December
4, 2003
THE
SPIRIT OF GOD DWELLS IN YOU!
"Do
you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit
of God dwells in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16, NKJV).
"From
eternal ages it was God's purpose that every created being
should be a temple for the indwelling of the Creator. Because
of sin, humanity ceased to be a temple for God. Darkened and
defiled by evil, the heart of man no longer revealed the glory
of the Divine One. But by the incarnation of the Son of God,
the purpose of Heaven is fulfilled. God dwells in humanity,
and through saving grace the heart of man becomes again His
temple" (Desire of Ages, p. 161)..
Men and
women throughout all time have exhibited the indwelling Presence
and Spirit of God:
Nebuchadnezzar
said of Daniel, "in him is the Spirit of the Holy God,
-- I know that the Spirit of the Holy God is in you"
(Daniel 4:8, 9).
Joseph
understood his mission when he told his brothers, "And
Joseph said to his brothers, 'Please come near to me.' So
they came near. Then he said: 'I am Joseph your brother, whom
you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved
or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God
sent me before you to preserve life.' " (Genesis 45:4,
5).
The Spirit
of the Lord led Abraham, "By faith Abraham obeyed when
he was called to go out to the place which he would receive
as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was
going" (Hebrews 11:8).
Moses
in a very special way was God's representative, leader and
mouth-piece to the people that were chosen to represent Him
in the earth. "The Lord said to him, 'Who has made man's
mouth? Or who make the mute, the deaf, the seeing or the blind?
Have not I, the Lord? Now therefore, go, and I will be with
your mouth and teach you what you shall say' " (Exodus
4:11, 12).
Christ's
promise to His disciples and to us is, "lo,
I am with you always, even to the end of the age"
(Matthew 28:20). Our connection to Him is by faith, our effectiveness
is " 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says
the Lord of hosts" (Zechariah 4:6).
The Spirit
of God resides in and blesses those who are faithful and loyal
to Him. "For you are the temple of the living God. As
God has said: 'I will dwell in them and walk among them. I
will be their God, and they shall be My people' " (2
Corinthians 6:16).
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