Voiceofgod

Are we in the Holy Spirit? Do we know the Holy Spirit as He should be known? If so, then what?

We will explore the answer to these questions in three parts.

Part One: Are We in the Holy Spirit?

From Romans 8:9-11, each verse begins with a thought-provoking, or rather, a pondering question:

Romans 8:9: “If indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you…”

Romans 8:10: “And if Christ is in you…”

Romans 8:11: “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you…”

A born-again believer’s status is defined in:

1 Corinthians 12:3 NKJV: “[3] Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.”

From this verse, we can discern those who belong to Christ.

Born-again believers are those who have fulfilled the believer’s decrees as stated below:

Romans 10:9-10 NKJV: “[9] that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. [10] For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

1 John 1:9 NKJV: “[9] If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Then, the Holy Spirit will bear witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

Romans 8:15-16 NKJV: “[15] For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” [16] The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.”

Every creature has a dwelling place on this earth. Lions dwell in dens, birds in nests, and humans in houses.

Likewise, we, as born-again Christians, have a dwelling place, and that is the Holy Spirit.

We do not dwell in the flesh, but we dwell in the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:9 NKJV: “[9] But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.”

We should change our perspective on our own identity. Who we were is insignificant, but who we have become is the most significant event in our lives.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV: “[17] Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

As born-again believers:

WE ARE IN CHRIST. WE ARE A NEW CREATION. THE OLD THINGS HAVE PASSED AWAY.

What has passed away has lost its significance.

WE ARE A NEW CREATION IN CHRIST.

And this is the most significant event in our lives.

We have to renew our minds.

When God created the first man, Adam, he was a brand new creation. God formed man from the dust of the earth and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and he became a living being.

Genesis 2:7 NKJV: “[7] And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”

Likewise, we too have become a brand new, born-again being in Christ.

John 20:22 NKJV: “[22] And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.””

Jesus breathed the breath of the Holy Spirit into our spirits, and we became a new creation in Christ. At that moment, we became conscious of the Living God.

John 3:5-6 NKJV: “[5] Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. [6] That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

When we observe the lifestyle of sons and daughters of kings or the very rich and elite of this world, we tend to say they were born with silver or golden spoons. But for those elite children, it is a normal way of life; from birth, they have known no other lifestyle than the lavish one.

Likewise, we are born into God, into the very presence of God, the Most Holy of Holies. Our spirit indwells in the Holy Spirit.

That is what Paul mentions in:

Galatians 2:20 NKJV: “[20] I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

No longer do I live, but CHRIST LIVES IN ME.

We are born-again believers; we have found the answer that we are indeed in the Holy Spirit.

“Now, let’s find the answer to the second part of the question asked at the beginning of this article:

Do we know the Holy Spirit as He should be known?

Now is the time for all born-again believers to understand the truth and knowledge of God, the Holy Spirit.

He is not some formless power or force. He is God and one among the Trinity.

Let’s return to verse 9 of the book of Romans, chapter 8:

Romans 8:9 NKJV
[9] But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

Could we notice the Triune Godhead appearing in this verse?
Holy Spirit, God, Christ.

1 John 5:7 NKJV
[7] For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are three independent entities, and at the same time, they are one.

The Triune God, together and in their independent capacities as three Godheads of the Trinity, executed the plan for the reconciliation of fallen mankind back to themselves.

For the sake of establishing a timeline in human history, we can say God the Father’s era was from the beginning to the birth of Jesus Christ. God the Son’s era was from the birth to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and God the Holy Spirit’s era is from the resurrection of Jesus Christ to the ascension of the Church, the bride, to its soon-coming Bridegroom.

Having said that, we can always see, right from the beginning of the Book of Genesis to the end of the Book of Revelation, all three Godheads complementing each other, and their works interwoven.

“Now, as born-again believers, we understand that we have God the Holy Spirit indwelling us.
Let us proceed to answer the third and final part of the question:

If yes, then what?

Firstly, we must understand some non-negotiable terms and conditions:

* The Holy Spirit glorifies and honors Jesus in us and through us. We cannot even call Jesus our Lord and Savior except through the revelation given to us by the Holy Spirit. He opens the eyes of our inner being.

   Refer to what Jesus said to Peter:

   Matthew 16:16-17 NKJV
   [16] Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” [17] Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.”
* The next important aspect is that we must obey the commandments laid before us:

   Matthew 22:37, 39-40 NKJV
   [37] Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
   [39] And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ [40] On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

* A specific way of life is laid out for us as born-again Christians. We are duty-bound to show this difference in our lives so that the unbelieving world can see and take notice. We are light, salt, and a cure to this world through Jesus Christ our Lord.

   Ephesians 4:25-32 NKJV
   [25] Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. [26] “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, [27] nor give place to the devil. [28] Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. [29] Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. [30] And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. [31] Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. [32] And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Why are all the above three instructions truly important?”

Because,  first of all we did not get saved and  receive God in us as an inheritance or birth right. We are purchased by the precious blood of Jesus Christ who paid the ultimate price with His own life.
The scriptures says when we are yet sinners Christ died for us and  by Grace we are saved  and not by works that any man could boast.

when God the Holy Spirit comes to us He brings along with Him the power and the authority which are the identity of believers in Christ.

Luke 10:19 NKJV
[19] Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Secondly the gifts of the Holy Spirit also operate on the chosen vessels of God.

I Corinthians 12:4-11 NKJV
[4] There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. [5] There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. [6] And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. [7] But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: [8] for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, [9] to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, [10] to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. [11] But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

This makes a believer and a minister iimmensely responsible towards his conduct as he is not any more an individual but a representative or an extension of the Kingdom of the living God.

If a believer or a chosen vessel fails in his or her conduct it affects the body of Christ, the Mission of Christ and the Holy , righteous name of Christ Jesus.

That is the reason Jesus also gave this warning..

Luke 6:46-49 NKJV
[46] “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? [47] Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: [48] He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. [49] But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”

Let us build ourselves in the Lord with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Listing down few of works of the Holy Spirit:

He Convict our conscience towards our wrong doings and bring us to repentance and reconciliation.(Heb 3:7-15)

He gives directions to us and the church
(Acts 8:29 /Acts 20:19/acts 13:2 /john14:26)

The Holy Spirit always leads us to the  truth Jesus Christ (John 16:13).

He helps us to destroy sinful desires of the flesh and live a holy life.(Romans 8:14).

He intercedes through us helping us in our weakness and prays according to the will of the Father God.(Romans 8:26)

He  restores our sonship to call ,God ,our Father.(Romans 8:15)

He empowers us to live victorious Christian life (Romans 8:13-14).

He makes us do extraordinary deeds which are humanly impossible (Romans 15:29).

He is our Joy giver and builder of our hope in Christ Jesus.(Romans 5:5 and Romans 15:23).
Amen.

When the Lord God Holy Spirit manifest through us in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord , we must second it with our good conduct and godly life.

Galatians 5:22, 24-26 NKJV
[22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
[23] gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
[24] And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. [25] If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. [26] Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

The sweet Holy Spirit , our indwelling, ever present helper  , helps us to Live in  Him and Walk in the Him,  in Jesus name .

Amen and Amen.
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