Focus: The Spirit Of Life

Text: Rom.8:2

"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."

The Spirit is the source of life. He is a life-giver. He is full of the force or energy of life. He is the breath and wind of God. 

In Revelation 11, John says that He is "the Spirit of life from God." In Rom.8:10, Paul says that "the Spirit is life." In Eph.4:18, Paul connects life to God - "the life of God." In Col.4:3, he says that "Christ is our life." Life flows in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and from Them life flows to us. Christ says, "For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself" (Jh.5:26). Father and Son have life in Themselves. Christ says, "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life" (Jh.6:63). 

The Spirit enlivens us. The Spirit makes us alive and lively. We are full of life and energy by the Spirit of God.

The author of Hebrews speaks of "the power of an endless life" (Heb.7:16). In Christ and by the Spirit we receive the ability for a life that never ends.

This word 'life' is really loaded. 'Zoe' is the Greek word for it. Another word is 'bios,' from which we get the word 'biology' or 'biological.' Bios speaks of our common biological, physical and temporal life, or the mere life of the clock. Bios refers to mere existence, while zoe means that life which is original and authentic. It is life as God has it in Himself - the God-kind of life. It is a flamboyant, passionate, qualitative life. Jesus Christ says, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." It is life that is free, full, final, fruitful, and fulfilling. It is life so rich and very enriching - powerful, productive, and prosperous. 

It is divine and eternal - beautiful and wonderful life. It is life that is incorruptible and immortal, life that is wholesome and balanced, life that is harmonious and melodious, and life that is spiritually and ethically pure.

Through spiritual rebirth or by the regenerative power of the Holy Spirit the believer in Christ receives zoe life, and as John would say, "We have passed from death unto life" (1Jh.3:14). Paul declares, "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life" (Rom.5:10). By Christ's death we are reconciled to God, and by His zoe life we are saved. The zoe life in us is nourished as we live by the dictates of the Spirit. Paul says, "He that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting" (Gal.6:8). As we keep sowing to the Spirit, we will keep harvesting eternal life. Our new life in Christ needs cultivating. Jude says, "But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost" (Jud.1:20).

Let the Spirit of life saturate your whole being with zoe life! Get constantly revitalized, reinvigorated, and galvanized by Him! Keep sowing to the Spirit and reaping the crops of life! Zoe life has everything it needs to flower and flourish. The Spirit of life enables us to live the life of the Spirit and to manifest the fruit of the Spirit. Zoe life is sweetly and swiftly contagious. We attract and influence others by it.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter