Indwelling Spirit

John 20:21-22

“Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’”

Soon after the Resurrection of Jesus, He appeared to His disciples. Once they recovered from what must have been great shock, their hopelessness, despair and loneliness turned to overflowing hope, joy and peace! Now they were true Believers, the first ones to personally encounter the Risen Lord.

In this moment “the Church” was born. The Body of Christ must contain the indwelling Spirit of Jesus for there to be true and abundant life. Knowing His disciples must be able to succeed in their mission long after He ascended to Heaven, Jesus empowered them with the same indwelling power He had been given – the Spirit of the Father, the Holy Spirit.

Jesus wanted to send them out with peace, so He breathed on them the very Spirit of Peace! Similar to the way the Father breathed life into Adam in the Garden by sharing His very Essence, Jesus breathed upon His disciples the supernatural life of the Third Person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit.

For the first time, a follower of “the Way” (later to be called “Christians”) was permanently indwelt by the very Spirit of the Father and the Son – the Holy Spirit. Jesus needed Him, and so do we.

TODAY’S CHALLENGE:

Thank your Heavenly Father today that the same Spirit Jesus had was also given permanently to you if you are a true Believer.

Jesus sends us out with His Peace and Power.

Dive Deeper: Study John 20; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Ephesians 2:22.