The Indwelling Presence of the Spirit of God
If you have a home, then you understand the unexpected knock at the door, the interrupted way you might feel when you realize that a visitor has come to your door. Are you in the middle of a task, walking through a struggle, talking on the phone to someone you love, or relaxing on the couch? Despite the way you are already engaged, this ‘occasional’ visitor interrupts.
That’s not how a believer in Christ Jesus would describe the presence of God’s Holy Spirit.
- The Holy Spirit does not stand outside, attempting to enter the dwelling of a believer.
- The Sprit of God does not visit occasionally, interrupting the day of the Christian.
The third person of the Holy Trinity is GOD HIMSELF, who takes up permanent residence in the heart of every believer, every Christian, every person who truly trusts Jesus.
“However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit,
(The Letter of Paul to the Romans 8: 9 NASB)
if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.
But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”
Those who believe on Jesus’ work while on the cross of Calvary and inside the tomb have received that same Spirit. Ponder Long—the same Holy Spirit who raised Jesus Christ from the dead lives inside believers.
We have heard the truth preached.
- The Holy Trinity is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Sprit.
- God sent Himself to earth, to redeem humanity in the person of Jesus.
- Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Son of Man, the One who suffered and died on the cross.
- God raised Jesus back from the dead to new life, and Jesus breathed the breath of His Spirit into His followers before He returned to heaven.
- This same Spirit of God takes up residence in everyone who believes on Him.
“If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin,
(The Letter of Paul to the Romans 8: 10 NASB)
yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.”
This is a foundational promise of God—the Holy Spirit dwells within every believer through Christ. Thus, the Spirit is not a visitor who visit occasionally but GOD HIMSELF who takes up permanent residence in the person who truly trusts in Christ Jesus, the Son of God.
No Spirit of Christ—No, the person does not know Jesus as his Savior.
The Spirit of Christ—Yes, the person belongs to God.
Wonderfully so is the fact that having the Holy Spirit does not depend upon the ‘emotional way’ the believer feels. One who has trusted in Christ cannot lose God’s Spirit on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday and then regain God’s Spirit when the person feels more religious on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. The Holy Spirit remains inside the believer as the follower of Jesus surrenders his life to Christ. Not only does the Spirit remain day-by-day, but the Spirit gives believers divine power, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead.
Ponder the power of God.
- Think about that same power living inside you.
- Consider God’s presence dwelling inside you, giving you God’s promise of eternal life that guarantees you an eternal resurrected body and the promise of eternity shared within His presence forevermore.
“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
(The Letter of Paul to the Romans 8: 11 NASB)
He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”
However, what about today, and tomorrow, and the day after that? How does the Spirit of God who indwells the one who believes in Jesus—help the person right here, right now?
The Holy Spirit brings:
- The power to fight against sin, for mere humans cannot fight the temptation of Satan through his own earthly efforts.
- The power to fight against the devil who desires only to turn the believer back to his sinful nature before Christ.
- The believer who has placed his trust in Jesus has resurrection power living inside him. He is an overcomer through Christ, and he has the promise of God that he will exist forever with God.
Therefore, the believer must rely on the indwelling power of God’s Holy Spirit for the wisdom and the strength he needs to walk through each day.
BELIEVER,
YOU BELONG TO GOD,
YOU ARE GOD’S CHILD, and
YOU ARE PART OF HIS FAMILY!
Ponder this HEAVENLY TRUTH & PROMISE of GOD!