Welcome to the first post in our series on the seven-fold attributes of the Holy Spirit found in Isaiah 11:2. Before we dive into our first attribute, let’s remember what Isaiah 11:1 tells us:
“Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot—yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.” (Isaiah 11:1 NLT)
That Branch is Jesus, and He would bear fruit through the power of the Holy Spirit. Now, in Isaiah 11:2, we see the first attribute of the Holy Spirit resting on Him:
“And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him [Jesus]…” (Isaiah 11:2a NLT)
Just as the Spirit of the Lord rested on Jesus, we are invited to abide in God’s presence. The Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus like a dove at His baptism (Matt: 3:16), and once He rested on Jesus, His presence never left Him.
Jesus Himself explained the Holy Spirit’s role in John 14:17:
“He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.”
That last part—“But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you”—reveals something profound: the Holy Spirit isn’t distant; He is personal and present. He was with Jesus, and now He lives in us as believers.
Francis Chan beautifully illustrates this in his book Forgotten God:
“The Holy Spirit is a Person who has personal relationships with not only believers, as we have seen, but also with the Father and the Son.”
We often think about our relationship with God the Father and Jesus the Son, but how often do we think about our relationship with the Person of the Holy Spirit?
Just as we build relationships by spending time with others, we cultivate our relationship with the Holy Spirit by intentionally engaging with Him. He is not a force or an abstract concept—He is God, dwelling in us.
So how do we grow in this relationship? By creating space for Him in our daily lives—through prayer, worship, and simply acknowledging His presence.
I once heard a minister pray a simple yet powerful prayer that resonated deeply with me. Over time, I’ve made it my own and often pray something like this:
“Holy Spirit, fill me with everything I need today. Open my eyes to see what You are doing, my ears to hear Your voice, and my mouth to speak in alignment with Your will. Help me to recognize Your presence and personalize Your promises in my prayers.”
This prayer has helped me cultivate an awareness of the Holy Spirit’s presence in my daily life, reminding me that He is always with me, guiding and equipping me.
And you know what? The presence of the Holy Spirit hasn’t left me—and never will. He is active and living with me. I am in awe of this incredible gift. And this is true for you too!
What about you? Have you intentionally cultivated a relationship with the Holy Spirit? Take a few moments today to simply sit in His presence. You don’t need the perfect words—just acknowledge that He is with you.
If you’d like, try this simple prayer:
“Holy Spirit, thank You for always being with me. Help me be more aware of Your presence today.”
How has the Holy Spirit been active in your life? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
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4 thoughts on “I Choose Today to Rest in God’s Presence”
Love the prayer!
Thank you! It is always amazing to me the knowledge that I have the Spirit living inside my very being and can have a relationship with Him!
I discovered recently that when scripture speaks of us being the “temple” of the Holy Spirit, it actually means “the Holy of Holies.” What an amazing truth to know that my heart is where the presence of the Lord is – the Holy of Holies! What an amazing God we serve!
Yes, this is such an incredible truth! In the Old Testament, God’s presence dwelled in the Holy of Holies within the temple, and the high priest was the only one allowed to enter once a year (Hebrews 9:7). But in Acts 2, we see the Holy Spirit descending at Pentecost, with tongues of fire resting on each believer (Acts 2:3-4). This signified that God’s Spirit no longer dwells in a physical temple but in His people—making us His dwelling place (1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19). What an amazing God we serve indeed!