143. The operation of these energies is the Holy Spirit, which the Lord sends to those who believe in Him and who prepare themselves to receive Him. This is what is meant by the "spirit" in the following passages:
I will give you a new heart and a new spirit; and I will put My spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes (Ezek. 36:26, 27; 11:19).
Create in us a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and let a willing spirit uphold me (Ps. 51:10, 12).
Jehovah formeth the spirit of man within him (Zech. 12:1).
With my soul have I waited for Thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me have I waited for Thee in the morning (Isa. 26:9).
Make you a new heart and a new spirit; why will ye die, O house of Israel? (Ezek. 18:31);
and elsewhere. In these passages "a new heart" means a will of good and "a new spirit" an understanding of truth. That the Lord operates these in such as do good and believe the truth, that is, in those who are in the faith of charity, is clearly evident from what is said above-that God gives a soul to those who walk in His statutes; also from the words, "a willing spirit." And that man must operate on his part is evident from the words, "Make you a new heart and a new spirit; why will ye die O house of Israel?"