Indwelling

1 Samuel 12:24 — But be sure to fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things He has done for you.

Christmas time can be such a precious season for the believer. Our church services, our advent devotionals, our manger scenes in our homes and the ones in yards and on church property all cause us to consider what God has done in sending Jesus as a baby in a manger, who eventually became our substitute on the cross, and rending the veil of the temple so that “whosoever will” can come into union with the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.

Our celebrated Savior sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within us, that we would forever understand that He will never leave us nor forsake us. Jesus gave us the supernatural gift of being invited to be one with Him through His Spirit, which means we live our lives with Him, in Him, through Him, and for Him. The indwelling of the Spirit of Christ is the manifestation of His promise to us (see Ephesians 1:13-14).

Here are some “great things” that testify of God’s overwhelming love for us through the work of His Spirit within. I invite you to put yourself in remembrance of these eternal truths during this Christmas season so that the promised indwelling will become ever so real to your heart, transforming your life.

The Spirit Produces Tangible Fruit

Galatians 5:22-23 — But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

These well-known attributes are what we look for when discerning the Holy Spirit’s work within us. It also is very much a description of Himself, so when we see these things as fruits of our lives, we are assured that indeed, the Holy Spirit is dwelling within, and manifesting Himself through our lives, thus an indication that we are living as one with Him.

The Spirit Reveals God’s Thoughts

1 Corinthians 2:10-11 (NLT) — But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit.

How many times have we desired to know what God thinks about something? God’s own Spirit dwelling within us is the way we have the opportunity to hear even the deep secrets of God. As we learn to recognize  the voice of the Holy Spirit, speaking from within us, we will be able to hear what the Father has to say about the things we encounter in life. The Holy Spirit will also bring the perfect Bible verse to our minds when we need it, for the Father’s thoughts are also communicated in Scripture.

The Spirit Works Within Us to Glorify God in Our Bodies

Philippians 2:13 (NLT) — For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Ephesians 2:20-22 (NLT) — Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.

As holy temples for the Lord, God lives in us by His Spirit. And by His Spirit He is working in us, guiding us in ways that please Him. 1 Corinthians 6:19 (NLT) says Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. Thankfully, we have the indwelling Spirit of God who wants to help us honor God with our bodies, for we are hosting the very presence of God as His temples.

The Spirit Strengthens Us

Ephesians 3:16 (NIV) — I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being…

One of the most needed works of the indwelling Spirit is His strengthening. Much of what the Lord asks us to do does require a supernatural strength. Paul, whom many of us admire for all that he did for the Lord, tells us in 2 Corinthians 12:9, But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’  We are very aware that apart from God, we can do nothing (John 15:5), but as Paul also states I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).

A verse I have depended on for most of my adult life has been Isaiah 41:10 — Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. His Spirit within me has embodied this verse every day.

The Spirit Gives Life to Our Mortal Bodies

Romans 8:11 — If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

It can be easy for this verse to “go over our heads” so to speak. The incredible reality is that the same Spirit who raised Christ from the dead, is the Spirit who dwells in us at this very moment. We really need this reality to sink in. Resurrection life is the life in and of the Spirit of God and we can live our daily lives in the wonder of this.

May this Christmas season be a blessing, in perhaps new ways, as you consider these verses and so many more, celebrating the mercy of God in sending us Jesus His Son, who because of His love for us, sent us His Indwelling Spirit.