcome by a sudden, overwhelming drowsiness. He takes a few sharp, short breaths. The air up here is hard, the only way it can be described. Each labored breath is painful, his lungs fighting for sufficient oxygen. He heaves his pickaxe into the rock stretching his arm, as his boot spikes stab at the rock face. Those above and below him are here to fulfil a quest.

Join us, as we explore the rarified air of the heavenlies in pursuit of the answers to questions most don’t ask…

Let’s start with the one question that has prompted heated discussion when widely-studied scholars gather. A quick check-up on this computer’s Word synonym of “spirit” lists “soul” as the first recommendation. We respond with a grating gong!

A word search of the KJV tells us the word translated ‘spirit’ appears 523 times in Holy Writ.

The Greek word for spirit, Pneuma (Strong’s 4151), has a similar meaning to the Hebrew word for spirit, Ruach.

Pneuma (to breathe, to blow) primarily denotes the wind. As quoted in The Complete Word Study New Testament: “Breath; the spirit which, like the wind, is invisible, immaterial, and powerful”

Hebrew authorities state that in the Hebrew Testament “the basic meaning of ruach is both ‘wind’ or ‘breath,’ but neither is understood as essence; rather it is the power encountered in the breath and the wind, whose whence and whither remains mysterious.”

Ruach, as wind, therefore, is designated as something in motion, which is not seen, with the power to set other things in motion. The divine designation apparently has an intensified function in a few passages: Ruach Elohim (Genesis 1:2) and Ruach YHWH (Isaiah 59:19)” (Strong’s 7307). Kindly note…we consider this crucial!

Strong’s 7307 also states, “Ruach implies a power that is within the breath and wind, which is connected to the name Yahweh. The spirit is the power emanating from Yahweh, the Heavenly Father. It is Yahweh’s power that puts all things into motion. It is Yahweh’s power through His ruach that breathes life into His creation and makes things live.” From this we see that our spirit is a limitless vessel putting things into motion by our Creator.

For it is written, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Genesis 2:7 KJV

What is the personal spirit?  

Ruach and nshamah in Hebrew. Pneuma in Greek.

The phrase that we will use here, ‘personal spirit,’ is not mentioned in Holy Writ, however, the accepted perspective of its use in certain passages points readily to the idea that it is ‘personal.’ Therefore, we add the word ‘personal’ to the word ‘spirit’ to make it clear to you, the reader, what we are talking about.

The personal spirit is the most exciting part of who we are.

This specifically, and uniquely, chosen essence of God has been loaned to each of us. While we possess it, it is not ours to own. Our Creator intended that this loan be eternal, since without it we cannot share intimacy with Him.

There are at least 136 instances in Holy Writ that reference our personal spirit. The balance of the remaining occurrences is rightly divided among references to the Holy Spirit, disembodied spirits in general and angels of light or darkness. The vast majority, though, are references to our attitude and state of mind. This diversity is the ‘rarefied air’ to which we refer in the introduction.

Its abundance is to be treasured and its manifestation in our daily lives is essential to ‘walking in the spirit.’

If there is still a doubt that this agent is personal, we point you to a familiar passage of scripture.

“And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.” Luke 23:46 KJV

The phrase ‘my spirit’ appears 40 times in Holy Writ. Most of these instances refer to someone other than Yeshua.

Kindly tighten your boot straps…here is where the spiritual air tests our senses…

What does this personal spirit look like?

Though most often it is invisible, when it appears, it looks very similar to what we look like.

It is known, “when the disciples saw him [Yeshua] walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, it is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.” Matthew 14:26 KJV

His disciples mistook Yeshua’s body for a spirit. This indicates knowledge of its existence. They were not being superstitious or mystical. Out of ignorance, man minimizes the manifestation of this life force, but our Creator has other ideas.

Our Lord God did not relegate this vessel to playing just a minor, or supporting, role on the personal stage of our eternal existence. It is the very light-life giver.

In future articles, we will show that in reality our spirit is the most holy place of our being. The tabernacle in the wilderness typifies its presence and its role: The outer court exemplifies the body; the Holy Place characterizes the soul; the Most Holy Place portrays the spirit.

We read, “For by one spirit [Holy Spirit] are we all baptized into one body [Yeshua’s], whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:13 KJV

Some blessed souls will never know a microsecond of time when this essence isn’t flooding them with light-life. It quite simply delivers to each of us, what scripture calls, ‘a well-spring of life and light.’ By doing so, it offers unto us an opportunity to live beyond the self-centered tendencies of the soul.

For it is written, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.” Romans 8:1 KJV

The breath of God, as quoted from Genesis  2:7, is a spiritual stream of certain divine attributes, each of which secures for us an intimately private and, also, corporate commune with the one true God.

The breath was from the lungs of Elohim and therefore, holy. With that breath, Elohim loaned to us, divine qualities. Thus we have a unique standing within eternity and one shared by no other created thing, not even angels. An experience shared by Adam and Eve and their progeny, only. That is you.

Note: This in no way makes us divine. That is a place of existence reserved only for Elohim, Adonai and El Shaddai, each of which is a name for the Holy Trinity.

 When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, the promised certain death sentence was executed. That sentence of death, though, did not touch man’s personal spirit, because God holds the title deed to it. No spiritual darkness can penetrate its defenses. Satan and his minions have no place or ground there. Their only option is to shroud it in a foggy cloud of lies, which is fostered by unbelief.

The breath of God is unhindered when operating in the spiritual realm, referred to in scripture as ‘The Third Heaven.’ Satan can’t employ it to learn God’s intentions or snoop into our intimate communication with our Lord.

Remember, without the spirit, the body of man is just a lump of dirt. When the body dies, it returns to that state and serves no further purpose. It cannot see, it cannot hear, and it cannot move, feel, or speak. When the body of Adam was formed, it was still just an interesting looking lump of dirt, although it was in the shape of what Adam would appear to be to the physical world. It probably was quite statuesque. At that time that which distinguished the lump (Adam), from all other dirt in the Garden, was that this particularly formed body had a destiny.

That destiny still rests within your own.

When God breathed into the lifeless dust, it began to move, see, hear, and speak. That which eternity witnessed was the embodiment of a creature never before seen. There, standing in the sun, a purposeful lump became its destiny…Adam’s body. The breath of God filled this creature and the breath became the personal spirit of Adam. Then and only then, man became a living soul. A triune creature.

As it is written, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life [personal spirit]; and man became a living soul.” Genesis 2:7 KJV

Where is the personal spirit?  

Although its essence floods our complete being, we are told that it principally flows from the region of the belly.

For it is written “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” John 7:38 KJV

Our next article, Part 2 in the series about the personal spirit, begins to cover the attributes of the spirit.