The topic of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit has become controversial among some people who call upon the name of Jesus. If we all simply go back to what the Bible says about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, there will be no room for controversy, and we can all be united in one accord by the Spirit of Christ who dwells in us.
Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to the apostles as a Helper to guide them into all truth, and if we love Him and keep His commandments, our heavenly Father will love us, and He and Christ will make their home with us (John 14:15-31). The mystery of Christ was revealed by the Holy Spirit to the apostles and prophets. The apostle Paul said that when we read the Holy Scriptures, we may understand his knowledge in the mystery of Christ (Ephesians 3:1-13). The apostle Peter declared, “For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). The apostle Paul wrote, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
The dwelling of the Holy Spirit has nothing to do with our inward feelings, personal thoughts, subjective impressions, or inner promptings. There is not passage of scripture that address anything related to any type of inward promptings and the like. When we put on Christ in baptism for the remission of sins, we received the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). This gift is our salvation through the blood of Christ. In baptism for the remission of sins, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit and have the Holy Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee (2 Corinthians 1:22, 5:5, and Ephesians 1:13-14).
The children of God do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Holy Spirit. We live in the Spirit of Christ, and the Spirit of God dwells in us. The Holy Spirit dwells in us and by the Spirit we put to death the deeds of the flesh. The children of God are led by the Spirit, and the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. The Spirit helps in our weaknesses and makes intercession for us, and we bear the fruit of the Spirit (Romans 8, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 6:19-20, and Galatians 5). As children of God, we have peace, hope and joy by the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13 and 1 Thessalonians 1:6). The church is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). We are washed, sanctified, and justified by the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 6:11, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, and 1 Peter 1:2). Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19-20). Those who put on Christ are in the Spirit (Romans 8:9). The Word of God says, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Romans 8:11). By this truth we know that the Spirit of God dwells in us.
The Holy Spirit is deity and not a force of power for anyone to control or claim special knowledge or revelation of God’s will separate and apart from the Holy Scriptures. The Holy Spirit can be lied to and can be grieved. The Holy Spirit dwells in the children of God who love Him and keep His commandments. May the Holy Spirit dwell in us as we walk according to the Spirit of God.
Silbano Garcia II
Evangelist