Spir Dynamics 915 9/4/96; 12/29/77; 8/23/78
A. Definition and Description.
1. The Holy Spirit indwells the body of the Church Age believer at the moment of salvation, 1 Cor 6:19-20, 3:16.
2. The indwelling of the Spirit is one of the six permanent ministries of the Holy Spirit at salvation. The purpose of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is to provide a temple in the body of every Church Age believer for the indwelling of Jesus Christ as the Shekinah Glory and the indwelling of God the Father.
a. There are no sacred buildings in the Church Age. The only sacred building was the temple in Jerusalem which belonged to Israel and was destroyed in 70 A.D.
b. God the Holy Spirit makes a sacred building out of your body for the indwelling of God the Son and God the Father.
3. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is also a sign of the royal family status, which is superior to being in the family of God, as believers in past dispensations were. In the Millennium, all believers are filled with by the Holy Spirit, but no millennial believer is indwelt with the Holy Spirit. There was no indwelling of the Holy Spirit until the Church Age. Believers in the Old Testament were empowered by the Holy Spirit at times. We live on the best side of history, which is after the cross. Therefore, we are royal family to complement Christ’s battlefield royalty. We receive six additional ministries of the Holy Spirit at salvation: efficacious grace, regeneration, sealing, spiritual gifts, filling, and baptism.
4. While no believers are indwelt by the Holy Spirit in other dispensations, all believers are indwelt with the Holy Spirit in the Church Age. The ministry of the Holy Spirit in other dispensations was technically the enduement of the Holy Spirit. For example, David said, “Take not Your Spirit from me,” Ps 51:11.
5. The Holy Spirit indwells the body of every believer, but only controls the soul of the believer under the title “filling of the Holy Spirit” or “walking in the Spirit.”
6. It is important to distinguish between the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which is permanent, and the filling of the Holy Spirit which is temporary depending on the use of the rebound technique. When we sin we lose the filling of the Holy Spirit, but not the indwelling of the Spirit.
7. The Holy Spirit indwells the body of the believer because the old sin nature lives in the body of the believer. In the life of every believer, human ability must be superceded by divine ability. Therefore, the dynamics of the Holy Spirit are clearly important.
8. However, the actual use of divine power from the indwelling of the Spirit depends on the filling of the Holy Spirit rather than the indwelling of the Spirit. The indwelling is not operational apart from the filling.
9. Therefore, the believer must learn to distinguish between the indwelling of Holy Spirit and the filling of the Holy Spirit. It is the filling of the Holy Spirit by which we deploy the problem solving devices of the protocol plan of God. The filling of the Holy Spirit is the first power option of the spiritual life and without this divine power it is impossible to execute the unique spiritual life of the Church. Divine power is necessary to execute the divine plan. Without the filling of the Holy Spirit there is no spiritual life. A perfect plan demands perfect power for its fulfillment. The Christian way of life is a supernatural way of life and demands a supernatural means of execution, which means anything the unbeliever can do is not the Christian way of life.
10. The indwelling and filling of the Holy Spirit are not synonymous terms.
a. While the indwelling of Holy Spirit emphasizes the body, the filling of the Holy Spirit emphasizes the believer’s soul. Therefore, the sphere of indwelling is always stated as the body of the believer, 1 Cor 3:16; 6:19-20. Your body is the sacred building of the Church Age. This indwelling makes it impossible for demon possession to occur.
b. While both the indwelling and filling are absolutes (they cooperate with each other and are not antithetical), they are different types of absolutes.
(1) The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is an irrevocable absolute.
(2) The filling of the Holy Spirit is a revocable absolute through carnality. But the indwelling and filling are cooperating absolutes when we are filled with the Spirit.
(3) When the Holy Spirit controls the soul, the believer is said to be filled with the Spirit. But when the sin nature controls the soul, the believer is said to be carnal—both grieving and quenching the Holy Spirit
(4) The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is both permanent and irrevocable whether the believer is carnal or spiritual, winner believer or loser believer.
(5) The filling of the Spirit is temporary, depending on whether the believer is spiritual or carnal.
(6) The filling of the Spirit is related to the believer’s soul. When the sin nature takes over the believer’s soul, then the believer sins.
(7) The purpose of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is to provide a temple in the believer’s body for the indwelling of Christ as the Shekinah Glory.
(8) The purpose of the filling of the Spirit is to provide the enabling power for the execution of the unique spiritual life of the Church Age.
(9) Therefore, the indwelling of the Spirit is permanent, while the filling of the Spirit is temporary, depending upon consistency in using the rebound technique of 1 Jn 1:9.
c. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is permanent whether the believer is spiritual or carnal, therefore, it is non-experiential.
d. The filling of the Holy Spirit is temporary, depending on the experiential status of the believer.
e. The filling of the Spirit is mandated by God, Eph 5:18, but the indwelling of the Spirit is stated by God as a fact, 1 Cor 3:16, 6:19- 20. Therefore, the indwelling of the Spirit is a permanent status quo in time.
f. Both power options in the spiritual life (the power of the Holy Spirit and the power of Bible doctrine in your soul) depend upon the filling of the Holy Spirit. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is a temple in the body. The filling of the Spirit is the triumph of the soul.
11. Additional nomenclature related to the Spirit.
a. We are commanded to “grieve not the Spirit,” Eph 4:30, which occurs when we enter cosmic one.
b. We are commanded to “quench not the Spirit,” 1 Thes 5:19, which occurs when we enter cosmic two.
c. We are never commanded to be indwelt by the Spirit (this always exists), but to “be filled with the Spirit,” Eph 5:18, or to be “walking in the Spirit,” Gal 5:16.
12. Personal judgment decisions, like how much you eat, drink or smoke, has nothing to do with the filling of the Holy Spirit. Overindulgence in these things is sin, but moderation in their consumption is not sinful.
B. The Inner Conflict Between the Old Sin Nature and Indwelling of Holy Spirit.
1. The prior indwelling of the old sin nature from physical birth and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit from the new birth result in a great inner conflict, Gal 5:17. 2. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the principle of victory over the old sin nature, while the filling of the Holy Spirit is the function of victory over the old sin nature.
3. Therefore, emphasis is placed on the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which divorces the believer from the power of the old sin nature and marries the believer to a second husband with a new way of life. It further provides a new marriage counselor for the new life in God the Holy Spirit.
4. The inner conflict between the old sin nature and indwelling of the Holy Spirit is portrayed in Rom 8:2-8 and Gal 5:16ff. The old sin nature has a head start at birth. It is only overcome by positive attitude to doctrine, especially the doctrine of rebound.
C. The Prophesy of the Indwelling of God the Holy Spirit, Jn 7:37-39.
1. It was prophesied prior to the beginning of the Church Age by Christ. There are three spiritual uses of water, one of which is mentioned in Jn 7:37-39.
a. For salvation, Isa 55:1; Rev 22:17.
b. For doctrine, Jn 3:5; Eph 5:26.
c. For the Holy Spirit, Jn 7:39. 2. In Jn 14:16-17 Christ again prophesied the indwelling of Holy Spirit, “will be in you.”
D. The Primary Objective of the Indwelling of Holy Spirit.
1. The primary objective of the indwelling of Holy Spirit is to provide a temple in your body for the indwelling of the other two members of the Trinity. This provides motivation for the attainment of spiritual objectives.
2. Advance to maturity and glorification of Christ is accomplished through the filling of the Spirit and perception of doctrine.
3. Perception of doctrine is related to the teaching ministry of the indwelling Holy Spirit, Jn 14:26. The Holy Spirit provided accuracy of recall through a photographic memory for the writing of Scripture, Jn 16:12-15 cf 1 Cor 2:9-16 and 1 Jn 2:27.
E. Anointing or unction is a synonym for the indwelling of Holy Spirit, 1 Jn 2:20, 27. Anointing relates the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to the Church Age believer as a sign of the royal family of God. The indwelling of Holy Spirit is the royal family escutcheon. Because the royal family lives in the Holy of Holies forever, it is important that we are indwelt by God the Holy Spirit. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit demonstrates that we are royalty. Anointing appoints us ambassadors for Christ.
F. The Distinction Between the Indwelling of Christ and the Holy Spirit.
1. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is both permanent and functional, while the indwelling of Jesus Christ is the guarantee of escrow blessing in the believer’s advance to maturity. The indwelling of Jesus Christ is also in the body and is permanent.
2. There is definite evidence that the reversionistic believer does not benefit from the indwelling of Jesus Christ, 2 Cor 13:5; Rev 3:20.
G. Oil illustrates the power of the indwelling of Holy Spirit.
1. Oil lubricates. Friction is removed from machines by oil, just as the Holy Spirit removes friction between people.
2. Oil heals and is used for medicine. The Holy Spirit heals breaches among believers.
3. Oil lights; the Holy Spirit illuminates the teaching of doctrine.
4. Oil propels; the Holy Spirit provides the thrust to maturity.
5. Oil invigorates; the Holy Spirit stimulates production.
6. Oil warms; the ministry of the Holy Spirit warms the life of the believer in relationship to the Lord and other believers.
7. Oil adorns; the Holy Spirit provides inner beauty.
H. The Importance of the Power of the Spirit, 1 Kg 19:1-18. Elijah failed to learn the importance of the Spirit-filled life. He was not indwelt with the Spirit in the same sense that we are.
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R. B. Thieme, Jr. Bible Ministries 5139 West Alabama, Houston, Texas 77056 (713) 621-3740
© 1993, by R. B. Thieme, Jr. All rights reserved.
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