Without the Holy Spirit, We're Dead

Job 33:4, 34:14-15: "The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life . . . . If it were his intention and he withdrew his spirit and breath, all mankind would perish together and man would return to the dust."


In a somewhat simple but profound way, Scripture presents us with the sobering truth of our utter dependence upon the Holy Spirit for our very existence. If the Holy Spirit determined to withdraw His life-giving breath that brought us to life at the beginning of time (see Genesis 2:7), we would die and disintegrate into the very dust from which we came.

If we believe that we are self-made entities that can wield our own way independently of the Divine One's sustaining power, then we are the greatest fools. It is by God's grace that we have "life, and breath, and everything else" (Acts 17:25). God has chosen to bless us with our existence, for He is a relational God that desires intimate fellowship with the pinnacle of His creation (Matthew 11:28-30). And He wills that our fellowship with Him would continue into eternity. This is why God so chose even before the creation of the world to "lavish the riches of His grace (upon us . . . . of which the benefits will be) put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfilment" (Ephesians 1:8-10). And what is so amazing about His grace is that He was willing to offer His own life as payment for our sin, even when we were flagrantly hostile towards His Sovereign reign, refusing to submit to Him as Lord (Romans 5:8; 8:7).

In response to the unfathomable gift of physical life and the offering of eternal life by the One True God, we must surrender ourselves to His Lordship and receive His forgiveness of sins. Whereas it was the power of God that brought us from non-existence to physical life, so too it is His "incomparably great power . . . the working of His mighty strength" that will give us eternal life and the blessedness of "his glorious inheritance" (Ephesians 1:18-19).

If you have surrendered to the One True God as your Lord and Savior, then thank Him today that He has given you physical life and the hope of eternal life.