With You. In You. Forever.

Scripture:

^“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17)

Reading:

I was going about my day, juggling all the ordinary mom-things, when my elementary-aged son shocked me. He was casually walking through our house, nonchalantly chanting prepositions. Forty-two of them. From memory.

Perhaps you’re like me and don’t remember prepositions. They are often small words, but they do something important. They show the relationship between two things in a sentence. They describe closeness, position, and direction. And the prepositions Jesus used to express the Holy Spirit’s relationship to His followers are life changing: with and in. (John 14:16-17)

Christian friend, the Holy Spirit dwells with you and in you.

The truth is, He has been with you for a while. It is how you were saved. He was relentless in His pursuing, drawing, and rescuing you (John 6:44, 15:26, 16:7-8). His revelation awakened your need for Jesus.

And The Holy Spirit will continue to be with you - forever. He is not passing through, nor is His nearness fleeting. He is not distant or uninvolved in your life. That little word with implies closeness. Your spouse, for example, is with you. You spend time with your friends. You work with your teammates.

Jesus then says, “[He] will be in you.”

The word in reveals something even more intimate. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would indwell His followers - “forever.” (John 14:16) He has made His home in you. Through His indwelling Presence, He shapes your mind, heart, and desires to reflect Christ.

You know what this is like. After spending time with those you love most, you often know what they would think, say, and do in a given situation. As we grow closer to God through His Word and prayer, we become increasingly aware of the Holy Spirit’s voice, nature, and work in our lives.

How incredible the gift of the Holy Spirit - permanent, continuous, and unending! The Spirit, who is fully God and fully one with Jesus Christ, once pursued you unto salvation, just to be with you and in you - closer than breath, nearer than thought. What began as a rescue has become a relationship, your indwelling friend and Lord!

Your Turn:

1. Has the Holy Spirit’s rescue grown into a relationship for you? Take a moment to pray and tell Him that you desire a deeper relationship with Him.

2. How does viewing your faith as a living relationship with the Holy Spirit reshape the way you approach prayer, obedience, and trust today?

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, thank You for Your work in my life. Thank You for revealing Truth and Jesus to me – teaching, guiding, caring for me. I lay down my life again and ask You to fill me afresh. Thank You for being my Friend. Amen.