The Spirit of God Within Us

As we are approaching Christmas Day, our thoughts and our intentions reflect upon the manger and the birth of Christ, and how beautiful it was. During this season we watch the Christmas movies, we look at manger scenes and Christmas lights around our community, and we ponder the miraculous virgin birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Kids write letters to a fictious character, and practice for school or church plays.  We consider what we will eat, what we will wear, and what we will buy. We have work, church, and school Christmas parties, (so busy we all get). We focus much on the day Jesus was born, lying in a manger and the three wisemen, the shepherds, and the angels, and all that took place surrounding His birth. We focus so much on the fact that Jesus was born that we draw back from the fact that he became a man, died on the cross, rose from the dead and now by His Spirit lives in all who are born again. That the kingdom has not just come near us, but that the Kingdom of God and the power that raised Christ from the dead is now in us. We are not to be looking for God in outward places but we are to be actively engaged with the presence of His Spirit who dwells within us. The Spirit of God within us.

Engaging with the Spirit of God is more than weekly church attendance. It’s more than morning or evening prayer. It’s more than listening to a Christian pod cast or worship music when we drive. Don’t get me wrong, I believe in church attendance, absolutely. I believe the church is for discipleship and community of like-minded believers. (Heb. 10:25 I believe in prayer; prayer is powerful, able to alter situations and circumstances in our lives. (Jam. 5:16-18) I believe in listening to the Word being taught or preached as faith only comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word, (Rom. 10:17) and I love worship. (Jon. 4:23) I believe that when these things are put together, they lead us into an active relationship with the presence of God. However, God desires to be actively engaged in your life on a daily basis, to be involved in your life. After all, He dwells in you 24/7 not just when we attend church, but always.  There is power within the Word and that in hearing it and reading it and believing it, we are able to be transformed by it. There are times for study, there are times for worship, and there is a time for personal time in the Word where God will meet you. However, there is a step further that will take you deeper to be daily actively engaged with God.

I want to share with you a quote that I heard which caused me to consider why believers are not being transformed and why many seem to come into the church only to become discouraged and slip away.  “Are you being transformed by scripture or just simply surrounded by it?” (unknown) As I thought about the church, which there are other reasons why people slip away, but this one truth, “The Spirit of God within me” helped me to continue with God no matter my situation or circumstance. The actual Spirit of God is within me, I would intentionally remember that God, no matter what, dwells in me. Therefore, I asked myself, why have I placed God in a box of church attendance, or prayer when He is a continual presence. I would begin to speak with/to God all of my heart, even the ugliness, (He already knows it anyway so why not chat about it with Him). I would discuss traffic issues or whatever would come that day and be thankful always. The Holy Spirit of God within us, always!

The Holy Spirit of God, the Same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, dwells within in us. This is powerful. This is engaging. The God of Heaven, creator of the earth and all that is in it dwells in me. The answer to all life questions dwells in me. The author and finisher of my faith dwells in me. The All and Mighty God, dwells in me. The Alpha and Omega, dwells in me. The redeemer and restorer of my soul, dwells in me. God dwells in temples not made with hands for man has not created us, but God who has formed us in the womb, dwells in us. To be actively engaged with God is to know, understand, and fully believe that God dwells in you cause when you do, you will endure any hardship because He is there, you will overcome any circumstance because He is there. You will be transformed into His image, because He and His power dwell in you and you chose to give Him and acknowledged His place in your life. His place is within you. To be engaged with the presence of God is to be transformed by Him. It is to seek His heart and His desires in your everyday moment-to-moment life. He is a living God, no longer in the manger or on the cross, which we will celebrate. But God is alive and desiring to be actively involved in your life. God within us is the hope of glory.

I challenge you this Christmas season and truly every season, be actively engaged with the presence of the Spirit of God in your everyday life. Go to church, prayer, worship, listen to teachings, and read the Word, and now going further in your relationship with God, intentionally lay your hand on your chest throughout the day and say, “God You dwell in me and will never leave me nor forsake me, God within me the Hope of Glory. Thank you, Jesus.” This will cause you to become more conscience of His presences. When you become more conscience of His presences, you begin to receive His direction and wisdom in all that you do. I mean why not, since He is all wisdom and truth, you have a benefit that the world does not have which they mock, but use it anyway. When all these things are put together, they lead us into an active relationship with the presence of God. God within us the Hope of Glory.

(Living Love) Stephanie Ellsworth

(Romans 8:11, Col. 1:27, 2Corin. 6:16)