The  indwelling Spirit

My dear sisters in Christ, I greet you all in the precious name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He is our loving Father, righteous Judge,  consuming Fire and  the Pathway to peace. He who has known Abraham before he was born, knows each and every one of us. He has called His select even before they are conceived in the mother’s womb. You and I are called to be His priests and worshippers even before we were born. Yes, my dear sister, He has called you by name for His ministry in these last days.

Recently I was reading and meditating on Leviticus, Chapter nine. The Lord has already instructed  Moses regarding revering God and the role played by different stakeholders. Aaron , elder brother of Moses, was identified by God to go to Egypt with Moses as his (Moses) mouth piece to speak. So whatever Moses commanded, Aaron spoke and did. One single time he failed to consult Moses before time , was the act of collecting ornaments from the Israelites for making a golden calf and arranging a feast , when Moses was up above the mountain taking the ten commandments from God. This was a great disaster and Moses begged the Lord for  forgiveness   (Exodus 32:11).

Coming back to Leviticus chapter nine , we see that Moses is commanding Aaron to  start his ministry as a priest earnestly. We read that Moses called Aaron, his sons and elders of Israel. As we go through this chapter, it appears as  graphic description of how  animal sacrifice was made as sin offering, burnt offering and peace offering  (Leviticus 9:22). Finally, Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of meeting , and came out and blessed the people, the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people  Fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. This may be the first time that the “fire of God” appears before all and consumes the offerings….Later on we read about this in the days of Samson and Elijah. The “fire of God” is God’s glory , so magnificent and grandeur that   no man can stand before it . It was a fire of blessing.  The people shouted and fell on their faces (Leviticus 9:24). We read in other instances that the people requested Moses to intercede on their behalf as they trembled hearing the trumpets and fire on the mountain.  Moses was also cautioned by God to alert the people to keep off the boundary of the mountain lest they die. I was wondering in my heart , as the people witnessed a rare event of God’s glory being revealed in front of them, their fear was only of temporary nature. Once they moved away from the scene, the fear of the Lord was gone and they defiled themselves in every way.

The next chapter (ten) starts with how the two sons of Aaron defiled the altar and were consumed by the fire of God. In fact Lord honoured Aaron and his two sons by their names for the priesthood. Exodus 24:1  is the evidence for this. The names of Aaron and his two sons only mentioned and the 70 elders remain anonymous to us. But God who anoints his ministers also expect them to adhere to his instructions and remain holy.

“But those who come near Me, I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified”.  (Leviticus 10:3). As we live in these last days, we should learn to fear the Lord at all times. As the Lord honours by anointing us, we should return the honour with fear and remaining holy and never grieve the Holy Spirit, the indwelling Spirit that resides in us. Never cease praying.

 Moses was truthful and feared the Lord, as the  Lord spoke to him face to face like a friend. The glory of the Lord was lit on his face, which started glowing and the people witnessed it. God came down and did the funeral for Moses. Such was their relationship. Unlike Nadab and Abihu who out of their arrogance in their heart, even though called by their names for the ministry, were devoured by the fire of the Lord, which is also Lord’s glory. Yes, while he is an indwelling Spirit, The Lord is also a consuming fire. Hence keep the temple of God which is your own body, a holy one.  Always.

¹⁹ What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

²⁰ For ye are bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. (  I Corinthians 6:19-20)

Prayer : Dear Lord,

We thank you for your abundant grace to be the indwelling Spirit in us. We thank you for the great honour of calling us by name, and given Your ministry even though we are unworthy. Give us the strength to  overcome the desires of our flesh and remain ever obedient and faithful to you.

We ask this in Jesus name.

Amen. 

God’s Love Missions Family