Wednesday, January 13, 2016

God in Us

"If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. "A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you." John 14:15-20 (NKJV)                                                  

The Gospel of Matthew, quoting the Prophet Isaiah, refers to Jesus as Immanuel. "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us." Matt 1:23 (NKJV) As He walked with His disciples on this earth--taught with amazing authority from the Father--did miracles that no-one else dreamed of attempting, including raising people from the dead...Jesus was "God with us!" What a comfort it must have been to be walking down the dusty roads of Israel in the literal footsteps of the Creator.

As Jesus approached His own death, He made it clear to His disciples that they would not be orphans when He was gone. Jesus assured them that another Helper would be sent to them from the Father. That another, of the same essence as Jesus Himself, would be sent to abide with them forever. Jesus was referring to the Holy Spirit. Historically, this prophetic word from Jesus was fulfilled a short time after His death, when the followers of Christ were gathered in an Upper Room in Jerusalem, and on the Day of Pentecost, God, the Holy Spirit landed.

Where did the Holy Spirit land? He landed in the midst of those gathered praying--He landed in their hearts--He landed "in them." Jesus was "God with us." The Holy Spirit is "God in us!" Wow!!! What are the possibilities for a person who has God literally living in them? The bigger question is this: "How do we access the power of the Holy Spirit that is living in us?" I think that there are three attitudes that need to exist in us that open the gates of God's power. We must "Believe." We must be "Humble." We must "Obey." God living in us is not a fictional idea--it is a fact and God's power is released through faith, not unbelief. We need to stop trying to boss God around--we must humble ourselves and acknowledge that He is in control. When God speaks to us--we need to listen to His voice and obey. Belief, humility and obedience allow "God in us" to use our lives and will lead us into the center of our God-designed destiny.

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