In the Old Testament, there were several accounts of people hearing the audible voice of God. Some people were visited by angels and given the Word of the Lord. God led the Israelites with a cloud that He made just for them and provided them with manna that fell from the sky. In the New Testament, the disciples got to walk with Jesus! They were able to be in His physical presence and to hear His sermons first-hand. What an amazing time to have lived!
Do you sometimes long for something like those kinds of experiences with God? Do you have a deep desire to experience God in a personal, undeniable, powerful way? Well, I’ve discovered these lucky people in the Bible really have nothing to be envious of.
God may have spoken to people in the Old Testament, but He only spoke to a few, select people who were then responsible for imparting His Word to others. Just one group of people got to experience being led by the cloud. Only 12 people got to be in Jesus’ inner-circle, and they didn’t even understand a large portion of what Jesus was saying while He was still with them. (What? We have to eat your body and drink your blood?)
But what we have is amazing, and it’s not something that’s only available to a select few. It’s available to all who will repent; acknowledge the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ; surrender themselves fully to Him; and invite Him in to their lives.
But you are not living the life of the flesh, you are living the life of the Spirit, if the [Holy] Spirit of God [really] dwells within you [directs and controls you]. But if anyone does not possess the [Holy] Spirit of Christ, he is none of His [he does not belong to Christ, is not truly a child of God]. – Romans 8:9 (AMP)
First off, we need to understand that the Holy Spirit is part of the Holy Trinity. The Holy Spirit IS God inasmuch as the Father and the Son are God. They are three separate persons of the Godhead, yet they are all one omnipresent, omnipotent God. God, the Father, is in Heaven. Jesus also ascended to Heaven where He is now at the right hand of the Father (soon to return!). But, before He left, Jesus promised to send “One like Him.” He was sending a Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby). He was sending the third part of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit isn’t a ghost, although we do sometimes refer to Him as the Holy Ghost. He is God. Better yet, He is the part of the Godhead that is IN you and WITH you ALWAYS. He doesn’t come and go. The outward demonstration of the outpouring of His power can come and go, but HE never leaves you nor forsakes you. The scripture above says that the Spirit (Holy Spirit) dwells within us. The definition of the word “dwell” is, “to live or stay as a permanent resident; reside.”
So there you have it. You have your own, personal God, walking and talking with you every day. He’s not with you to grant your wishes. He’s there as your God, listening to you, guiding you, speaking to you, encouraging you, comforting you, protecting you, and loving you.
You may choose not to listen to Him, but He does speak. And I’ve found, the more you listen to Him and acknowledge that He is with you ALL the time, the more clearly you can hear Him. You may say you can’t feel Him, to which I would say, when is the last time you calmed down quiet enough and expectant enough to allow His presence to be felt?
I know this God and I know that He is very personal. He has feelings. He can be offended. He can also be joyful and I’m certain He loves a good laugh. But one thing He always does is to love…because He IS love.
This “God in us” is who draws us to the Father in the first place. He also gives us the power to overcome sin, defeat sickness, and to enter into spiritual warfare against the devourer and win. It is the gift of His special language that allows us to pray the words that we just don’t know how to pray. There is power and ability and boldness that comes upon us when we realize that this God lives in us and He is giving us all we need to do all we are called to do. So let us no longer ignore Him. Let us give thanks to Him and praise Him and honor Him and worship Him just as we do the other two-thirds of the Godhead. Not for a showing of His power, but in thanksgiving for His presence.
I count myself fortunate to have God with me, every day, in such a close, personal way. He’s my best friend. What was it again that we were jealous of before?
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