1 Corinthians 3:16 NIV
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?
CONSIDER THIS
Friend, Intercessor, Spirit-filled Child of God, and Ambassador of Awakening—we have something to do with Jesus in the world today, just as our family across the ages had something to do in their day, their time, their such-a-moment-as-this visitation of the Spirit.
We, the Family of Christ, the Temple of the Holy Spirit, the Body of Jesus Christ, are a Spiritual Household of Living Stones Being Built Together (1 Pet. 2:4-6). You and I each have a part to play in what the Father is doing in our day—without you, without each of us doing our part, we are lesser. With you, and the Spirit-life you are living, we are richer!
From the beginning of time until now, the Holy Spirit has been meeting the demonic spirit of chaos in the world, head on, with God’s good and loving order. The Holy Spirit has been confronting the spirit of meaninglessness, in all its packages and forms and with all its hideous results, with meaningfulness.
And that is our job as well. As the Temple of the Holy Spirit, we do what Jesus did, his Spirit growing in us the fruits of the Spirit, empowering us with the gifts of the Spirit, and teaching us to walk according to the Story of the Spirit. We move in the world, Spirit-renewed and self-renewed in our sense of purpose, joy, mission, and hope.
The Holy Spirit has always used believing, trusting, and worshiping people to accomplish his purposes. We travail in prayer. We act in unparalleled mercy. We suffer with uncommon grace. We worship with living hope. We show the world what Jesus looks like—giving, loving, serving, encouraging, challenging, and living just as he did. We who seek to live faithfully to Jesus are a community through which his Spirit moves—whether we are all together in one place or spread out across the globe (or across the ages)!
And now for a Kingdom Public Service Announcement: The gates of hell have not prevailed against the Church. They never will (Matt. 16:17-19)! Awakened people beget awakened people. Your work and mine is to stay present to the love, presence, and will of the Father as we pass on the truly good life to those in our sphere of influence. There is no higher call. The Spirit fills the Church, his Temple, to this end.
Remember when the Spirit filled Solomon’s temple with the glory of God in 2 Chronicles 7? Here is Solomon’s prayer that preceded that glorious encounter (2 Chron. 6:18-20): “But will God really dwell on earth with humans? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! Yet, Lord my God, give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence. May your eyes be open toward this temple day and night, this place of which you said you would put your Name there.”
“May your eyes be open toward this temple day and night.” The Father’s eyes are on his temple, his Church. They are on you, just as they are on us. We are the cared for, watched over, loved-beyond-measure, and the filled-and-empowered Body of Christ. When the going gets tough, is when the Temple of the Holy Spirit gets going. Now is the time, again, for us to show up with Christ-likeness on the terrain of our homes, churches, cities, and nations. You are not alone in revealing Christ. You never were. We receive you, Holy Spirit—fill your temple once again!
THE PRAYER
Jesus, we receive the Holy Spirit. As your temple, your Church, we say yes to praying without ceasing, being your hands and feet in the world, and loving with the kind of love that can only come from heaven. Come, Holy Spirit, we are ready to play our part in our generation, once again. In Jesus’ name, amen.
THE QUESTION
What stories from church history inspire you about the way the Church acted in a time of great challenge? How does that story encourage you about our role today?
For the awakening,
Dan Wilt
One Response
Church history does in fact serve as inspiration on what is possible today. For example, early Methodism here in the U.S. spread rapidly across the country when it was on fire for the Lord, when it was more primitive in its form of Christianity, and before it became, in my opinion, over institutionalized. The way forward will be dependent on rediscovering the forgotten paths.