What is the grace of the holy spirit. Acquiring the grace of the Holy Spirit is the goal of the Christian life. Prayer to the Holy Spirit for the fulfillment of desire

Bishop Inokenty of Irkutsk

The grace of God the grace of the Holy Spirit

No matter how much has been given for our moral life by our Savior, Jesus Christ, the work of our salvation still requires the participation of new divine help, which would accomplish the very assimilation by believers of the saving merits of Jesus Christ. This help is given in the grace of God, which heals the weak and replenishes the impoverished.

Grace in a broad sense can be understood as any mercy of God bestowed by God on a person without any merit on his part, and in particular everything that relates to the arrangement of our salvation through Jesus Christ; but in the most particular sense, grace means that saving power of God, which is accomplished by the action of the Holy Spirit, is given primarily in the holy sacraments of the Church and manifests itself in the diverse gifts of the Holy Spirit and miracles performed by blessed people and various saints.

The action of the grace of God is the action in the highest degree spiritual and mysterious, and therefore, both the general doctrine of grace and, in particular, its participation in moral life, is one of the most important and the hardest questions dogmatic, which are therefore disclosed in dogmatics with particular thoroughness.

A moralist, on the other hand, can say about grace that it acts in the conversion of people to salvation and in the accomplishment of salvation, or otherwise in all the most important moments of moral life and at all stages of moral improvement.

Under the action of the grace of God, the freedom of human will is not violated; just as the freedom of human actions does not hinder the action of grace, which is always alive and active. "Grace, despite the fact that it is grace, saves those who wish, and not those who reject it and oppose it," says St. John Chrysostom.

Although Jesus Christ did everything necessary for the salvation of all people, however, many do not use it, since by themselves they cannot get out of their damaged state. Meanwhile, in addition to one's own damaged nature, there are also extraneous morally unfavorable influences. This further blocks the sinner's path to salvation.

The human soul, left to itself, is so weak that as soon as the spirit of malice attacks it, or sensual desires require satisfaction, it can rarely resist them; but it is enslaved by them, and even then it cannot restore itself to its original state. ' says Saint Anthony the Great. From this it is obvious that in order for a person to begin to live a Christian life, a special stimulating or inviting action of the grace of God is necessary.

The excitement takes place, firstly, through the Word of God, which "said the holy men of God," enlightened by the Spirit of God, and which therefore is the spirit, life, and "power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes" (Rom. 1:16).

Attention on the part of man to the invocation of grace constitutes the first step towards salvation; it is followed by a special receptivity to the Word of God and the teaching of its evangelists; and then special openings of the heart and mind are given to comprehend the depth of its content and the power of its spirit.

Clothed and surrounded by all the gifts of grace, a Christian, in order to develop and strengthen the beginning of a new life in himself, must, firstly, preserve and nourish the spirit of zeal for life in God; secondly, to exercise all one’s strength in religious and moral activity and, thirdly, to fight against temptations to evil, since in these exploits one succeeds in the true Christian life, and without observing them, deviation from the true path of life is possible and even complete destruction.

Keeping and nourishing the spirit of zeal for life according to the will of God is the only saving power for us. “Where he is, there are worries, zeal, readiness for deeds pleasing to God. Where he is not, everything stops and falls: there is no life of the spirit, it grows cold, freezes,” says one of our theologians, Bishop. Theophan the Recluse.

When divine grace acts on a person in his heart, then his spirit penetrates there with his consciousness, and behind him all the forces of the soul and body. Hence self-assembly is the confinement of consciousness in the heart; an intense gathering there of the forces of soul and body is an essential means for this. Thus, self-assembly is not the same as self-deepening in reflection, since here everything happens in the head, and there in the origin of all movements, in the heart. This is a stay in the depths of the soul, and therefore a self-assembled person is called internal. "The kingdom of God is within you," says Jesus Christ Himself.

Who, walking along the path of Christianity, will rely only on his own strength, he will not even take a step on it; and if Jesus Christ, our great Benefactor, did not give us help for this, then no person could go this way. And even the Apostles themselves, when they did not have this help, could not, they were afraid and were afraid to follow Jesus Christ; but when they received help from Jesus Christ, then they followed Him with joy and gladness, and no hardships and sufferings, not even death itself, frightened them. But what is this help that Jesus Christ gives to those who follow Him? This help is the help of the Holy Spirit, which Jesus Christ gives us, and which is always with us, and always surrounds us and draws us to Himself; and anyone who wants can receive Him and be filled with Him.

The Holy Spirit, as God, the third Person of the Holy Trinity, is just as omnipotent as the Father and the Son. He gives life, animates and gives strength to creatures. He gives life to animals, minds to humans, and spiritual, higher life to Christians: that is, the Holy Spirit admonishes a person and helps him go to the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Holy Spirit is not given according to merit, but is sent as a gift and by the mercy of God for the salvation of people; and the Holy Spirit helps in this way: the Holy Spirit, dwelling in a person, gives him faith and light. Without Him no one can have true living faith.

Without the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit and the most wise and scientist man in the works of God and His building there is a perfect blind man. On the contrary, the Holy Spirit to the most unlearned and common man can open inwardly and directly show the works of God, and can make him feel the sweetness heavenly kingdom. A person who has the Holy Spirit in himself feels in his soul an extraordinary light, hitherto completely unknown to him.

The Holy Spirit, dwelling in a person, produces true love in his heart. True love in the heart is like pure heat or warmth that warms it; it is the root that produces all good works in it. For a person who is animated true love, there is nothing difficult, terrible and impossible; for him, no laws and commandments are difficult, and all are easy to fulfill.

Faith and love, bestowed on a person by the Holy Spirit, are such the greatest and most powerful means that one who has them can easily, conveniently, with joy and consolation follow the path that Jesus Christ walked.

Moreover, the Holy Spirit gives a person the strength to resist the charms of the world, so that even though he enjoys it as a temporary visitor, without sticking his heart to them. But a person who does not have the Holy Spirit in himself, with all his learning and prudence, is more or less always a slave and admirer of the world.

The Holy Spirit gives wisdom to man. We can see this especially in the holy Apostles, who before receiving the Holy Spirit were the most simple and unlearned people; but then who could resist their wisdom and the power of their word? The Holy Spirit also grants wisdom in deeds and deeds: for example, a person who has the Holy Spirit in himself will always find the means and time for his salvation, and in the midst of worldly noise and in all his occupations, he knows how to enter into himself, then as an ordinary person it seems impossible even in the very temple of God.

The Holy Spirit gives true joy and gladness of the heart and unshakable peace. A person who does not have the Holy Spirit in himself can never rejoice with true joy and rejoice in pure joy, and cannot have spiritual, sweet peace. True, he sometimes rejoices and has fun; but what is this joy? minute and impure; and his joy is always empty, poor, after which boredom overcomes him even more. And it is also true that such a person is sometimes calm; but this peace is not spiritual world but the sleep or slumber of the soul. And woe will be to the one who is negligent and does not want to rise from such a dream!

The Holy Spirit gives true humility. A man, even the most intelligent, if he does not have the Holy Spirit in himself, cannot properly know himself; for, as was said above, without the help of God he cannot see his own internal state souls. If he does good to others and acts honestly, then he thinks of himself that he is a righteous person and even perfect in comparison with others, and therefore he thinks that he no longer needs anything. Oh, how often people perish from a false confidence in their honesty and truth, that is, from the fact that they, hoping for their righteousness, do not at all think about the spirit of Christianity and the help of the Holy Spirit, while they urgently need His help.

And, since the Holy Spirit is given only to those who ask and seek, and such people not only do not ask and do not seek Him, but do not even consider it necessary: ​​then He is not given to them, and therefore, they remain in error and perish. But the Holy Spirit, having settled in the heart of a person, shows him all his inner poverty and weakness, and the corruption of his soul and heart, and the distance from God; and, with all his virtues and truth, he shows him all his sins, laziness and negligence for the salvation and welfare of people, his self-interest in his most apparently selfless virtues, his pride where he did not even suspect it.

In short, the Holy Spirit shows everything in its present form. And then a person begins to humble himself with true humility, begins to lose hope in his own strengths and virtues, considers himself the worst of people. And humbled before Jesus Christ, Who is the only Holy One to the glory of God the Father, he begins to truly repent, and from that time he decides not to sin anymore and to live more carefully: and if he really has any virtues, then he sees clearly that he he has made and is doing them only with the help of God, and therefore he begins to hope in God alone.

The Holy Spirit teaches true prayer. No one, until he receives the Holy Spirit, can pray such a prayer that is truly pleasing to God. Because if someone, not having the Holy Spirit in himself, begins to pray, then his soul is scattered in different directions, from one thing to another, and he can in no way keep his thoughts on one; and moreover, he does not properly know himself, nor his needs, nor how to ask and what to ask from God, nor does he know who God is.

But the person in whom the Holy Spirit dwells knows God, and sees that He is his Father, and knows how to approach Him, and how to ask, and what to ask from Him. His thoughts in prayer are slender, pure and directed towards one subject God; and with his prayer, he can definitely do everything, even move mountains from place to place.

Here is a short story about what the Holy Spirit gives to those who have it in themselves! And you see that without the help and assistance of the Holy Spirit it is impossible not only to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but even to take a step towards it. And therefore it is necessary to seek and ask for the Holy Spirit and have Him in oneself, just as the holy Apostles had Him.

The Holy Spirit is a gift of God; it must be said that only a true believer can receive the Holy Spirit, that is, one who professes the Holy Orthodox Catholic Faith: one who professes the right, without any increase or decrease, or change, but in the way that the holy Apostles betrayed to us and set forth and confirmed by the Holy Fathers on Ecumenical Councils. Every doubt and philosophizing about faith is disobedience; and the disobedient cannot be a temple or a house of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit, as the most perfect purity, cannot in any way be in a person defiled by sins. And how can He be in our heart when it is filled and cluttered with various worries, desires and passions?

And therefore: if we want the Holy Spirit, whom we receive at our baptism, not to depart from us, or if we want to receive Him again: then we must be pure in our hearts and must guard our bodies from fornication; because our heart and body must be the temple of the Holy Spirit. And if someone is pure in heart and not defiled in body, then the Holy Spirit will enter into him and take possession of his heart and soul, unless such a person hopes for his good deeds and boasts of them, that is, considers himself, as it were, entitled to receive the gifts of the Spirit Saint, or receive as a due reward.

But if, by misfortune, you have defiled and corrupted your heart and body: then try to cleanse yourself by repentance, that is, stop sinning, and in contrition of heart repent that you have so far offended God, your loving Father; repent and begin to live with greater discretion: then you too can receive the Holy Spirit.

One of the surest means to receive the Holy Spirit is humility. Even if you are an honest, kind, just and merciful person, in a word, even if you fulfill all the commandments of God, but for all that, always consider yourself an indispensable slave, and nothing more than an instrument of God through which He acts. And besides, if we take a closer look at our good deeds and even the greatest virtues: how many of them will turn out to be worth the name of Christian virtues?

Art gives the true price to gold, and love gives the true price to virtues, but Christian love, pure, unselfish, love that only the Holy Spirit can give. Everything that is not done out of Christian love, that is, not by the Holy Spirit, is not true virtue. And therefore, a person who does not have the Holy Spirit in himself, with all his virtues, is poor and poor.

The Holy Spirit can be received by attentive listening to the voice of God. The voice of God, speaking clearly, distinctly and intelligibly, can be heard everywhere and in everything, only for this you need to have "ears to hear." God, as your most philanthropic Father, from your very birth until now, speaks to you every day, calls you to Himself, warns, instructs, teaches and admonishes.

The voice of God, telling you that you should love with all your heart God, who only benefits you, and give thanks to Him according to your strength, and that you, using the blessings of this world, do not forget to rejoice also the lesser brethren of Jesus Christ, that is, the poor, and not I would forget the true blessings and joys of heaven and Him Who is the Source of all blessings and joys. Who among us has not heard and does not hear the voice of God speaking to us through various adventures with us? Yes, we all hear, and we hear clearly and distinctly; but few of us understand and act according to the voice of God.

We, usually in our sorrows and sorrows, instead of delving into ourselves, seek distraction in vain pursuits or amusements; and instead of accepting such visitations of God as great medicine and using them for our souls, we seek to get rid of them, and even sometimes grumble and lose our temper. Or, at least, instead of seeking comfort in God, the Source of all comfort, we seek in the world and its pleasures.

And being in well-being and prosperity, instead of loving God more and more as our Benefactor, we forget Him, and instead of using the blessings that the Lord gives us, use them for the common benefit and for the benefit of our needy brethren, we use them to their whims and to the satisfaction of their completely superfluous desires. If it is illegal and terrible to be inattentive and not listen to the voice of the king of the earth, then how much more sinful and terrible is it not to heed and not listen to the voice of the King of heaven! Such negligence and inattention can lead to the fact that God, after numerous and unceasing voices and calls of His, finally rejects us from Himself as stubborn children, and allows us to do whatever we want: and from this it may be that the mind our little by little can become darkened to the point that even the most terrible and vile sins will seem to us nothing more than the inevitable weaknesses of human nature. And therefore, just as it is useful and salutary to be attentive to the voice of God, it is just as disastrous and terrible not to listen to it and to turn away from it.

The Holy Spirit can be received through prayer. This remedy is the simplest and most reliable, which anyone can always use. It is known that prayer is external and internal: that is, whoever prays and bows with his body, at home or in church, prays externally; but whoever turns to God with his soul and heart and tries to always have Him in his mind, he prays inwardly. Which of these prayers is better, more real and more pleasing to God each of you knows. You also know that you can pray to God always and everywhere, in any place, and even when sin overcomes us; you can pray both at work and without work, on holidays and weekdays, and standing, and sitting, and lying down; you know that. But here it is only necessary to say that although inner prayer is the most powerful means for receiving the grace of God, it is not necessary to abandon external prayer, and especially public prayer.

Much labor and effort must be used in order to be able to pray holy prayer; not suddenly and not soon you can reach the point of being able to raise your thoughts and your heart to God: because not only with us, ordinary people, but even with many of those who have devoted their whole lives to prayer, it happens that that you want to turn your thoughts to God, but they break up in different directions and into different deeds: you want to have God in your thoughts, but something completely different, and sometimes even terrible, comes to you.

True prayer has in itself a sweet consolation of the heart, so that many holy fathers stood at prayer for whole days and nights, and in their sweet delight did not notice the time and continuation of their prayer. And for them, prayer was not labor, but pleasure. But it is not easy to reach such a state, especially for one who from childhood gave full rein to his passions and oppressed his conscience. However, what in the world, or what kind of science and art, or consolation, do we get easily, quickly and without difficulty?

And therefore, when you pray, despite the fact that you see no consolation or pleasure in prayer, except for labors, pray, and pray diligently and with possible zeal; accustom yourself to prayer and conversation with God; your scattered thoughts, if possible, try to collect and hold, and little by little, and you will feel that it becomes easier and easier for you, and you will sometimes feel sweet consolations. And if you sincerely care about this, then the Holy Spirit, seeing your diligence and the sincerity of your desire, will soon show you, and then, entering into you, will teach you to pray with true prayer. It is easiest to pray in the misfortunes and sorrows that happen to us; and therefore do not miss such opportunities and use them: pour out your sorrow before God in prayer.

Jesus Christ tells us to pray without ceasing. Many say: how can one pray unceasingly while living in the world? If we are busy with prayer alone, then when will we correct our positions and go about our business? Of course, we cannot have unceasing prayer outwardly, that is, always stand in prayer: because we must correct other duties and work. But whoever feels his inner poverty will not stop praying in the midst of his studies; Whoever zealously desires to enter the Kingdom of Heaven will find occasion and time to pray both inwardly and outwardly: even during the most difficult and uninterrupted work, he will find time to say a word to God and worship Him. Only those who do not want to pray do not find time to pray.

It is also said that God will not listen to sinners, that is, sinners will not receive from God what they ask. Indeed, what kind of sinners will God not listen to? Those who pray to God to forgive them their sins, but they themselves do not want to forgive others for anything. Of course, God will not listen to such sinners, and will not fulfill their prayers. And therefore, when you pray to God for the forgiveness of your debts, then forgive yourself the debts of others, and have the intention to lag behind your sins. When you pray to God to be merciful to you, be merciful to others at the same time, and then God will listen to you.

Some people think that you can only pray with a book. Of course, it is good if you know how to pray and glorify God in psalms and spiritual songs; but if you are not literate, then it is free for you to know the most important prayers, especially the prayer of the Lord (that is, our Father): because in this prayer, given to us by Jesus Christ Himself, all our needs are set forth.

But when circumstances do not allow you to pray any longer, then say ordinary prayers, such as: Lord have mercy! or Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!

One of the holy fathers said: if you want your prayer to fly to God, then give it two wings, that is, fasting and almsgiving. What is a post? Fasting can be different, for a person brought up in bliss, fasting can be like this, for a person brought up in a simple and rude state, it’s different: because for one it means nothing to eat the coarsest food and be healthy, or to stay without food for several days, but for another big change in food can be very palpable and even harmful. And therefore, for everyone in general, fasting is most importantly abstinence and strict moderation in the use of food.

What is charity? Under the name of alms, one should understand all the deeds of mercy and mercy, such as: feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit the sick and imprisoned in prison, and help them; and also give place to the homeless, look after the orphan, and so on. But in order for your charity to be true, then you must do all this without boasting, not wanting praise from people for your good deeds, or gratitude from the poor. But do as Jesus Christ Himself says, that is: left hand yours did not know what the right one was doing; and then the heavenly Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly.

You can receive the Holy Spirit by reading and listening to the Holy Scriptures as the true Word of God. Holy Scripture is such a treasure for a person from which he can draw both light and life: light that can enlighten and make every person wise, and life that can enliven, comfort and delight every person.

Holy Scripture is one of the greatest blessings of God to man, and such a blessing that anyone who wants to can take advantage of. But it must be said that Holy Scripture is Divine wisdom, and wondrous wisdom, such that the most simple and unlearned person can understand and comprehend it, and therefore many simple people, reading or listening to Holy Scripture, became pious and received the Holy Spirit; but there were also those, even among the learned, who, while reading the Holy Scriptures, lost their way and perished: and this is because some read it in simplicity of heart and without wisdom and philosophizing and did not look for learning in it, but grace, strength and spirit, but others, on the contrary, considering themselves wise and all-knowing people, sought in it not the strength and spirit of the word of God, but the wisdom of the world, and instead of submissively accepting everything Providence wanted to reveal to us, they tried to penetrate and learn the hidden; and because of this they fell either into unbelief or into schisms. No! rather than pour the whole sea into a small bowl than a man comprehend all the wisdom of God!

And therefore, when you read or listen to Holy Scripture, put aside all your wisdom, submit to the word and will of Him Who speaks to you through Holy Scripture, and ask Jesus Christ to instruct you Himself, illuminate your mind, and give you the desire to read. Scripture and do what it says.

There are many books in the world that are called useful and soul-saving; but only those of them are worthy of this name, which are based on Holy Scripture and who agree with the teachings of our Orthodox Church: and therefore one can and should read such books, but one must be careful in choosing them so that sometimes, under the guise of a soul-saving book, one does not come across one that can destroy the soul.

To all morally ill people, as those afflicted with the same disease of sin, the Savior indicates the same remedy for healing from the disease, namely baptism with water by faith in Him, in the name of those who bring salvation to the three Persons of the Godhead (Matt. 28:19); and to all morally weak people, as suffering from one and the same reason, precisely from weakness of the will for an energetic struggle against evil, the Savior points out the same means for educating the moral energy of the will the sacrament of His Body and Blood (John 6:51 -55).

In baptism, the saving power of Christ's death is communicated to a person (Rom. 6:3), that is, all the sins of a person who has received baptism according to the commandment of the Savior are taken upon Himself by the Savior of the world, and therefore a person is completely cleansed of all his sins and, by virtue of this, is clothed into Christ, that is, becomes a member of His kingdom (Gal. 3:27).

Of course, the divine power of the Savior in no case can be bound by any sensual conditions, and the Savior Himself, in order to cleanse the sins of a person, does not at all need the person who believes in Him to be immersed in water three times. But what the Savior does not need as God, in that, by its very nature, a person naturally needs, because for a person thought and life are not the same thing, and a simple recognition of faith does not at all constitute an obligatory rule of life for him.

Therefore, baptism on the part of a person confirms his promise to God of a good conscience (1 Peter 3:21), but on the part of the Savior, it grants a sinful person the atonement for his sins and thus opens the real way for him to achieve his eternal salvation. But since it is too difficult and even completely impossible for a weak person to follow this path, the Savior does not leave him with His divine power and gives him the opportunity to make his own. human life the true branch of divine life. The Savior gives this opportunity to man in the sacrament of His Body and Blood. Under the guise of bread and wine, a person accepts his own living Body and Blood of Jesus Christ (Matt. 26:26-28), and therefore, transforming this Body and Blood into himself, he becomes a true member own Body Christ (Rom. 12:5), and by virtue of this real connection with the Most Pure and Life-Giving Body of Christ, it becomes a living temple and an organ of manifestation of that very God-human life of power, by which the Savior Christ lives and acts in the world (Eph. 2:21-22 ).

Jesus Christ said: “He who eats My Body and drinks My Blood abides in Me, and I in him, has eternal life in himself, and I will raise him up on the last day”: that is, whoever worthily partakes of the Holy Mysteries, he mysteriously unites with Jesus Christ; that is, whoever, with true repentance, with a pure soul and with the fear of God and faith, receives the Body and Blood of Christ, at the same time receives the Holy Spirit, Who, entering into a person, prepares a place in him for receiving Jesus Christ Himself and God the Father and hence it becomes the temple and habitation of the living God. But whoever partakes of the Body and Blood of Christ unworthily, that is, with an unclean soul, with a heart filled with malice, vengeance and hatred: he not only does not receive the Holy Spirit, but becomes like Judas the traitor, and, as it were, crucifies Jesus Christ a second time.

Christians of the first centuries, feeling the importance and spiritual benefit of the Holy Mysteries, every Sunday and every holiday partake of the Holy Body and Blood of Christ; and that is why they had, as the book of Acts says, "one heart and one soul." But, my God, what a difference between them and us! How many of us are those who have not communed for several years in a row! How many of those who do not think about it at all!

So, for God's sake, have a desire to partake of the Holy Mysteries, and at least once a year, but by all means, each of you must fulfill this. The Body and Blood of Christ for the worthy is the true cure for all ailments and diseases. Who among us is perfectly healthy? and who would not want to be healed and relieved?

The Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ is food on the way to the Kingdom of Heaven. But is it possible to go on a long and difficult journey without food? The Body and Blood of Jesus Christ is a visible shrine, given and left to us by Jesus Christ Himself for our sanctification. But who would not want to be a participant in such a Holy Place and be sanctified?

So, do not be lazy to approach the cup of life, immortality, love and holiness; but approach with the fear of God and faith. And whoever does not want and neglects this, he does not love Jesus Christ, and he will not receive the Holy Spirit, and consequently, he will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

When you begin to pray with prayer to the Holy Spirit, know and remember that the Holy Spirit entered the world according to the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ, and acts in the world, especially in His Church, and accomplishes our salvation. The Holy Spirit performs all the sacraments, sanctifies, enlightens, strengthens, excites to prayer, produces compunction in souls, sheds tears of repentance, thanksgiving, praise, converts souls, saves, gives life, raising from spiritual death to life, bestows peace, freedom of spirit, grace sonship, crying out in the hearts of the faithful from the depths of their souls: Abba, Father! That is why we begin our prayers with a prayer to the Holy Spirit: Glory to Thee, O All-Holy Soul, Source of our life, indifferent to the Father and the Word!

The grace of the Holy Spirit is “the saving power of God, the Divine energy, necessary for man for perfection in the spiritual and moral life. (brochure " All-night vigil. Liturgy, ed. Moscow Patriarchy. Moscow. 1991 p. 54).
The Grace of the Holy Spirit (abbreviated grace) is a really existing Divine energy (energy is an active force in Greek), bestowed by the Lord Jesus Christ on His Church almost two thousand years ago and still remaining in the Holy, Catholic, Apostolic, which has preserved the purity of the Faith, Orthodox Church.
The Grace of the Holy Spirit should be told in more detail, since this is a key issue in understanding inner life Church, its purpose.
When our Lord Jesus Christ came out to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God, he gave us a New Commandment - the Commandment of Love. “I give you a new commandment: love one another!” (John 13:34)
These words were addressed to the people, who for many centuries lived according to the "Old" Law given by God through the prophet Moses - the law of justice: "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."
And suddenly this people hears the words of Jesus: “You heard that it was said: “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I say to you: Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you.” (Mat. 5.43-44)
The people, in order to believe that Jesus was really sent by God, needed confirmation, and He provided these confirmations.
The gospel stories are replete with descriptions of innumerable miraculous deeds performed by the Lord Jesus Christ; healing the terminally ill, walking on water, feeding five thousand people with five loaves, raising the dead, and many others.
Understanding that supernatural power is required to perform all these deeds, people asked Jesus by what power He performs miracles, and Jesus testified that He performs them with the Power of His Father.
The Gospel of Luke directly says: "From Him came power and healed all." (Luke 6.19)
This POWER IS THE DIVINE GRACE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
It is very important for a Christian to understand that since all the miracles performed by the Lord Jesus Christ are real (who would listen to Him and follow Him, if people did not see the healed sick, the resurrected dead, if 5,000 people were not satisfied with the pieces from the five broken by Jesus loaves), then the Divine Grace of the Holy Spirit, which performs all these miracles through Jesus, is also real.
Sending His disciples - the Apostles to preach the Gospel so that they could confirm their words with miraculous deeds, Jesus endowed them with the Power of the Holy Spirit, giving them the ability to work miracles and transfer this Power to other people. The apostles, dispersing to the whole world with the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, healed the sick, cast out unclean spirits, raised the dead; word of sermon and miracles led thousands of new Christians to faith in the Risen Lord. In villages and cities, they gathered small churches from those who believed, and, choosing the worthy, they laid hands on them with prayer, passing on to the chosen ones the God-given Power of the Holy Spirit, which is necessary for performing sacred rites.
These chosen ones, who received from the apostles the Grace of the Holy Spirit, together with Her received the power to perform sacraments with this Power, as well as to transfer It to others. They became the first bearers of Grace after the Apostles - the Bishops of the Church, who also, through the laying on of hands, passed Grace to their successors - bishops, priests, deacons.
For almost two thousand years, in the Holy Catholic Apostolic Orthodox Church, the Divine energy transmitted in the Sacrament of Consecration (consecration - the laying on of hands in Greek) has been operating - the Grace of the Holy Spirit, the bearers of which are the clergy.

Based on the book of priest Alexander Torik "Churchification for Beginners"

The most famous prayer ends with these words: "In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit", while few people have a complete understanding of all three participants described. In fact, these are important personalities in Christianity who are an inseparable part of the Lord.

The Holy Spirit - Mystery or Reality?

Exist different variants descriptions and representations of the Holy Spirit, but in fact it is the third hypostasis of the one God. Many priests describe him as acting force Lord and he can send her to any place to fulfill his own will. Many explanations regarding what the Holy Spirit looks like agree that it is something invisible, but with visible manifestations. It is worth noting that in the Bible he is represented by the hands or fingers of the Almighty, and his name is not described anywhere, so we can conclude that he is not a person.

Another important point, which interests many - the symbol of the Holy Spirit in Christianity. In most cases, it is represented by a dove, which in the world symbolizes peace, truth and innocence. An exception is the icon "The Descent of the Holy Spirit", where it is represented by flames located above the heads of the Virgin and the Apostles. According to the rules of Orthodox cathedrals, it is forbidden to represent the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove on the walls, with the exception of the icon of the Epiphany. This bird is also used to describe the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which will be discussed below.

Holy Spirit in Orthodoxy

For a long time, theologians have been discussing the nature of God, trying to decide whether he is a single person or whether it is appropriate to dwell on a trinity. The importance of the Holy Spirit is related to the fact that through him the Lord can act in the world of people. Many believers are sure that he descended several times in the history of mankind on some people who received.

Another important theme is the fruits of the Holy Spirit, which refers to the operation of grace leading to salvation and perfection. They are an important part of the spiritual life of every Christian. The acquired gift of the Holy Spirit should bear fruit, helping a person to cope with various passions. These include love, temperance, faith, mercy, and so on.

Signs of the absence of the Holy Spirit

Believers will never exaggerate own virtues, be proud, try to be superior, deceive and commit other actions that are considered sinful. This indicates that the Holy Spirit is present in them. Those who are sinful are deprived of the help of the Lord and the chance of their salvation. The presence of the Holy Spirit can be identified in several ways.

1. A person easily defines his weak sides that require adjustment.
2. Jesus Christ is accepted as Savior.
3. There is a desire to study God's word and a thirst for fellowship with the Lord.
4. The desire to glorify God in your words, songs, actions, and so on.
5. There is a change in character and bad qualities, are replaced by good ones, which makes a person better.
6. The believer understands that he cannot continue to live for himself, so he begins to create the Kingdom of God around him.
7. The desire to communicate with other people, for example, in church. This is necessary for common prayer, support for each other, joint glorification of the Lord, and so on.

The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit - Orthodoxy

Special actions of divine grace that occur in the soul of a believer and give strength to perform actions for the sake of one's neighbor and the Higher powers are usually called the gifts of the Holy Spirit. There are many, but the main ones are seven:

1. The Gift of God's Fear. Many people see this wording as a kind of contradiction, since two words such as gift and fear are used together. This is explained by the fact that a person has a tendency to feel self-sufficient and perfect, and this alienates him from the Lord. Only by realizing the greatness of God, one can see the reality of the world, avoiding making serious mistakes, therefore fear is a source of good.
2. The Gift of Piety. The Lord forgives sins and constantly saves people by showing mercy. The gifts of the Holy Spirit in Orthodoxy are realized through prayer, celebration of the liturgy, and so on. Piety also implies mercy, that is, helping those in need. Showing condescension to others, a person acts as God does in relation to people.
3. The gift of guidance. It stands for the knowledge of truths based on faith and love. It is worth noting that the intellect, heart and will are implied here. The gifts of the Holy Spirit show that it is necessary to know the world through God, and then no temptations will lead you astray from the righteous path.
4. Gift of Courage. It is very important for salvation and resistance to various temptations that are encountered on the way during life.
5. Gift of advice. Every day a person faces different situations where you need to make a choice and sometimes spiritual advice is useful for making the right decision. The Holy Spirit helps you stay in tune with God's plan of salvation.
6. gift of reason. It is necessary in order to know God, who is revealed in Holy Scripture and in the Liturgy. The first option is a source of inspiration for the transition to divine knowledge, and the second implies the acceptance of the Body and Blood of the Lord. All this helps a person.
7. The Gift of Wisdom. Having reached this last step, man will be in unity with God.

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit

Many religious terms for a large number people are unfamiliar, so there are those who do not know that blasphemy is a conscious rejection of the grace of the Lord in its obvious effect on a person, that is, it is blasphemy. Jesus Christ spoke of the fact that it implies denial and insult. He also asserted that the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, since the Lord puts His Divinity into it.

How to acquire the grace of the Holy Spirit?

The phrase was introduced into use by Seraphim of Sarov during a conversation concerning the essence of faith. To acquire the Holy Spirit is to acquire grace. In order for this term to be understood by all believers, Sarovskiy interpreted it in as much detail as possible: each person has three sources of desires: spiritual, personal and demonic. The third forces a person to do things out of pride and self-interest, and the second provides a choice between good and bad. The first will is from the Lord and it pushes the believer to do good deeds, accumulating eternal wealth.

How to communicate with the Holy Spirit?

The saints and the three persons of God can be addressed in several ways, such as through prayers, reading the Word of God, or Holy Scripture. Allows the church to communicate in a normal dialogue. Invoking the Holy Spirit can be done with a few tips.

1. It is necessary to retire by taking and reading a few leaves of the Bible. It is important to relax and free yourself from all thoughts.
2. Communication begins with a regular conversation, so you need to introduce yourself.
3. A person must understand and feel that the Holy Spirit lives within him.
4. During a conversation, you can ask different questions, ask for training and so on. Listen to whispers and inner voice.
5. The more often a believer conducts such seances, the stronger he feels the voice of the Lord.

Orthodox prayers to the Holy Spirit

To date, many prayer texts are known that help people in difficult moments. The topic is relevant - is it possible to pray to the Holy Spirit, and what requests can be addressed to him. It is allowed to use both special texts and to say everything in your own words. Great importance has sincere faith and the absence of evil thoughts. You can pray in church and at home.

Prayer for invoking the Holy Spirit

The most common prayer text that can be said at any time when it is felt that the help of the Higher Forces is needed. It helps to live the day in spiritual purity and tranquility. Prayer for receiving the Holy Spirit is directed to God, and it helps to receive the seven gifts described above. The text is short, but at the same time it is concentrated great power to help you find solace and peace.

Prayer to the Holy Spirit for the fulfillment of desire

It is difficult to meet a person who does not dream of a better life, and the hope that when this all becomes a reality always remains in the heart. If desires have only good intentions, then the power of the Holy Spirit can help make them a reality. It is important to use the presented text only if the need to realize your desire is huge. You need to turn to the Holy Spirit at dawn, repeating the text of the prayer three times.

Prayer for the help of the Holy Spirit

Difficult times periodically come in the lives of many people, and in order to cope with the problems that have arisen, you can turn to Higher powers. There is a special prayer to the Holy Spirit, which will help you gain confidence in your abilities, understand the current situation and become. You can say it anywhere and anytime you want. It is better to memorize the text and repeat it three times.

Gave us the grace of the Holy Spirit

Let's also talk about holy Pentecost, which is "the pinnacle of blessings" given to us by the Risen One, "the capital of holidays" and "the fruit of the promise." After all, during Holy Pentecost, human nature receives the rich gifts of the Spirit of the Comforter. Our Lord leaves this earth, and the Comforter comes to it. The Son ascends into the glory of the beginningless Light, and the Most Holy Spirit transfers this glory to creation! Holy Chrysostom says: "The Lord lifted up our firstfruits and sent down the Holy Spirit" as proof that He "reconciled the Father" with our human nature. For the God-man ascended "in glory" to heaven and carried the firstfruits before the astonished angelic powers. human nature as an example and (p. 205) a guarantee of the work He did on earth. As a pledge and guarantee of His saving work, He sent to earth the Third Person of the Holy Trinity - the Comforter Spirit. This shows once again that Christ reconciled the Father with us humans. And the saint uses one of the images of his era to explain this great truth: “Christ took the firstfruits of our nature and gave us the grace of the Spirit; and as it happens after a long war, when the battle is over and peace is made, so that those who were at enmity give each other guarantee and hostages, so it happened between God and human nature: it sent to Him as a guarantee and hostage its firstfruits, which Christ exalted , and in return He sent us as a guarantee and a hostage of the Holy Spirit. So we now have a "sure pledge" Future Life And eternal kingdom. This is “above is the body of the Lord”, “below is the Holy Spirit in us”.

The iconography and worship of the Orthodox Church, expressing in their own way the great truths of our faith, emphasize this joyful truth. The icon of Pentecost depicts the idolized Apostles sitting peacefully in a semicircle in a bright upper room with a joyful and tender look and ... tongues, like fire... over their heads as evidence that …were all filled with the Holy Spirit…(Acts 2:3-4). All of them hold scrolls in their hands - signs of the grace of teaching given to them, in accordance with which they can proclaim to the people a sermon of repentance, built around the Cross and the Resurrection. Below, under the semicircle where the divine Apostles sit, on a black background, indicating the area of ​​​​gloomy hell, an old man is depicted in royal clothes and a crown. He holds in his hands a canvas with twelve (p. 206) scrolls. The elder symbolizes the world that has grown old “in sins”, as well as nature, which is in captivity at the “prince of this world”. The deep darkness surrounding it means darkness and the shadow of death (Luke 1:79), hell, by which the world is enslaved and from which it is already being freed. The twelve scrolls he holds are the symbols of the preaching of the twelve divinely inspired Apostles, bringing light and preaching remission to the captives of death and hell.

The beautiful chant of the Week of Pentecost blesses the children of the Church, who receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit: Now, from Zion, the law has gone out, the grace of the tongue-fire-like Spirit.

The third prayer of the Great Vespers of Holy Pentecost also speaks of the Savior's Descent into Hell and calls for Divine help to all who have died from the foundation of the world: who, with the “mortal sting of the wounded,” revives with the hope of the resurrection, You, Master, who showed us on the great and saving day of Pentecost the sacrament of the Holy, Consubstantial, Pre-Eternal, Inseparable and unmixed Trinity, You, Who deigned us to accept during this all-perfect and saving feast of “purification ubo prayer" for those who died, rest their souls "in a brighter place, in a greener place, in a place of cooling; all sickness and sorrow and sighing will flee from there.” For “the dead will not praise Thee, O Lord […], but we, the living, will bless Thee, and we pray, and offer prayers of forgiveness and sacrifices to Thee for their souls.”

Truly great, incomprehensible and inexpressible are the gifts of the Savior to us people. He destroyed the bonds of hell, destroyed the name of death, and "like the resisting trinity - the devil, death and hell - our tyrants and persecutors, he drowned with His scarlet blood." Death and hell have suffered a complete and crushing defeat. Let us rejoice, rejoice and rejoice. For, although not we, but our Lord won and hoisted the banner of victory, this is also our joy and gladness. After all, the Lord did everything for our complete deliverance from the devil, death and hell.