MONDAY, OCTOBER 23
Psalm 139:1-10
John 4:13-14

In Thy Word do I hope.

THE SPIRIT INDWELLING (III)

You are a believer. Someone asks, “How do you know that the Holy Spirit lives in you?” What is your answer? Can you give a ready and proper answer “with meekness and fear” (1 Pet 3:15)? This is our spiritual exercise for today, to set out in order the reasons why we know the Holy Spirit dwells in each of us.

1. We war against sin and the flesh. Because the Spirit of God dwells in us, He helps us to wage war against sin and the flesh, to mortify and subdue the evil desires of the heart in which He lives (Gal 5:17; Rom 8:13). This is part of His sanctifying work in us. Every time we resist sin and overcome temptations, it is the Spirit in us directing and energizing.
It is the Spirit that helps us deny ourselves and submit to God.

2. We have a spirit of prayer. “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Rom 8:26). The natural man does not like to pray. Prayer is tedious and tasteless. The Spirit in us understands our problem and He helps us overcome our distaste and lethargy toward prayer. He stirs up our spiritual affections and holy desires. He encourages us to ask for spiritual things and to persevere in prayer. He enables us to keep our early morning Quiet Time and to love it.

3. We mind the things of God. The Spirit attunes our minds to heavenly and spiritual things. For “they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Rom 8:5-6). The Spirit changes our tastes, our likes and dislikes. With His help we love the things of God: to worship, to keep His commandments, to promote His Kingdom. Our love and esteem for worldly people and things diminishes in proportion. We are willing to suffer for our Lord and the Gospel. Our hopes and aspirations are above, not on earth below.

THOUGHT: Does the Spirit dwell in me?
PRAYER: Lord, may I be sensitive to Thy Spirit’s prompting.