The Lord promised us that the Holy Spirit would continue to perfect the work that He began in us when we first got saved, and that He would see to its completion (Philippians 1:6). What is this work Paul is speaking of? It’s a complete overhaul of us, the Temple of the Holy Spirit. It’s a full gut from floor to ceiling, with not a single room left behind. Before salvation in Christ, our Temple was desecrated by false gods, selfish desires, and impure thoughts. Some things we knew were bad, and some we didn’t realize had taken up residence. You could even be 20 years into your Christian walk and some old sin crops up out of nowhere. But the Holy Spirit has promised to remove it all. Room by room, He wants to rip out all the death and decay caused by sin, and breathe new life into us, whom He now calls His precious Temple.
In 2 Chronicles 3 and 4 (and 1 Kings 6), you’ll find King Solomon spending a considerable amount of time not only building the temple of God, but also decorating and furnishing the inside. While he was doing this, the Lord spoke to Him:
“About this Temple you are building—what’s important is that you live the way I’ve set out for you and do what I tell you, following my instructions carefully and obediently. Then I’ll complete in you the promise I made to David your father. I’ll personally take up my residence among the Israelites—I won’t desert my people Israel”
– 1 Kings 6:11-13 (MSG)
As we are faithful to God in the little things—reading the Word, talking to God, staying pure in our hearts and minds, and truly repenting if we do mess up—the Holy Spirit will continue to do in us what Solomon did in the Temple of God, not leaving it empty, but filling it with the best of what he had, and making it beautiful, steadfast, and holy.
Pursue your purpose in Him,
Anthony B.
