Noah, The Dove, and the Olive Leaf

Then he (Noah) sent out a dove to see whether the water on the earth's surface had gone down, but the dove found no resting place for her foot. She returned to him in the ark because water covered the surface of the whole earth. He reached out and brought her into the ark to himself.
(Gen 8:8-9)

The dove, here, is symbolic of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. Noah is a type of the Father who sent His Spirit into the O.T. world searching for a place to land, a place where the waters of unbelief had receded. Finding no such place, the dove (Spirit) returned again to Noah (the Father).

So Noah waited seven more days and sent out the dove from the ark again. When the dove came to him at evening, there was a plucked olive leaf in her beak. So Noah knew that the water on the earth's surface had gone down.
(Gen 8:10-11)

This speaks of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. The olive leaf represents dry land, a place where the waters (unbelief) have receded enough for the dove to land.

After Jesus was baptized, He went up immediately from the water. The heavens suddenly opened for Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on Him…
(Mat 3:16-17)

In this beautiful verse we see the conclusion of Genesis 8 as the dove (Holy Spirit) finally finds rest for her foot in a place where the waters of unbelief have taken no ground, the faithful heart of Jesus.

For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the whole earth (like a dove) to show Himself strong in those whose hearts are completely His...
(2Ch 16:9)

When I operate in unbelief the fruit is self evident; disobedience, fear of man, fear of insignificance, discord with others, pride, personal agendas, bitterness, unforgiveness, deceitfulness, all of which keeps the dove flying right over me in search of higher ground.

But when I operate in true, undiluted faith, giving no place to unbelief and its smothering waters, the dove will not only land in my heart and life, it will remain there.