The Temple of the Holy Spirit

Day 1, Identity

Temple of the Holy Spirit

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own. 1 Corinthians 6:19 (ESV)

Jan was a tall, thin girl who loved drama. She bounced between friend groups, carrying the juiciest pieces of gossip with her as she pinged. It was common for her to take offense with someone just because of something she’d heard.

Along with chasing drama, Jan had her own set of issues. Easily angered, she struggled to keep herself under control. She also had severe mood swings and I never knew what version of her personality I would be interacting with on any given day.

One morning, she stormed into class, obviously angry and frustrated. I asked her to sit in my office, calm down, and then we’d talk. Jan had no healthy emotional regulation strategies and could not de-escalate herself. She sat, knees pulled tightly to her chest, in a chair. Rocking back and forth, she held the sides of her face in her hands. When the rage became too much, she scraped her fingernails down the sides of her face repetitively until there was blood.

I closed the door behind me and sat facing Jan. She seemed trapped within herself, unable to name the problem or make it stop. Using a soft voice, I asked her to talk to me and to stop hurting herself. All she could do was cry, grab her head, and cover her ears. My heart broke for her because there was nothing I could do to help her.

Later that day I was finally able to talk with Jan. She was no longer scratching herself, but continued to rock. When she talked, the anger flared up and thankfully Jan didn’t get as out of control as before. We talked about what to do when we get angry and how special our bodies are. I told her that anger caused irrational thoughts sometimes, but hurting herself by scratching her face was not the answer. She only had one body and needed to take good care of it, not attack or tear it apart.

              Like Jan, we only have one body. If we have given our lives to Jesus as Savior, asked him to forgive our sins, and turned from the old way of living, then our body is also a temple of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus ascended into heaven after he rose from the dead, he gave his followers the gift of the Spirit to live inside them. John 14:26 (ESV) says, But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to remembrance all that I have said to you. The Holy Spirit dwells inside us. That means we probably ought to take care of the Holy Spirit’s dwelling, right?

              Romans 12:1 tells us to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice. I think of all the detailed procedures required for sacrifices in the Old Testament. God was particular with his instructions and processes. He’s also particular with how we are to act and behave with our bodies—his temple. We are to take care of honor him with our bodies, because he dwells within his followers.

Do the Heart Work

1.      In what ways do you treat your body like it is God’s temple?

2.      Do you think of your body as being God’s temple or do you treat it like it has no value or purpose? Explain.

3.      How can you teach your kids to take better care of their bodies, which could one day or might currently, house the Holy Spirit?

Digging Deeper

Read John 16:7-15 (NIV)

              But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me;  about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

              I used to think the Holy Spirit was like Jiminy Cricket, sitting on my shoulder, whispering the right things to do. He is so much bigger than our conscience or some little cricket. The Spirit of God indwells his followers. We are no longer required to give sacrifices and approach God in a place, instead, Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins bridged the gap. And now we have access to God at any time. We can walk with him, talk with him, and be with him all the time. Anytime. How amazing and overwhelming!

If You Get Spare Time 

              Do you recognize God’s voice? When the Holy Spirit speaks, do you know it’s him? Are you actively asking God to show you what his voice sounds like? Are you praying all throughout the day? Pull away from the busy of the day and ponder these questions whether through verbal introspection or journaling. Then practice listening for his voice throughout your days.