Breath Of Life

"Breath Of Life" – Genesis 2:7 “Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” The expression “breath of life” points to the power of God, who gives life to the human being and to every creature: life comes from God and depends entirely on Him. That breath was not given to us to live in distress or to lie down and die, but to face everything life brings. This study walks through Genesis 2:7; Job 33:4, where Job, in the midst of the greatest trials, acknowledges that his existence comes from God; Genesis 7:22 and the fragility of life in the flood; the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel 37, where God gives life where there seemed to be no hope; the breath of the risen Christ upon His disciples in John 20:22; and Psalm 150:6: let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

I. What the breath of life is.

A. It points to the power of God, who gives life to the human being and to every creature.

1. It reminds us that life comes from God and depends completely on Him.

2. God gives us breath of life because God is a living God: we do not walk as dead people.

B. There is breath of life when one gives himself to God and is willing to live what he must live.

1. “There is a brother at church I do not like”: there is no breath of life in that.

2. Life brings problems, some worse than others, but it is still life.

C. God carries our lives in His hands, fully in control.

1. Each of us is different; God knows how to settle what belongs to each one.

2. We shape our children after the appearance we like to project, and often we deform them.

II. God formed man of dust and breathed into him (Genesis 2:7).

A. Adam and Eve were created from the dust; we have had another process.

1. It was His breath that gave him life: human life is a direct gift from God.

B. Coming into the world we think ourselves self-sufficient, and so we destroy our own lives.

1. The hard part is not the problem or the illness: the problem is ourselves.

2. We make a monster out of fear and forget we have a mind able to choose.

C. Life is only one and goes faster than you think.

1. Behind us comes our descendance: sowing and reaping.

2. Breath of life means we must fight, war, overcome and triumph.

III. Loving the life God gave.

A. Most people do not love their own life; that is why they are not happy.

1. There is always a complaint, and anyone will tell you how you are falling apart.

B. The first thing to learn is to love oneself and accept oneself.

1. When God thought of you, He thought what is perfect for your life, not what you think of yourself today.

2. Everything God made in our bodies was for a purpose on earth.

IV. Job acknowledges where his life comes from (Job 33:4).

A. “The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”

1. Job says it while enduring the greatest trials.

2. He was the meekest of men: he sat at the city gates to help, not to judge.

B. The same God who created life is the one who sustains it day after day.

V. All that had the breath of life (Genesis 7:22).

A. During the flood, every creature with breath of life depended on God to exist.

1. Noah took into the ark everything that had breath of life.

2. It shows the fragility of human life and divine sovereignty.

B. The breath of life does not remain forever: that is called death.

1. We all bear on our forehead the seal of being chosen; no one is worth more or less.

2. Do not take up the posture of a martyr.

VI. The valley of dry bones (Ezekiel 37:5, 9-10).

A. The bones represent Israel, defeated and spiritually dead after the exile.

1. It was the most violent scene that people could live through.

B. “Come from the four winds, O breath”: the breath symbolizes God's life-giving power.

1. As God breathed into Adam, here He brings life where there was only death.

2. What is impossible for men is possible for God.

C. The breath of life does not remove the situation, but equips you to overcome it.

1. It brings an attitude in the heart, the mind and the soul that makes one fight and battle.

2. What moves the hand of God is your faith.

D. “And the breath came into them, and they came to life”: restoration did not come by human strength.

1. The people needed more than an external rebuilding: they needed spiritual life.

2. “An exceedingly great army”: God does not restore by halves.

3. It stops halfway only if you cut it short; God remains God.

VII. Receive the Holy Spirit (John 20:22).

A. After rising, Jesus breathed on His disciples.

1. As God gave life to Adam, Christ imparts spiritual life and power.

2. We must take hold of all God has to give; Jesus paid for it on the cross.

B. Jesus did not go to the cross so that you would be weak: God commands you to be brave.

1. God is the origin of all life.

2. Our life depends continually on Him.

3. God brings life, restoration and hope even where there seems to be spiritual death.

VIII. Everything that has breath (Psalm 150:6).

A. While we have breath, our purpose is to glorify God and live for Him.

1. The breath we have comes from God, and that alone is reason to worship Him.

2. Praise is not limited to singing: it includes thanking, obeying and serving.

3. “Hallelujah” means “praise the Lord”: joy, worship and celebration of His greatness.

B. Every dawn and every breath are a gift from God.

1. The angels record, ascend and descend — as on Jacob's ladder — and everything is written down.

2. One day we must stand before the throne and hear: “you were faithful over a little, I will set you over much”.