This Bible study is all about what it means to have God’s breath in your lungs, and what that means for your everyday life.
There’s a song that is rather popular right now, called Great Are You Lord, and it says “It’s Your breath in our lungs so we pour out our praise to You only.” But what does it mean to have God’s breath in your lungs, and how does it change your life?
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The Meaning Of Breath
In the Old Testament, there are a few words that are translated to breath. The first is rûaḥ, which signifies not only breath, but also the wind of heaven and the spirit of the living being. It is often given as a gift which is preserved by God. It is Shekinah glory manifested in you. The second word that is translated as breath is nᵊšāmâ. And it is the breath, or spirit, of God and man. It is the inspiration, soul, and spirit of every living creature. The third word is nāp̄aḥ, means to inflate, blow hard, scatter, and kindle.
OKAY, BUT WHY DO I CARE?
God’s Breath is Powerful
What is the most powerful force of nature that you have seen? Imagine being the Israelites standing at the edge of the red sea with Egyptians pursuing them and wondering how they were going to make it out alive. Then they saw the red sea part and they walked through on dry ground with walls of water on both sides. What would your response to that be? The Israelites responded in praise to God for doing the impossible.
Check out a Bible study on the miracle of parted water.
There are many times throughout scripture where God is acknowledged for doing the impossible with His breath. 2 Samuel 22:16 says “The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast of breath (rûaḥ) from his nostrils.” God’s breath can bring things about that are physically impossible for the deliverance of His people.
God’s breath can also bring something forth out of nothing. Psalms 33:6 says “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath (rûaḥ) of his mouth.” God breathed and the universe was created. In one breath God made and named the stars. Within one breath God made and named everything you see around you. In one breath God made and named you – and he made you with a purpose.
God’s breath Gives life
Before the creation of the world, God chose you to be holy and blameless in His sight (Ephesians 1:3-5). After He created the sun, moon, and stars, He thought of you. Genesis 2:7 tells us that “the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed (nāp̄aḥ) into his nostrils the breath (nᵊšāmâ) of life, and the man became a living being.” From the beginning, God has been filling His creation with His breath of life. He started with dust, forming it into a living being. Every time someone is conceived, God also starts with a couple cells and forms them in to a living being – filling us with His breath the moment we come out of the womb.
Filling armies
When God breathes His breath of life into you, He is not just giving you the perfect mixture of oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen, but He is giving His Holy Spirit to guide you – if you are willing. God gives each of us His breath individually, but He also fills armies with His breath. Ezekiel 37:4-10 tells the story of the dry bones.
“Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath (rûaḥ) enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath (rûaḥ) in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’” So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath (rûaḥ) in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath (rûaḥ); prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath (rûaḥ), from the four winds and breathe (nāp̄aḥ) into these slain, that they may live.’” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath (rûaḥ) entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.”
God’s breath gave life to an entire army of decayed bones. This wasn’t an army of people who had just died and time could be reversed back a minute to when they were living (which in itself would be a miracle). These people were dead dead. Their muscles had decayed, and their organs had turned to mush. But God spoke and blew His breath and they came to life. They were completely healed.
Filling you
If God can speak life into decaying bones, imagine how He can speak life into you. What area of your life is dying (or dead)? Is it your joy, your feeling of safety, your innocence, your trust? God can bring any area back to life with just a breath.
We can see this hold true in the story of Job, a man who had everything stripped away from Him and yet still praised the Lord through it all. Job acknowledged God in everything, saying “The Spirit of God has made me; the breath (nᵊšāmâ) of the Almighty gives me life.” (Job 33:4). Have you ever stopped to think that every breath you have is because of God? Where would you be if you did not have God in your life?
Breath is Constant
Did you know that the average person breaths 16 times a minute? Breathing is something that continues to happen, even when you are not consciously thinking about it. But there are some cases when a person is cut off from the air, and they are not able to breathe in the oxygen they need and expel toxic carbon dioxide from their lungs.
In the same way, God is constantly filling us with His life-giving breath.
Job 34:14-15 says that “If it were his intention and he withdrew his spirit (rûaḥ) and breath (nᵊšāmâ), all humanity would perish together and mankind would return to the dust.” God gives both the air we breath and the Holy Spirit to guide us. If we lost either one, we could be dead. Dead because our cells don’t have oxygen, or dead because our souls don’t have Jesus. Aren’t you thankful that God is loving and He desires for us to be in relationship with Him and for us to partake in His goodness?
But again, breath isn’t just a one-and-done thing. Psalms 144:4 reminds us of the short time-span of breath, saying “They are like a breath (heḇel – a breath or vanity, something that is short and fleeting) their days are like a fleeting shadow.” And Isaiah 2:22 reminds us that a single breath cannot sustain, saying “Stop trusting in mere humans, who have but a breath (nᵊšāmâ) in their nostrils. Why hold them in esteem?”
Continuously keeping your eyes on Jesus
Just as you must take about 16 breaths per second, every minute, every hour, and every day, you must keep your eyes focused on Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-2). He is the author and perfecter of your faith, without Him there is no life. The gospel of John says to remain in God, just as he remains in you, the same way that a branch needs to remain in the vine to bear fruit and live (John 15:4).
Do you remain in God, breathing in His presence and breathing out His praise, throughout the day?
God’s Breath Demands Praise
Thankfully, we have a God who gives us breath and sustains us through every situation. If you take a moment to fully appreciate the life that God has given you, there can only be one response – praise.
Psalms 150:6 says “Let everything that has breath (nᵊšāmâ) praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.” God gives you the air you breathe, the life you have, and His Holy Spirit. What does it mean that God gives you His powerful breath?
Job 27:3-6 says “as long as I have life (nᵊšāmâ) within me, the breath (rûaḥ) of God in my nostrils, my lips will not say anything wicked, and my tongue will not utter lies. I will never admit you are in the right; till I die, I will not deny my integrityI will maintain my innocence and never let go of it; my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live.” Job first recognizes that God’s spirit is in him, and then mentions the life-giving air that God gives.
How would your life look different if you took the same attitude as Job?
Living with God’s breath
God has given you His powerful breath to sustain you through every situation. No matter where you find yourself in life, you will always have the Spirit of God with you and in you. He gives you life. How does the way you live reflect that you have received his breath?
This Bible study was all about having God’s breath in your lungs. What was your favorite verse? Leave a comment below and let me know!
