Sharing two powerful stories of how the Holy Spirit is still moving in the current generation, Pastor Bobby Chaw preached about the “breath of life” that is the Holy Spirit.
“The Holy Spirit is pneuma—the wind, the breath, the current of air—though He may not be seen by the naked eye, the Holy Spirit envelops us like the atmosphere, says City Harvest Church’s executive pastor Bobby Chaw. He was preaching at the weekend service on the weekend of Aug 31 and Sep 1, continuing on his previous message on the Holy Spirit. He reiterated that the Holy Spirit is omnipresent, omnipotent, and unrestrained.
Sharing from John 3:5-7, he shared that the Holy Spirit is the “breath of life”, and without the Holy Spirit, no one can be born again. He told the church that without the pneuma, which is the presence of the Holy Spirit, there is no move of God.
SPIRIT OF LIFE
Pastor Bobby brought the congregation to Genesis 1:1-2 and 7, explaining that God breathed His own Spirit into dust and it came alive. God is the Spirit of life and without it, no one can live.
“It is the Spirit of God that brings forth life,” he declared.
He further explained that the Holy Spirit is the Giver and Sustainer of life. Reading Psalm 104:30, he exemplified that it has always been the Holy Spirit that is renewing, repairing and rebuilding Christians lives since the beginning.
“We are still alive because the Spirit of life is sustaining us every single day of our lives.” Pastor Bobby said explaining that the Holy Spirit feeds and protects what He creates, and did not leave His own helpless (Matthew 6:25-34).
He exemplified further through Genesis 2:8, and 16-17, saying that when God gave His people a purpose and a mission, He will always provided. However, Adam disobeyed God and consumed the forbidden food; death has now become part of every human’s experience.
He then shared that because of this, all sinful men face three kinds of death. The first is spiritual, marked by feelings of condemnation and shame. Secondly, the physical death—the body is subject to sickness and disease. And lastly, eternal death, which is the eternal separation from the presence of God.
“What can we do in the face of death? Who can bring us back to life again?” asked Pastor Bobby.
The answer is God. “Only the One who created us can recreate us and give us new life,” he continued. That is why every believer needs to be born again of the Holy Spirit. But what do we do after we are born again?
Pastor Bobby explains that we are born again to live in the life that Jesus has called His people to live and to grow into the image of Jesus is by walking in the Spirit. In Galatians 5:25, Apostle Paul says, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit”.
The preacher explained that it is the Holy Spirit who renews, repairs, and rebuilds Christians into the image of Jesus every day of their lives.
GIVER AND SUSTAINER OF LIFE
Pastor Bobby then shared a story about Eric Chia, a member of the Chinese service, who had throat cancer and requires an operation to remove part of his throat and voice box. He now has an open hole at his neck for him to breathe through using a breathing tube.
On June 8 this year, Eric was at home when he suddenly choked and couldn’t breathe. His wife quickly called the ambulance as Eric started to lose consciousness. Coincidentally, two of her cell group members De An and Judy had just visited Eric, and so she called them.
By the time De An and Judy returned, Eric was unconscious and foaming at the mouth; his eyes had rolled back, and his body began to turn purple due to lack of oxygen. He had stopped breathing for a few minutes by then.
Not knowing what else to do, De Han and Judy started laying hands on Eric and started praying fervently for the power of God to be upon Eric and for the Holy Spirit to breath life back into his body.
Soon enough, breath came back to Eric and he started breathing again. By the time the ambulance arrived, Eric was conscious and calm.
Referencing Romans 8:11, the pastor said of this miracle: “The resurrection of Jesus was more than just a restoration of life, it was a transformation!”
VITALITY OF THE CHURCH
A Christian’s life can be transformed only through the Holy Spirit.
Pastor Bobby told the church about a recent meeting he had with evangelist Reinhard Bonnke, known for his massive crusades across Africa, a man deeply in love with Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Bonnke said, “The Holy Spirit is the master evangelist. People often get it wrong: it was not my preaching or abilities that got people saved—it has always been the Holy Spirit. Because between the pulpit and the congregation, is the Holy Spirit.”
Bonnke shared that he had the privilege of meeting George Jeffreys, who was the man who brought the gospel of healing and signs and wonders to the British. He was fresh out of bible school and was in London for day to tour before heading back to Germany.
As he was walking along the streets of London, he came upon a house that bore the name “George Jeffreys”. Prompted by the Holy Spirit, he decided to knock on the door and true enough, it was the evangelist’s residence.
For the next half hour, Jeffreys imparted his mantle upon Bonnke who said that he felt that the power of the Holy Spirit come upon him and rested upon him. Jeffreys passed away that night.
In Bonnke’s 50 years of ministry since then, e he has led more than 75 million souls to the Lord. “It is not me, it has always been the Holy Spirit,” he underscored.
THE SPIRIT, THE ATMOSPHERE
“We cannot live without the Spirit,” Pastor Bobby declared, reiterating that the Spirit is pneuma, and without Him, no one can live. Pneuma also refers to air or atmosphere, and it is what protects and shields people from disasters.
Drawing from Ephesians 4:30, the preacher urged the congregation not to grieve the Holy Spirit. Taking context from Genesis 6, due to the wickedness of the people at that time, God withdrew his shield from earth and a great flood came upon the people which destroyed all life forms, except Noah and his family.
Pastor Bobby Closing his message with the story of David after he had committed adultery, he knew he had grieved the Lord. However, when he came to God, it did not contend for His kingdom, but he had asked that the Lord not take away His Spirit away from him (Psalm 51:10-12). David recognised that the Spirit is the Spirit of life.
“Be deeply in love with the Holy Spirit. Be enveloped by His pneuma,” he encouraged the congregation before leading them in a time of healing ministry.
