THE
SPIRIT OF JOY
7
SPIRITS OF GOD
EXPRESSIONS OF GOD'S PERSONALITY
OR DIVINE NATURE
The
7 Spirits of God are spoken of in the Book of Revelation as going
forth through all the earth to affect God's purposes:
Throughout scripture there are various references to specific spirits
sent by God to impact or anoint people. Some writers have focused
on the messianic text of Isaiah 11as the key to the 7 Spirits taken
from one single location:
(Isaiah 11:2) The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, The
Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might,
The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.
Although it is convenient to assume this single text answers the identity
of the seven spirits. I am not thoroughly persuaded that these comprise
the seven Spirits. There remain so many other references throughout
the Bible that seem to contend for spiritual anointings of God. So,
I have compiled on my own list. I will maintain an open mind toward
this mystery until the day comes that the Lord gives me perfect clarity
about this question. In the mean time, I do not think we should be
dogmatic about an official list of the seven spirits but share the
wisdom and insights that seem to apply. Charles Pinkney
The Spirit of
Praise and Rejoicing:
(The Spirit of Joy )
I
have found a surprising spiritual link between apparent opposites, sorrow
and joy. The Holy Spirit turns mourning into dancing, heaviness into
praise, weeping into rejoicing. There is an ultimate point in the cycle
of the Holy Spirit's travail when tears of sorrow turn into victory
and darkness turns into the breaking dawn of hope. Therefore joy and
sorrow are bonded pairs and blend into one another.
Again,
joy is not a human emotion on this level but an anointed expression
of the Spirit. Thanksgiving and praise follow breakthroughs of
the Spirit. Holy laughter though ridiculed by those who have not experienced
it is part of the richness of the spiritual life. When we are anointed
with the Spirit of Joy, a vast separation is manifested between the
material and the spiritual world; cares and heaviness give way to confidence.
We sense that God is our total victory and that He will never leave
us nor forsake us. Our hearts are lifted up to the high places where
we all sit with Him in heavenly places!
| "Thou
loves righteousness, and hates wickedness: therefore God, thy
God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows."(--
Psalms 45:7) |
| "To
appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty
for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of
praise for the spirit of heaviness; " ( -- Isaiah 61:3) |
| "So
that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of
joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for
the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard
afar off."( -- Ezra 3:13) |
| "Thou
hast made known to me the ways of life; Thou shalt make me full
of joy with thy countenance." (-- Acts 2:28) |
| "Thou
wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of
joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."(
-- Psalms 16:11) |
| "Thou
hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: Thou hast put
off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;"(-- Psalms 30:11) |
| "And
David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David
was girded with a linen ephod." ( -- 2 Samuel 6:14) |
|
