You are a carrier of His glory!

The Lord says: 

"Prepare yourselves to be filled with My glory like never before! For I am raising up a people who will be carriers of My glory in a time like this! Just as in the days of Solomon when the temple was prepared, so are you who are the temple of My Spirit! I will show you the many things that the world cannot see. I will even show you what is to come. You shall walk in My Spirit and My revelation in deeper ways. Nothing of the flesh matters anymore!" 

1 Kings 8:10-11 (NKJV) says, 'And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.'

This happened in King Solomon's days. The word 'glory' here is 'kabowd' in Hebrew, and it can mean 'splendor, magnificence, honor, weight'. That is to say, the glory of the Lord is real, is present, and is tangible. It is the very presence of the Lord. For those who have experienced it, or even experienced a glimpse of it, you will know what I mean. It's so real, and words cannot fully describe it. 

As a beloved of God, you can experience this glory of the Lord and be filled with this glory of the Lord. In fact, people around you can actually sense it, and see the glory of the Lord in your life. 

Isaiah 60:1-2 (NKJV) says, 'Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.'

Back to King Solomon's days. When the glory of the Lord filled the temple that Solomon built, nothing of the flesh mattered anymore. All that's of the world has become like a shadow. It's all about the Lord now. Not about the works of man or the achievements of man. Even the priest could not continue ministering, as you can see in 1 Kings 8:10-11 just now. 

With such awesome presence of the Lord, all Solomon could do was to turn around and release the blessings of the Lord upon the people at that time! You see, with the glory of the Lord so heavy upon you, blessings flow. 

Today, as believers of the Lord in the New Covenant, you and I are now the temple of the Holy Spirit. Not made with stones. Not made with bricks. 

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NKJV) says, 'Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.' 

At this juncture of our lives, let us dedicate ourselves anew to the Lord. Ask the Lord to wash us and cleanse us.

What are the keys to God's glory manifesting in your life? 

1. Holiness and purity

1 Corinthians 6:18 (NKJV) says, 'Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.'

2 Corinthians 7:1 (NKJV) says, 'Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.' 

Let the Holy Spirit fill you right now. The Holy Spirit is the HOLY SPIRIT. The Spirit of holiness. Let the fire of His holiness cleanse and wash us.

2. Worship and surrender

Romans 12:1 (NLT) says, 'And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him.'

We worship Him not just with songs and music, but we worship Him with our bodies, presenting ourselves to Him as a living and holy sacrifice unto Him. 

3. Praise and thanksgiving

Psalm 50:14-15 (NKJV) says, 'Offer to God thanksgiving... Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.'

Psalm 50:23 (NKJV) says, 'Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; And to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation ('Yeshuwah') of God.'

As you live a life of praising Him and giving thanks to Him; not just in good times, but at all times; He will know how to show you His glory and His goodness. You will begin to walk in the realm of greater blessings and miracles.

Not just that. The power of darkness cannot have a hold on you or 'touch' you. You will have divine protection of the Lord. No matter how the enemies try to pull you down, they cannot succeed. Because you have the covering of the blood of Jesus Christ, and you have the glory of the Lord enveloping you and surrounding you. Amen!

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If God has given, no one can take it away!

Every week, we seek the Lord for the timely revelation in the Word to be released to you. 

This is what the Lord has spoken for this week: "Whatever I have meant and purposed for you, no one and no evil can take it away from you, as long as you walk with Me, look to Me, and put your trust in Me. I will know how to establish you and strengthen you. Like the temple of Solomon, you are the temple of the Holy Spirit in which I dwell. I will be with you and I will fill you, as you dedicate your life before Me." 

Beloved of God, you are the temple of the Holy Spirit! And as you dedicate yourself before the Lord this day, the Lord is going to fill you, strengthen you, and establish you, just as King Solomon dedicated the temple in Jerusalem those days. 

Maybe you are going through a time of crisis, or you are lonely, or you are in despair at the moment. Take heart. The Lord is assuring you right now He is here for you. He hears your cry, and He is here to support, strengthen, and establish you. 

And if God has meant or purposed good things to be yours, though man or devil tries to rob it, no one can take it away from you - as long as you walk with Him, look to Him, and put your trust in Him.

Just like King Solomon. You know what? In the first chapter of 1 Kings, there was actually someone who tried to take away King Solomon's throne. He wanted to be king. But no matter how he tried, God saw to it that King Solomon would be king. 

King David was already old and weak by that time, and the people around him knew that he was ready to pass on (1 Kings 1:1). And it was at that time that Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be king"; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen (1 Kings 1:5). 

Adonijah then conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they followed and helped Adonijah. But Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David were not with Adonijah (1 Kings 1:7-8). 

So, there were two camps there: Adonijah's camp; and those in the camp who wanted to see David's desire come to pass, i.e. for Solomon to be the king after King David.

Nathan the prophet then spoke to Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon, saying, "Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, and David our lord does not know it? Come, please, let me now give you advice, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. Go immediately to King David and say to him, 'Did you not, my lord O king, swear to your maidservant, saying, "Assuredly your son Solomon shall reign after me and he shall sit on my throne"? Why then has Adonijah become king?'" (1 Kings 1:11-13)

Upon Bathsheba's meeting with King David, the king then took an oath and said to her, "As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress, just as I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel, saying, 'Assuredly Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,' so I certainly will do this day." (1 Kings 1:29-30)

King David then commanded Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet to anoint Solomon as king over Israel (1 Kings 1:32-34).

You see, beloved of God, if God has spoken to you, meant for you, and purposed for you something, take heart, no evil and no man can take it away from you. The Lord will know how to establish you, support you, and strengthen you. And He will also raise up the right people to help you. 

I know some of you may say Solomon wasn't a good testimony. Yes, he wasn't a good testimony in his later years. His pagan wives turned his heart away from the Lord, and his heart departed from the Lord. But we cannot deny in the early years of his reign as king, he did a lot of good. He asked God for a discerning heart to rule the people, instead of asking for long life, riches, or the lives of the enemies. God was so pleased. And under his leadership, Israel actually rose to the peak in size, in glory, and in splendor. The temple of the Lord was built in Jerusalem, and Solomon dedicated the temple to the Lord. Again God was so pleased, and God filled that temple with His glory, so much so the priest could not even minister at that time, because it was so filled with the cloud of the glory of the Lord. That's a clear evidence of God being so pleased! 

Now we all can learn from the figures in the Bible, from the people who have gone before us. We can learn from their success, but we can also learn from their mistakes. So let us 'eat the flesh and throw the bones'. 

Let's go all the way now to 1 Kings chapter 7. By that time, King Solomon had ordered for the temple of the Lord to be built. Now the temple had three parts - The Most Holy Place (or The Holy of Holies), The Holy Place, and the outer court; which is actually a 'picture' of we, our lives. We consist of spirit, soul, and body. Tripartite. Three parts of the temple of the Lord = Three parts of us as a human being. Hence, the temple of the Lord is actually a 'picture' of we, the temple of the Holy Spirit, who are the believers under the New Covenant. 

In cross reference, 1 Corinthians 3:16 (NKJV) says, 'Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?', and 1 Corinthians 6:19 (NKJV) says, 'Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?' 

This word 'temple' here is 'naos' in Greek, and it means 'dwelling place' (in the context here, 'dwelling place of God'); from the word 'naio' meaning 'to dwell'. So, as a temple of the Holy Spirit, you are the dwelling place of God! God makes His home with you! 

That's why the Lord is saying this is your time to dedicate your life before the Lord, just as Solomon dedicated the temple in Jerusalem those days! And just as the glory of the Lord filled the temple of Solomon those days as they dedicated the temple, let the glory of the Lord fill you this day! 

Let's go now to 1 Kings 7:21. Here, I'm focusing on one aspect of the temple: The two pillars. This verse says, 'Then he (Huram) set up the pillars by the vestibule (entrance area) of the temple; he set up the pillar on the right and called it Jachin, and he set up the pillar on the left and called it Boaz.'

Note: Huram, by the way, was called up by King Solomon to do the temple-building work. He was a very skilled craftsman, filled with wisdom and understanding.  

Let's focus now on Jachin and Boaz. One pillar was called Jachin, and another pillar was called Boaz, at the entrance area of the temple. 

What are the meanings of 'Jachin' and 'Boaz'? 

'Jachin' ('Yakiyn') in Hebrew means 'He will establish', or some scholars define it as 'He will support'; whereas 'Boaz' in Hebrew means 'In Him (in God) is strength'. 

So, these two pillars were reminders that God would establish and support the temple; and in God is strength. These two pillars were beautifully decorated so that people would remember the Lord's glory and presence every time they look at the temple; and people would remember 'the Lord is the One who establishes, supports, and strengthens them'!

But what does that symbolize in your life or your situation right now? 

The Lord is the pillar of your life! In other words, His presence is with you, He establishes you, He supports you, and He strengthens you! 

He supports you, so that you will not fall. He strengthens you, so that you will not be weakened by whatever that happens around you in the world (i.e. no matter how the devil tries to weaken you, or how people around you try to dilute God's vision and God's purpose in your life). 

Isn't that a deep assurance for us, the beloved of God? The Lord has become your pillar! He knows how to establish you, support you, and strengthen you! He is your Sufficiency, and He is more than enough for you! There is none like Him!

I continue with 1 Kings 8:27-29. Here, King Solomon prayed, "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built! Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O Lord my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying before You today; that Your eyes may be opened toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You say, 'My name shall be there', that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place." 

Hallelujah! That's what King Solomon prayed as he dedicated the temple of the Lord those days! As you dedicate yourself before the Lord this day, the Lord's eyes will be turned to you too! He will know how to hear the cry of your heart, and He will know how to lead you from here, no matter what you are going through at the moment. He will know how to guide you and direct you to do the right things! You see, when you do the right things, you are blessed. And many around you are blessed. And there will be provision as well. 

So right now, you can ask the Lord, "O Lord God, teach me, guide me, and direct me to do the right things that You want me to do. And that's how I shall move forward, ready for the many more good things You have in store for me." Hallelujah! Amen!

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You are a masterpiece, not a mistake!

Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV): For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

In New Living Translation (NLT), this verse reads, 'For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago'. Wow! Just the other day, I heard these words from the Lord:
"Tell My people they are My workmanship! Tell My people I have a plan for them! Tell My people they have a part in me! Tell My people they are not a mistake, even if they think they are!"

There are some of you out there who are on the verge. You may be on the verge of giving up on life, on your faith, on God's promises that seem to be unfulfilled, on God's covenant with you, or even on the verge of ending your life! If you are one of those, these words above are for you. Hang on right there, because God says you are not a mistake, even if you think you are!

"I've had enough of those feel-good message stuff!"

No, friend. I'm not here to write a feel-good message that's too good to be true. Far from it! I've had my share of ups and downs in life too, and I understand how it's like when nothing seems to work in life! But take heart, because the Lord hasn't forgotten you, even if you are now down in the doldrums.

I want to point you back to the Word of God now, because His words are spirit and life (John 6:63). In Ephesians 2:10, the Word of God says 'you are God's workmanship', and if you don't like this version in NKJV, how about in NLT that says 'you are God's masterpiece'?

This word 'workmanship' (or 'masterpiece') is the word 'poiema' in Greek, which means 'a product or a fabric, like a beautiful cloth that is woven (put together)'. This word comes from the verb 'poieo', meaning 'to appoint, to ordain for God's work (like a priest being ordained for God's work)'. Indeed, you (the beloved of God) are a royal priesthood, i.e. king and priest (1 Peter 2:9) of today! In other words, you are God's appointment for such a time as this! Hallelujah!

Ephesians 2:19-22 says, 'Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit'.

See the words 'having been built', 'being fitted together', 'a holy temple', and 'a dwelling place of God' here? That's who you are in Christ! 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 confirms it, 'Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's'. Yes, someone has paid a very high price for you, and He's none other than Jesus Christ who paid it with His own life!

The word 'temple' here is 'naos' in Greek, which simply means 'a dwelling place', from the word 'naio' meaning 'to dwell'. And I'm going to show you how God is very particular and meticulous in creating you, just as He was very particular and meticulous in building His dwelling place those days!

Let's go all the way back to the book of Exodus for our Old Testament parallel. In Exodus 31:1-7, The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship. And I, indeed I have appointed with him Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have put wisdom in the hearts of all the gifted artisans, that they may make all that I have commanded you; the tabernacle of meeting, the ark of the Testimony and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furniture of the tabernacle...'

For the record, both Bezalel and Aholiab were the best craftsmen those days, and were supernaturally gifted and called to build the interior and exterior of God's dwelling place. Today, as a believer in the New Covenant (and of course, as 'a dwelling place of God'), you too can expect to receive the best from the Lord!

Very interestingly, the name 'Bezalel' is 'Betsal-El' in Hebrew, meaning 'in the shadow of God (El)', whereas the name 'Aholiab' is 'Oholiy-Ab' in Hebrew, meaning 'in the tent of the Father (Ab)'. 'Shadow' speaks of 'the glory and the presence of God'; whereas
'Tent' speaks of 'the covering and the protection of your Abba Father in heaven'.

You know what this means? You are created in the glory and the presence of God, and under the covering and the protection of your Abba Father! Therefore, today, you are also meant to have the glory and the presence of God, and live under the covering and the protection of your Abba Father in your life now! The Word of God says, 'in Him, we live, we move, and we have our being'! (Acts 17:28)

And no wonder King David (who knew his God well) had this to say, "For You formed my inward parts; You covered (wove, put me together) me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully (reverently) and wonderfully made; Marvellous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well." (Psalm 139:13-14)

He then continued, "How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You." (Psalm 139:17-18)

Yes, God's thoughts for you are precious thoughts! He sees you precious like the gemstones on the breastplate of the high priest, so close to the high priest's bosom (and his heart). And you too are like the disciple whom Jesus loved, who rested on His bosom (John 13:23). Today, know that Jesus has become your High Priest, and Hebrews 4:15 says, 'For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses (infirmities), but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin'. In other words, He is a God who can identify with all your pains and disappointments, and in every season of your life.
Note: And most importantly, we can all learn to humble ourselves under His mighty hand, learn our lessons in every season, and then move on in life!

So, friend, there's every reason to hope. With men, it may be impossible, but with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26) if you do not give up believing. In fact, you have every reason to believe that God is with you, because His name is also called Immanuel, the God (who is) with you. And if God is with you, who can be against you?

I therefore declare 'the door to be opened for you' right now, no matter how impossible it may seem to be! I declare 'the light to appear, and the darkness to flee' in every situation (of your life) right now! Believing, you will receive. In Jesus' name. Amen!

You are built together for His dwelling place!

Ephesians 2:20-22 (NKJV): ... Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom, you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

'Built together' here in Greek is 'sunoikodomeo', which means 'being constructed, or composed together', and 'dwelling place' ('habitation' in King James Version) here is from the word 'kat(a)oikeo', which means 'to reside permanently, or to be housed permanently'.

In cross reference, let's look now at 1 Corinthians 6:17, and then 1 Corinthians 6:19. It says, 'But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him... Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?'

In 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, Paul wrote, 'Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells (lives) in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred (holy, set apart, separated unto God), and you are that temple'.

From the Scriptures above, it is clear that in the New Covenant, God dwells (lives) not in temples made of bricks and stones, but He dwells (lives) in you, the temple of the Holy Spirit. By the way, the word 'temple' mentioned in all the above verses here is called 'naos' (pronounced 'nah-os') in Greek, which simply means 'dwelling place'.

One can personalize Ephesians 2:22 this way: "In Christ, I am being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."

People of God, do you see that now? You are being built together for what? What was the reason God 'constructed, or composed' ('sunoikodomeo') you in the first place?

The answer is so that He can make His home in you! For some people in this world, they live for eating, for some, they live for drinking, and still for some others, they live for all the pleasures they can ever get in this world, but God's Word says you are being 'built together' for God's glory (presence) to reside in you!
Note: There is nothing wrong with eating, drinking, and enjoying the good pleasures that God has given you, but I mean 'the kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking, but rather righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit' (Romans 14:17).

And when the glory of the Lord is in you, people will come looking for you because somehow they know you have the 'answer' to their 'questions'! That was exactly what happened when the temple of Solomon was being dedicated to the Lord! (see 1 Kings 8:22-63) 1 Kings 8:60 says, '(so) that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; and there is no other'.

The Old Testament is the 'shadow', and the New Testament is the 'substance'. So, let's go to the Old Testament now to find out the details of what a 'temple' is, and let Scripture interpret Scripture. In the context of our Bible-study today, the temple of Solomon is the 'shadow', and you (the temple of the Holy Spirit) are the 'substance'.
Note: The composition of the temple

'The inner sanctuary ('The Most Holy Place' where the ark of the covenant is)' speaks of your 'spirit';

'The Holy Place' speaks of your 'soul'; and

'The porch and the outer court' speaks of your 'body'.

Therefore, I can say that the temple of Solomon those days was a 'picture' of you today, the temple of the Holy Spirit.

1 Kings 6:22 says, 'The whole temple he (Solomon) overlaid with gold until he had finished all the temple; also he overlaid with gold the entire altar that was by the inner sanctuary'. When I see this word 'gold', one word comes into mind, and that word is 'precious'! And the Bible says, 'The whole temple of Solomon was overlaid with gold'! You know what this means? God is telling you today that you are precious in His eyes too, even if others may not see you that way! But God sees you precious! Period.

1 Kings 8:1 then says, 'Now Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the City of David, which is Zion'.

This 'ark of the covenant' speaks of Jesus Himself, the King of Glory. 1 Kings 8:9 says, 'Nothing was in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses put there...' The 'two tablets of stone' here speaks of the 'Law' given to Moses. The Bible says 'Jesus has come to fulfil (satisfy) the Law...' (see Matthew 5:17-18). As a matter of fact, no one can fulfil (satisfy) the Law perfectly except Jesus who is perfect in all His ways.

Now, notice in 1 Kings 8:5, the Bible says, 'Also King Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled with him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted or numbered for multitude'.

Before the 'ark' (which speaks of 'Jesus') was brought into the 'inner sanctuary' (which speaks of 'your spirit, or heart'), there was a sacrifice of sheep and oxen 'that could not be counted or numbered for multitude'.

Today, in the New Covenant, we don't need to sacrifice sheep and oxen any more, because Jesus (the Lamb of God) has already been sacrificed for you, once for all! Hebrews 10:10 says, 'By that (sacrifice) will we have been sanctified (cleansed, set apart, made holy) through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all'. So, what you need to do today is simply looking to all that Jesus has done for you at the cross. Many people see Jesus as just another 'religious' teacher or prophet, but what do you see Jesus as? He is THE Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29), and there is no other name by which one is saved but the name of Jesus! (see Acts 4:12) May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23), as you keep looking unto Him. Amen.

Indeed, His sacrifice on the cross some 2,000 years ago was a perfect sacrifice, greater than all the sheep and oxen being put together and sacrificed in this world! (see Hebrews 10:1)

Upon bringing the 'ark of the covenant' into its rightful place (i.e. the inner sanctuary), 1 Kings 8:10 says, 'And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud (speaks of 'the glory of the Lord') filled the house of the Lord (i.e. the temple)'!
Note: The glory of the Lord is His very presence, and where the presence of the Lord is, there is peace, rest, and joy.

As you open your heart for the 'ark' to come into your 'inner sanctuary', you too will be filled with the glory of the Lord who dwells in you! Never mind about the past, or what has happened in your past, but in Him, know that the blood shed on the cross for you has already washed and cleansed you from all your sins, curse, past and hurts the moment you receive Him into your life. Just as the temple of Solomon was dedicated, you too can have a brand-new start in life today! Will you give your life to Him anew and afresh all over again? A brand-new season of God's glory beckons if you do.

In amazement of the glory of the Lord that filled the temple, Solomon then said, "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built! Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O Lord my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying befire You today; that Your eyes may be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, 'My name shall be there,' that You may hear the prayer that Your servant makes toward this place." (1 Kings 8:27-29)

Beloved of God, God also wants you to know that His eyes are always open toward you too (His temple) night and day, for He never slumbers nor sleeps (Psalm 121:4), and therefore you can be assured that He is always watching over you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Not only that, because He makes you His home, His name shall also be in you, and He is your:
El-Shaddai (God Almighty and All-Sufficient to you),
El-Olam (God Everlasting and Eternal to you),
El-Roi (God who watches, who sees, and who is All-knowing to you),
El-Gibbor (God the great God to you),
Immanu-El (God who is with you),
YHWH Yireh (The Lord who provides for you),
YHWH Rapha (The Lord who heals you),
YHWH Nissi (The Lord your Banner of Victory),
YHWH Shalom (The Lord your Peace),
YHWH Raah (The Lord your Good Shepherd),
YHWH Tsidkenu (The Lord your Righteousness),
YHWH Shammah (The Lord who is always here for you, and Ever-present to you),
who lives in you.

And so, if He is in you, of whom (and what) shall you fear?

You are a 'dwelling place' of God!

Ephesians 2:22: In Christ, you are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

You are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit! The Bible also says your body is the ‘temple’ of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19) who is (stays) in you, whom you have from God. The word ‘temple’ here in Greek is ‘naos’, which means ‘dwelling place’. This word comes from the verb ‘naio’, which means ‘to dwell’. So, the word ‘temple’ is a general, neutral word which simply means ‘a dwelling place’, and it can be a dwelling place for either God’s Spirit (Holy Spirit), or for any other spirits (even demonic spirit, or spirit of idolatry). As a believer, know that it’s the Holy Spirit who dwells in you, and not any other!

So beloved, as an individual, or as a ‘church’ (‘ekklesia’ in Greek, which means ‘a congregation of God’s people’), you are being built together as a ‘temple’ of the Holy Spirit, a place where the Holy Spirit dwells in. Notice the word ‘ekklesia’ (church) here refers to a ‘people’, not a building made of bricks, wood, etc.

In the Old Covenant, the ‘temple’ was a physical place, consisting of three parts, the ‘outer court’, the ‘Holy Place’, and the ‘Holy of Holies’ (also known as the ‘Most Holy Place’), where the ‘ark of the covenant’ was placed. It’s in this ‘Holy of Holies’ that the high priest would ‘meet with God’ once a year on the Day of Atonement on behalf of the Israelites. This, of course, was a ‘shadow’ of the things to come in our time. Today in the New Covenant, Ephesians 2:22 says you are now the ‘dwelling place’ of God, and the Holy Spirit resides in you, instead of in a ‘physical building’. Just as the temple in Jerusalem had three parts, you are also a ‘tri-partite’, consisting of spirit, soul, and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23). The ‘Holy of Holies’ is therefore a picture of your ‘spirit’, the ‘Holy Place’ is a picture of your ‘soul’ (mind, will, emotions), while the ‘outer court’ is a picture of your ‘body’.

When Jesus was crucified on the cross, the ‘veil’ between the ‘Holy of Holies’ & the ‘Holy Place’ of the temple in Jerusalem was torn in two (Luke 23:45), and because of His perfect sacrifice on the cross (where His blood was shed, and His body was broken), done once for all (Hebrews 10:14), as believers, you can now ‘meet with God’ and have access to His very presence every day, and wherever you are, unlike in the Old Covenant time. The Bible also says as believers, your spirit is joined to Him, and is one spirit (in union) with Him (1 Corinthians 6:17).

Notice the Old Covenant priests would ‘stand ministering’ daily, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which actually can never take away sins (Hebrews 10:11). In fact, interestingly, there wasn’t any piece of furniture in the Holy Place on which the priests can sit on! But Jesus, after having offered Himself (the one sacrifice that takes away sins forever), He ‘sat down’ at the right hand of God (Hebrews 10:12). This act of ‘sitting down’ by Jesus is a picture of ‘His work being accomplished or completed’. Imagine after a whole day’s work, feeling accomplished and at rest, one would just ‘sit down’ on his/her comfy sofa and have a cool glass of ice-cream soda! Jesus Himself said “It is finished!” (John 19:30) when He gave up His Spirit at the cross. The work has already been completed once for all to take away our sins, and to reconcile us back to God! Hebrews 10:14 says ‘by this one offering (on the cross), He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified’. Jesus is indeed our perfect Lamb of God! His one sacrifice on the cross has made all the difference for you & me! And the best part is this: not only did He sit down, He also made you sit together with Him! (Ephesians 2:6) Today, you can rule and reign with Him in the heavenly places!

Beloved, you are indeed a ‘temple’ (dwelling place) of the Holy Spirit! I see droves and droves of people come running to this ‘temple’ that is you, because 'the way, the truth & the life’, the ‘answer’ is in you! Believe & receive! The broken shall be restored through you. The lost shall find their ‘answer’ through you. The sick shall be healed through you. Praise the Lord! Dedicate yourself today as His holy ‘temple’, washed and cleansed by the blood of Jesus, just as King Solomon did for the temple in Jerusalem, and that’s when the glory of the Lord filled the whole ‘dwelling place’! (2 Chronicles 5:14) Amen!