Christians Have the Holy Spirit, Part 3

Chuckle: "Washing dishes isn't a man's job," complained the husband. "Oh yes it is," his wife retorted, quoting 2 Kings 21:13 (KJV), "I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down."

Quote: “Life is too complicated and there is too much at stake to even think about trying to handle it all without the guidance of the Holy Spirit.” --C. Smith Sumner

GOD'S SPIRIT IN YOUR BODY

"Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?" (I Corinthians 6:19 NIV).

Today, we continue our study of the Holy Spirit as He relates to each Christian's physical body. Many religions have buildings they believe are sacred and holy - Jews (temple) - Muslims (mosques) - Mormons (temple), etc. However, when Jesus came, He said He had no holy buildings any more. Instead, by His Spirit, He dwells in the hearts of His people. God says, "I have a new temple now - your body."

In the Old Testament, there was an innermost room in the Temple called the "Holy of Holies," where only God in his holiness dwelt. However, the Holy of Holies was opened to everyone when Jesus died and the curtain which separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies split from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51).

Church facilities are only buildings. You are God's temple, not built with stone or wood, but a living breathing person belonging to God. Only Christ can make us God's temple. His Spirit within us testifies that we belong to Him. "You are not your own; you were bought with a price. Therefore, honor God with your Body" (1 Cor. 6:19 NIV). "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed . . but with the precious blood of Christ . . " (I Peter 1:18 NIV).

Jesus paid the price so we could be the temple of God's Holy Spirit. Now we have the responsibility to honor Him with our bodies - by what our bodies are doing, seeing, hearing, thinking. Is your body bringing glory to him daily - not just at church but in all circumstances? Are you struggling with a physically harmful addiction or other sin? As a Christian, the strength to overcome that addiction is available to you by the One who lives within you.

Your body is also empowered by the Spirit. "And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you" (Romans 8:11 NIV). He's giving spiritual life to our bodies right now.

"Many people ask, 'How do I know the Holy Spirit is living in me?' I know in the same way that I know there is music on a CD or DVD, even though I don't see the music on the disc. I can know it's there in either of two ways. I can believe the label that says there is music, or I can play the CD and hear it. We can know the Holy Spirit indwells us by believing God, who tells us in his Word, or by seeing His results in our lives when we are obedient to Him." –Illustrations for Biblical Preaching; Edited by Michael P Green

Love, Jerry & Dotse