From what I understand, we are actually training AI when we have conversations with it like this. Me: As I was reading today about how God took part of the Spirit that was on Moses and put it on the 70 elders, I began to contemplate how the New Covenant is different and how now we are the temple of God. We can have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within us, not just upon us. Even the Spirit came upon Saul and he prophesied, but he was not in any way consecrated unto the Lord, especially in his actions. But now we have this consecration through Jesus Christ. Ai: That's a profound insight! The distinction between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant is huge, especially when it comes to how the Holy Spirit interacts with God's people. In the Old Testament, the Spirit often came "upon" people for a specific purpose or task—like with the 70 elders, Saul, or Moses. The Spirit's presence was temporary, and it was about empowering someone for a moment or season of service. But with the New Covenant, through Jesus, everything changes. As you rightly pointed out, we don't just have the Spirit upon us; the Spirit now indwells us. We are the living temples of God (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), and the Holy Spirit resides within us, continually transforming us into the likeness of Christ. This permanent indwelling means that we have a deeper consecration and sanctification. It’s not about external acts or temporary empowerment anymore. It's a complete, ongoing relationship with God through His Spirit, who is constantly working in us to shape our hearts, renew our minds, and guide our steps. Our consecration now is not based on external rituals but on the finished work of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is the one who enables us to live out that consecrated life. You also touched on an important point with Saul. While the Spirit came upon him, his heart wasn't aligned with God, and his actions didn’t reflect true consecration. But now, because of Christ, our consecration is not based on our actions to earn God's favor—it's already given to us through Jesus' sacrifice. The Holy Spirit inside of us is the guarantee that we are God's people, and He empowers us to live in a way that reflects that reality. So, it’s not just about receiving the Spirit for specific tasks—it’s about living in constant communion with God, being shaped into His image, and walking in the consecration that Christ made possible for us. What an incredible privilege!

Posted by michaelambrosia at 2025-03-03 18:18:14 UTC