The most famous prayer ends with these words: "In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit," while few people have a complete idea of all three described participants. In fact, these are important personalities in Christianity, which are an inseparable part of the Lord.
Is the Holy Spirit mystic or real?
There are different options for describing and representing the Holy Ghost, but in fact it is the third hypostasis of one God. Many clerics describe him as the active power of the Lord and he can send it to any place to fulfill his own will. Many explanations regarding how the Holy Ghost looks, converge to the fact that it is something invisible, but having visible manifestations. It is worth noting that in the Bible it is represented by the hands or fingers of the Almighty, and his name is not described anywhere, therefore one can come to the conclusion that he is not a person.
Another important point that interests many is the symbol of the Holy Spirit in Christianity. In most cases, it is represented by a dove, which in the world symbolizes peace, truth and innocence. An exception is the icon "The Descent of the Holy Spirit," where it is represented by the tongues of flame above the heads of the Virgin and the Apostles. According to the rules of Orthodox cathedrals on the walls it is forbidden to represent the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, except for the icon of the Epiphany. This bird is still used to describe the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which will be discussed below.
The Holy Spirit in Orthodoxy
For a long time, theologians have been conversing about the nature of God, trying to come to a decision about whether he is a single person or whether it is worthwhile to dwell on the trinity. The importance of the Holy Spirit is due to the fact that through him the Lord can act in the world of people. Many believers are sure that several times in the history of mankind he descended upon some people who received supernatural abilities .
Another important topic is the fruit of the Holy Spirit, by which is meant the action of grace leading to salvation and perfection. They are an important part of the spiritual life of every Christian. The purchased gift of the Holy Spirit should bear fruit, helping the person cope with different passions. These include love, temperance, faith, charity and so on.
Signs of the absence of the Holy Spirit
Believers will never exaggerate their own dignity, be proud, try to be higher, deceive and commit other acts that are considered sinful. This indicates that the Holy Spirit is present in them. Those who are sinful are deprived of the Lord's help and a chance of their salvation. The presence of the Holy Spirit can be determined on several grounds.
- Man easily identifies his weaknesses, which require adjustment.
- Jesus Christ is accepted as the Savior.
- There is a desire to study God's word and a desire to communicate with the Lord.
- The desire to glorify God in his words, songs, actions, and so on.
- There is a change in character and bad qualities, they are replaced by good ones, which makes a person better.
- The believer understands that he can not continue to live for himself, so he begins to create God's Kingdom around him.
- The desire to communicate with other people, for example, in the church. It is necessary for common prayer, support, rendered to each other, joint glorification of the Lord and so on.
Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit - Orthodoxy
The special actions of divine grace that occur in the soul of a believer and give strength to perform actions for the sake of their neighbor and the Higher Powers are usually called the gifts of the Holy Spirit. There are many, but the main are seven:
- Gift of fear of God . Many people see in this formulation some kind of contradiction, because together they use such two words as gift and fear. This is explained by the fact that a person has a tendency to feel self-sufficient and perfect, and this distances him from the Lord. Only realizing the greatness of God, one can see the reality of the world, avoiding making serious mistakes, so fear is the source of good.
- Gift of piety . The Lord forgives sins and constantly saves people by showing mercy. The gifts of the Holy Spirit in Orthodoxy are realized through prayer, the celebration of the Liturgy and so on. Piety also implies mercy, that is, helping those in need. Showing indulgence to others, a person acts like God in relation to people.
- The gift of reference . He deciphers as knowledge of truths based on faith and love. It is worth noting that here is meant intellect, heart and will. Gifts of the Holy Spirit show that it is necessary to know the world through God and then no temptations will be thrown off the right path.
- A gift of courage . It is very important for salvation and confrontation with the various temptations that occur on the path in life.
- Gift of advice . A person faces daily different situations, where one must make a choice and sometimes a spiritual council is useful for making the right decision. The Holy Spirit helps to stay in harmony with the Divine plan of salvation.
- Gift of the mind . It is necessary to know God, which is revealed in the Holy Scriptures and in the Liturgy. The first option is the source of inspiration for the transition to divine knowledge, and in the second implies the acceptance of the Body and Blood of the Lord. All this helps a person to change his life .
- The gift of wisdom . Having reached this last stage, man will be in unity with God.
Hula on the Holy Spirit
Many religious terms for a large number of people are unfamiliar, so there are those who do not know that blasphemy is a conscious rejection of the grace of the Lord with its obvious effect on a person, that is, this blasphemy. Jesus Christ said that it implies denial and insult. He also maintained that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit would never be forgiven, for the Lord put his Deity into it.
How to acquire the grace of the Holy Spirit?
The phrase was introduced into use by Seraphim of Sarov during a conversation about the essence of faith. To win the Holy Spirit is to gain grace. That this term was understood by all believers, Sarovsky interpreted it as fully as possible: each person has three sources of desires: spiritual, own and demonic. The third makes a person commit acts of pride and self-interest, and the second provides a choice between good and bad. The first will from the Lord and she urges the believer to do good deeds, accumulating eternal wealth.
How to communicate with the Holy Spirit?
The saints and the three persons of God can be addressed in several ways, for example, by prayer, by reading the Word of God or the Holy Scripture. The church allows communication in the usual dialogue. The invocation of the Holy Spirit can be done with a few tips.
- It is necessary to retire, taking and reading a few of the leaves of the Bible. It is important to relax and get rid of all thoughts.
- Communication begins with a normal conversation, so you need to introduce yourself.
- A person must understand and feel that the Holy Spirit lives within him.
- During communication you can ask different questions, ask for training and so on. Listen to the whisper and the inner voice.
- The more believers spend similar sessions, the more he feels the voice of the Lord.
Orthodox prayers to the Holy Spirit
To date, there are many prayer texts that help people in difficult moments. The topic is topical - is it possible to pray to the Holy Spirit, and with what requests can you apply to it. It is allowed to use, as special texts, and to speak everything in your own words. Of great importance is sincere faith and the absence of bad thoughts. You can pray in church and at home.
The Prayer of the Calling of the Holy Spirit
The most common prayer text, which can be pronounced at any time, when it feels that the help of the Higher Forces is needed. He helps to live a day in spiritual purity and tranquility. The prayer for acceptance of the Holy Spirit is directed to God, and it helps to receive the seven gifts described above. The text is short, but it contains a huge force, which helps to find solace and find peace.
Prayer to the Holy Spirit for the fulfillment of desire
It is difficult to meet a person who does not dream of a better life and the hope that when this all becomes a reality, it always remains in the heart. If desires have only good intentions, then the power of the Holy Spirit can help to translate them into reality. It is important to use the presented text only if the need for realizing one's desire is enormous. It is necessary to address the Holy Spirit at dawn, repeating the text of the prayer three times.
Prayer for the Holy Spirit
Difficult times periodically come in the life of many people and to cope with the problems that have arisen, one can turn to the Higher Powers. There is a special prayer to the Holy Spirit, which will help you gain confidence in your abilities, understand the situation and become more self-confident . You can pronounce it anywhere and anytime when there is a desire. It is better to learn the text by heart and repeat it three times.