“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth… You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17 ESV)
The apostle John recorded Jesus’ words to His disciples on the night before His crucifixion. As Jesus prepared them for His departure, He comforted them with the promise of “another Helper,” the Holy Spirit. Jesus told them that the Spirit already dwelt “with” them, but a greater covenant reality was coming when He would dwell “in” them. Throughout the Old Testament, the Spirit often came upon selected individuals for special empowerment. It was said of Gideon that “the Spirit of the LORD clothed” him (Judges 6:34). The phrase “the Spirit rushed upon” was used to describe how the Spirit empowered Samson (Judges 14:6), Saul (1 Samuel 10:10), and even David (1 Samuel 16:13). The emphasis was often on the Spirit coming upon individuals for leadership, service, or strength. Yet Jesus spoke of something greater. After His death, resurrection, ascension, and the coming of Pentecost, the Spirit would permanently indwell every believer. This helps explain why Jesus later said it was to His disciples advantage that He go away, for then He would send the Spirit. The Spirit would no longer merely be with God’s people, but would live in them.
Today we live with a privilege that the Old Testament saints anticipated. The Lord spoke through the prophet Ezekiel of this day saying, “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you… And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes.” (Ezekiel 36:26–27).
As born again believers, the Spirit of Christ lives within us. We have His presence, power, comfort, conviction, and guidance every day. Let us therefore walk in step with the Spirit and live as Christ’s body in this world.
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to dwell within us through Christ. Help us to walk in the Spirit and depend on His power rather than our own strength. Make us sensitive to His leading so that we may represent Christ faithfully in this world. Thank You for the gift of Your abiding presence in our lives. In Jesus’ name, amen.