NESHAMAH

“Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life” (2 Corinthians. 3:6).

The story is told in the Bible of how man was made in God’s own image. “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7). So, basically, after man was formed into shape, he was just there, lifeless. However, by God’s own breath, that log-like mass of clay came alive. What was (in) that breath? The Hebrew word for breath is neshamah, pronounced nesh-aw-maw. This has two meanings: breath, and spirit. It also means divine inspiration (according to Strong’s Definition). This goes to say that what God introduced into man at creation was his very Spirit, the life-giving Spirit. “And so it is written, The first man Adam was a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening (life-giving) spirit” (1Corinthians 15:45).

Now, back to our theme verse. “…The spirit (breath/inspiration) giveth life” (2 Corinthians 3:6). This speaks of rhema, a Greek word useful for distinguishing between two meanings of “word”. While both rhema and logos are translated into English “word”, in the original Greek there was a substantial distinction. A rhema is an inspired Word birthed within one’s own spirit, a whisper from the Holy Spirit like a still small voice. It is a divinely inspired impression upon ones spirit stemming from the logos – the written word as in the scriptures. It could come in the form of a flash of thought or a creative idea from God conceived in one’s spirit, transmitted into the natural understanding by the Holy Spirit. Rhema comes with a deep inner assurance and witness of the Spirit of life. Rhema brings life, it gives hope, enlightens the eyes and often leads to a supernatural manifestation. One cardinal aspect of rhema is that it is always based on the logos; every rhema stems from some logos.

2 Corinthians 3:6 (quoted above) implies that one can read the logos and still end up dead, but when rhema comes it vitalizes its recipient. It is, therefore, of immense importance that when a Christian reads the Word he meditates on it to get the end product – rhema – so as to arrive at the desired result that the Word carries. The Word of God is a creative force. When He spoke things into being in Genesis, breath came out of His mouth. That breath led to what we see today as God’s creation. Remember that “...without him – ‘the life-giving Spirit’ (John 1:3) – was not anything made that was made.”

It stands, therefore, to reason that if one needs to create anything, anything at all, one needs rhema, that divine inspiration, that breath of God’s Spirit, to get what is desired. Now, you would remember that God made man in His image, meaning that man is a creative being just like God. God expects us to be creative. When you set out to create something, anything, make sure to get the needed rhema/neshamah/breath/divine inspiration. Once this is done, supernatural manifestation is guaranteed. Check all the miracles that the apostles recorded, you would find that each one of them had its roots in a revelation, a neshamah, from something the Lord Jesus said. That miracle-working ability is still very much available to all of God’s people today. Only catch the breath needed, and as you speak it fourth, you’d see a miracle(s). Go create something today. 

"It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." John 6:63 KJV

God bless you!