The Spirit Indwells

Prayer Requests

What is Indwelling?

Indwelling is “God's abiding, positive, covenant presence in believers through the Spirit.” [1]

1) The PRESENCE of Indwelling in the Old Covenant

We must admit that some form of indwelling exists under the Old Covenant...

(Referring to Joseph… ) Genesis 41:38—And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?”

Exodus 31:2–3—See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship

Numbers 27:18—So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.”

Judges 6:34—But the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon, and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him.

Ezekiel 2:2—And as he spoke to me, the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.

We could add to this list Moses, Othniel, Jephthah, Samson, Saul, David, Daniel, Micah, and more.

And yet, there are no references that claim the indwelling of the Spirit was something experienced by ALL of God’s people.

These examples are noteworthy because they were leaders among God’s people.

Furthermore, it seems that the Holy Spirit’s indwelling was not permanent...

Numbers 24:2—And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him...

Balaam dies fighting God’s people. He is condemned in the New Testament as a false teacher (Jude 11, Revelation 2:14).

So even though the Spirit came upon Him for a season, the Spirit did not remain with him.

Another example is King Saul. The Holy Spirit rushed upon him in 1 Samuel 10:6, but in 16:14 the Spirit leaves him and never returns.

Or what about David’s prayer after his sin with Bathsheba...

Psalm 51:11—Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

In a very helpful book on this topic, James Hamilton writes “In the Old Testament, God is described as with and near His chosen nation and only in certain persons for extraordinary tasks.” [2]

But we are taught to expect something different in the New Covenant…

2) The PROMISE of Indwelling in the New Covenant

The Old Testament prophets seems to indicate that a day was coming when the Holy Spirit would indwell all of God’s people...

Isaiah 44:3—For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.

Ezekiel 36:27—And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

Ezekiel 37:14—And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.

Joel 2:28–29—And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.

Who will receive the Holy Spirit?

Notice here that the Holy Spirit is promised not only to the leaders, but to everybody! Sons, daughters, and even slaves!

These promises are not yet fulfilled with the arrival of Jesus, because even Jesus talks about this as if it’s something that has not yet happened…

John 7:39—Now this He said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

John 14:16–17—“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”

Do you notice anything different about the promise of the Holy Spirit in the New Covenant? [FOREVER!]

So when would the disciples receive this permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit?

3) The PERMANENCE of Indwelling for all Believers

When do you think the Spirit began indwelling believers permanently? [Often thought to be at Pentecost]

John 7:39—Now this He said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

What does it say? [After Jesus is glorified]

When did Jesus receive glorified body? [after resurrection]

On Sunday night, the day of His resurrection, John’s gospel says...

John 20:22—And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

Explain: Pentecost was a special empowering of the Spirit for the sake of the mission, not the beginning of the Spirit’s indwelling.

Now, after Jesus’ resurrection, all of God’s people receives the Spirit’s permanent indwelling.

1 Corinthians 3:16—Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?

1 Corinthians 6:19—Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own

Contrary to what Pentecostalism teaches, we do not need some sort of “second blessing” to receive the indwelling Spirit. We receive Him when we repent and believe in the gospel!

Galatians 3:2—Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?

Galatians 3:13-14—Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

But what is the benefit of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling us?

5) The PURPOSE of Indwelling in Our Lives

The Spirit helps us to obey...

Ezekiel 36:27—And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

Romans 8:2–4—For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

We actually have what most OT saints did not—the indwelling Spirit! So we should live lives of holiness that exceeds the OT saints.

The Spirit helps us to please God...

Romans 8:8–9—Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

The Spirit assures us that we belong to God...

Romans 8:15—For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

Practical Application:

1) Stop living like the Spirit is optional

If you belong to Christ, the Spirit already dwells in you—permanently.

So don’t treat Him like an add-on. The question is not “Do I have the Spirit?” but “Am I walking in step with Him?”

2) Pursue holiness with confidence

You are not fighting sin alone.

What many Old Testament saints only experienced temporarily, you have constantly.

So don’t say, “I can’t change.”

Say, “By the Spirit, I will put sin to death.” (cf. Romans 8)

3) Let the Spirit ground your assurance

The Spirit is God’s internal witness that you belong to Him.

When you cry, “Abba, Father,” that’s not weakness—that’s evidence.

So in moments of doubt, look not just at your performance, but at His presence.

4) Marvel at your privilege

What prophets anticipated and kings only tasted, you now possess—God dwelling in you.

Let that produce humility, gratitude, and worship.