Divine Breath of Life: Human Spirit Origins

Human life originates from the divine breath of God, which imparts the spirit that animates the physical body. Genesis 2:7 reveals that God formed man from the dust of the ground—representing the physical body—and then breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, causing man to become a living being ([07:40]). This breath is not merely oxygen but the Spirit of God, the vital force that transforms lifeless matter into a living soul. Without this divine breath, the body remains inert, underscoring that true life is fundamentally rooted in the Spirit given by God.

Zechariah 12:1 further clarifies that God is the originator of the human spirit, stating that He "forms the spirit of man within him" ([10:32]). This formation of the spirit is part of God’s creative work, alongside stretching out the heavens and laying the foundation of the earth. The spirit is thus a divine creation, distinct from the physical body and beyond mere natural phenomena. It is a vital essence or energy that belongs to God Himself, imparted to humans as the core of life. This divine spirit is separate from the Holy Spirit; it is the unique breath of life that God forms within each person.

Ecclesiastes 12:7 teaches that at death, the physical body returns to dust, but the spirit returns to God who gave it ([14:44]). This demonstrates that the human spirit is not owned by the individual but is a borrowed gift from God. The spirit remains alive and conscious, even beyond physical death, because it belongs to God and is eternal. It is distinct from the Holy Spirit, which indwells believers to guide and empower them. The human spirit is a vital, eternal component of life that God reclaims, affirming that true life is sustained by God’s Spirit rather than by the physical body or soul alone.

Together, these scriptures establish that the human spirit is a divine gift—the breath of life from God—that animates the body and defines true life. This spirit is distinct from the Holy Spirit and is the essential life force formed by God at creation and returned to Him at death. Life, therefore, is not merely biological existence but a spiritual reality rooted in God’s breath. Living in alignment with this divine life involves walking in the Spirit and maintaining connection to the source of all true life, which is God’s Spirit.

This article was written by an AI tool for churches, based on a sermon from Rivers of Living Water Church, one of 60 churches in Boulder, CO