The Holy Spirit and His Gifts | Page 39

Because God now makes His abode in believers, when we call a building the house of God, we are partly correct and partly incorrect, according to what we mean by that statement. If we mean the building is the house of God because God lives and dwells there, we are wrong. God does not dwell in a building. But if we mean that the building is God's house because it is dedicated to the service of the Lord, then we are right — it is a house of God. But God doesn't live in a building made with hands. He lives and dwells in us through the power of the Holy Spirit! Relatively few Christians are really conscious of God in them — dwelling in their hearts and bodies as His temple. If men and women were conscious of God in them as His temple, they wouldn't talk and act as they sometimes do. Some Christians constantly talk about their lack of power, and their lack of ability. But if they realized that God is in them, they would know that there is nothing impossible to them. Instead of believing what the Bible says, too many believers believe only what they feel. For example, when people are born again, they feel wonderful. But many times, later they will say, "I had a marvelous e xperience when I was saved, but God must have left me because I don't feel now as I did then." However, Jesus said, ". . . that he [the Holy Spirit] may abide with you FOR EVER" (John 14:16). The Holy Spirit didn't come as a guest to stay for just a few days. He didn't come on a vacation to dwell inside of you for just a short time. He came to dwell in you to be at home in you forever. The Holy Spirit's home in this life is in your body — God's temple. The Bible says, ". . . all things are possible to him that believeth" (Mark 9:23). The reason that all things are possible to him who believes is that God our Father planned that the believing one should have God Himself living in him through the indwelling Presence of the Holy Ghost. And with God in the believer, nothing is impossible! Greater Is He That Is in You First John 4:4 says, "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN YOU, THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD." Who is the "he" that is in the world? That is Satan, the god of this world. 2 CORINTHIANS 4:4 4 In whom THE GOD OF THIS WORLD hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. But He who is in you - the Holy Ghost —- is greater! The Greater One is in you if you are born again. God Himself in the Person of the Holy Spirit lives in the born-again believer. All that God could possibly be to you and do for you, the Holy Ghost through His indwelling Presence is to you and for you and in you. If we were really conscious of the Greater One in us, then we would have no fear of the devil. We would have no fear of "he that is in the world" because "He that is in us is greater than he that is in the world."