Receive the Holy Ghost - John 20:22

John the apostle wrote after Jesus was dead, buried and resurrected how, “the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and said unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father has sent me, even so send I you”, and in chapter twenty and verse twenty-two of his book John shared how Jesus told His disciples, “Receive you the Holy Ghost” where we read:

And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and sad unto them, Receive you the Holy Ghost:

The verse begins, “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said unto them, ...” John began with the words, “and when he had said this” which means “and at the time and moment he, Jesus, had uttered, declared and proclaimed His assignment to His disciples”, “he breathed on them” or “he, Jesus, blew His breath upon His disciples”, “and said unto them” which means “and uttered, declared and proclaimed” the following words. John shared how Jesus “blew His breath” into His disciples after He “dispatched and assigned” them to share the gospel.

The verse goes on to say, “Receive you the Holy Ghost:” John continued with the words, “receive you” or “disciples of Jesus take upon, carry, claim and procure” “the Holy Ghost” which means “the sacred, reverend and worthy of veneration third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit, coequal, coeternal with the Father and the Son”. John shared how Jesus told His disciples to “claim and procure” the “Holy Spirit of God” after He “breathed” upon them.

When we meditate upon John's words in this verse, we learn how Jesus gave the “Holy Spirit” to His disciples after He assigned them to carry the “gospel” to the world. The “disciples of Jesus” would need “power” from God on High to perform this work, and in the same manner that God “breathed” His breath into man when He physically created him, Jesus “breathed” spiritual life into His disciples. God loves people, and His desire is to have a personal relationship with every one of them through His Son Jesus. He will “breathe” “new life” into everyone who submits to His Son Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”, and He makes them “born again” when they surrender to Him. Let all who read these words “receive” the Holy Spirit breath of God, be forgiven of their sins and granted everlasting life with God.

Next time John shares how Jesus instructs His disciples about “remitting and retaining sins”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".