The Holy Spirit – Dwelling in Saints!

The Holy Spirit – Dwelling in Saints!

God is the God of order!

God is the God of design!

God is the God of creativity!

God is the God of precision!

God, who sent us His only begotten Son, Jesus, sent us the Holy Spirit to follow His Son, Jesus, who will take up residence in all believers to continue to transform us in the image of His Perfect Son, Jesus.

Jesus tells us clearly that the world cannot receive the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth but we do as believers in God: “The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:17)

We Are the Temple of God!

Apostle Paul reminds us of that God no longer dwells in man-made temples and structures but in our bodies as we are the temple of God: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (I Corinthians 3:16); “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” (I Corinthians 6:19).

Jesus spoke of His body as the temple: ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’…But He was speaking of the temple of His body” (John 2:19, 21).

The temple has the Altar, Sacrifice, God’s Word, and God’s Will!

Apostle Paul reminds us of the altar within us, and the living sacrifice that we are to God, dedicated to a life-long transformation by the renewal of our minds by the word of God: “I beseech (urge) you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable (rational) service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).

We are the altars!

We are the living sacrifice for God!

The word of God is transforming us!

God’s ordinance that the altar must have fire continuously: “And the fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it; it shall not be put out. And the priest shall burn wood on it every morning and lay the burnt offering in order on it; and he shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings” (Leviticus 6:12).

A believer then is a living sacrifice experiencing the fire of the Holy Spirit in their lives constantly and continuously as we are being revealed of the word of God by the Holy Spirit to not conform to the world but be apart as a chosen generation of God.

The Temple is Filled with Worship!

Here is the record of the dedication of the temple by King Solomon: “And it came to pass when the priests came out of the Most Holy Place (for all the priests who were present had sanctified (consecrated) themselves, without keeping to their divisions), and the Levites who were the singers, all those of Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, stood at the east end of the altar, clothed in white linen, having cymbals, stringed instruments and harps, and with them one hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets— indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying: ‘For He is good, for His mercy endures forever,’ that the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering (stand to minister) because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God” (II Chronicles 5:11-14).

The temple of Solomon was dedicated to an undivided and consecrated worship by the priests and worshippers. As they offered the worship, the glory cloud came down and filled the house of God!

Worship is more than what we offer in our church services or playing instruments. Worship must become a way of life if we are the temples of God. Worship as a way of life has two very special aspects:

Worship as a way of life:

·        Acknowledges that everything I have has come from God!

·        Acknowledges that everything I have must be yielded back to God!

We worship God when we say in our hearts constantly and continuously, “Lord, I thank You for You are good; Your mercy endures forever. Everything I have, I am blessed by Your grace and mercy. I surrender all that I have in Your hands to keep, because You are the Source of all the blessings – my life, my family, my loved ones, my blessings, and all that I have - I commit my life into Your hands.”

The Temple Speaks of Intimacy with God!

“’A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest (reveal) Myself to him.’ Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, ‘Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me’” (John 14:19-24).

Let us try to comprehend what Jesus says:

“(On) that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you!”

That is intimacy – God dwelling in us, and we have our dwelling in God. We are inseparable, just as the God the Father and Jesus, the Son, are inseparable! What a privilege! What an honor!

God’s Dwelling Place (Temple) Will Never Be Destroyed!

A believer who is a temple of God can never be destroyed, unlike earthly temples, which were destroyed.  

When the Spirit of God takes up residence in a believer, they are PRESERVED FOR LIFE AND ALL ETERNITY as Apostle Paul reminds us of the most significant aspect of the Holy Spirit: “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through (because of) His Spirit who dwells in you” (Romans 8:11).

“Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary,

Pure and holy, tried and true,

With Thanksgiving, I’ll be a living,

Sanctuary for You!”

Prayer

“Heavenly Father, I love You and adore You. What a mighty God You are, with Your perfect plan and design, to transform me in the image of Your Beloved Son, Jesus, through the power of Your Holy Spirit!  I yield my body as Your temple. Consecrate me, Lord, and separate me, to Your holy living all the days of my life. In the Precious and Wonderful Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen! Amen!!”

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John Jeyaseelan

http://www.globalprayercenter.net