The Temple of the Holy Spirit

Illustration: The White House is more than just a residence. It symbolizes the person and power that lives within it. The president is a physical representation of the power and authority of the country. In a similar way the church is a house of God that represents the power and authority of the kingdom of God.

Being a part of the church means so much more than simply meeting together and attending a worship service. Being a part of the church means that you enter into a special relationship with God. The church is called in Scripture:

The people of God - God’s special treasure of called out people.

The body of Christ - where we are given a place and a purpose, a community and a calling

and the temple of the Holy Spirit

We Are the Temple of the Holy Spirit

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 NKJV

19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

You are a temple of the Holy Spirit. You were bought with the precious blood of Jesus and sanctified—set apart—by the Spirit of God (cf. 1 Peter 1:2).

2 Corinthians 6:16 NKJV

And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.”

Not only are we individually the temple of God, but we corporately are the dwelling of God. In other words, the church together, is the dwelling of God in the Spirit. His people.

Being the temple of the Holy Spirit means being the place where God dwells with us. It is a place of encounter. The Old Testament temple was where God’s presence visited His people. He spoke to them there and He revealed His glory there.

One of the powerful blessings that comes with being the church is that we are the place where God desires to encounter people. He speaks to us. He reveals His glory to us. It’s no longer a place of brick and mortar but the place where His community of people assemble and worship Him. When you pray, He speaks. When you worship, He sits on the throne of your praise (Psalm 22:3).

The River of Life

One of the powerful images that Jesus uses to speak of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is that of a river, flowing from within.

John 7:37–39 NKJV

37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Jesus declaration at that Feast that day drew the hearer’s to a prophetic declaration made nearly 600 years earlier by the prophet Ezekiel. In Ezekiel 40-48, he sees a vision and describes a glorious temple. In Ezekiel 47, he describes a great river flowing from out of the temple, a river of life.

Ezekiel 47:1–12 NKJV

1 Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side. 3 And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles. 4 Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist. 5 Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed. 6 He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river. 7 When I returned, there, along the bank of the river, were very many trees on one side and the other. 8 Then he said to me: “This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed. 9 And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes. 10 It shall be that fishermen will stand by it from En Gedi to En Eglaim; they will be places for spreading their nets. Their fish will be of the same kinds as the fish of the Great Sea, exceedingly many. 11 But its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be given over to salt. 12 Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.”

The river offers three things: life, healing, and fruitfulness.

Life

In Ezekiel 47:8-9, he says that wherever the river goes there will be life. It brings life, wherever it flows.

There is a flow of life that comes when you are a part of the Church. In the community of faith, there is an abundance of life that flows from Christ—the Head—to the body (John 10:10).

You will encounter life in the church. For the sinner, there is forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life. For the believer there is the abundant life. There is a river that flows through the church and wherever it touches, wherever it goes, there will be life.

Healing

In Ezekiel 47:8, the river runs into the Dead Sea and brings healing. It should be noted that there are some places where healing doesn’t go…into the swamps and marshes. They will be given over to salt (Ezekiel 47:11).

Death speaks of sin and includes sickness and disease (cf. Romans 6:23). But wherever the river flows, life and healing follow.

The church is a place to receive healing of the Holy Spirit. The church is the place where the broken heart finds healing, the lame walk, and the deaf speak. It is the place where the bitterness of life comes in contact with the grace of God and is turned sweet. There is a river that flows through the church and wherever it touches, wherever it goes, there will be healing.

Fruitfulness

In Ezekiel 47:12, along the river are trees that produce fruit, every month. This same river would be spoken of in Revelation as the pure river of water of life flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the street in New Jerusalem (Revelation 22:1-2).

The church is a where we have community and calling and we have a place and a purpose. And because of the river of the Holy Spirit it is a place of fruitfulness. The church is the place where you can use your time, talent, and treasure for the good of others and the glory of God. The Spirit of God will bring fruitfulness and increase as you step out in faith and walk in your calling. There is a river that flows through the church and wherever it touches, wherever it goes, there will be fruitfulness.

Going Deeper

The river flows out of the temple and a man took Ezekiel out into the waters. The man had a measuring line, and he takes him out to four different depths:

Water to the ankles

Water to the knees

Water to the waist

Water too deep, over his head

There is an increasing measure of the life and flow of God available to us. Christ in us, through the Holy Spirit, brings us the hope of glory (cf. Colossians 1:27). But we, like the prophet, must go deeper into the river if we individually and we the church want to experience the fulness of life, healing, and fruitfulness.

We need to walk in the Spirit. The water was up to the ankles. If we walk in the Spirit, we will not walk in the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).

We need to pray in the Spirit. The water was up to the knees. If we pray in the Spirit, we will increase in faith and the Spirit will help our weaknesses and make intercession for us (Jude 20, Romans 8:26).

We need to be empowered by the Spirit. The water was up to the waist, where the core strength of the body is. If we are empowered by the Spirit we will be like Jesus and go about doing good and healing all who are oppressed by the devil (cf. Acts 10:38).

We need to be led by the Spirit. The water was too deep, over his head. The children of God are led by the Spirit of God and He will lead us into ever increasing victory and purpose (Romans 8:14, see also 2 Corinthians 2:14).

Conclusion

Ephesians 2:19–22 NKJV

19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

One of the amazing things about the church is that we are no longer outsiders, but we are God’s people. And God is building a temple, a place where the Spirit of God dwells. And He is building that temple with living stones, with each of us.

Illustration: Mississippi River. The headwaters of the river start as a mere 18-foot wide knee-deep river in Itasca State Park. The river’s flows south from Minnesota 2,340 miles before ending in the Gulf of Mexico. As it flows south, it increases in size and depth being fed by other rivers and tributaries like the Missouri and Ohio rivers. Its deepest point is in New Orleans at 200 feet deep.

The true church is very much like this river. As each of us flow into the river, the church is strengthened in impact and influence.

The more we go deeper into the river of the Spirit, the more we will have the abundant life.

Walk in the Spirit.

Pray in the Spirit.

Be empowered in the Spirit.

Be led by the Spirit.

The church is the temple of the Holy Spirit. The place where God’s people encounter Him. It is the place where the river of life flows and brings healing, life, and fruitfulness.

This is the blessing of being part of the temple of the Holy Spirit, the church.