Breath of the Divine: Embracing the Transforming Power of the Holy Spirit
Text: John 20:21–22
“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’”
Introduction
Resurrection Ground
John 20 is resurrection ground.
The disciples are behind locked doors. Fear hangs in the air. Their hopes had been shattered at Calvary. Though they have heard whispers of resurrection, uncertainty grips them.
Into that fragile room steps the risen Christ.
- His first word is not rebuke. It is not a strategy. It is not an instruction.
It is peace.
“Peace be with you.” But He does not stop there.
He gives them a commission: “As the Father has sent me, even so, I am sending you.”
Then He gives them power: “He breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’”
- Peace.
- Mission.
- Spirit.
These three belong together. There is no mission without peace. There is no gospel ministry without the Spirit. And there is no Spirit apart from Christ. John Calvin wrote, saying, “Christ did not give the Spirit apart from Himself; rather, He bestows Himself with all His benefits by the Spirit.” (Inst. III.1.1).
Therefore, the breath of Christ is the life of the Church.
Peace Secured: The Foundation of the Spirit’s Work
When Jesus says, “Peace be with you,” He is declaring more than emotional comfort. He is announcing covenantal reconciliation. Peace was purchased and secured for the elect.
Hebrews 9:14 tells us that Christ offered Himself “through the eternal Spirit” to cleanse our consciences from dead works.
Friend, notice this: even in His atoning death, the Spirit was present. The Trinity acts together in redemption. This is true to what Herman Bavinck explains. He said, “The Holy Spirit applies what Christ has accomplished. He brings the benefits of reconciliation into the believer’s heart.”
The Spirit does not create a new gospel. He applies the finished one. That is the work of Christ.
Without peace with God, there can be no mission for God.
Before Christ sends His disciples, He reconciles them.
Before He commands, He restores.
Sent as Christ Was Sent
“As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you”. How was Christ sent? Consider the following;
- In humility.
- In obedience.
- In dependence upon the Spirit.
- In love for sinners.
Acts 10:38 says: “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power.”
Jesus’ entire earthly ministry was saturated with the Spirit.
- At His baptism, the Spirit descended upon Him (Mark 1:8–11).
- In His miracles, He ministered in Spirit-empowered authority.
- In His death, He offered Himself through the eternal Spirit.
- In His resurrection vindication, He was declared righteous by the Spirit (1 Timothy 3:16).
Jesus is not merely accompanied by the Spirit. He is the Spirit-anointed Messiah. Abraham Kuyper also observed that, “The Holy Spirit equips the Church to continue the work of Christ on earth.” Ø Mission without the Spirit becomes activism. Mission with the Spirit becomes witness. Acts 1:8 reminds us, “You will receive power… and you will be my witnesses.”
The Breath of New Creation
John deliberately echoes Genesis 2:7. In Eden, God breathed life into Adam. In the upper room, the Second Adam breathes resurrection life into His disciples. This is a new creation.
The Church is not merely an organized religion. She is a Spirit-breathed community. Calvin warns us: “As long as Christ remains outside of us… all that He has suffered and done remains of no value to us.” (Institutes, III.1.1). The Spirit unites us to Christ. What Christ accomplished in history, the Spirit applies personally.
2 Corinthians 3:17–18 declares, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom… and we are being transformed into His image from one degree of glory to another.”
Freedom from:
- Guilt. Serve. Condemnation
Freedom to:
- Obey. Slavery to sin. Love. Reflect to sin
That is sanctification. Our growth toward holiness, Amen.
The Spirit’s Transforming Work in Daily Life
The Spirit’s work is not abstract theology; it is visible transformation. You see it when:
Patience rises where anger once ruled. Gossip dies on your lips. Pride yields to apology. Bitterness softens into compassion. Forgiveness replaces resentment. That is not self-improvement. That is resurrection breath at work.
Kuyper wrote: “The Holy Spirit does not merely influence; He recreates, renews, and sanctifies the whole man.” Consider a believer long bound by anger. Through prayer, repentance, and immersion in Scripture, the Spirit gradually reshapes the heart. Relationships heal. Peace replaces turmoil. Others begin to notice.
That is what Hebrews 9:14 is in action. Believers are cleansed from dead works to serve the living God. Are you being cleansed by the work of the Spirit of God? Therefore, sanctification is progressive. From glory to glory.
How the Spirit Works: The Means of Grace
Reformed theology wisely insists that the Spirit works through appointed means:
- The Word. Prayer. Worship. Sacraments. Fellowship.
The Westminster Confession teaches that the Spirit makes especially the preaching of the Word an effectual means of salvation. We do not chase experiences detached from Scripture. We seek Christ where He has promised to meet us. If you desire a deeper experience of the Spirit:
- Read Scripture prayerfully.
- Reflect on scripture daily.
- Walk in an accountable community.
- Seek wise counsel.
- Repent quickly.
Zeal without doctrine leads to confusion. Therefore, doctrine without zeal leads to dryness. Friend, the Spirit produces both truth and fire.
The Spirit and the Church’s Shared Life
Notice: Jesus breathed on them together, collectively (v20a). The Spirit forms a community. When a church depends on the Spirit: Prayers deepen. Unity strengthens. Forgiveness flows. Gospel boldness increases.
Zechariah 4:6 declares: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit.” Remember this: programmes cannot regenerate hearts. Talent cannot awaken faith. Strategy cannot convict of sin. But, The Spirit:
- Convicts.
- Regenerates.
- Awakens repentance.
- Unites sinners to Christ.
The gospel is received, not achieved.
Edmund Clowney reminds us that the Church’s living hope rests in the resurrection power secured by Christ and applied by the Spirit.
The Fruit of the Spirit
How will the world recognize Spirit-filled believers? We know that by the fruit of the Spirit, the following will flow.
- Love instead of envy.
- Patience instead of irritation.
- Kindness instead of cruelty.
- Self-control instead of indulgence.
- Humility instead of pride.
Romans 5:5 declares: “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.” It is possible to speak eloquently about the Spirit yet lack His fruit.
Examine your heart: is resentment lingering in you? Is pride unconfessed? Is envy growing? If any of the above still holds part in you, then ask the Spirit to breathe again.
Empowered for Witness
Luke 24:49: “Stay… until you are clothed with power from on high.” Acts 1:8: “You will receive power… and you will be my witnesses.” The Spirit empowers ordinary believers for an extraordinary mission. He may use:
A quiet conversation. A faithful parent. A generous act. A word of hope in suffering.
Even the prophets longed to see what we now experience: The Spirit revealing Christ crucified and risen (1 Peter 1). What a privilege to live in this age of fulfilment.
Conclusion
John 20:21–22 gives us the full pattern: Peace secured. Mission assigned. Spirit given.
The Father sent the Son. The Son sends the Church. The Spirit empowers the mission.
Bavinck beautifully concludes: “The Spirit completes what the Father planned and the Son accomplished.” Beloved,
If you have Christ, you have His Spirit. If you have His Spirit, you have His peace. If you have His peace, you have His mission. So breathe deeply of resurrection grace by; Walk in holiness. Serve in power. Witness in humility.
Zacariah 4:6 said, 'Not by might.' Not by power. But by His Spirit.
Amen.
