Are you rested, does God refresh you? Do you ask Him to breathe on you in prayer? Try it.
Do you believe that one of God’s main objectives is to give your soul rest, to refresh you? Do you believe He
breathes
upon you to do so? If you are a Christian, do you believe it was a one time event at point of your belief in Jesus or freshly made available?
I am learning a little bit about the Hebrew language; and how word meanings are tied to each other. More specifically, I see there are “beginning” root words that have “offshoots” of many other words. Those offshoots stay tied by meaning to the root word which gives greater depth, important context, powerful images, and clarity of meaning to the “offshoot”.
The Hebrew language ties object to genesis of beginning and purpose. A simple example for root being tied to the offshoots might be a “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” kind of idea. The egg did not come first, the chicken came first, Genesis 1:21. Therefore when we hold a chicken egg in our hand, it is not merely an egg, it is an egg that came from a chicken. Seems obvious, but not all examples are as clear to people. Some relationships between 2 separate words invite debate and reveal clear differences of belief.
Let’s take the example of soul and breath. How much controversy and opinion might come if you asked a group of people, “Which came first, the soul or the breath?” Some believe the soul is a figment of people’s imagination and doesn’t even really exist. Some people believe the soul can live beyond the breath leaving the body; but in NO WAY would they argue the soul lives beyond death due to the breath of God giving it life beyond the grave. This is the belief that human consciousness lives on after a person dies in a new level of consciousness that just is… period end of argument for those type of folks.
Yet in God’s original Hebrew language, in His design, God has tied the soul and breath together for life beyond the grave. Do you know what you believe? Which came first? The soul or the breath?
Answer: see Genesis 2:7
Human beings have living souls because the breath of God first breathed into the first human Adam.
Note in the images below, in the ‘Root Word Etymology’ column, which word is the “primitive root” and which one is “from” the primitive root of H5314? Look at how similar the Hebrew letters are that form both words. They are inextricably tied. The living soul comes only from the breath of God, Genesis 2:7.
Unfortunately the refreshing of the human soul was cut off when the first humans preferred personal will over God’s will, read Genesis chapter 3. God must breathe on us again to redeem our souls and give us life. The LORD has sent His breath and we choose whether or not to receive Him,
John 3: 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
The root word of naphash (H5314) is described in the Hebrew Chaldee Lexicon as a type of breath that breathes strongly, to pant. It further states that it is about taking a breath when wearied. This gives a picture of someone who has exerted themselves. Who is the breath that exerted Himself to a point of giving up his own breath?
Mark 15:37- With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
Who offers his breath as a gift of eternal life?
John 20:22- 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Has your soul ever been made alive by His breath? How recently have you felt refreshed by His breath?
Mark 6:31b- he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
Matthew 11:28-
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
God is gracious. God longs to refresh the weary soul. He made a way for human souls to be refreshed once again. He longs to breathe life. He longs to give souls rest. He died and sent His Spirit as His breath that raises up by blowing on those who call upon His name for eternal life,
Ephesians 2:4-5- 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
EXERCISE: 1) Take time to ask for refreshing. “Breath of Christ come.”
2) Take 30-45 seconds to slow your own breath and focus on filling your lungs and expelling out the stress of the week. Continue breathing deeply inviting Christ to come.
3) Make a simple request, “Jesus breathe life into my soul, refresh me with your life giving breath.”
Remember spirit gives birth to spirit.
4) Ask for renewal by His Spirit. Then just wait, keep breathing and to keep your mind from wandering, continually repeat his name, “Jesus.”
Try that simple exercise and experience the life giving power of the Name you are calling upon. He loves you and longs to breathe new life into your soul. Blessings.
