Marked By His Presence

The Holy Spirit is not primarily about power, signs and wonders, speaking in tongues, healing, words of wisdom, fruit, or any of the other things that immediately spring to mind. First and foremost, the Holy Spirit is about God’s presence with us. It is the presence of God, the presence of His Holy Spirit, that makes all these other benefits possible. The presence of God with and in us is what distinguishes the people of God from all other people.

Consider the book of Exodus. Israel comes to the holy mountain, the place of God’s “dwelling.” Moses is the only one allowed to engage the presence of God. Moses receives the Book of Covenant and then receives precise directions for the construction of a tabernacle. The plan is for God’s presence to move off the mountain and dwell among the people, going with them on their journey. This plan is threatened when the people, in favor of a golden calf, reject God. An angel informs Moses that God’s presence will not be going with them. (Exodus 33) Moses, recognizing the inadequacy of God not being with them, pleads with God.

Exodus 33:15-16 (NIV) 15 Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”

What marked God’s people as His people was His presence! God grants Moses’ request. They build the tabernacle, and God’s glory (presence) “filled the tabernacle.” Once Solomon’s Temple is constructed, the same presence fills the temple. (Compare Exodus 40 to 1 Kings 8:11.)

Later on this same language, temple language, is picked up in 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 and 6:19. This is where Paul speaks of our lives being a temple wherein the Holy Spirit dwells! This is the gift referred to in Acts 2:38, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Jesus living in us! In our typical WIIFM approach (What’s in it for me?), we have focused too much on the by-products and not enough of the gift. Somehow this infection of sin is always diverting our attention away from the true gift, the true gift being that God is with us!

I believe with all my heart God wants us to enjoy the benefits of His presence. He wants to bless us to bless others. However, when we lose sight of the true gift of His presence in us, that is when abuses and misuses of His gift occurs. That is when churches are torn apart and people become disillusioned. That is when worship celebrations become shows and pastors become ringmasters instead of servants. That is when this wonderful gift of God’s presence within, a gift that should empower us for life and ministry, becomes a distraction and an instrument for division.

Some of the inferences are mine, but the main idea of God’s presence being what marks us as His people came from page 7ff of Gordon D. Fee’s book “God’s Empowering Presence.” Tonight was about the third time I read this section of his book. Each time I have read this section, I have become more convinced this is foundational teaching about the Holy Spirit that we gloss over.