Gifts of the Holy Spirit
“It is through the Holy Spirit that the truths of the faith are made clear to us when we are given the gift of UNDERSTANDING . With his deepest and tenderest love for us, the Holy Spirit gives us the KNOWLEDGE so that we may reject evil and all danger to our souls, and the WISDOM to value the truths of the faith above all things and earthly desires. The Holy Spirit gives us the COUNSEL (RIGHT JUDGEMENT) to make the right decisions in following Christ...the FORTITUDE (COURAGE) to live up to all that God calls upon us to do...the gift of PIETY (REVERENCE) that we may love God more tenderly and find our crosses sweeter to bear, so that we may carry them joyfully in his service. So, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, we will have the confidence to follow his will in all things. Finally, the Holy Spirit gives us holy FEAR of the LORD (WONDER and AWE) that will inspire us in reverence and love for God and all holy things, and a true fear of offending him who has loved us with all his heart and shed his precious blood for us.”
Brindle, Susan Andrews & Lademan, Miriam Andrews. The Little Creatures Crusade: The Story of Confirmation. (New Hope, KY: Precious Life Books, 1998.)
Images of the Holy Spirit
FIRE He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. (Luke 3:16)
DOVE So Jesus was baptized. And as soon as he came out of the water, the sky opened, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down on him like a dove. (Matthew 3:16)
POWER The Son was sent to speak God’s message, and he has been given the full power of God’s Spirit. (John 3:34) The Spirit is the one who gives life! Human strength can do nothing. (John 6:63) The Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you power. Then you will tell everyone about me…everywhere in the world. (Acts 1:8)
BREATH Then he breathed upon them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:22)
WIND Only God’s Spirit gives new life. The Spirit is like the wind that blows wherever it wants to. You can hear the wind, but you don’t know where it came from or where it is going. (John 3:8)
LOVE God has given us the Holy Spirit, who fills our hearts with his love. (Romans 5:5)
OIL Samuel poured the oil on David’s head…At that moment, the Spirit of the Lord took control of David and stayed with him from then on. (1 Samuel 16:3)
WATER On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and exclaimed, “Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as scripture says, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from within him.’” He said this in reference to the Spirit that those who came to believe in him were to receive. (John 7:37-39)
TRUTH If you love me, you will do as I command. Then I will ask the Father to send you the Holy Spirit who will help you and always be with you. The Spirit will show you what is true. The people of the world cannot accept the Spirit, because they don’t see or know him. But you know the Spirit, who is with you and will keep on living in you. (John 14:15)
WITNESS The Spirit will teach you everything and will remind you of what I said while I was with you. (John 14:26)
“It is through the Holy Spirit that the truths of the faith are made clear to us when we are given the gift of UNDERSTANDING . With his deepest and tenderest love for us, the Holy Spirit gives us the KNOWLEDGE so that we may reject evil and all danger to our souls, and the WISDOM to value the truths of the faith above all things and earthly desires. The Holy Spirit gives us the COUNSEL (RIGHT JUDGEMENT) to make the right decisions in following Christ...the FORTITUDE (COURAGE) to live up to all that God calls upon us to do...the gift of PIETY (REVERENCE) that we may love God more tenderly and find our crosses sweeter to bear, so that we may carry them joyfully in his service. So, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, we will have the confidence to follow his will in all things. Finally, the Holy Spirit gives us holy FEAR of the LORD (WONDER and AWE) that will inspire us in reverence and love for God and all holy things, and a true fear of offending him who has loved us with all his heart and shed his precious blood for us.”
Brindle, Susan Andrews & Lademan, Miriam Andrews. The Little Creatures Crusade: The Story of Confirmation. (New Hope, KY: Precious Life Books, 1998.)
Images of the Holy Spirit
FIRE He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. (Luke 3:16)
DOVE So Jesus was baptized. And as soon as he came out of the water, the sky opened, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down on him like a dove. (Matthew 3:16)
POWER The Son was sent to speak God’s message, and he has been given the full power of God’s Spirit. (John 3:34) The Spirit is the one who gives life! Human strength can do nothing. (John 6:63) The Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you power. Then you will tell everyone about me…everywhere in the world. (Acts 1:8)
BREATH Then he breathed upon them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:22)
WIND Only God’s Spirit gives new life. The Spirit is like the wind that blows wherever it wants to. You can hear the wind, but you don’t know where it came from or where it is going. (John 3:8)
LOVE God has given us the Holy Spirit, who fills our hearts with his love. (Romans 5:5)
OIL Samuel poured the oil on David’s head…At that moment, the Spirit of the Lord took control of David and stayed with him from then on. (1 Samuel 16:3)
WATER On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and exclaimed, “Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as scripture says, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from within him.’” He said this in reference to the Spirit that those who came to believe in him were to receive. (John 7:37-39)
TRUTH If you love me, you will do as I command. Then I will ask the Father to send you the Holy Spirit who will help you and always be with you. The Spirit will show you what is true. The people of the world cannot accept the Spirit, because they don’t see or know him. But you know the Spirit, who is with you and will keep on living in you. (John 14:15)
WITNESS The Spirit will teach you everything and will remind you of what I said while I was with you. (John 14:26)