Why are we begging?

I am under the impression that nothing in the Bible was written on accident. It is either the greatest hoax ever or it is truly inspired by God - His words.

I want to draw your attention to a story in Genesis 8. This is part of Noah's story with the ark and the flood. Most people have heard this story but Jesus reveals truth about Himself in all of the Law and Prophets (The Old Testament).

Let me summarize the part of the story I want to tell you about:

• Noah has already been on the boat for forty days.
• Noah sends out a dove to see if the water had begun to recede and it returns.
• He waits seven more days and sends it out and it returns with a freshly plucked olive leaf.
• He waits seven more days and sends it out and it doesn't return.

You might be thinking "What does this have to do with Jesus?" Let me tell you.

We know that the dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. (Mark 1:10-11) Noah in this story symbolizes God being in charge of creation and life.

1. In the old testament God would send His Spirit and presence places but only for a time. It would always return to heaven. It had no final resting place.
2. Then God sent His Spirit to Jesus and when Jesus' work was finished the Spirit brought Christ back to heaven. (Hence to fresh olive leaf in the beak of the dove. Olive oil was used to anoint or set people apart. Jesus was God's anointed son). But the spirit came back to heaven
3. Finally, on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) God sent His Spirit into our hearts to find its final resting place. The dove left and didn't come back.

So what is the point of all of this? Well, I want to ask why people think the Holy Spirit comes and goes? Why do they still ask Him to come? Why are people still thirsty for more?

Before you call me a heretic let's look at the words of Jesus.

John 4:14 - "whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

And again:

John 7:37-39 - "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.

So where does this put us? Well, Christ has brought us into His family and has commissioned us to bring other people in as well. We have to trust the Holy Spirit in us to be streams of living water to people. The unfortunate thing is that many Christians don't understand that the Holy Spirit lives in them. They believe He comes and goes. If you don't believe you already have the Spirit, it will be hard for you to let Him work through you.

We also receive through the Holy Spirit. It is God's presence. If it is not with us, then neither is God. If you want wisdom, healing, and all of the other promises of God, you receive them through the Holy Spirit.

Why are we still begging? We haven't guarded our hearts from unbelief (Proverbs 4:13).

God has promised never to leave us. Let's believe Him.