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.” —2 CORINTHIANS 6:16
This is a very special chapter to me. The truth we are discussing here is the very reality that beautifully changed my life back in July of 1999 and has been powerfully transforming it ever since. It was my encounter in God’s Presence that shifted my entire life in a single moment—and it has only been in recent years that I started to understand why this experience was so transformative.
When we understand that the God who is infinitely able and lovingly willing lives within us, awareness of faith skyrockets. It is one thing to believe we have inherited breakthrough faith because of the cross. We might believe that we possess it but have difficulty believing that we have the power to put it to work in our everyday lives. God made provision for this too! God gave us both an inheritance and the power to put that inheritance to work. The purchase of Calvary made faith possible, but it is the power of Pentecost that equips us to walk out a supernatural lifestyle of breakthrough faith.
The inheritance of the Holy Spirit living within us is both mind-blowing and revolutionary. Consider the apostle Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1:17-18: “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.”
Paul’s language at the end of these verses is extraordinary. Where is this glory of His inheritance? It dwells within the saints. There is a priceless inheritance living on the inside of each one of us just waiting for us to make a withdrawal.
The problem is that many people do not live consistently awed by this reality because they do not possess the vision that Paul is presenting here. This is the ground we are going to be covering in the pages ahead. We are going on a very strategic journey, tracking the movement of God’s Presence throughout the ages, which ultimately culminated in His present-day address.
In Mark’s Gospel Jesus came to a physical house. We clearly see that Jesus was in the house. It was in this context where He preached, ministered, and ultimately healed the paralytic who was lowered through the ceiling. We also see that it was in this environment that the “power of the Lord was present to heal” (Luke 5:17). Everyone crammed into a physical place where Jesus was because, at the time, Jesus was one man with physical limitations. Make no mistake about it, Jesus was 100 percent God but He was also a man anointed by the Holy Spirit.
The purchase of Calvary made faith possible, but it is the power of Pentecost that equips us to walk out a supernatural lifestyle of breakthrough faith.
At this point in history, the Old Covenant had not yet concluded, which meant that the abiding Presence of the Holy Spirit could only rest upon Jesus because Jesus was the only One without sin and thus compatible with the Presence of God. Before the Spirit could actually live inside of every believer, Jesus’ blood had to be shed for the complete payment for our sin. That took place at the cross.
Things have dramatically shifted since the era when the paralyzed man was lowered through the ceiling. While Mark 2 is an outstanding example of breakthrough faith, the Holy Spirit has upgraded the experience that is available for all believers. No longer is it required for people to cram into a house where Jesus is physically present to experience His power. Because of the cross, Jesus is no longer restricted to a tabernacle, temple, or single human body. He is currently seated at the Father’s right hand in Heaven (see Acts 2:33).
On the Day of Pentecost, God released the Holy Spirit into the earth. It is the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit within every believer that makes it possible for every single person we come into contact with to have an encounter with God. Under the New Covenant, because of Jesus’ blood, each of us are now the house where God’s Presence is present to heal and transform.
You house the Presence of God that charges the atmosphere with Heaven’s miracle-working ability.
You house the power that turns impossible situations around and releases Kingdom solutions.
You house the Person of the Holy Spirit who makes every miracle, sign, and wonder possible—and ultimately uses these miracles to point everyone to their supernatural source, Jesus Christ.
One of the first things we did in this book was focus on the foundational topic of the knowledge of God. Why? Because when our lifelong quest is after the Person of God, and God alone, then our vision of who actually lives inside of us increases. In order to know who we are and what we offer to the world, it is essential for us to first experience intimacy with God. When we know who He is, we know exactly who we carry inside of us. In turn, we then discover what He is capable of doing through us.
God is what we offer to this world. Any human being, sinner or saint, can offer good deeds, philanthropy, and charity to the world. These are all noble causes, but when charged with the power of Pentecost that each of us carries, the solution released through us is nothing short of supernatural. In fact, it is the only solution that satisfies the void inside every human heart. I pray that our spiritual eyes would be increasingly enlightened to the Precious One that we host with our lives!
Because of the cross, Jesus is no longer restricted to a tabernacle, temple, or single human body.
There is nothing any of us can do to make God any larger than He already is. He is truly bigger than our ability to mentally comprehend or fathom. As we make the character, nature, and very Person of God our lifelong pursuit, then day after day we will step into a greater revelation of who this great God is. The result is that breakthrough faith will be activated within us. When we behold God for who He is and then marry that revelation with the fact that this great God, through the Person of the Holy Spirit, actually lives inside of us, then we come to one logical conclusion: nothing is impossible. It is no longer some Christian jargon or feel-good platitude. No, seriously. Nothing is impossible. Let it actually sink in: God lives inside of us and He is summoning us to be overwhelmed by this incredible reality, which is often taken for granted.
It sounds like A.W. Tozer was grappling with this extraordinary truth as he wrote,
There is an unseen Deity present, a knowing, feeling Personality, and He is indivisible from the Father and the Son, so that if you were to be suddenly transferred to Heaven itself you wouldn’t be any closer to God than you are now, for God is already here. Changing your geographical location would not bring you any nearer to God nor God any nearer to you, because the indivisible Trinity is present, and all that the Son is the Holy Ghost is, and all that the Father is the Holy Ghost is, and the Holy Ghost is in His Church.69
What would it look like if the body of Christ actually believed it was indwelt by God? What if we started to agree with the fact that we have a glorious inheritance living on the inside of us—the Spirit of God, who is no more or no less than the Father and the Son? We would change the world, there is no question about it.
Before we practically apply the reality of God’s indwelling Presence to our daily lives, it is important to have a basic understanding of the precious jewel we have received in the Holy Spirit. Truly, our faith ancestors and forerunners of old could have only dreamed about the age you and I are living in—the day where all believers have unrestricted access to the Presence that they so deeply cherished and revered.
Let us briefly review the journey of God’s Presence, from Eden to the church. This timeline reveals God’s original intent, and how, because of Jesus’ blood, what was often considered to be the benchmark of Old Testament supernatural experience has been significantly upgraded for us today. The question remains, Do we actually believe it?
Eden
In Genesis there is an indication that God walked with mankind. When Adam and Eve sinned, Scripture tells us that they “hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden” (Gen. 3:8). In Eden God walked among men. So many of us think that if we could “only go back to Eden, that would be amazing!” Do not memorialize Eden. In it we see a glimpse of God’s original intent, but I have exciting news for you: Christ Jesus was the walking, talking expression of the Father’s original intent. And because of Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross, something greater than Eden has become available.
Tabernacle
The tabernacle represents the heart of God to dwell among His people, though sinful and rebellious (see Exod. 29:45-46). The tabernacle is a prophetic picture of what Jesus would make available to us through His work on the cross. Another phrase assigned to the tabernacle was the tent of meeting (see Exod. 39:32). In other words, it was the tent of encounter. God met with Moses, His friend, in this place. Because of Jesus, a day would come when all believers would be identified as friends of God (see John 15:15) and would be invited into His glorious Presence through the work of Calvary (see Heb. 10:19-22). The tabernacle was also mobile, a prophetic image of a people who would one day house the Presence and carry God from place to place.
Temple
Much could be written about the temple of Solomon, but for the purpose of our journey here I want to study the tension concerning this building project. The temple was really David’s idea. Being a lover of God’s Presence, King David considered the fact that he was living in opulent and blessed living quarters while the Ark of the Covenant, housing the very Presence of God, “dwells inside tent curtains” (2 Sam. 7:2). Such living conditions were not sufficient for David. So he proposed a building project—the temple of the Lord. Even though it was absolutely stunning (Solomon ended up overseeing its construction), one can sense by reading Second Samuel 7:5-16 that God had something greater in store. God spoke to King David through Nathan the prophet, saying:
When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever (2 Samuel 7:12-13).
Even though David’s natural seed—Solomon—built a physical house called the temple, God had something significantly greater in mind.
Because of Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross, something greater than Eden has become available.
Jesus
The Son of God was also called the Son of David. In other words, the One who was completely God was also 100 percent human. Only God could pull that one off. Think about it for a moment—God dwelling inside of God. It happened! God maintained His identity as God but lived completely as a man who was anointed by the same Holy Spirit that we have received. This is significant, for the Man Christ Jesus became the model and example for the temple that God the Father had envisioned back in 2 Samuel 7:12-13. Bricks and mortar were never God’s idea for housing His Presence.
Jesus the Messiah shed His blood so that the example of Jesus the Man could be followed by every single born-again believer throughout history. Jesus modeled a temple of God constructed by flesh and bone—a human being who housed God’s Presence. Nothing like this had ever been experienced before in history, even with Adam and Eve. God walked with man in Eden, yes. God talked with man, for sure. In different instances, God even used man, clothing mortal flesh with power and ability and might for a season to accomplish certain tasks. But God living inside of man, making humanity His dwelling place, was completely off the grid. Jesus inaugurated the most revolutionary reality conceivable.
Consider part of Stephen’s final sermon before he was stoned to death:
David found favor in God’s sight, and asked that he might find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. But it was Solomon who built a house for Him. However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands (Acts 7:46-48 NASB).
The power of Jesus’ blood made it possible for you and I—a people of flesh and blood—to house the eternal God. Let this sink in for a moment. This is the reality greater than Eden. Talk about a breeding ground for breakthrough faith! Under the Old Covenant, people dropped dead when they approached God’s manifest Presence incorrectly. Now, the Presence of the King of Glory lives inside of you and inside of me. We are the only structure God ever willed to carry His Presence.
God’s excitement about us becoming His house is revealed when the “curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom” the day Jesus was crucified (Mark 15:38 ESV). The born-again believer has been designed in such a way that he or she is actually capable of housing the supernatural presence of God. This should supercharge our thanksgiving and appreciation for the priceless gift of God’s Holy Spirit.
Jesus the Messiah shed His blood so that the example of Jesus the Man could be followed by every single born-again believer throughout history.
Pentecost
And finally, the Day of Pentecost made it possible for every single believer to partake of what Jesus received in Mark 1:9-10 at His baptism: “In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when He came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove” (ESV).
Jesus’ baptism tore open the Heavens, Jesus’ blood kept the Heavens open, and Pentecost ensured that the Heavens would remain open over us. When we came to Christ, we inherited the power of Pentecost. God came to live inside of us, which means that Heaven is currently open over our lives in the same way that it was open over Jesus’ life. I love how Sam Storms expresses this overwhelming reality: “We are now the Temple of God! If the inanimate structure of the old covenant trembled and shook at God’s presence, what is our response, we in whom this same glorious and holy God now lives?”70
Jesus’ baptism tore open the Heavens, Jesus’ blood kept the Heavens open, and Pentecost ensured that the Heavens would remain open over us.
A.W. Tozer once said, “We can press our way into the sanctuary of the holy of holies, and with our hearts, we can meet, know, feel, sense and experience God in a manner more wonderful than any man or woman can experience any human being.”71 One encounter in God’s Presence is enough to awaken breakthrough faith that can completely change the trajectory of our lives. I call this a baptism of fire. Many have experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and I truly celebrate that doctrine. However, there are many who have embraced a doctrine without having an encounter. I pray that my story will be your invitation to press in for such an encounter.
As previously mentioned, I attended a “faith church” for a little over seven years. Some of the principles I was taught were beneficial; some were completely imbalanced. When the bent was toward materialism and using almighty God as a cosmic vending machine to fulfill our every whim, things got severely off track. Prosperity and success became elevated above humility and love.
However, my passion for the impossible never shifted—never waned. I desperately tried to throw out all of the “faith stuff”—believe me. But there were certain things I could not let go of because something inside me would not allow it. I know now that this “something” was a Someone—the Holy Spirit Himself. After leaving that church and visiting other (vastly different) churches that did not agree with any of the supernatural beliefs I upheld, there was still a fire burning within me to walk in breakthrough faith and see God’s supernatural power invade impossible situations. I soon discovered that I was not possessed by principles. I was not some by-product of the church I attended. I was not a parrot of the “faith” teachers or spiritual superstars I was exposed to in those circles. My anchor was the encounter I had with God before I was ever introduced to distorted faith doctrine.
That one moment, though not naturally spectacular, made me aware that the Presence of God was real. I was touched so deeply and so profoundly that to this day I passionately long to give my life to continuing the journey that began back in July of 1999. At the time, the Holy Spirit had me on a God-quest. I was sixteen years old, a recent recipient of my driver’s license, and visiting different churches, exploring what each one had to offer. Curiosity brought me to a local non-denominational church. It was definitely different from what I had experienced up to that point in my life. Contemporary worship. People raising their hands, clapping, and worshipping God with excitement. It seemed a little far out and (quite honestly) creepy to me. In fact, I would often arrive at service after the music had concluded—until that glorious night in July 1999.
It was a Saturday night service. I actually made it in time for the worship set, and while I stood there during one of the songs, I tangibly felt the Spirit of God touch my hands like light electricity, and then touch my heart like a gentle, warm heat. No, I did not fall on the ground and have a dramatic experience—although I have had some of those since. What I tasted of God’s Presence in that moment was strong enough to convince me that He was real, He was near, and that He was worthy of my entire life.
We should never confuse the dramatic with the Presence of God. For some people, it can be like sticking their fingers into an electrical outlet—and they actually look and act like they are being shocked. For some, however, the encounter goes practically unseen on the outside. But something life-changing takes place on the inside of the person. God’s Presence comes subtly but strongly. It is carried on a word spoken, on a message we hear that causes our hearts to burn, or during worship, a missions trip, or even while driving in our car. God is no respecter of persons and He is likewise no respecter of methods. His wind will blow how He wills.
These touches of His Presence and fresh baptisms of fire can happen anywhere, anytime. I encourage you to invite them and welcome them. Even though we pursue God and not experiences, we serve a God who has a powerful track record for touching His people in the place of encounter. The result of these experiences in God’s Presence is radical breakthrough faith. History reveals that such faith releases entire nations from captivity, causes the sun to stand still, defeats entire armies with only 300 men, calls fire down from Heaven, and births a church that turns the world upside down. All of this is birthed in the place of God’s Presence, where man collided with the divine.
God never meant for His powerful Presence to reside in a building or tent—our body is the only structure ever designed to sufficiently house God. Because of Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, this reality is now available to every single believer, including you!
Man: The Dwelling Place of God by A.W. Tozer
Experiencing the Presence of God by A.W. Tozer
Drawing Near and A Heart Ablaze by John Bevere
Manifest Presence by Jack Hayford
Hosting the Presence by Bill Johnson