THE HOLY SPIRIT CAME AT PENTECOST – Part 5

As A Renewing Dove

John 1:32-34

“I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. . . ‘this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’  And I have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” (vs. 32, 33-34 ESV)

When the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus at His baptism, He came in the symbol of a dove.

As the dove brought the sprig of an olive tree to Noah, so the Heavenly Dove brings us peace and the promise of a new beginning.

He comes to set our hearts to soaring in the peace, freedom, and joy of the Holy Spirit.  Peace is what the world hungers for and even goes to war for.

But into this world that is crying “Peace, Peace” and “peace and safety”, when there is no peace, the Dove of the Holy Spirit is there to give us His peace.  He shows us that Jesus is the Prince or Ruler of peace, if we’ll let him let peace be our umpire (Colossians 3:15). 

Jesus’ peace is greater than the peace the world offers. The world’s peace is but a pause between conflicts, but Jesus gives an inner peace that comes only as we abide with Him.  The Holy Spirit will whisper often those words of assurance that we are the children of God.

In conflict, under pressure, through pain, and in sorrow, the peace of Christ rules; the Heavenly Dove descends, His peace comes, and He whispers “rest”.

This Pentecost, let the Holy Spirit be the Dove of peace, the Cleanser and Purifier of your heart, the Empowerer and Healer for ministry, the Guide into all truth.  But most of all, let Him be the Paraclete, walking beside you, teaching you the will of God, revealing to you the truth of Christ, guiding you lest you wander, sustaining you lest you fall, empowering you in your weaknesses, anointing you for your wounded spirit, comforting you when you need comfort, interceding for you when you don’t know how to pray, washing and cleansing you with the blood that goes deeper than the stain of sin.

                        “What a treasure I have in this wonderful peace

                        Buried deep in the heart of my soul,

                        So secure that no power can mine it away,

                        While the years of eternity roll!

Rev. John C. Moyer