Transcription
Now, if you have your Bibles with you, I want you to turn real quickly with me to 2 Corinthians the 6th chapter. Glory to God. Let's look at the 16th verse. Paul writes by the Holy Ghost and says, "And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols. For ye are the temple of the living God, as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."
Oh, hallelujah. I tell you that verse right there could make a dead man shout, "I will dwell in them." You notice he didn't say, "I will visit them." He didn't say, "I'll come by on Sundays and stop in for a service." No, sir. He said, "I will dwell in them and walk in them. Praise God forever more."
Now, hold your place there and turn over with me to 1 Corinthians the 3rd chapter in the 16th verse. The word says again, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you?" And then over in 1 John 4:4, the Apostle John says, "By the spirit, greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world." Hallelujah. Glory to God. That's shouting ground right there.
You see, the same God that thundered from Mount Si, the same God that led Israel by fire and by cloud has moved his dwelling place. Oh, glory to God. He's changed his address. He doesn't live in tents made with hands anymore. He doesn't live in buildings made of stone and mortar. He's moved into living, breathing temples, you and me. Turn to somebody beside you and say, "God lives in me." Glory to God. Say it again. God lives in me.
You see, this truth right here will change your whole outlook on life. It'll change how you pray, how you talk, how you walk, and how you think. Because once you realize that the almighty God, the creator of heaven and earth, the one who flung the stars into space, the one who said, "Let there be light lives inside of you," you'll never see yourself as weak again.
Now, I want you to notice something about this passage. The Bible says, "As God hath said, I will dwell in them and walk in them." That's a covenant statement. That's not a suggestion. That's not a maybe so or a hope so. That's a divine declaration from Almighty God. God said it and God doesn't lie. I will dwell in them.
You see, there was a time when God dwelt among his people. He was with them in the wilderness. He was with them in the pillar of fire and the cloud by day. But he wasn't in them. He was around them. He was above them. He was for them, but not in them. But something happened at Calvary. Glory to God. Something happened when Jesus hung upon that cross when he cried, "It is finished." The veil that separated man from the presence of God was torn from top to bottom. God moved out of man-made temples and prepared to move into man-made hearts. Hallelujah. God was saying, "I'm not satisfied to visit my people anymore. I'm going to live in them." Oh, thank God.
The presence of God has changed location. In the Old Testament, if you wanted to find God, you had to go to the tabernacle. You had to bring a sacrifice. You had to depend on a priest to stand in your place. But under this new covenant, under this better covenant established upon better promises, the Holy Spirit himself has made your heart his home. He's not visiting. He's residing. He's not passing through. He's moved in, unpacked his bags, and said, "This is where I live now." Glory to God.
Now, I remember as a young Baptist boy, I used to think God lived up there somewhere in heaven, way off yonder, beyond the stars. I'd say, "Lord, come down and help me." But, oh, when I got filled with the Holy Ghost and saw in the word that he lives in me, it changed everything. I realized that the power of God wasn't way off in the heavens somewhere. It was right here in this earthn vessel. Hallelujah. I didn't have to reach up to heaven. He already reached down and moved in.
You see, religion says, "If I could just get to the church building, maybe I could feel God." But revelation says, "I am the church building, and he's with me all the time." When you wake up in the morning, he's there. When you go to bed at night, he's there. When you walk through the valley, he's there. When you shout on the mountain, he's there. Glory to God. The spirit of the living God lives in you, and the devil can't do one thing about it. Say it out loud. The greater one lives in me. Say it again. The spirit of God dwells in me. Say it like you mean it. I am the temple of the living God. That means, dear friend, that everywhere you go, you carry his presence. You are a walking sanctuary, a mobile tabernacle of his glory. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives on the inside of you right now. Romans 8:11 says, "If the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ shall also quicken your mortal body by his spirit that dwelleth in you." Hallelujah. Not someday, but now. Not when you die and go to heaven, but right now in this present hour. The spirit that quickens, strengthens, heals, and restores lives inside of you.
You see, beloved, the greatest revelation you'll ever receive as a believer is this. God is not far away. He is not distant. He is not hiding in some heavenly chamber. He's in you and he walks in you. You are his address on the earth. You are his contact point in this world. When people meet you, they ought to feel him. When you speak, they ought to hear him. When you lay hands on the sick, they ought to feel his touch. Why? Because you are the temple of the living God. Oh, glory to God. The dwelling places changed forever. The Almighty doesn't live in tents made by man. He lives in bloodbought, spiritfilled believers. He doesn't dwell in marble halls or golden tabernacles. He dwells in humble hearts washed by the blood of Jesus. The veil is gone. The temple curtain is torn. The presence is moved in. Hallelujah. And I'll tell you what, once you realize that, you'll never pray the same again. You won't be crying, Lord, come down. You'll be saying, Lord, rise up in me. You won't be begging God, send your power. You'll declare the power is in me, and I'm releasing it now. Glory to God. That's what Paul meant when he said, Christ in you, the hope of glory. So remember this. God's dwelling place has changed forever. He moved out of the tabernacle and moved into you. The presence isn't in Jerusalem. It's in your spirit. The glory isn't behind a curtain. It's behind your ribs. And the same spirit that filled the holiest of holies now fills your bornagain heart. Hallelujah to Jesus. Praise God forever more.
Now beloved, before we can understand what we have today, we got to look back and see what they had yesterday. You see, under the old covenant, man didn't have the same kind of relationship with God that you and I have right now. No, sir. The presence of God was there, but it was limited. It was locked away. Turn over with me to Exodus 25 to8. God spoke to Moses and said, "Let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them." Did you notice that? He said, "That I may dwell among them, not in them." Glory to God. There's a difference. Back then, he could only dwell among them because man was still spiritually dead, separated from God by sin. His spirit hadn't been born again. His body was defiled by the fall. The Holy Spirit couldn't take up residence in a man's heart because the blood of Jesus hadn't yet been shed to cleanse that heart. So God said, "I'll dwell among you." But he couldn't yet say, "I'll dwell in you."
is uh in those days the presence of God was contained in a place called the tabernacle a tent of meeting and inside that tent was a special room the most sacred place on the face of the earth called the holy of holies that's where the ark of the covenant rested overshadowed by the cherubam of glory and right there between those golden wings the presence of almighty God the shikina of glory would appear like a bright cloud of fire and light that was God's dwelling place on earth, not in a man, but behind a veil. And that veil, oh, listen to me. It was thick. Jewish historians tell us it was several inches thick, woven with blue and scarlet and purple threads. No man could see through it. No man could go beyond it except one. Once a year and once only, the high priest would go in just one man out of all Israel. And only with the blood of a sacrifice, he would sprinkle that blood upon the mercy seat and God's presence would accept the atonement for the nation. But even that was temporary. It had to be repeated year after year after year. Why? Because the blood of bulls and goats could never wash away sin. It could only cover it. Hebrews 10:1 says, "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers there unto perfect." Did you hear that? They weren't perfect. They weren't changed inside. They were only covered by ritual. They had forgiveness promised, but not regeneration. So, the spirit of God could not make his home in them. He could visit. He could rest upon. He could anoint temporarily, but he couldn't abide. Think about it. Moses could only go up on the mountain to talk to God. Joshua had to wait outside the tent while Moses went in. The prophets of old Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah were all men upon whom the spirit came and then departed. The anointing would come for a purpose, for a mission, for a message, but then lift. David even prayed, "Take not thy holy spirit from me." Because he knew it could depart. Oh, but thank God under the new covenant. That's not our prayer anymore. We don't have to beg, Lord, don't take your spirit away because he said, "I will abide with you forever. Glory to God." That's shouting ground.
You see, the presence of God under that old system was a fearful thing. It was glorious, but it was deadly. If anyone unclean entered that holy place, they'd fall dead instantly. The presence of God was locked behind that curtain and man stood on the outside longing, separated, unable to come near. The people would stand at the door of the tabernacle and watch the priest go in trembling because that bright light of glory, the shikina, was the very manifestation of God himself. When it appeared, they'd fall on their faces. They knew he was holy. They knew he was righteous, but they couldn't come near. The sin nature of man could not coexist with the holiness of God. But thank God that was only a shadow. That was only a temporary system pointing to something greater. The presence that once filled a room would one day fill a man. The same glory that was once hidden behind a veil would soon dwell in the hearts of believers. Now imagine that for a moment. Think about how awesome that glory must have been. The priests couldn't even stand to minister because of it. When Solomon dedicated the temple, the Bible says the house was filled with the cloud of the Lord's glory and the priest couldn't stand up to minister. That's how strong the presence was. And yet, my brother, my sister, that same presence that filled Solomon's temple, that same shakina glory now lives inside you. Hallelujah. The fire that used to burn behind the veil now burns in your spirit. The same spirit that spoke to Moses from a burning bush now speaks to your heart from within.
But you see, under the old covenant, man could never have imagined such a thing. To them, God was distant. He was up there. He was in a cloud, in a mountain, in a tabernacle, but never in here. The prophets could look forward to it, but they couldn't experience it. They saw it aar off. Ezekiel prophesied about it when he said, "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will put my spirit within you." Ezekiel 36 26:27. Glory to God, he saw it coming. He looked through the centuries and saw a day when God would no longer dwell among his people, but in his people. That's why, beloved, when Jesus came, he could say something that no prophet, no priest, no patriarch ever dared to say. He said, "The Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works." Oh, glory to God. For the first time, there stood a man born of a woman, filled with the Holy Ghost, who carried God's presence within himself. He was the first temple of the new covenant, the first man to walk this earth with the fullness of God dwelling in him bodily. You see, that's what made the difference in Jesus's ministry. He didn't just have God with him. He had God in him. He didn't just visit the presence. He was the presence in motion. Now, don't miss this. Everything God did through Jesus, he was previewing what he would later do through you. Hallelujah. The same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead now dwells in you. The same presence that filled that tabernacle of old now fills the tabernacle of your body. So, under the old covenant, the presence was limited. It was locked away. But under the new covenant, the locks been broken, the veil's been torn, and the presence is moved in. Say it with me. The presence has moved in. Say it again. God's presence is not behind a veil. It's in me. Oh, praise God. What they long for, we live in. What they dreamed of, we possess. What they waited for, we walk in. God's presence is no longer restricted to temples made by man. It abides in the temples made by redemption. Glory to God forever more.
Now, let's move a little deeper into this revelation. If God's presence in the old covenant was limited, confined behind a veil, then when Jesus came, something brand new appeared on the scene. Hallelujah. God found a body. God found a dwelling place, not made with hands, but prepared by the Holy Ghost. John 1:14 says, "And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the father, full of grace and truth." Oh, glory to God. The word became flesh. You could say it this way. The presence put on skin. The Almighty clothed himself in humanity. The God who once dwelt in a cloud, in a fire, in a temple, now dwelt in a man. And his name was Jesus. Jesus was the first man since Adam to walk this earth filled with the life of God, filled with the nature of God, filled with the presence of God. He was the living temple of the living God. He could say, "He that hath seen me hath seen the father." John 14:9. Hallelujah.
Now listen closely because this is the key to everything that follows. Jesus was not just God visiting man. He was God living in a man. He was the pattern, the prototype, the example of the new creation that was to come. God was showing us what it would look like when he dwells in human flesh again. Acts 10:38 says, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him." Oh, praise God. The Father was with him. The Spirit was upon him, and the presence of God was within him. Everywhere Jesus went, that presence went. When he walked into a room, the atmosphere changed. When he spoke, devils trembled. When he touched, sickness fled. When he prayed, heaven opened. Why? because he carried the very presence of the Almighty inside his temple, the temple of his body.
In John 2:19:21, Jesus said something that made the religious leaders furious. He said, "Destroy this temple, and in 3 days I will raise it up." They said, "This temple took 46 years to build, and will you rare it up in three days?" But the Bible says he spake of the temple of his body. Oh, glory to God. Jesus was declaring this body is my temple. This flesh is my tabernacle. This is where the father dwells. You see, that was God's plan all along to dwell in man. The tabernacle in the wilderness was only a type. The temple of Solomon was only a shadow. But Jesus was the substance. He was God in man. God walking, God talking, God healing, God forgiving, God delivering in a man's body. And that's why demons screamed when he came near. That's why sickness fled at his touch. That's why the wind and the waves obeyed his command. The presence of God had come out from behind the veil and was walking the dusty roads of Galilee.
Now, don't miss this. When Jesus walked the earth, he was the only temple of God on the planet. There was no other place where the fullness of God dwelt. The Jews still had their temple, their rituals, their ceremonies, but the presence wasn't there anymore. The presence had moved. The shikina that once hovered over the ark now walked in sandals and spoke with a human voice. Glory to God. The presence was not in the Holy of Holies. It was in him. The presence didn't live in a box of gold. It lived in a body of flesh. Hallelujah. And everywhere he went, the presence manifested. The woman with the issue of blood pressed through the crowd and touched the hem of his garment. And instantly she was healed. Why? because she touched the living temple. She touched the dwelling place of God. Power flowed out of that temple, not because of the cloth, but because of the presence inside the man. And Jesus turned and said, "Who touched me?" And the disciples said, "Lord, everyone's touching you." But Jesus said, "No, somebody touch me, for I perceive that virtue power has gone out of me." Hallelujah. He was so full of the presence that it flowed through his clothes. Oh, listen to me now. He was showing us something. He was demonstrating what it looks like when a human body becomes the house of God. When the Almighty lives inside you, healing flows out of you. When the spirit dwells in you, deliverance comes through you. When the greater one resides within you, don't fear the devil, you dominate him. Jesus was showing us God's blueprint. He was the pattern. He was the example of what the new birth would produce. Colossians due contra says, "For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, not just a part, not a visitation, not an anointing that comes and goes, but the fullness, glory to God, the fullness of the Godhead lived in him." And then, hallelujah, in John 17:22, Jesus prayed something astounding. He said, "The glory which thou gavest me, I have given them." Glory to God. The same presence that filled Jesus's body would one day fill ours. The same indwelling power that made him the temple of God would make you the temple of God. So you see, Jesus wasn't just showing us what he could do. He was showing us what we could become. He was the firstborn among many brethren. He was the patterned son. God looked at him and said, "That's what I want every believer to be, my dwelling place in the earth." And thank God through his death, burial, and resurrection, he made it possible. The presence that once filled one man now fills millions. The spirit that once lived in Christ alone now lives in every born again believer. The same power, the same life, the same glory moved from one body to a body of many members. Say it with me. Jesus was the first temple. Say it again. And now I am his continuation. You see, he didn't just redeem you to get you to heaven. He redeemed you to make you his home. Hallelujah. He didn't just save you to keep you out of hell. He saved you to fill you with himself. Glory to God. The living temple birthed the living temples. That's why Paul could say Christ in you the hope of glory. It's not Christ beside you. It's not Christ beside you. It's not Christ around you. It's not Christ in heaven waiting for you. It's Christ in you. Oh, glory to God. We're not waiting on the presence anymore. the presence is moved in. And if the same spirit that dwelt in Jesus dwells in you, then the same power that operated in him operates in you. The same spirit that opened blind eyes through his hands now works through yours. The same glory that cast out devils by his word now fills your words when you speak by faith. Beloved, Jesus was the living temple and now through the new birth, you are too. He was the example of what man united with God looks like. And you are his continuation in the earth. The presence that once walked in Galilee now walks in you. Hallelujah.
Now, let's move into the very heart of the gospel where everything changed. At the cross, heaven's plan reached its climax. God had been dwelling among men, walking in his son, showing his nature, revealing his love, but he wasn't satisfied yet. Oh, glory to God. He wasn't satisfied until he could dwell in men. Turn with me to John 19:30. It says, "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished." And he bowed his head and gave up the ghost. Now notice, he didn't say, "I am finished." He said, "It is finished." Hallelujah. What was finished? the old order, the old system, the old covenant that could only cover sin but never cleanse it. The separation between God and man was finished. The barrier between heaven and earth was finished. The wall that stood between holiness and humanity was finished. And at that very moment, the Bible says in Matthew 27:51, "And behold, the veil of the temple was rent and twain from the top to the bottom, and the earth did quake and the rocks rent." Oh hallelujah. That veil 40t wide, 20 feet high, and 4 in thick was torn apart not from bottom to top as man might tear it, but from top to bottom as God himself reached down from heaven and said, "I'm coming out." Glory to God. God moved out of buildings made with hands and made ready to move into bodies washed by the blood. He moved out of the temple of stone and prepared to move into the temple of the spirit. He was declaring, "No more separation, no more distance, no more priests standing between me and my people. I'm coming home to live inside them."
You see, beloved, when Jesus cried, "It is finished," he wasn't talking about the end of his suffering alone. He was announcing the end of separation. The covenant of works was over and the covenant of grace began. The blood of bulls and goats was no longer needed, for the blood of the lamb of God had been shed once for all. Hebrews 10:19:20 says, "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh." Oh, glory to God. Did you catch that? His body became the veil that was torn. When his flesh was pierced away into God's presence was open, his torn body became your open door. When his side was open, heaven's heart was open. When the blood flowed out, the spirit could flow in. The presence that once dwelt between gold and cherubam now dwells between your ribs. The same glory that filled that inner room now fills your inner man. Hallelujah.
Now, Josephus, the Jewish historian, wrote that the veil was so heavy that it took 300 priests to hang it. It was so thick that no human hand could rip it. But when Jesus died, it tore instantly from top to bottom. That was God's own signature across the old covenant, paid in full. Praise God. The veil represented everything that kept man out of the presence of God. Sin, guilt, fear, condemnation. And when it was torn, it was God's declaration that the debt had been paid. The sin had been cleansed, and man could now come boldly to the throne of grace. Hallelujah. Listen to me, friend. When that curtain split, God didn't just step out to meet man. He stepped out to move into man. He wasn't just saying, "Come near me." He was saying, "I'm coming in you." The holy one who once hovered above the mercy seat now abides within the heart of the believer.
You see, that was the moment creation had been waiting for since the Garden of Eden. From the day Adam sinned, the spirit of God had been shut out of his own house. He used to walk with man in the cool of the day, but after the fall, he could only walk around man. He could visit prophets, kings, and priests, but he couldn't stay. Sin made his house unfit for residence. But when the lamb of God shed his spotless blood, that blood didn't just cover sin, it removed it. It cleansed the temple so completely that God himself could move back in. Glory to God forever more. The blood of Jesus did more than by your forgiveness, it made you holy enough for God to dwell in. It made your heart clean enough for heaven's presence to reside there. It made your body worthy to become the temple of the Holy Ghost. Oh, I can hear heaven shout the day that veil tore. Angels must have sung. The dwelling places changed. God is free to move in again. Hallelujah. That's why the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:19, God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself. But once the work of reconciliation was done, he moved out of Christ to move into you. That's why Jesus said in John 14:17, he dwelleth with you and shall be in you. Praise God forever more. The presence that walked beside them in the person of Jesus would soon walk inside them through the person of the Holy Spirit.
Now, let me tell you something that make you shout. When that veil tore, the ark of the covenant was no longer needed. The mercy seat was no longer in a building. It was in a body. You are now the mercy seat of God's presence. God's glory doesn't rest between carved cherubam anymore. It rests between your shoulders. The shikina has relocated. The presence has shifted. Heaven has made his home in you. Oh, praise God. It is finished. Means the work is done. You don't have to work your way into God's presence. You're already in it. You don't have to beg him to come down. He already moved in. You don't have to fight your way into the throne room. The throne room lives inside of you. Say it out loud. The veil is torn. Say it again. The presence has moved in. Now shout it. God lives in me. Hallelujah. The glory that once made priests fall on their faces now lifts you up in strength. The power that once consumed sacrifices now empowers believers. The fire that once burned on an altar now burns in your spirit. You are no longer outside trying to get in. And you are inside living from within. That's why Paul said in him we live and move and have our being. Acts 17:28. Beloved, when Jesus said, "It is finished," he meant it. Sin's reign was finished. Separation was finished. The old temple was finished. The law of works was finished. And God's search for a dwelling place was finished because he found it in you. Hallelujah. To the lamb of God. The curtain is torn. The presence is released. And the Holy Ghost is home at last.
Now, I want you to see this, beloved. The cross made it possible for God to move in, but Pentecost made it actual. Hallelujah. The blood prepared the temple, but the spirit filled it. Glory to God. Turn with me to Acts chapter 2 and let's read it together. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly, hallelujah, I like that word, suddenly, there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as a fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the spirit gave them utterance. Oh, praise God forever more.
Pentecost was movein day. The Holy Spirit who had been waiting for centuries for a purified dwelling place came rushing into his new home. Now notice that little phrase. It filled all the house where they were sitting. That was the house of God in that moment. But he didn't stop there because in the very next verse it says, "And it set upon each of them." Each of them. Not just the apostles, not just the preachers, not just the elders, but every one of them. Glory to God. The same spirit that filled the house filled the people in the house. You see, in the old covenant, God filled a building. But in the new covenant, he fills a body. Hallelujah. He doesn't dwell in temples made with hands. He dwells in temples made by the new birth. Oh, glory to God. When that rushing mighty wind came through that upper room, it wasn't just a visitation. It was an occupation. It wasn't a gust of glory passing through. It was God moving in permanently. The Holy Spirit didn't come to rent. He came to reside.
Now, I want you to hear this. That same spirit that filled them on the day of Pentecost is the same spirit that fills you when you were born again and baptized in the Holy Ghost. The same fire that fell on their heads burns in your heart. The same power that made them bold makes you bold. The same presence that filled that upper room fills you right now. Hallelujah. Say it with me. Pentecost was God's movein day. Say it again. The Holy Ghost moved in to stay.
Now notice the progression. Under the old covenant, God said, "I will dwell among them." Under the ministry of Jesus, he said, "I will dwell with them." But under the new covenant, he declares, "I will dwell in them." Hallelujah to God. And when the Holy Ghost came on Pentecost morning, that was the fulfillment of Jesus's promise in John 14:16-17. 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, for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you. Did you notice that word abide? That means to stay, to remain, to live, to dwell continually. Not for a day, not for a week, not for a season, but forever. Oh, praise God. The Holy Ghost doesn't come and go like he did in the Old Testament. He doesn't visit you for a while and then leave. He abides. He remains. He makes his home in you. Glory to God. You're never alone, never powerless, never without help. Never without God because the greater one lives in you.
Now I want you to picture that upper room for a moment. 120 believers gathered together praying, worshiping, waiting, and suddenly the sound of wind. That was heaven breathing on earth again. The last time God breathed into man, Adam became a living soul. But this time when God breathed, the church became a living body. Hallelujah. He breathed into them the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead. He filled them with divine life. He wrote his law upon their hearts. He set their tongues ablaze with fire and gave them a new language, the language of the spirit. And from that day forward, they weren't just followers of Jesus. They were carriers of his presence. They didn't just talk about God. They manifested him. They didn't just wait for power. They walked in power. You see, Pentecost was heaven's grand opening ceremony. It was the day God moved his headquarters from heaven into the hearts of men. He didn't move into the temple of Jerusalem. He moved into the temple of the believer. That's why the Apostle Paul could later write, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you?" 1 Corinthians 3:16. Because what happened in Acts 2 didn't stop in Acts two? It continued in every believer who would receive. Oh, hallelujah. The fire didn't go out. The wind didn't stop blowing. The glory didn't fade. That same spirit is still filling temples today. Every time a sinner is born again, God gets another house to live in. Every time a believer is filled with the Holy Ghost, heaven expands its dwelling place on earth. Say it with me. The Holy Spirit lives in me. Say it again. The power of Pentecost abides in me.
Now notice what happened immediately after they were filled. They went out into the streets and began to preach. Miracles followed them. Boldness clothed them. The same spirit that had been in Jesus was now working through his body, the church. Acts 4:33 says, "And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all." Praise God. That's the church in action. The living temple of the living God, manifesting his presence on the earth. Listen, beloved, Pentecost was not a one-time event. Was the beginning of a new era, a new relationship between God and man. It was the moment when the spirit of God took up residence in human hearts and declared, "This is my dwelling forever." No wonder Paul said in Ephesians 2:22, "In whom you also are builded together for an habitation of God through the spirit, a habitation, not a visitation." Hallelujah. The Holy Ghost doesn't check in and out like a hotel guest. He lives in you as his permanent address. And because he lives in you, you don't have to beg for power. You've got it. You don't have to wait for revival. You walk in revival. You don't have to cry for the fire. The fire is burning on the inside. You don't have to chase the presence. It's already moved in. Oh, glory to God. I tell you, Pentecost was the day heaven came home to stay. The day the wind of God filled man again. The day the fire of God lit his altar again. The day the presence that was locked away became the presence that abides within. Say it out loud. The same Holy Ghost that filled them fills me now. Say it again. God's movein day is my daily reality. Hallelujah. Thank God for Pentecost. The official movein day of the Holy Ghost.
Now beloved, listen carefully to what I'm about to say because this is one of the great truths the church must understand in these last days. There are two gifts that God has given to mankind. Two divine gifts, both precious, both powerful, both necessary, but each given to a different group. The first gift is Jesus Christ, God's gift to the world. The second gift is the Holy Spirit, God's gift to the church. Let's say that together. Jesus is God's gift to the world. The Holy Ghost is God's gift to the church. You see, many believers get those two mixed up. They try to get the world to receive the Holy Ghost before they've received Jesus. And that will never work. Jesus himself said so. Let's turn again to John 14:16-17. 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. Now notice those words. The world cannot receive. That's as plain as anything could be. The world cannot receive the Holy Ghost. The sinner can receive Jesus, but not the Holy Ghost. He must first be born again. His spirit must be recreated, cleansed by the blood before the Holy Spirit can come and make his home there. You see, beloved, God never puts new wine in an old wine skin. He never puts his Holy Spirit into an unregenerate heart. The blood of Jesus prepares a vessel, but the spirit fills it. Hallelujah.
John 3:16 tells us about the first gift. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. That's Jesus, God's gift to the world. He's the savior. He's the redeemer. He's the lamb who takes away the sin of the world. But then over in Luke 11:13, Jesus said something about the second gift. If ye then being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him. Oh, praise God. Notice who the father gives the Holy Spirit to his children. Not to the world, not to sinners, but to them that ask him, his sons and daughters. Say it out loud. Jesus is God's gift to the world. The Holy Spirit is God's gift to his children.
Now, I remember when I first saw that truth in the word, it revolutionized my whole understanding of the spiritfilled life. You see, I came up in a good Baptist church and thank God for that foundation. We preached Christ to the lost and people got saved. But when I got around spiritfilled believers, I saw they had something more, something I didn't have. They had joy unspeakable. They had power. They had that same boldness I read about in the book of Acts. And I remember thinking, Lord, I've received Jesus. Why haven't I received this? And the Lord spoke to my heart one day and said, "Son, you've received my first gift. Now come and receive my second." Glory to God. The moment I did, that power came in. That fire came in. That divine presence filled me from head to toe. And I knew that the Holy Ghost, the very presence of God had moved in to dwell inside.
Now, some people say, "Well, Brother Hagen, if you're saved, don't you already have the Holy Spirit?" Yes, you do. In one measure, the spirit of God recreates your spirit in the new birth. Romans 8:16 says, "The spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God." But that's not the same thing as being filled with the spirit. You see, the new birth is the spirit within you for your own life. But the baptism of the Holy Ghost is a spirit upon you for power and service. The first makes you a child of God. The second makes you a witness for God. Let me say that again. The new birth gives you life. The baptism gives you power. The new birth makes you a temple. The baptism makes you a channel. Oh, hallelujah. Both are the work of the same spirit, but two distinct experiences just as real, just as necessary, just as scriptural.
Now, I've heard people say, "Well, I don't need to seek the Holy Ghost. I got all there was of him when I was saved." Well, friend, that's not true. If you were born again, yes, you know the Holy Spirit, but that's not all there is of him. He's a great big God. Jesus said in John 7:37:39, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." But this spake he of the spirit which they that believe on him should receive. For the Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified. Notice they that believe on him should receive. Not the world, not the unbeliever, but the believer. Glory to God. When you're born again, you take a drink. When you're filled with the spirit, the river starts to flow. When you're saved, the spirit dwells in you as a well of life. When you're baptized in the spirit, that well becomes a river of power. Oh, glory to God. Say it with me. The well is for life. The river is for power. The world can receive Jesus, but only the believer can receive the spirit. The world gets salvation. The church gets saturation. The world receives forgiveness. The church receives fire. Praise God. That's the plan of God. The father sent the son to save you and the son sent the spirit to fill you. And that's why Jesus said in Acts 1:8, "But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me." Oh, hallelujah. When the spirit moves in, power moves in. The presence that once walked in Jesus now walks in you. The same Holy Ghost that anointed him now anoints you. You are his extension in the earth, his living temple, his chosen vessel, his mobile tabernacle. You see, God's plan is perfect. Jesus brought man to God. The Holy Spirit brought God into man. Jesus made you righteous. The Holy Ghost makes you powerful. Jesus cleansed the temple. The Holy Ghost filled it. Now, that's shouting ground right there. Glory to God. Say it again with me. Jesus is God's gift to the world. The Holy Ghost is God's gift to the church. I have received both gifts. Oh, hallelujah. Thank God for the son who saved us and the spirit who filled us. Thank God for redemption through his blood and habitation through his spirit. Thank God that the presence that once came and went now lives in us to stay. Hallelujah. Two gifts, two operations, one glorious purpose. That God might dwell in man and work through man until the knowledge of his glory covers the earth as the waters cover the sea. Praise God forever more.
Now beloved, we've seen the story unfold. God once dwelt among his people, then he dwelt in his son, and now he dwells in you. Glory to God. You are the temple of the living God right now, this very moment. Turn again with me to 2 Corinthians 6:16. For ye are the temple of the living God, as God has said, I will dwell in them and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Now, notice this isn't a promise for heaven. It's a declaration for now. He didn't say, "I will dwell with them in glory someday." No, he said, "I will dwell in them and walk in them." God's not waiting until you die to live in you. He already has. The same spirit that brooded over the waters in Genesis now broods over your heart. The same presence that filled Solomon's temple now fills your spirit. The same fire that fell from heaven on the altar of Elijah now burns in your belly. Glory to God. You are a walking, breathing temple of divine power. Say it out loud. I am the temple of the living God. Say it again. The spirit of God dwells in me. Now shout it like you believe it. God lives in me.
You see, beloved, when you were born again, your spirit was recreated by the very power of God. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new." And Ephesians 2:22 tells us, "In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the spirit." Oh, hallelujah. Did you hear that? A habitation of God through the spirit. You are God's dwelling place. He's not far off in some distant galaxy. He's living right here in your spirit. The Holy Ghost didn't come just to visit you on Sunday morning. He came to live in you on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, every day of your life. You are his house, his home, his dwelling. When you walk into your workplace, God walks in. When you walk into your home, God walks in. When you lay hands on the sick, it's God's power flowing through you. When you speak his word, it's his voice echoed through your mouth. Hallelujah.
Now, in the old covenant, the priest had to keep the fire on the altar burning continually. They couldn't let it go out. Well, under the new covenant, that fire is in your spirit. Romans 12:11 says, "Fervent in spirit, serving the Lord." That word fervent means boiling. The fire of God is burning in you. Don't let it go out. Fan that flame with the word. Stir it up by praying in the Holy Ghost. Keep your heart sensitive, your spirit alive, your tongue speaking the word of life. You are God's temple. Keep his fire burning bright within you.
Now let's look at 1 Corinthians 6:19:20. What? Know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own? For ye are bought with a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are gods. Oh, hallelujah. That's plain, isn't it? You are the temple of the Holy Ghost. You don't belong to yourself anymore. You were bought with a price, the blood of Jesus Christ, and now God owns the property. Glory to God. And I'll tell you what, God takes care of his property. He keeps his temple healed. He keeps his temple whole. He keeps his temple filled with power and peace and joy. You don't have to fall apart. You don't have to break down because the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you. Roman says, "But if the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he
"that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you." Oh, glory to God. That's not talking about the resurrection someday. It says your mortal body, that's the one you're living in right now. The same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives inside of you to quicken, to strengthen, to heal, to renew, to revitalize your body today.
Say it out loud. The spirit of life is in me. Say it again. My body is his temple. Say it once more. That life is working in every cell, every organ, every muscle, every bone. Hallelujah. That's the truth. The Holy Ghost didn't move in just to sit there quietly. He came to energize, to strengthen, to heal, to manifest the life of God in you.
Now, let me show you something that'll bless you. In the Old Testament, when the presence of God filled the temple, no flesh could stand. The priests fell on their faces. They couldn't minister because the glory of God filled the house. But today, that glory is in you. It doesn't knock you down. It lifts you up. It doesn't destroy, it powers. It doesn't visit, it abides. Hallelujah. That glory in you will drive out sickness, drive out fear, drive out depression, drive out lack, drive out weakness. You don't need to beg for power. You are filled with power. You don't have to cry for revival. You are the revival because God lives in you.
Oh, praise God. When the devil comes against you, he's not just coming against flesh and blood. He's coming against the temple of the Holy Ghost. And the temple is off limits to darkness. The temple is holy ground. The temple is filled with light. The temple belongs to God. That's why 1 John 4:4 says, "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them. Because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world." The greater one lives in you. The healer lives in you. The deliverer lives in you. The wisdom of God lives in you. The power of God lives in you. Glory to God forever more.
When you walk into a situation, you don't walk in alone. When you speak to that mountain, you're not speaking from your own strength. You're speaking from divine authority. When you lay hands on the sick, it's God laying his hands through yours. You are his temple, his instrument, his voice, his vessel, his dwelling place on the earth. Say it again. I am his temple. Say it louder. God lives in me. Say it with joy. The greater one dwells in me and he puts me over every test, every trial, every temptation, every enemy. Oh, hallelujah. You are the modern tabernacle, the living temple of the Holy Ghost. God walks in you, talks in you, heals through you, and manifest his glory in you. That's not theology. That's reality. You are not waiting on God to show up. He already has. You are his address. You are his temple. You are his habitation on earth. Glory to God. So walk like it, talk like it, pray like it, live like it, act like God himself lives in you because he does. Hallelujah to Jesus forever more.
Now beloved, we've come to the heart of this message. how to live this truth every single day. It's one thing to know that God lives in you, but it's another thing to walk like it. Oh, glory to God. Many Christians have the Holy Ghost, but they don't walk in the consciousness of his indwelling presence. You see, it's not enough just to have him. You've got to acknowledge him. You've got to live every moment aware that the greater one lives inside of you. Feman 1:6 says that the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. Did you notice that faith becomes effective when you acknowledge what's in you? The power doesn't work automatically. It works when you recognize it, confess it, and act on it.
Say it right now. The Holy Ghost lives in me. Say it again. The greater one dwells in me. Say it until it gets down into your spirit. God himself walks in me, talks in me, works through me. Oh, hallelujah. You see, when you begin to live without awareness, everything changes. Fear can't stay where that awareness is. Sickness can't stay where that awareness is. Depression can't live in a heart full of divine consciousness. The presence of God in you makes you untouchable to the enemy.
Now, turn with me to Proverbs 3:6. The word says, "In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." That's not talking about a distant God. It's talking about the God who lives inside you. Acknowledge him in you. Before you make a decision, say, "Holy Spirit, you live in me. You are my wisdom, my guide, my helper." Before you face a challenge, say, "Lord, you are my strength and my victory." Right here inside. Before you step into your day, say, "God, you walk in me today." That's how you practice his presence. You don't beg for him to come down. You thank him for already being inside. You don't pray out of desperation. You speak from divine association. Glory to God.
When you wake up in the morning, don't start your day by saying, "Oh Lord, be with me." No. Say, "Lord, I thank you that you are in me. You never leave me. You never forsake me. You are walking with me today. You are working through me today." When you drive to work, talk to him. When you face a problem, look inward. He's there. When you feel weak, remember his strength is in you. The Holy Ghost doesn't sleep when you sleep and he doesn't leave when you wake. He abides forever.
Now, I remember years ago when I was just learning this truth, I began to train myself to say quietly throughout the day, "The greater one lives in me." I'd say it in the morning. I'd say it at noon. I'd say it before bed. I wasn't trying to get God to move. I was stirring up my awareness of it. And you know what happened? The more I said it, the more real it became. The more real it became, the more it worked. Miracles began to flow. Not because God suddenly showed up, but because I finally started acting like he'd been there all along. That's what 2 Timothy 1:6 means when it says, "Stir up the gift of God which is in thee." You got to stir up what's already in you. The power is there, but you must keep it stirred. Just like you'd stir up a cup of coffee to bring the sweetness from the bottom to the top, you got to stir up your spirit to bring the presence from potential to manifestation.
You see, some people live as though God were far away. They pray as though he has to travel to get to him. But the truth is, he's right there inside, ready to act the moment you believe. Oh, I love what 1 John 4:15 says. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believe the love that God hath to us. God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Did you hear that? God dwelleth in him. That's not poetic language. That's divine reality. Every time you walk in love, you're walking in God. Every time you speak faith, you're speaking out of his presence. Every time you forgive, you're letting him live through you. Practicing his presence isn't complicated. It's simply staying aware of who's inside of you. And the more you're aware of him, the more his power flows freely.
When the devil whispers, "You're weak," you answer back, "The greater one lives in me." When your mind says you can't do it, you say, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." When the doctor says there's no hope, you say, "The same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in me and quickens my body." You see, your confession activates his presence. Your faith gives him expression. When you agree with the word, the spirit manifests what you speak. That's why Hebrews 13:5-6 says, "He has said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, so that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."
Oh, glory to God. God says, "I'm in you." And your response should be, "Therefore, I say boldly, the Lord is my helper." That's how you live in awareness. You keep your mouth in line with his word. Beloved, this is what it means to walk in the spirit, not just to speak in tongues on Sunday, but to live every moment conscious of his presence on Monday. To be aware of him in your thoughts, your words, your actions. To listen on the inside for his guidance. To depend on his strength instead of your own. Everywhere you go, carry this truth in your heart and on your lips. God lives in me. The greater one dwells in me. His life flows through me. His wisdom guides me. His peace rules me. His power strengthens me. His joy sustains me. Say it when you rise. Say it when you walk. Say it when you face challenges. Say it when you lie down to rest. Keep the awareness of his indwelling presence alive. And you'll walk in victory every day of your life.
Oh, glory to God. You're not trying to get to where God is. He's already come to where you are. You're not trying to pull heaven down. It's already moved in. You are his house, his habitation, his holy temple. And when you walk with that awareness, the same power that filled Jesus's life will fill yours. Say it one more time. God lives in me. I am his temple. I acknowledge his presence. I walk in his power. And the greater one in me puts me over every situation in life. Hallelujah. Forever more.
Now beloved, the purpose of God indwelling you is not only that you may know his presence, that you may show his power. Hallelujah. God didn't move into your spirit to sit quietly in a corner. He moved in to manifest himself through you to a dark and dying world. Oh, glory to God. Listen to me. The world doesn't need more religion. It needs more revelation. It doesn't need another sermon about God being somewhere up there. It needs believers who walked the earth as living proof that he's right here inside of us. Jesus said in Matthew 5:14-16, "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven." Oh hallelujah. That's your calling to shine. Not to hide, not to shrink, not to fear, but to shine. You are the light of the world because the light of the world lives in you. God is no longer revealing himself from heaven. He's revealing himself through his people. When Jesus walked the earth, he was the visible manifestation of the invisible God. And now that same spirit, that same presence, that same power lives in you so that you might be the visible manifestation of Jesus to this generation. Glory to God.
Paul said in Galatians 2:20, "I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live. Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." Say it with me. Christ liveth in me. Say it again. Christ liveth in me. That's the secret to victory. That's the secret to power. That's the secret to living above the storms of life. Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Now, some people say, "Brother Hagen, I'm just trying to hold on till Jesus come." No. Bless God. Don't just hold on. Shine on. Don't hide in fear. Walk in faith. Don't wait for heaven. Manifest heaven right where you are. The greater one lives in you to bring heaven's reality into your everyday life. You are God's hands in this world. You are his voice. You are his feet. You are his ambassador. 2 Corinthians 5:20 says, "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us." Oh, glory to God. When you speak his word, he speaks through you. When you lay hands on the sick, he lays his hands through yours. When you walk in love, the Father himself walks in you. You are the visible dwelling of the invisible God.
Now listen to me. The world can't see the Holy Spirit, but it can see you. And when you walk in faith, when you live in love, when you speak the word, the world catches a glimpse of God. You become his reflection, his representation, his demonstration in the earth. That's why Jesus said in John 14:12, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also, and greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto my father." Why did he go to the father? So that the Holy Ghost could come. Why did the Holy Ghost come? So that you could continue the works of Jesus. Hallelujah.
Say it with me. The same spirit that worked through Jesus works through me. Say it again. The same power that healed the sick and raised the dead lives in me right now. That's not pride. That's the word. That's not arrogance. That's revelation. God planned it that way. He wanted his life multiplied, his presence magnified, his glory manifested through a body of believers who carry his spirit wherever they go. Colossians 1:27 says, "Christ in you, the hope of glory." What is glory? It's God in manifestation. Glory isn't a cloud. It's a presence revealed. Glory isn't smoke. It's a visible expression of God's power and goodness. And that glory, hallelujah, is living in you, waiting to be revealed through you.
You see, the world won't believe because you argue them into faith. They'll believe because they see the reality of God in you. They'll believe because they feel his love when you speak. They'll believe because they encounter his power when you pray. Everywhere you go, you are carrying the glory. Every word you speak in faith releases that glory. Every act of love manifests that glory. Every prayer in the spirit broadcasts that glory. You are a walking revival. Glory to God forever more.
Oh, but we've been too quiet about it. Too many believers are praying for God to move when God is saying, "Move and I'll move in you." They're waiting for a visitation when they're already in habitation. They're waiting for the glory to fall when the glory's already filled them. What we need today is not another outpouring from heaven. We need an outflowing from within. Glory to God. Jesus said in John 7:38, "He that believeth on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." Did you hear that? Out of his belly shall flow. Not out of heaven, not out of the clouds, but out of you.
Say it out loud. The glory of God flows out of me. Say it again. The power of God works through me. Say it until your heart catches fire. The greater one in me is revealing himself through me. You are God's distribution center in the earth. You're his pipeline, his outlet, his expression. He lives in you so he can live through you. He filled you so he could flow from you. When you walk in love, his nature is seen. When you speak in faith, his authority is heard. When you lay hands on the sick, his power is revealed. When you forgive, his mercy is displayed. When you give, his generosity is known. When you rejoice, his joy is witnessed. Oh, hallelujah. Every part of your life is meant to manifest the indwelling Christ.
You see, dear friend, this is what Jesus prayed for in John 17:23. "I in them and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that thou has sent me and has loved them as thou has loved me." The world will know Jesus is real when they see him living in you. The world will believe the gospel when it's demonstrated, not just declared. You are the proof that the tomb is empty because the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead now lives in your body. So lift up your head, child of God. You're not just a church member. You're a carrier of glory. You're not just a believer. You're a living temple of divine presence. You're not just waiting for heaven. You're bringing heaven to earth.
Say it again. God lives in me. The greater one works through me. I manifest his glory everywhere I go. And when the church begins to live this way, aware, alive, anointed, then the world will see what true Christianity looks like. Not weak, not weary, not defeated, but filled with power, love, and glory. Oh, hallelujah. We are his temple. We are his voice. We are his body. We are his light. And the glory that once filled the tabernacle now fills us. So let the rivers flow. Let the power shine. Let the world see Jesus in you, Christ in you, the hope of glory. Glory to God forever more.
Now beloved, everything we've learned must be put into words. Faith is not silent. The power of the indwelling presence is released through your confession. Romans 10:10 says, "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." The same law that brought salvation brings manifestation. Whatever God has done in you must be declared through you before it becomes seen around you. Jesus said in Mark 11:23, "Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he saith." Hallelujah.
You see, you've got to say it before you see it. God spoke the world into existence with words. Jesus spoke to storms, spoke to sickness, spoke to demons, spoke to death, and it obeyed him. Now that same authority, that same power, that same spirit is in you. Oh, glory to God. Listen to me now. You will never rise above the confession of your lips. Your words set the boundaries of your faith. If you speak weakness, weakness dominates. If you speak fear, fear controls. But if you speak faith, hallelujah, faith conquers. So today we're going to declare what God has already said about us. Not what we feel, not what we see, but what the word says. And when we do, the greater one inside will confirm his word with signs following.
Say this out loud with me. Say it strong. Confession of the indwelling presence. Father, I thank you that you live in me. You have made my body, your temple, my heart, your home, my spirit, your dwelling place. Your word says I will dwell in them and walk in them. And I believe it. The Holy Ghost lives in me. The same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in me. He quickens my mortal body. He strengthens my mind. He fills my spirit with power.
Say this now. Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world. The greater one lives in me today. He puts me over every test, every trial, every circumstance of life. When I lay hands on the sick, he flows through me. When I speak the word, his authority backs me. When I walk in love, his nature shines through me. When I face the enemy, his power stands before me. I am not trying to get power. I am filled with power. I am not trying to reach God. He lives in me now. Oh hallelujah. The life of God is in me. The peace of God guards me. The love of God motivates me. The joy of the Lord strengthens me. The wisdom of God guides me. The glory of God surrounds me. I am not moved by what I feel. I am not moved by what I see. I am moved only by what I believe. And I believe the word of God.
Say this. I am the temple of the Holy Ghost. God walks in me, talks in me, and works through me. The greater one is my helper. The greater one is my comforter. The greater one is my strengthener. The greater one is my standby. The greater one is my guide and he lives in me forever. Hallelujah.
Now lift your hands and say, "Thank you, Father, for making me your temple. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for cleansing me with your blood. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for filling me with your presence. I acknowledge you in me right now. I yield to you. I listen to you. I follow you and I manifest you to my world." Now say it again till it burns in your spirit. The greater one lives in me. The greater one lives in me. The greater one lives in me. Every time fear tries to come, say it. Every time sickness whispers, say it. Every time the devil lies, say it. Every time your mind doubts, say it. And the awareness of his presence will grow. The power of his indwelling will rise. The glory of God will shine out of you until darkness flees, sickness bows, and faith triumphs. Hallelujah. Forever more.
Let me tell you something, beloved. Confession isn't for Sunday morning. It's for daily living. You don't confess once and forget it. You confess until the word becomes more real than the world. The old covenant had priests who offered sacrifices continually. But under the new covenant, you are royal priesthood offering up spiritual sacrifices, the fruit of your lips, giving thanks to his name. So let your lips continually declare, "I have God's life in me. I have God's power in me. I have God's wisdom in me. I have God's victory in me. I have the greater one living inside me." And as you speak, that life will rise within you like a mighty river. It'll overflow into your circumstances, into your family, into your finances, into your body. For the word spoken in faith releases the God who lives within you.
Say it once more. I am God's temple. His glory dwells in me. His power works through me. His spirit leads me. His love compels me. And his victory belongs to me. Oh, hallelujah. That's how you live victorious. That's how you walk above fear and failure. That's how you demonstrate the indwelling Christ by speaking what God has said until your whole life echoes heaven's reality. Glory to God forever more.
Now beloved, we've come full circle in this great truth. The glory of God has moved in. The same presence that once filled the Holy of Holies now filled your spirit. The same Shekinah that Israel feared to approach has taken up residence inside every born again believer. Oh, glory to God. The glory has not departed. The glory has relocated. It's not behind a veil. It's within your heart. It's not in a building. It's in a believer. You are the walking, living, breathing temple of the most high God.
Let's look again at 2 Corinthians 6:16. "For ye are the temple of the living God. As God hath said, I will dwell in them and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." Oh, hallelujah. Notice, he said it, not man. God himself said it. When God says, "I will dwell in them," that's not a visitation. That's habitation. Say it out loud. God lives in me, not as a visitor, but as a resident.
You see, in the Old Testament, God came upon men, but in the new, he lives within men. In the old, they had moments of glory. But in the new, we have a lifestyle of glory. The priests of old had to prepare the altar and offer incense to invite the presence of God. But under this new covenant, the altar is your heart, the incense is your praise, and the fire is the Holy Ghost. Hallelujah. That fire never goes out. Oh, thank God. The veil was torn from top to bottom. God moved out of temples made with hands and into temples made by his own spirit. He left the marble and the gold to dwell in flesh and blood. Why? So he could walk among men again, not from heaven, but from within his people. Oh, glory to God.
Hear me now. You are carrying divine treasure in an earthen vessel. You are heaven's address on earth. When God wants to speak, he speaks through you. When he wants to touch, he touches through you. When he wants to love, he loves through you. That's why Jesus said in Matthew 28:20, "Lo, I am with you always, even until the end of the world." He didn't mean he just follow you from a distance. He meant I'm in you forever, continuously, completely. Say it. He's in me always. Say it again. He never leaves me, never forsakes me. You don't have to beg for his presence. You don't have to chase his glory. You don't have to cry for open heavens. They've already opened at Pentecost and never closed again. You are his temple. You are his dwelling. You are his glory carrier.
Now, what's our job? To let that glory shine out. Didn't Jesus say in Matthew 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven." He didn't say, "Pray for light." He said, "Let it shine." Say it right now. I will let the glory of God shine through me. Let it shine in your family. Let it shine in your business. Let it shine in your neighborhood. Let it shine in the grocery store, in the hospital, in the school, on the job, in every conversation. Let the presence of God radiate through you. Because when you walk into a room, the temple of God has just entered that room. When you speak, the voice of heaven has just been heard on earth. When you lay your hand on the sick, the power of the Holy Ghost flows through you. You are not ordinary. You are not powerless. You are not empty. You are full of God.
Paul said in Ephesians 3:19, "That ye might be filled with all the fullness of God." Do you hear that? All the fullness of God. Not a portion, not a sprinkle, not a Sunday morning measure. All the fullness. That means you got more power inside you than all the devils in hell can withstand. You've got more light in your spirit than darkness can comprehend. You've got more life than death can destroy. Oh, glory to God. I feel the Holy Ghost right now. That's why the devil fears a believer who knows who he is in Christ. Because the moment you realize God lives in you, his lies lose power. He can't deceive you. He can't dominate you. He can't destroy you. Say it boldly. The greater one lives in me. The power of God flows through me. The glory of God shines out of me. Yes. Hallelujah. That's the revelation that turns timid saints into triumphant soldiers. That's the revelation that transforms a church from a place of weakness to a center of divine activity. We are not waiting for a move of God. We are the move of God. We're not waiting for revival. The spirit of revival already dwells within us. We're not asking for the glory. The glory has moved in. So lift your hands and give him praise. Thank him for his indwelling. Thank him for his presence. Thank him that you are his temple, his dwelling, his habitation of power.
Say this aloud. Father, I thank you. You live in me. You walk in me. You work through me. Your glory fills me. Your spirit empowers me. Your word governs me. Your love flows through me. And I will let my light shine. I will reveal Jesus everywhere I go. I am the temple of the living God and the glory has moved in. Oh hallelujah. The glory has moved in.
So now church, let's go out and shine. Let's be the visible Jesus to an invisible world. Let's carry the presence that heals, saves, and delivers. Let's walk tall, speak boldly, and live fully conscious of the God inside. For the world is waiting not for another sermon, not for another song, but for a manifestation of the sons of God. Romans 8:19 says, "For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God." That's you. The world is waiting for you to shine, for you to speak, for you to live out the indwelling Christ. So go forth in faith. Go forth in power. Go forth in love. And wherever you go, remember the glory has moved in. Say it one more time and let it echo in your spirit. The glory has moved in and I will let it shine out. Hallelujah. Forever more.