THE INDWELLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

David prayed, “Do not take your holy Spirit from me,” Psalm 51:11. Any believer who wants to live wholly devoted to God will find that the continual indwelling of the Holy Spirit is absolutely necessary. Without the presence of the Holy Spirit, even Samson was as weak as normal men. It is the purpose of Christ to not only give the Holy Spirit to believers at their conversion, but also that He should abide with us forever, John 14:16. Let’s examine some of the texts that speak this “indwelling,” and of the some of the various expressive and suggestive figures that are used.

1. As a guest in the house, Romans 8:9. Where Christ is rejected, the Spirit will not dwell. The Spirit takes possession of the heart for Christ, so that Christ may dwell within as the Holy Spirit. The Spirit occupies until He comes. And every house—every heart—is occupied wholly for Christ. He must keep the key of ever door; He must have use of all the furniture; He must have access to all the rooms of your heart. John 14:17 says that even though the world may not know Him, we may know Him because Christ dwells within us and will not leave us.

2. As a spring in a well, John 4:14. Our hearts, by nature, are like wells filled with rot and polluted water. Cleansing must come first in order for the well to be useful. This “living spring” within fills and satisfies the whole being. The well is deep, for the spring is in God, Psalm 87:7.

3. As a river in a fountain, John 7:38—39. The blessing is not confined to the well, but flows out like refreshing streams. The Spirit dwelling in us is to be as an unfailing fountain to others! But the overflow will only be in proportion to the springing up within. Our prayer and the desire of hearts in this regard should be, “Spring up, O well!”

4. As sap in a tree, Romans 8:11. It is the sap that makes a lifeless, worthless tree into something flourishing and beautiful. So does the Holy Spirit vitalize the whole being. The mortal bodies of Moses and Stephen were quickened when their faces shone. Many of God’s saints are living witnesses to the proof of this great experience, and as a foretaste of resurrection glory. “The trees of the Lord are full of sap!” (Psalm 104:16; John 15).

5. As waters in the sea, Ephesians 5:18. The Holy Spirit is to fill our entire being, as the waters fill the sea. Entering into and filling every crevice, every nook and cranny, flooding ever gulf and chasm, cleaning what is polluted and filthy, and covering all that is ugly and rotten so that He may flow into every detail of our life. And just as in the sea the horizon is seemingly never ending, so in the Holy Spirit there is ample room for enough power to enable every man to live a life of supernatural-empowered victory!

6. As strength in the body, Micah 3:8. A man of strength is strong all the time, not just once in a while. He carries his strength with him. He simply uses it when he needs it, and every part of his body is strong, ready for action. A strong, healthy man is literally full of power. It is the stream that works in the engine to will and to do that which the mind desires. “It is God that works in YOU!” A man, no matter how strong he may be in body, mind or spirit, if he does not have the power of the Spirit within, is a corpse, spiritually speaking.

7. As the glory in the temple, 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19. The glory in the temple was as the treasure in the earthen vessel. Before the glory came, Solomon was everything, but afterwards he was nothing. The presence of the glory was the symbol of God’s ownership and occupancy. And so the building became, The Temple of God. So it is with us, we are now owned by and occupied by the Almighty God, for the Glory of His Name. What place do idols have in God’s House? How dare we defile and desecrate His most holy House with things that only pollute and render unlivable God’s wonderful Temple. Remember well the words of Paul: God’s temple is holy, and YOU are that temple. (1 Corinthians 3:17).