Text: Ephesians 1:1-7

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:  2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:  4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:  5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.   7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 

Sunday, 26^th May 2024        

THE HOLY SPIRIT DWELLS IN US

Text: Ephesians 1:1-7

Memory verse: John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you.

The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the action by which God takes up permanent residence in the body of a believer in Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, the Spirit would come and go from the saints, empowering them for service but not necessarily remaining with them. Judges 15:14 And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands. Psalms 51: 11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

Jesus revealed to His disciples the new role the Spirit of Truth would play in their lives: “He lives with you and will be in you”. Apostle Paul wrote, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies”.

These are clear indications that the believer in Jesus Christ has the third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, living in him. When an individual accepts Christ as personal Lord and Saviour, the Holy Spirit gives the believer the life of God, eternal life, which is really His very nature, and the Holy Spirit comes to live within him spiritually. The fact that the believer’s body is likened to a temple where the Holy Spirit lives helps us understand what the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is all about. The word temple is used to describe the Holy of Holies, the inner altar in the Old Testament tabernacle structure. There, God’s presence would appear in a cloud and meet the high priest, who came once a year into the Holy of Holies. On the Day of Atonement, the high priest brought the blood of a slain animal and sprinkled it on the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant. On this special day, God granted forgiveness to the priest and His people.

Today, there is no Jewish temple in Jerusalem, and the animal sacrifices have ceased. The believer in Christ has become the inner chamber of God the Holy Spirit, as the believer has been sanctified and forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ. The believer in Christ becomes the habitation of the Holy Spirit of God.

CGDS HYMN 28: SS&S 190: 

COME, HOLY SPIRIT, COME

1. Come, Holy Spirit, come;

Let Thy bright beams arise,

Dispel the darkness from our minds,

And open all our eyes.

2. Revive our drooping faith,

Our doubts and fears remove,

And kindle in our breasts the flame

Of never-dying love.

3. Convince us of our sin,

Then lead to Jesus' blood,

And to our wondering view reveal

The secret love of God.

4. ‘Tis Thine to cleanse the heart,

To sanctify the soul,

To pour fresh life in every part,

And new-create the whole.

5. Dwell therefore in our hearts,

Our minds from bondage free ;

Then we shall know, and praise, and love

The Father, Son, and Thee !  

 Prayers: 

1.  Lord Jesus, help me to always recognize Your presence in me through the Holy Spirit.

2.  LORD God Almighty, thank You for making my body Your temple where Your Spirit dwells in Jesus’ name. Amen.    

3.  Pray for others in this regard.