Fruitful Living
The symbols of the Holy Spirit
“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.” – Acts 2:1-3 (NIV)
The symbols of the Holy Spirit tell us more about His nature and mission. Symbols are used by all cultures as visible signs or representations of ideas or the quality of certain people or objects. Thus, in the Akan culture the Okyeame (linguist) in the chief’s palace is identified by the symbol on his staff. Also, the various clans of the Akan are represented by certain symbols, usually animals that are supposed to tell us more of the character or nature of that particular clan. In schools and colleges, various houses may be identified by certain symbols or colours or some element in nature and in the arena of games – football, basketball, hockey, we find teams identified by certain symbols. In scripture, symbols are used to teach us deeper spiritual truths and enable us have a clearer understanding about what is being taught. For example, the symbol of a Lamb is used to depict Jesus Christ and the sacrifice of His life on Calvary’s cross for our sins. The Holy Spirit is depicted by certain symbols such as Dove, Water, Oil, A Seal, Wind and Deposit.
Let us take these symbols one by one.
1. DOVE: A dove is used to symbolises purity, peace, meekness, gentleness and modesty. In John 1:32 we read: “Then John gave this testimony: ”I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on Him” (NIV) We all know that Jesus Christ lived a sinless, gentle and meek life. He was not haughty but rather modest in all He did. He was the very epitome of peace – the kind of peace that is of God. This is because the Holy Spirit was with Him all the time and imparted God’s very nature and character into the man Jesus. We too have the Holy Spirit indwelling us and must therefore allow Him to manifest His qualities of purity, peace, modesty, humility and gentleness in us.
2. WATER: water symbolises life and one of its many other uses is for cleansing. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Life in Rom. 8:2 and little wonder that water should be used as His emblem. He is the Spirit of Holiness and Spirit of Promise by whom through Christ we are cleansed from our sins and made righteous in God. “For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.” – Isaiah 44:3 “On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” – John 7:37-39 (NIV)
3. OIL: Oil indicates light because at that time oil was put into lamps to provide light. Now, kerosene or paraffin is used in lamps. Oil indicates healing. The base of most healing balms such as Mentholatum, Robb, Deep Heat and Vegebum is oil. Oil symbolises also anointing for service. Right back in the Old Testament, we find that priests, starting from Aaron were anointed with oil as, indeed, were kings such as David. Jesus, therefore, announced His public ministry by reading from Isaiah 61:1-2 “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn.” Hebrews 1:9 also says “You loved righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore, God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.” In 1 John 2:20, the apostle John also says of faithful Christian “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.” The Holy Spirit is available to us today to endue us with power for service with Himself as the anointing oil and it is my prayer that we will all yield to Him as He does this so that we, too, can do what Jesus did as it is written in Acts 10:38 “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him.”
4. A SEAL: A seal is a device bearing a design, a name or some other words which is able to impart some impression of itself on a substance. This was used in the past as marks of authenticity and authority to letters and royal commands as well as a mark of the formal ratification of a transaction or covenant. In fact even now we occasionally see letters sealed with some reddish seemingly soft substance as a way of ensuring that no one tampers with the letter. Certificates are usually authenticated with an embossed stamp with the name of the school or university. The Holy Spirit of God is also a seal from God indicating God’s ownership of us indicating a finished transaction between God and us. We are thus, identified by this seal as genuine, authentic and bonafide children of God – people of great value to God and, therefore, secure in Him because He has stamped us with His own authority. Ephesians 1:13 and 4:30 say “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.” “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
Knowing this should make us live as those who belong to a God who is loving, merciful, excellent in all His ways, faithful and compassionate. We should feel secure in His love and in His promise and live each day to His glory by giving of our best in whatever endeavour we find ourselves. We should not succumb to the terrors and fears of the devil nor should we slip back into our old sinful ways as if the One to Whom we belong cannot take care of us. Please read Daniel 6:16-17; Esther 3:8-12 and Matthew 26:66 for more explanations on what a seal is used for.
5. WIND: Wind indicates an unseen power. Just think of the power of winds. Wherever the weather man tells us that there are going to be storms we get jittery because we know that the power in the wind is strong. The Holy Spirit is very powerful but like the wind we do not see Him. Jesus used this symbol of the wind to tell Nicodemus about being born again by the unseen power of the Holy Spirit – John 3:8 and in Acts 2:1-2, the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost as a mighty windstorm or a rushing mighty wind. We do not see the Holy Spirit but He is very real and with us just in the same way we do not see the wind but know it is there and feel its power.
6. FIRE: Fire indicates the presence, approval, protection, purifying gift and judgement
of God:
– Exodus 3:2 talks about the presence of God in the burning bush;
– Lev. 9:24 tells us about fire consuming the sacrifice on the altar as a sign of God’s approval of the offering;
– Exodus 13:21 talks about the pillar of fire that gave light to the children of Israel in the wilderness to guide and protect them;
– In Isaiah 6:1-8 we read of Isaiah who saw God in a vision and was purified from his sin with coals of fire from the throne room of God;
– In Acts 2:3 we find tongues of fire settling on the disciples as God’s gift of special
utterance.
– In Heb. 12:29 we are told that our God is a consuming fire of judgement who deserves to be worshipped with reverence and awe.
7. Last but not least, the Holy Spirit is symbolised as a DEPOSIT indicating down payment, pledge, guaranteeing or an assurance of the eventual complete payment. Indeed, God has bought us at a great price and sealed the transaction with His Holy Spirit who acts as the down payment or deposit of God while we are still here on earth. This is our assurance that the eternal life that God has promised us – our being with Him in eternity will, indeed, be completed – “Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” – 2 Cor. 1:22 “Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” – 2 Cor.5:5. We should feel secure in God because He has given us His Holy Spirit as the assurance that we are His and He is ours because of what Jesus Christ has done.
Stay blessed!
For further inquiries please contact us on Tel Nos. 0243588467 or 0268130615
Email: saltnlightministries@gmail.com
Website: saltandlightministriesgh.org
By Dr Joyce Aryee, the author
Fruitful Living
Sanitation, Hygiene, and the Morality of Public Space: Reclaiming Ghana’s Civic Virtue through Faith and Policy (Final Part)
A. The Role of Religious Leaders and Counsellors
Religious leaders wield immense influence in shaping public values. Every mosque, church, and shrine should integrate environmental stewardship into its doctrine. Islam views the earth as a masjid—a place of prostration (Sahih Bukhari, 335). Polluting it is akin to defiling a sacred space. Monthly khutbahs should focus on amanah and tahārah, connecting spiritual purity to environmental discipline.
As a counsellor, I affirm that behavioural reform requires both moral teaching and psychological reinforcement. When believers internalise that cleaning a drain is an act of ʿibādah (worship), they transform routine labour into sacred service. The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught: “Removing harmful things from the path is a branch of faith.” (Sahih Muslim, 35). This hadith perfectly captures the theology of civic virtue.
B. Individual and Community Pledge
Moral renewal begins with personal accountability. Every household must adopt responsible waste practices—segregating recyclables, composting, and cooperating with collection services. Citizens must also exercise al-amr bi-l-maʿrūf wan-nahy ʿani-l-munkar (enjoining good and forbidding evil) by correcting neighbours who litter or misuse public spaces, with gentleness and wisdom (Qur’an 16:125).
Communities should establish local sanitation committees under mosque and church leadership, creating faith-driven accountability structures. Supporting local enforcement, rather than resisting it, must be seen as a contribution to maslahah—the public interest that the Sharia seeks to protect.
This collective moral reawakening must integrate faith, governance, and citizenship into one moral project: cleanliness as worship, sanitation as patriotism.
C. Conclusion: Cleanliness, Dignity, and the Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah
Ghana’s destiny as a great nation is inseparable from the cleanliness of its environment and the conscience of its citizens. The choked gutters, polluted rivers, and scattered waste are not only environmental failures but spiritual wounds upon our collective soul. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Allah is pure and accepts only what is pure.” (Sahih Muslim, 1015). A nation that aspires to divine favour must first reflect divine purity in its public spaces.
To achieve this, we must view sanitation through the lens of the Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah—the higher objectives of Islamic law—which aim to preserve life (ḥifẓ al-nafs), faith (ḥifẓ al-dīn), intellect (ḥifẓ al-ʿaql), wealth (ḥifẓ al-māl), and posterity (ḥifẓ al-nasl). Clean environments are essential for all five objectives:
- Preservation of Life (ḥifẓ al-nafs): Proper sanitation prevents disease and death. Protecting human health is a divine imperative. Allah says, “And do not throw yourselves with your own hands into destruction.” (Qur’an 2:195).
- Preservation of Faith (ḥifẓ al-dīn): Islam equates purity with faith. An unclean environment obstructs worship and spiritual growth, violating the believer’s covenant of cleanliness.
- Preservation of Intellect (ḥifẓ al-ʿaql): Healthy surroundings promote clarity of thought, while pollution and disease diminish cognitive vitality and learning.
- Preservation of Wealth (ḥifẓ al-māl): Waste management safeguards public funds, prevents costly health crises, and preserves natural resources.
- Preservation of Posterity (ḥifẓ al-nasl): Environmental care ensures a habitable planet for future generations, fulfilling our amanah to the unborn.
By aligning sanitation with these higher objectives, we transform a civic duty into a sacred mission. Achieving the Maqāṣid requires cooperation between policy and piety—laws enforced justly, education grounded in values, and citizens inspired by faith.
Let every believer remember that a clean street is a silent dhikr (remembrance of Allah), a purified drain is a fulfilled amanah, and a healthy neighbour is a protected trust. When our gutters run clear and our air smells fresh, it will signify not merely progress but piety—proof that Ghana has reclaimed its moral and civic virtue under the gaze of the Almighty Allah.
Thank you.
- By Imam Alhaji SaeedBAbdulai, the Author
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
B. Instead, walk in righteousness and true holiness … (20–24)
1. This is how you learned Christ
- As you heard Him and were taught by Him (through His apostles, of course – Matt. 28:19-20)
- In Whom is the truth – John 8:31; 14:6
2. For you were taught to “put off” the “old man”
- That is, your “former conduct,” how you behaved before you were saved – Col. 3:5-9
- Putting off the old man is needed because it is never content, but grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts (like addictive drugs, you always need more).
3. And to “be renewed in the spirit of your mind”
- Which is the key to true “transformation” – Rom. 12:1-2
- You “renew your mind” only as you “set your mind on things above” – Col. 3:1-2
4. And to “put on the new man”
- A new man “which was created according to God” – Col. 3:10
- A new man, “in righteousness and true holiness” – Col. 3:12-17
In giving the admonition “No longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles,” Paul has made it clear that it involves both a “putting off” and a “putting on.” That is, our “Walking in Truth and Holiness” is not just a bunch of “Thou Shalt Not’s,” there are also some “Thou Shalt’s.”
To illustrate further the difference between the “old man” (how the rest of the Gentiles walk) and the “new man” (how Christians are to walk), we find Paul making…
II. The Application – (25–32)
Case in point: lying (25)
- The “old man” thinks nothing of lying
- The “new man” puts away lying, and in its place speaks truth with his neighbor (especially to those who are members of the same body)
Case in point: anger (26–27)
- The “old man” gets angry and lets it linger, or get out of control
- The “new man” may get angry, but does not…
- Let it linger (“do not let the sun go down on your wrath”)
- Allow it to prompt sinful behavior (“nor give place to the devil”)
Case in point: stealing (28)
- The “old man” is willing to steal
- The “new man” not only stops stealing, but works so he can help others in need!
Case in point: corrupt communication (29)
- The “old man” doesn’t worry or care what comes out of his mouth
- The “new man” not only avoids “corrupt communication,” but seeks to speak that which is uplifting to those who hear
Summary (30–32)
Why be concerned about putting off the “old man” and putting on the “new man?”
When Christians act like the “old man,” it grieves the Holy Spirit. By the Holy Spirit we were sealed for the day of redemption – Eph. 1:13-14.
Therefore, we ought to put away those things befitting the “old man” (bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking, malice). And in its place, we need to put on those things befitting the “new man” (being kind, tenderhearted, forgiving one another just as God forgives us in Christ).
Conclusion
What a contrast there would be if all those in the church truly carried out the admonition to “Walk in Truth and Holiness!” The church would stand out like “a city that is set on a hill” – Matt. 5:14-16.
And the world, though it now has “their understanding darkened,” would be more likely to come to see the truth that is in Jesus. But what hope is there if the church is more like the world than the “holy temple” it is to be?
Brethren, are we “grieving the Holy Spirit of God?” – Ephesians 4:30. While the increasing worldliness in our society naturally concerns us, let us be careful not to react with attitudes that reveal our old characteristic when we were in the world.
BY Rev. Dr Joyce Aryee,
the author
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
