#126 – The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit

THE INDWELLING OF THE SPIRIT

Psa. 51:11 "Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me."

This is the prayer David prayed after the sin of adultery with Bathsheba. While God has never had but one plan of salvation, He has definitely dealt differently with regard to the Holy Spirit before Pentecost. The Holy Spirit came on certain to empower their ministry and the Lord could withdraw His Spirit because of sin.

However it is different since Pentecost. John 14:16 17, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 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 Holy Spirit as given on Pentecost is a permanent gift. Acts 2:39, "For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." The indwelling is so necessary that Paul says if one does not have the Holy Spirit he is none of His.

In the texts which speak of His indwelling, various expressive and suggestive figures are used. I will mention a few:

AS A FACTOR IN A HOUSE

Romans 8:9 10, "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness."

The Spirit takes possession of the heart for Christ, so that Christ dwelleth in our hearts by His Spirit. The Spirit occupies till He comes. And every house (heart) thus occupied is occupied all for Christ. We must keep the key of every door. He must have the use of all the furniture. The world knoweth Him not, but ye know Him, for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you (John 14:17).

AS A SPRING IN A WELL

John 4:14, "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."

Jesus spoke these words to a woman at Jacob's well. It was an illustration that He used to make her His disciple. Man's heart by nature is like a well filled with rottenness. Cleansing must precede usefulness. This living spring within fills and satisfies the whole being. Psalms 87:7 says, "As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs are in thee."

AS A RIVER IN A FOUNTAIN

John 7:38 39, "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified)"

The blessing is not confined to a 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. There is a condition to the constant overflow. We must continually drink at this Source. Then the results will be a constant overflow in our lives.

AS THE STRENGTH IN THE BODY

Ephesians 5:18, "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;" This speaks of the constant overflow of the believer to those who need to know the Lord.

Micah 3:8, "But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin."

A strong man does not put off and on his strength as occasions require. He carries it with him and in him. He simply uses it as the Spirit directs, and every part of his body is filled with it. He is literally filled with power. A man, no matter how strong he may be intellectually or morally, who has not the 'power of the Spirit' is, as helpless as a dead corpse.