The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"The Dividing Line"
The gift of the permanently indwelling Holy Spirit, provided to born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ since the day of Pentecost, constitutes a significant dividing line in Divine and human history.
"And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you" (John 14:16-17).
Before the atoning death, resurrection, and ascension of the Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit could not come to stay in human hearts. This is why the Psalmist prayed, "Take not Thy Holy Spirit from me" (Psalm 51:11). The New Testament believer need never offer such a desperate plea because when the Holy Spirit enters our heart in the new birth, He permanently remains - "that He may abide with you forever." Indeed, Christ so effectively addressed the issue of our sins that the Spirit of God can reside and abide in the cleansed spiritual temple of believers' hearts. This He does, and in this we can rejoice in the light of His eternal presence - "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27).
However, solemn responsibility also comes with the gift. The standard of life for New Testament believers far eclipses that of Old Testament saints. "Walk even as He walked... His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness" (I John 2:6; II Peter 1:3). The Christian life involves a walk "strong in the Lord" because He literally dwells in the epicenter of our spiritual being (Ephesians 6:10). This eliminates every excuse for unbelief and disobedience. We may not always trust and obey. But we always can do so because the living God Himself serves as the super abundant power source for every step of faith and faithfulness. "I will dwell in them and walk in them" (II Corinthians 6:16).
Many believers do not adequately consider the historical dividing line regarding the indwelling Holy Spirit, or perhaps do not understand its significance. Thus, they miss the joy of believing that God has drawn nearer to us than our next breath. Such omission also fosters a far lower expectation than the superlative qualities of life to which the New Testament epistles clearly call us. "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" declared the Lord Jesus (John 10:10). His gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit provides such hope of abundance to every Christian. "Without Me ye can do nothing" said the Savior (John 15:5). However, believers are not without our Lord. The Holy Spirit lives within us to reveal the character and way of Christ in us. "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13). This we must know because it is true, and because the quality of our walk with God depends on knowing how present He is with us. Despair blessedly melts away in the bright light of such grace. Our Lord dwells with and within us forevermore! However, excuses also dissolve as the dividing line of history becomes our own personal demarcation through the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, His abundant power in our hands and feet, and our knowing that such Truth is true.
"Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end, Amen."
(Ephesians 3:20-21)
"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?"
(I Corinthians 3:16)
Weekly Memory Verse "Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh unto you." (James 4:8) 6063
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