"I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people."
—(2 Corinthians 6:16 NKJV)
In John 14:23, Jesus said of his Father and himself, "We will come to him and make Our home with him" (NKJV). This is an astounding promise. God, who usually resides in heaven, wants us in such a state of love for Jesus that he can come and make his home with each of us.
Even from the time of God's early interactions with man, he made this intention clear; he walked with Adam in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:8), and then we read:
(Genesis 28:16–17, 19 NLT) Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I wasn't even aware of it!" {17} But he was also afraid and said, "What an awesome place this is! It is none other than the house of God, the very gateway to heaven!" ... {19} He named that place Bethel (which means "house of God"), although it was previously called Luz.
Jacob seemed to overflow with a revelation of God's intention to make his home with his people on earth: "He named that place … house of God."
Then among the things God revealed to Moses we read:
(Leviticus 26:11–12 NLT) I will live among you, and I will not despise you. {12} I will walk among you; I will be your God, and you will be my people.
The final book of God's word records:
(Revelation 21:2–5 MSG) I saw Holy Jerusalem, new-created, descending resplendent out of Heaven, as ready for God as a bride for her husband. I heard a voice thunder from the Throne: "Look! Look! God has moved into the neighborhood, making his home with men and women! They're his people, he's their God. He'll wipe every tear from their eyes. Death is gone for good—tears gone, crying gone, pain gone—all the first order of things gone." …
The words from the Master, Jesus— "We will come to him and make Our home with him"—are absolutely enough to convince us of God's intention. But even if they weren't, these other confirming passages certainly give us a very clear picture; God will "walk among you" (under the conditions he has stipulated). He certainly wants this; he has said so: "God has moved into the neighborhood, making his home with men and women."
This is God's vision for you and me, in this last moment before Jesus's return. So, to ensure we fully understand our part in this, let's go back and re-read our opening passage in a broader context so we can pick up any further conditions (to go along with the ones we saw yesterday):
(2 Corinthians 6:14–18 MSG) Don't become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong? That's not partnership; that's war. Is light best friends with dark? Does Christ go strolling with the Devil? Do trust and mistrust hold hands? Who would think of setting up pagan idols in God's holy Temple? But that is exactly what we are, each of us a temple in whom God lives. God himself put it this way:
"I'll live in them, move into them;
I'll be their God and they'll be my people.
So leave the corruption and compromise;
leave it for good," says God.
"Don't link up with those who will pollute you.
I want you all for myself.
I'll be a Father to you;
you'll be sons and daughters to me."
The Word of the Master, God.
This passage certainly has some "don't" statements of what to avoid and desist from. This is so God can fulfill his desire of making his home with you—going from revelation to manifestation, and then finally, habitation. That's right, God wants to live at your house and be gloriously manifested with you and around you all the time … not only in your house, but everywhere you go: workplace, office, shops, daycare, family, school, university, church, meetings, servo, public transport, traffic, etc.
So, what did the Holy Spirit include as do's and do not's in this vital passage? He begins by saying, "Don't become partners with those who reject God." The Holy Spirit preempted this way back in Psalm 1:
(Psalm 1:1 NKJV) Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful.
Let's not make any partnership with those who reject God; and let's simply not follow their advice either—even if they have high worldly qualifications or skills. If you want God living with you, don't believe and follow the "counsel of the ungodly."
The Holy Spirit goes on to say, "How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong? That's not partnership; that's war." This statement clearly brings us back to our primary mission on earth: the complete overthrow of Satan's evil kingdom. In Jesus, we are here "that He might destroy the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8 NKJV). This truly is a war, and we simply cannot overthrow an enemy whose advice we are following. Remember, Jesus said:
(Matthew 12:30 NKJV) "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad."
According to what Jesus said here, no one is neutral in this war.
To illustrate his point, the Holy Spirit then says: "Is light best friends with dark? Does Christ go strolling with the Devil? Do trust and mistrust hold hands?" Then, to bring home God's perspective on how this makes him feel, he makes his point; to God, this is idolatry: "Who would think of setting up pagan idols in God's holy Temple?"
Let's be very clear on what the Holy Spirit is talking about here. On one hand, he elucidates God's desire and promise; he wants to go from revelation to manifestations, then to being in permanent manifestation in and around our lives. He calls this making his home—permanent residence—with us. Jesus clarified what our part is: love him by obeying him, and "keep" his word by standing up for it and protecting it from misuse, distortion, deception, and demonic disinformation campaigns. Then, the Holy Spirit tells us how to avoid idolatrous associations and partnerships with the enemy in this war: don't participate at a heart level with those who reject God, and don't follow their advice either.
Finally, through the apostle Paul, the Holy Spirit makes the point he has been leading up to: "Each of us a temple in whom God lives." Each of us is designed to be an abode for God on this earth. Surely, no cost is too great in comparison with this overwhelming promise. God wants to live with you, in you, and walk where you walk; he wants you permanently clothed in his glory, and have his abiding companionship permanently in full manifestation. Don't spoil it by your lifestyle or associations.
Let's conclude today by re-reading his amazing promise, and noting the Holy Spirit's passionate plea for what he expects us to do:
"I will make my home in them and walk among them.
I will be their God, and they will be my people."
For this reason,
"Come out from among them and be separate," says the Lord.
"Don't link up with those who will pollute you.
I want you all for myself.
I will be a true Father to you,
and you will be my beloved sons and daughters,"
says the Lord Yahweh Almighty. (2 Cor. 6:16–18 TPT and MSG)
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