Emblems of the Spirit
The Holy Spirit is represented by various emblems, including water, fire, wind, and the dove, which symbolize His cleansing, purifying, and reviving power.
D.L. Moody emphasizes the various emblems of the Holy Spirit, illustrating how elements like water, fire, wind, rain, and the dove represent the Spirit's work in our lives. He explains that just as water from the smitten rock in Exodus symbolizes the cleansing and refreshing nature of the Holy Spirit, so too do fire and wind represent purification and revival. Moody encourages believers to invite the Holy Spirit to search their hearts and to recognize His gentle, guiding presence. He concludes with a call to rely not on human wisdom but on the power of God through the Spirit. This message serves as a reminder of the abundant blessings and transformative power of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer.
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But I would further call attention to the emblems of the Holy Spirit. An emblem is something that represents an object; the same as a balance is an emblem of justice, and a crown and emblem of royalty, and a scepter is an emblem of power; so we find in the 17th chapter of Exodus and 6th verse, that water is an emblem of the Holy Spirit. You find in the Smitten Rock, in the wilderness, the work of the Trinity illustrated.
Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. Paul declares, in Corinthians, that the rock was Christ; it represented Christ.
God says: I will stand upon the rock," and as Moses smote the rock the water came out, which was an emblem of the Holy Spirit; and it flowed out along through the camp; and they drank of the water. Now water is cleansing; it is fertilizing; it is refreshing; it is abundant, and it is freely given: and so the Spirit of God is the same: cleansing, fertilizing, refreshing, reviving, and He was freely given when the smitten Christ was glorified. Then, too, fire is an emblem of the Spirit; it is purifying, illuminating, searching. We talk about searching our hearts. We can not do it. What we want is to have God search them. O that God may search us and bring out the hidden things, the secret things that cluster there and bring them to light. The wind is another emblem.
It is independent, powerful, sensible in its effects, and reviving; how the Spirit of God revives when He comes to all the drooping members of the Church. Then the rain and the dew - fertilizing, refreshing, abundant; and the dove, gentle -what more gentle than the dove; and the lamb? - gentle, meek, innocent, a sacrifice. We read of the wrath of God; we read of the wrath of the Lamb, but nowhere do we read of the wrath of the Holy Spirit - gentle, innocent, meek, loving; and that Spirit wants to take possession of our hearts. And He comes as a voice, another emblem - speaking, guiding, warning, teaching; and the seal - impressing, securing, and making us as His own. May we know Him in all His wealth of blessing. This is my prayer for myself - for you.
May we heed the words of the grand Apostle: "My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power: that your faith should not stand IN THE WISDOM OF MEN, BUT IN THE 'POWER' OF GOD.
Sermon Outline
- I. Emblems of the Holy Spirit
- 'A. Water: cleansing, fertilizing, refreshing, and freely given'
- 'B. Fire: purifying, illuminating, and searching'
- 'C. Wind: independent, powerful, and reviving'
- 'D. Rain and Dew: fertilizing, refreshing, and abundant'
- 'E. Dove and Lamb: gentle, meek, innocent, and loving'
Key Quotes
“O that God may search us and bring out the hidden things, the secret things that cluster there and bring them to light.” — D.L. Moody
“My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man''s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power: that your faith should not stand IN THE WISDOM OF MEN, BUT IN THE ''POWER'' OF GOD.” — D.L. Moody
Application Points
- We need the Holy Spirit to search our hearts and bring out the hidden things in us.
- Our faith should stand in the power of God, not in human wisdom.
- We should heed the words of the Apostle and preach the power of God.