We see in Genesis 1:26 that we were created by God to be in His own image and likeness so we are unique beings.
Genesis 2:7 goes on to show us how God did that. First He created our body from the earth. We are mainly water and chemicals put together in the most astounding complexity as any medical practitioner will tell us. Then He did something that He bestowed on no other creature. He breathed in us the very life of Himself, creating our eternal spirit and we became “living souls” or as some writers say more accurately “another speaking spirit”

All that is wonderful and causes us to rejoice at who we are but the most miraculous revelation can be found in these early chapters of Genesis.  We see that God Himself, the almighty one, creator of the universe came and spent time with Adam and Eve. He shared with them, giving them instruction on their role on earth and presencing Himself with them. All of this makes us realise that God has created us for fellowship with Him. Consequently  we have no idea what we may have achieved had that fellowship and presence with Him not been broken when Adam rebelled and allowed sin to separate them from Him.

It is said by some that Adam and Eve spent the rest of their lives hiding in darkened caves because they were so ashamed about what they had done.

However we see in Genesis 3 there is an immediate pre meditated promise that God would restore that presence to us and of course we know that has been achieved through the work of the cross. We see Jesus without sin praying regularly and in perfect communication with His Father so He knew how to do what He saw was the Father’s will for His life. We also know that He could not do that until the Holy Spirit was poured out without measure upon Him.

There is a powerful connection there for us but we often pass over the full potential of it for our lives. In John 20:22 we see Jesus coming to his disciples and just like what took place in Genesis 2 He breathed on them and said “receive the Holy Spirit”. Now I personally believe that this was when those disciples received Jesus into their heart because they were finally able to receive the Spirit who had been promised by Jesus as a spring of water rising up to eternal life.

So often we look for the outpouring of Pentecost and see that experience will be all we need when the true purpose of the outpouring was to give us the power to bless others.
We so easily gloss over the importance of what happens when the Holy Spirit comes to indwell us. If you consider it the Holy Spirit coming into our lives is the very restoration of the presence of God promised all those years ago. Only now rather than being face to face physically on the outside He is face to face with our Spirit on the inside of us. Jesus said in John 14 when the Spirit comes He is there available to us to be all that Jesus promised He would be. Mrs Pat Harrison the founder of FCF has a favourite saying on just that line stating she loves the Holy Spirit because He has always been to her everything He said He would be.
The problem is most of us do not develop the relationship with Him that we should. We go seeking the power for our own benefit when we should be allowing all that he is indwelling us for to change our lives. We walk around trying to solve all of life’s problems ourselves when we are hooked up to all of life’s answers if we would only seek Him out and yield to His ways.
I have always known the importance of walking in the Spirit but recently I have caught the revelation even more deeply that if I would only seek His presence and allow Him to change me then I will become more of all that the Lord desires for my life. I will walk daily according to His will in purity of heart and motives. I will open up my life for God to use me because there will be no mixed motives when the power comes.

Also I know that one of the things that the Holy Spirit will do as I yield to His purposes for my life is that He will search out the deep things of the Father and reveal them to me so that I can be all that God desires me to be.

There are a number of ways in which we can develop this sensitivity to the indwelling of the Spirit. We have the prayer language of the Spirit which we receive as we are filled with the outpouring in our own life as promised at Pentecost. Praying in the Spirit enables us to become more sensitive to Him and build up our faith. We also have the Word of God. When we study and meditate the Word with open hearts trusting the Holy Spirit to teach us we can be confident He will reveal the purposes and plans of God for our lives.

We are always so on the hunt for the spectacular that we neglect the working of the supernatural heart of God as He again presences Himself with us through the Holy Spirit and begins to restore to us everything that was originally in His heart for us.

I have discovered a much greater sensitivity in my life to the things of God and the outworking of the Spirit as I have pressed in to Him more. As I do so I find that I am listening for His promptings and learning to go His way, doing what he tells me to do and say. I have also begun to see the ability to minister to others has started to rise to a new level. I know there is a ways to go but I am determined to yield my life to Him.

This is not at all an exhaustive study and I am sure we will visit this topic again as it is so real in me. In the meantime I want to encourage you to be open to the working of the Holy Spirit in your own life. First rejoice that you now have the very presence of God living on the inside of you. He is here to stay and will be the comforter, teacher, standby and everything else He promises to be to you.

Additionally If you are reading this and are aware that you do not have the life of God in you or the indwelling of the Spirit then you can change that today by repenting of your sin and asking Him into your life as Lord and Saviour. You will not be disappointed. If you do make that decision for the first time please write and let me know. It will be great to celebrate with you.