The Holy Spirit’s Presence

I often wondered about the 3^rd member of the triune God, longing to understand who He is and what it means to be indwelt by a Godly presence.  I read a book many years ago titled “They Found the Secret” by V. Raymond Edman.  It came at a time in my life when I was searching for victory in my battle with indwelling sin.  Some told me that to gain the upper hand on my sin battles, I just need to study more and try harder in my passion for pursuing righteousness.  But such an approach merely increased my level of dismay with the enemies’ grip on my soul.   Barely penetrating the author’s introduction, I found my scenario in print:

“Out of discouragement and defeat they have come into victory.  Out of weakness and weariness they have been made strong.  Out of ineffectiveness and apparent uselessness they have become efficient and enthusiastic.  The pattern seems to be:  self-centeredness, self-effort, increasing inner dissatisfaction and outer discouragement, a temptation to give it all up because there is no better way; and then finding the Spirit of God to be their strength, their guide, their confidence and companion – in a word, their life.”¹

The book is a collection of testimonies from Godly men and women, well known and unfamous, who experienced a life transformation through acquaintance with the Holy Spirit.  It was of great encouragement in my journey.  As I pursued a biblical understanding of this member of the Godhead, I was led to assimilate a collection of verses which revealed amazing truth about the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives as followers of Jesus Christ.  The truth about His presence penetrates to the heart.  Let the inspired words speak for themselves.

Since I have believed the gospel of truth, I have received the Spirit² and God has given me the right to be His child³, being assured of His presence by His Spirit⁴.  I am now a temple of God⁵ who is led by the Spirit⁶, the Spirit being my deposit and seal of ownership, dwelling in my heart⁷ guaranteeing what is to come⁸, an inheritance⁹ as a child of God¹⁰.  He began working in me¹¹ with the goal of conforming me to the image of His Son¹², accomplishing this transformation into His likeness by the power of His Spirit¹³.  The Holy Spirit is my teacher¹⁴ of all truth, who dwells within me¹⁵, testifying truth to my spirit¹⁶ that I might understand the things of God¹⁷ and thus the very reason a non-believer, a man without the Spirit, cannot understand.¹⁸

Do I understand the presence, the power of the One dwelling within?  My teacher, helper, and the very source for living for God’s glory in this sojourn – He is my companion.  I am a temple of God, raised for the purpose of reflecting God’s holy character – to be holy as He is holy.  Seated at the Father’s right hand, Christ continually making intercession on my behalf against Satan’s accusations even as the Holy Spirit molds and shapes my character that I might be His ambassador.  My works unto righteousness were futile as only the works of Christ can save – by faith alone in Christ alone.  Why now, on this side of the cross, would I conclude my works are sufficient unto sanctification?  How I need to realize the amazing gift of the Spirit’s presence, depending fully upon Him as I journey this life.  Imputed with Christ’s righteousness, the Holy Spirit is my seal confirming adoption into the family of God.  Depend not on what I can do; rather depend on what only He can do in and through me and by faith “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” (Col 1:10).  Live a life pleasing and honoring to God based on this foundation – a beautiful display of the harmonious work of the triune God.

1. V. Raymond Edman, “They Found the Secret”, Grand Rapids Michigan, Zondervan Publishing House; 1984, pg. xiii ↩︎
2. Ephesians 1:13 “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit” ↩︎
3. John 1:12 “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” ↩︎
4. 1 John 3:24 “Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us. ↩︎
5. 1 Corinthians 3:16 “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” ↩︎
6. Romans 8:14 “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” ↩︎
7. 2 Corinthians 1:22 “and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” ↩︎
8. 2 Corinthians 5:5 “He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.” ↩︎
9. Ephesians 1:14 “who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” ↩︎
10. Romans 8:16-17 “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” ↩︎
11. Philippians 1:6 “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” ↩︎
12. Romans 8:29 “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” ↩︎
13. 2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” ↩︎
14. John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” ↩︎
15. 1 Corinthians 3:16 “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” ↩︎
16. Romans 8:16 “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” ↩︎
17. 1 Corinthians 2:12 “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.” ↩︎
18. 1 Corinthians 2:14 “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” ↩︎