The Seven Spirits of God

The Seven Spirits of God

“Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is coming; and from the seven spirits which are before His throne” (Rev 1:4, MKJV)

“He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars” (Rev 3:1, MKJV)

The work of the Spirit of God is one of the greatest aspects in the spiritual realm; it controls the universe. The Holy Spirit acts continuously. His act ranges from the depths of the almighty God (1Co 2:10) to the depths of the mortal man (Psalm 139:7,15-16); it sweeps through time from the beginning of the creation and the void earth (Gen 1:1) to the new heaven and the new earth (Rev 21:1). He is almighty. He carries grace and peace to us.

In many occasions in the bible, the scripture used different images to indicate the Holy Spirit. It indicates Him using images like dove, fire, flowing water, wind...etc, to describe the variety and the diversity of His works. That’s why we see Him in Revelation as “the seven Spirits of God” (Rev 3:1), indicating His various works in their perfection. Let’s therefore proceed humbly to the Holy Spirit to see the glory and the perfection of His work in our life. Let’s explore what’s in His heart for us.

The first account of “the seven spirits” is “which are before His throne” (Rev 1:4, MKJV). Needless to say that spiritual realm has no physical thrones or dimensions. Therefore, there’s no “before” or “behind” over there; the entire heaven is God’s throne as Lord Jesus said (Mat 5:34). The phrase “before His throne”, therefore, has a figurative meaning. What’s that?

The existence of the Holy Spirit “before” the throne means that nothing is sent out of the throne, or brought onto the throne except through Him. In other words, the Holy Spirit brings God’s will to the creation, and brings the creation’s will to God.

He Carries God’s Will

The Holy Spirit accomplishes God’s will in all His creation. He searches the depths of God (1Cor 2:10) and reveals it on earth. In this manner, His act is similar to the act of the “light”. That’s why as we go further in Revelation, we read another account of the Spirit, “And seven lamps of fire were burning in front of the throne, which are the seven spirits of God” (Rev 4:5, MKJV). The light of God’s will illuminates each corner of His creation by the Spirit. That’s why we hear the Lord saying, “He will guide you into all truth. For He shall not speak of Himself, but whatever He hears, He shall speak” (Joh 16:13, MKJV). He is always before the throne to bring every truth He hears about God’s will to us. Blessed be His name.

He Carries the Creation’s Will

On the other hand, the Spirit carries the depths of the creation. He hovers over every spot in God’s creation, even when it’s waste and empty (Gen 1:2, Darby). He knows our depths more than we do. When He sees us incapable of expressing our depths properly, He does that on our behalf; he carries our deep things and brings them out to God (Rom 8:26). In this manner, He acts like an “eye”, that’s why the scripture also indicates the Spirit as “seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth” (Rev 5:6, MKJV).

Try the spirits

In contrary to the Spirit of God, who illuminates the creation with God’s will, there are spirits of darkness. They carry their own wills, and work hard to achieve them. Each spirit is orbiting its own will. They do not present “before His throne”.  They are neither interested in receiving God’s will, nor they are willing to accomplish it. Those are the fallen spirits for whom the blackness of darkness is reserved forever (2Pe 2:17). They chose the darkness of selfness; therefore, they live away from God’s light. It’s the kingdom of the devil and his fallen angels.

But the spirits of the darkness exist also in man’s realm. When man lives separated from God, his spirit dims up until it turns into darkness. It’s not able, and it does not desire to draw near before God’s throne.

Amidst all black darkness, the Spirit of God remains the only source of light in the creation. He is always present “before” the throne of God to carry God’s will and fulfills it. Blessed is His name.

Are you able to discern the spirits? Are you able to recognize when you are dealing with the Spirit of God and when dealing with another spirit? If you are dealing with the spirit of God, He will certainly lead you to “before His throne”. He will teach you to love, and will fill you with passion to accomplish God’s will even when it costs you to sacrifice your own will. He will discipline you to accept God’s will and present yourself as a living, holy sacrifice. He will teach you to receive and to offer before the throne of God. Any spirit leads you to selfness, or renders you to orbit your “self” is a spirit of deceit no matter how decent it attempts to look.

O Spirit of God, encompass me. Take my hand and lead me to always present before the throne. Enlighten my spirit with the will of God. Help me to accomplish that will. Teach me to give Him the glory He deserves. Amen.

The spirits of God

The essence of God’s will is always constant. It always applies truth, justice, and righteousness. But the way that will is revealed to man varies from age to age and from one individual to another according to man’s changing need and his capability of receiving that will. Because this revelation comes from the Spirit, He reaches out man in various ways. Because of this variation, an outer look at His works would make you think that they belong to different spirits. That’s why the scripture indicated Him, “the seven Spirits of God” (Rev 4:5).

Let us take an example of the various acts of the Spirit at different times in the history of the Israelites:

Two Contrasting Examples

When the people of Israel were enslaved and oppressed in Egypt, God approached them with compassion. He had a plan to save them. He chose the suitable vessel. When the Spirit hemmed Moses, He filled him with compassion and love to his people, which rendered him to reject the treasures of Egypt and to suffer affiliation along with the people of God. The Spirit filled Moses with a spirit of meekness and endurance beyond man’s nature enabled him to endure that rebellious stiff-necked people.

As we move on to another era of the history of the Israelites during king Ahab reign, we see an apostate nation. People of Israel abandoned God and worshiped Baal. At that time, wrath and judgement were in God’s heart. Again, the Spirit carried God’s will and found another vessel through whom He will accomplish God’s will. He appointed Elijah the Tishbite and prepared him for the mission. When the Spirit hemmed Elijah, he was filled with anger toward people’s perversity. His words delivered warnings and judgement. His ministry brought fire and blood.

The spirit of meekness and endurance we saw in Moses is absolutely different from the spirit of judgement and condemnation appeared on Elijah. A superficial look at each spirit would not believe they are both acts of the same Spirit. Not until we see the two men side-by-side on the mountain overshadowed by the same cloud (Luk 9:30-34).

But the diverse of the acts of the Spirit are not only from era to another, but also:

From Vessel to another

John the Baptist was contemporary to Jesus. However, the nature of each one’s ministry was characterized by different spirit. While John was isolated from the people and lived different lifestyle than anyone else (even in the way he ate and dressed), Jesus came very close to the people. He showed deep compassion. He shared them joy and grief. In other word, as the Lord made this remark, “John came neither eating nor drinking ... Son of Man came eating and drinking” (Mat 11:18-19, MKJV).

There was an obvious contrast between the ministries of John and Jesus. That contrast offended many people including John himself (Luk 5:33, 7:19), but in fact, both were acts of the same Spirit. Each minister was fulfilling God’s will as revealed to him, and was baptized with the baptism that has been determined for him. The good vessel accepts God’s commission, and discerns the way the Spirit is working in him regardless of how the Spirit is working in others.

Of What Spirit You Are?

The incident in (Luk 9: 51-56) can shed more light on this article. When James and John wanted the Lord to command fire to come down from Heaven and consumes a village of the Samaritans, they actually wanted something Elijah has done in the past. The act itself was not false. The fault was that they were trying to reincarnate the spirit of Elijah, while the spirit of their Master at that moment was far different from the spirit of Elijah. They failed to discern the spirit characterizes that phase of their Master’s ministry. The Lord corrected them, “You do not know of what spirit you are. For the Son of Man has not come to destroy men's lives, but to save” (Luk 9:55, MKJV). They needed to be baptized with the baptism of Jesus (Mat 20:22) not with the baptism of Elijah. The spirit of Elijah was good for his ministry but had no role in Jesus’ ministry.

How important it is to discern of what spirit we ought to be. The Spirit has a special purpose for you, your church and your country. Do not try to simulate someone else, reincarnate another spirit, or be baptized with another minister’s baptism. Strive to know what spirit God wants to fill you with, and by what baptism He wants to baptize your ministry. Any attempt to put the Spirit’s work in a box assuming that He must deal with you in a certain manner, will lead to failure. The Spirit has been and will always be free to work in people in various ways.

He Who has the Seven Spirits of God

Because of the limitation of our human vessel, every man is appointed by the Spirit to carry just a small portion of God’s will. Among all mankind, there has only been one man that’s capable of carrying and fulfilling God’s will to its entirety. He brought that will to man’s realm. In spite of His absolute humanity, He was able to offer himself as a landing ground to the Spirit. His perfect life presented the seven spirits of God. That’s why He was worthy to be titled “He who has the seven Spirits of God” (Rev 3:1).

Jesus, as the son of man, came into being out of a woman; He has come under Law (Gal 4:4). He was made like His brothers (Heb 2:17). He was tempted in every way just as we are (Heb 4:15). Yet, He submitted Himself entirely to the Father’s will since His childhood (Luk 2:49). He loved that will passionately, so He was capable of receiving more of it than anyone else (Heb 1:9). It was the food by which He lives (Joh 4:34, Mat 4:4). The scripture truly describes His attitude with these words, “I delight to do Your will, O My God; and Your Law is within My heart” (Psa 40:8).

Because Jesus humbled Himself under God in such manner, The Holy Spirit worked freely through His life. The Spirit filled Him with all the aspects and the full depth of God’s will. After God spoke at many times and in many ways to the fathers, He ultimately had everything He wanted to say in one person, the Lord Jesus Christ. He never disobeyed the Father; He never turned His back to His will. His life was broad enough to show the two distant aspects; God’s love which is willing to sacrifice for man’s salvation, and God’s justice which condemns man’s evil. In Him, the dove found a landing ground (Luk 3:22) and the fire found a burnt offering (Heb 10:5-7).

Jesus did not favour particular aspects of God’s will and rejected others. He loved God’s will entirely as it is and sacrificed His life to accomplish it. He is the only man that was able to perfectly and comprehensively please the Father. When Peter thought of Jesus as a man of God equals to Moses or Elijah, the Father’s declaration clarified, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear Him” (Mat 17:5, MKJV). The Father wanted to make it clear to the disciples that Jesus is far beyond being just a prophet. He is the only man that pleased God at all times and He is the one that ought to be heard. Moses carried a portion of God’s will and Elijah carried another portion, but only in Jesus that all aspects of God’s will have been met. “Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other” (Psa 85:10, MKJV). That’s why the presence of the Spirit in His life was complete and rich, not just a limited anointment as it was with all the precedent men of God. That’s why the scripture says “God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness above Your fellows” (Heb 1:9, MKJV).

The Stature of the Fullness of Christ

The fullness of Godhead dwelled in Jesus while He is in a human body (Col 2:9), because it pleased the Father that in Jesus all fullness should dwell (Col 1:19). When Jesus finished His sacrificial work, God raised Him from the dead. He gave Him to be Head to a people whom He trusts to carry His will to the world. That people is the church (Eph 1:19-23). Every member of that church ought to abide in the Head and receive grace for grace out of His fullness (Joh 1:16).

The Holy Spirit who filled the Christ, is the same Spirit working in our life. He gives us out of the Christ’s fullness as He desires (1Co 12:11). The Spirit longs to apply God’s will in the members as it is in the Head, the Christ. He wants us to come into the stature of the fullness of Christ (Eph 4:13). Only then, the church will be up to its position in Christ and able to accomplish His ministry and glorify His name.

To summarize, we say that the more we progress in the knowledge of the seven spirits of God, the closer we come to the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Every time we approach the Spirit to learn God’s will, He presents the image of the Christ, because Christ is the only one who has the seven spirits of God. He is the only one who carried God’s will entirely, and accomplished it on earth. Oh, that we love the will of God and open our hearts to it as our Lord did.

The Link between God and Man

Even though the Christ held the will of God entirely, He also held the human nature entirely. He stepped down to the depths of man and bore all man’s weakness and sin.

Bringing together the holiness of God’s will and the blackness of man’s darkness is undoubtedly impossible. That’s why any attempt to bring them together, shall tear the mediator apart. That’s the essence of the reconciliation that Jesus made with His blood. His perfection enabled Him to please the Father, and his humanity made Him so close to man. If He only possessed the fullness of God’s will, He wouldn’t have been so close to us. It would have been impossible for us to draw near Him. But sharing our humanity made Him someone we can proceed to without fear, and thrive in receiving the fullness of God that’s in Him. Therefore, He became the link between the seven spirits of God and our fallen souls. Using the Revelation metaphor, we would say that Jesus divinity gave Him the seven spirits of God while His humanity gave Him:

The Seven Stars

“And He had seven stars in His right hand” (Rev 1:16, MKJV). 

The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches (Rev 1:20). This indicates the church at all its spiritual and historical phases. As we pointed before, “the seven spirits of God” does not indicate a number of spirits but rather the perfection and the diversity of the works of the Holy Spirit. Similarly, “the seven stars” does not indicate a number of churches but rather the diversity and the totality of the phases of the church from the day of Pentecost to the day of rapture.

The image of the Lord holding the seven stars in His right hand indicates that the Lord has an absolute sovereignty over individual believers and over the church. As well, it indicates that He guarantees to suffice the church at all phases from the beginning to the end. He possessed that authority by humbling Himself down to man’s realm and paying the wage of his sins before God. He freed His people from the grip of the devil and brought them before God’s throne justified and blameless.

The Dual Truth

In the messages to the seven churches (Rev 2, 3), we find a dual truth. That is, Jesus knows man’s depths; and Jesus knows the Spirit’s depths.

First, Jesus knows man’s depths. He starts His message with “I know your works”. He knows the believers depths not as an observer, but as a redeemer. He went down to these souls and brought them to God. He redeemed them with His blood. Now, He has the right to bring them out to the light, and examines and judges any impurity in them.

Second, Jesus knows the Spirit depths. He finishes each message with, “he who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”. Although it is Jesus who speaks, yet, he asserts that what He says is exactly what the Spirit wants to tell the churches.

This introductory was essential before we proceed farther in learning the seven Spirits of God, because we ought to remember that we wouldn’t know the Spirit without Jesus. We wouldn’t comprehend His works if we didn’t see them first in Jesus. We cannot be filled with the Spirit except by Jesus’ intercession and through our communion with Him. Let’s then submit our souls to His hand as the seven stars. He will guide us to live God’s will to its fullness.