We have been considering the dramatic transformation that occurs in those who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. The entrance of the Holy Spirit brings believers into a life that is free from condemnation. This change occurs because the Holy Spirit is able to do in us what we are not able to do in the flesh. God has accomplished this by sending His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to fulfill the righteous requirements of the Law. When the Holy Spirit has entrance and free access, He gives life.
Romans 8:11 NKJV 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 His Spirit who dwells in you.
Have you experienced the power and life of the indwelling Holy Spirit?
When the Holy Spirit has entrance and full access, He gives life your mortal body. This is not just a reference to the resurrection of our bodies from the dead. This is also the continual active function of the Holy Spirit’s operation of renewing and quickening (giving life) to what was once dead. In our flesh, we walked in spiritual death. The power of the Holy Spirit produces and evidences dramatic miracles and supernatural manifestations. By indwelling the believer, the Holy Spirit equips and empowers them so that they can fulfill the calling, commission, and will that has been given us in Christ.
The doctrine of the indwelling and baptism of the Holy Spirit was proclaimed to all of the early church.
They were not only taught to expect the Holy Spirit to dwell in them, they also experienced Holy Spirit life-changing and equipping power. The quickening of the Holy Spirit brings enabling and gift-giving power. This power and quickening of the Holy Spirit gives life. Remember the visual aid given through the vision of Ezekiel’s valley of dry bones. The hand of the Lord came upon Ezekiel and brought him out in the Spirit of the Lord to a valley full of bones. The Lord asked him if those dead dry bones could live. Then the Lord said, prophesy to these bones, “O you dry bones, hear the word of the Lord… I will cause breath and spirit to enter you, and you shall live.” After the breath of God breathed upon the dead dry bones, life began coming into them and they became a mighty army. When the Holy Spirit comes in, He quickens believers to become living witnesses of Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:16 NKJV Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
Has the Holy Spirit taken up residence in your hearts?
When the Holy Spirit dwells within us, our lives will be changed and a new certain quality of life comes into us. The same life that came into and quickened Jesus Christ’s dead body will be working in us.
Look at what Romans 8 says the Holy Spirit will do in us.
- He is the “Spirit of life in Christ,” (Romans 8:2).
- He frees us from sin and death (Romans 8:2).
- The Holy Spirit fulfills righteousness in us, (Romans 8:4).
- Our minds and thoughts are directed by the Holy Spirit, (Romans 8:5).
- Spiritually minded people have life and peace (Romans 8:6).
- Those controlled by the Spirit of God are identified as being in Christ and having the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9).
- The Spirit brings life to our spirit, (Romans 8:10).
- The Holy Spirit gives life and quickens our bodies and spirits both now and in the resurrection, (Romans 8:11).
- Everyone led by the Holy Spirit are sons of God, (Romans 8:14).
- The Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, (Romans 8:16).
- The Holy Spirit lets us know that we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, (Romans 8:17).
- We have the firstfruits of the Spirit working in us, (Romans 8:23).
- The Holy Spirit groans for the redemption of our bodies, (Romans 8:23).
- The Holy Spirit helps in our weaknesses by helping us when we pray by making intercession to the Father for us, (Romans 8:26-27).
Is the presence of the Holy Spirit real in your life?
1 Corinthians 3:16 NKJV Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit validates and certifies that we are the temple of God. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is both personal and corporate. He is in the church body as a whole and also dwells in each believer individually. You are the temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells in you.
As a result of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, God makes vast resources available to us, and equips and empowers believers with them.
The presence of these resources, power and gifts are evidences of the Holy Spirit’s presence and activity. He is more than the influence of His work. The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Godhead.
God the Holy Spirit is dwelling within us.
Where the Spirit dwells, His influence will be known. We are an earthen vessel that carries a treasure of great worth. His glory and power is present and active within us.
The Holy Spirit Who dwells in you has unlimited resources.
In the creation, the Holy Spirit moved across the lifeless, formless, and empty darkness. The Holy Spirit’s moving was the quickening power that brought life. He Who dwells within us has enough power to move the universe, and bring life out of death. His resources are beyond our comprehension. Paul asked the Corinthians, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?”
Just before Jesus ascended back to the Father in heaven, He gave the promise of the Holy Spirit.
John 14:16-17 NKJV And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—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.
There were undeniable signs and evidences of the Holy Spirit being poured out in Acts 2.
Acts 2:32-33 NKJV This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.
Thousands of people saw and heard undeniable evidence of the Holy Spirit’s entrance and presence in them. When the promise of the Father was poured out, things happened that could be seen and heard
Acts 2:1-4 NKJV When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
The outpouring of the Holy Spirit was accompanied by undeniable evidence. The presence of the Holy Spirit in the temple is always accompanied with undeniable evidence. Even in the physical temple in Jerusalem, the presence of God was revealed with manifestations of God’s glory.
When Solomon dedicated the temple in Jerusalem he prayed.
2 Chronicles 7:1 NKJV When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.
When the glory of the Lord filled the house of God, even the priests who ministered were not able to stand, (2 Chronicles 5:13-14). When Ezekiel saw the inner court of the Lord’s temple, “the glory of the Lord filled the temple,” (Ezekiel 43:5). In the last days, the Temple of God will be filled with smoke from the glory of God and His power, (Revelation 15:8). The glory of God’s presence in the temple was recognizable and accompanied by the power of God.
What can we learn about the Holy Spirit?
- He comes as the anointing that teaches and guides, ( 2 Corinthians 1:21; 1 John 2:20,27).
- He comes as fire from the throne, ( Acts 2:3-4; Isaiah 4:4).
- He comes as the river of life, (Ezekiel 47:15; Revelation 22:1-2).
- He is the Spirit of life and brings freedom from sin and death, (Romans 8:2).
- He comes in purity and holiness convicting the world of sin, righteousness and judgment, (John 16:8).
- He is the Spirit of Holiness and Truth, (Romans 1:4, John 14:17).
- He is the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ, (Romans 8:9).
- He comes to reveal God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, (John 15:26).
- He comes revealing God’s majesty and glory.
Something specific, dramatic and obvious happens when the Holy Spirit fills the temple.
Jesus referred to the church as seven golden lampstands, (Revelation 1:20).
The Lord Jesus Christ is seen in the midst of seven golden lampstands. Their purpose was not to be beautiful decoration. They have a function and exist for that function. Their purpose is to allow the Holy Oil to flow, burn and give light. If the church does not fulfill its purpose, Christ warned that He would remove their lampstand, (Revelation 2:5).
What does that mean?
The church must radiate or be aglow with the direct influence of the Holy Spirit within them. This Light is evidence of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, (Romans 14:7). When functioning properly, the church manifests evidence of the active work and nature of the Holy Spirit. This is the fruit of the Spirit and gifts of the Spirit working in the church, (Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 5:9; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11).
Jesus said those who abide in Him are branches on the Vine.
He said: “If we abide in Him and He abides in us there would be much fruit.” (John 15:1-5) If the same Spirit that raised Christ’s dead body from the grave dwells in you, He will quicken and give life to your body, (Romans 8:11). The Holy Spirit is present on the inside to give life and quickening power. That life of the Spirit causes us to grow and be productive. Our produce will be of the same type, nature, quality, and composition as what Christ did.
John 14:12 NKJV Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
Included within this conversation was the promise that the Holy Spirit would be sent from the Father to dwell with and in believers. When the Holy Spirit enters, He will produce evidence of His presence. That evidence will give a living witness of Jesus Christ.
When the Holy Spirit dwells within, He produces a life changing impact.
There is no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus, who walk according to the Spirit. The life-giving Spirit frees you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death. Those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit and gives life and peace. When you are controlled by the Spirit, you are not controlled by your old nature. Those controlled by the Holy Spirit belong to Christ. The Spirit of God gives life to your body and spirit. When you received God’s Spirit, you were adopted as His children. As a result the Holy Spirit enables us to cry out “Abba, Father.” We have the testimony of the Spirit Himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. The presence, quickening, and work of the Holy Spirit is the foretaste of future glory. The Holy Spirit helps us in our distress by praying for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words and pleads for us in harmony with God’s own will. As a result, God causes everything to work together for the good for us.
Do you see how valuable and essential the Holy Spirit is in the believer?
We must have a conscious awareness of the Holy Spirit’s presence within us. We should re-evaluate and prepare for the indwelling Holy Spirit.
What value do you put on the Holy Spirit within?
If you have 5 common rocks in your pocket, you are not careful about walking down the street. They are not much to lose. If you have 5 thirty-carrot diamonds in your pocket you are more careful how you walk, where you walk, and what you do.
- You have the Spirit of Life in you.
- You have the Fountain of Living Water in you.
- You have the Breath of Life living in you.
- You have the same Spirit that raised Christ from the grave living in you.
- He is within.
- He is Holy and full of glory.
- He is able to help, guide, and intercede.
