You Are His Temple

When you talk to God, where is he? Where are you directing your prayer? When a child asks the profound question of where God lives, many times, a parent or older sibling will say in heaven. Though this is supported biblically (e.g., 1 Kings 8:49; Matthew 6:9), it is not the whole truth. When Solomon was preparing to build the temple for God, he said, “But who is able to build a temple for him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain him? Who then am I to build a temple for him, except as a place to burn sacrifices before him? “ 2 Chronicles 2:6  If the highest heavens cannot contain him, where does he dwell? Where is his home?

Communion with God is of utmost importance, but understanding where you commune with God must not be missed. Carefully consider the following scriptures.

1Cor 6:19-20  19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

Eph 2:19-22 So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. 20 Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 21 We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him, you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit. NLT

Jn 17:21, 22 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. 22 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. 23 I am in them, and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.

Do you see it? We are God’s house. God lives within us – we are his temple. People often pray, looking up at the stars and saying God, where are you? Often they don’t realize that God lives within them. Yes, many Christians seek on the outside what is already within. Mother Teresa once said, “God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer.” This is true! When a person recognizes that God is within, the focus of their prayer changes. It is profound to comprehend that the Creator of the heavens and earth lives within you. Many people struggle to believe this and therefore struggle with prayer. Charles Spurgeon said, “True prayer is neither a mere mental exercise nor a vocal performance. It is far deeper than that - it is a spiritual transaction with the Creator of Heaven and Earth.” It is life-changing to begin to experience God within you. Colossians 1:27 says, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

When you understand that God is within you, it is easier to live in communion with him. God wants to remain in us and us in him. The power of your relationship with God is wrapped up in your recognition of where he is. Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith, it is impossible to please God, for those who come to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” The phrase you should focus on is, “those who come to him.” Where do you go to meet with God? You go into the unseen realm within you where God lives. Learning to live in that secret place is the secret to a powerful life with God. True prayer is when God is praying through you, not you praying to him. The most powerful form of prayer is when the Holy Spirit is praying through you, leading and guiding you into all truth!

With so many distractions all around us, it is valuable for us to take time to be in a quiet place with God so that we can hear him clearly and communion with him effectively. Jesus often withdrew to lonely places so that there would be no distractions for his communion with the Father. If there are a lot of distractions around you, it may be difficult to hear God’s still small voice within you. You can be sure of this, the precious communion with God you have always wanted will be found in God’s temple – and…

You Are His Temple