LIVING WORD DEVOTIONAL
By Pastor Mensa Otabil
Friday 15th September 2023
THE HOLY SPIRIT LIVES IN YOU
Scripture Reading: 1 John 2
But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. 1 John 2:27
As Christians, the anointing we receive guides us into the truth. The anointing refers to the Holy Spirit who leads us into all truth. This does not deny the importance of the ministry of teachers in the body of Christ.
The Holy Spirit guides us to study and understand the scriptures. In addition to that the Lord has also given ministry gifts to the church – such as pastors and teachers – to instruct, encourage and edify God’s people. To live for the Lord, we must abide in the anointing of the Holy Spirit and allow His anointing to abide in us.
• The anointing abides in us. Every believer has the Holy Spirit living inside them. The Holy Spirit does not visit the believer – He lives in the believer. That is one of the most fundamental truths of the New Testament. It separates the life of believers in the New Testament from those of the old. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit empowered special people to do special works by coming ‘upon’ them. After the mission was accomplished, the Holy Spirit would usually leave the people. In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit ‘lives within’ all believers at all times. He abides in us.
• Abide in the anointing. In response to the Holy Spirit’s abiding in us, we must also abide in Him. That means we must live our lives through Him. We abide in the Holy Spirit by being aware of His presence in us and depending on His help and counsel in all that we do.
Abiding in the anointing means we commune and live in a consciousness of the Holy Spirit’s presence. We must never lose sight of the reality of God’s presence within us.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for the presence of the Holy Spirit. I live my life through Him. In Jesus’ name, Amen.