God’s desire is to dwell with His people.
The basic restoration of God’s plan is eternal, unbroken fellowship with His people. The Bible makes it clear that God longs to dwell with His people; it is not a side note or unimportant issue. From the Garden of Eden in Genesis to the New Jerusalem in the book of Revelation, the Lord continually moves towards us. God’s desire is to be close, to live among us, and to restore what was lost through sin. The Lord uses the word “dwell with.” We need to understand that in modern terms, “dwelling with” means relationship and fellowship.
In the beginning of the Bible, we can see that God dwelt with Adam and Eve. They knew the Lord in a personal way; they walked with Him and talked with Him. Even after they sinned and were trying to hide from God, God was there waiting for them to come to Him.
Genesis 3:8 “And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.”
At the end of the Bible, we see the conclusion to the story of redemption and restoration of fellowship.
Revelation 21:3, “And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people.” God Himself will be with them and be their God.”What a beautiful picture of the Tabernacle, God’s dwelling place, being in His people.
The Key to understanding God’s plan of redemption and fellowship with the Lord is understanding“faith!”
God offers His forgiveness of sin and a place in heaven as a gift; this gift is called “grace.” It is a free gift; however, we must, by “Faith,” accept the gift and allow Him to transform us to become more like Jesus. Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
What does the writer of Hebrews mean when, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God?”
What Is Faith?
Faith means believing in things we can’t see yet. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” It’s like trusting that the sun will come up tomorrow, even though it’s still night. Faith means spiritual sight.
Abraham showed strong faith when God promised him a vast family, even though he and his wife, Sarah, were barren and very old. Abraham believed God would keep His promise, and he was right! God gave Abraham and Sarah a son, Isaac, when Abraham was about 100 years old! This kind of trust is what God wants from us.
This kind of trust is not based on emotions or feelings; it is based on choosing to believe God’s word. Once we have made the decision, we must act or perform according to the decision. A phrase I often use in my life is the following: “I don’t want to be a legend in my own mind!” This means that I may have noble and courageous thoughts, but if I don’t do what God has called me to do, I let God down, let myself down, and those around me.
Walking by faith produces righteousness in us. Faith is the key to being close to God. For example, in the Bible, Abraham trusted God so much that God said he was “righteous,” which means he was living the right way. Listen to what Romans 4:3 says,” For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” So, when we believe what God has said and act on it, we are called righteous.
Now see what God saw in Abraham; Romans 4:19-21, “And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.”Abraham believed what God said, even when it seemed impossible. Because of his faith, God blessed him.
We must decide that, since we have a God for whom nothing is impossible and we belong to Him, nothing is impossible for us if God has called us to it; the Lord always equips those whom He calls.
What does “diligently seek Him” mean?
Let’s come back to Hebrews 11:6 and look at the second part of the verse, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
What does the writer of Hebrews mean when, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he says, “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him?” Remember, we know that God wants to dwell with us and have fellowship with us. It’s clear that the Lord makes the first move towards us; it is equally clear that the Lord wants us to make a move towards Him.
This is not just a one-time desire for God, as when we accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, but it is a careful, determined, and attentive desire to have a relationship with Him; for God is a “rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
The Lord always makes the first move. We can see that as we examine how the Lord God demonstrated His desire for fellowship and relationship with His people throughout the Bible, we also pay attention to the work of His Holy Spirit.
The Old Testament “Fire and Cloud,” and the Tabernacle/Temple.
In the book of Exodus, we see that God led the people of Israel out of Egyptian bondage by guiding them through the path of escape. His Presence was with them as a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. What an incredible journey that must have been, to follow by faith that the Lord was with His people. There came a time when the Lord wanted to be among His people in the camp. To accomplish that, He instructed the people to build a Tabernacle, which was a moveable tent where His Presence would be. Later, the Lord would direct the people to build a permanent Tabernacle, and then it would be called The Temple.
In Exodus 25:8, the Lord said, “And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.” Up to this point, the Lord appeared as a cloud by day and fire at night; now, He wanted a closer relationship.
The Tabernacle was not just about a portable building. The Tabernacle was a visible sign that God was dwelling among His people. His presence, symbolized by the cloud and fire, went with Israel wherever they traveled.
Exodus 40:34–38 tells us that the pillar of fire was over the Tabernacle at night and the cloud was over the Tabernacle in the day. If the cloud did not move, neither did the people. To “dwell with” meant that God wasn’t distant—He was sharing life, guiding, protecting, and making covenant fellowship with them in their daily journey.
Exodus 31:1-5 demonstrates another important teaching for us. “Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 3 And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, 4 to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, 5 in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship.” Here is the lesson, “only the Holy Spirit of God can enable or empower people to build the Tabernacle of God.”
New Testament Tabernacle/Temple- the Believer
You are the Temple of God. He lives in you. Let the Holy Spirit of God build His dwelling place in your life.
1 Corinthians 6:19, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” The Apostle Paul is bringing to the attention of the Corinthian Believers that they have the Holy Spirit, the “helper,” living within. Sometimes we need to be reminded or remind ourselves that the Holy Spirit lives within us.
As New Testament or New Covenant Believers, God doesn’t just live among His people, but within them. Every Believer of Jesus Christ has the indwelling Holy Spirit of God. “Indwelling” here means God sharing our lives, continuously empowering, comforting, correcting, and guiding us from within. It’s a permanent, intimate presence.
Here are three New Testament scriptures that confirm this truth.”
- Matthew 1:23, “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” Immanuel is translated, “God with us.” Matthew was recalling a Messianic prophecy from the book of Isaiah. Jesus is our Immanuel, God with us.
- John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” Jesus shared meals, traveled, taught, and wept with His disciples. Dwelling here meant sharing real life together—not a quick visit but living side by side. The disciples experienced God’s presence in the ordinary rhythms of life because He “dwelt with” them in person.
- Jesus said in John 10:27-28, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”
Today God doesn’t just live among His people, but within them. “Dwelling with” here means God shares our lives continuously empowering, comforting, correcting, and guiding us from the inside out. It’s a permanent, intimate presence. Jesus said in John 14:16-17, “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”
Some practical ways to grow in your awareness of God dwelling in you.
Our priority is to “go all in with Jesus.” Here are some thoughts about learning how to experience the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
- Water baptism – Jesus said to do it.
- Baptism of the Holy Spirit – Jesus sent the Holy Spirit as a promise.
- Worship during church service. Don’t be a spectator but a participator.
- Bible reading, New Testament first, start in the Gospel of John
- In Christian music, there is a style for every taste.
- Christian radio, TV, streaming
- Join a bible study
- Get involved with church/Christian activities
- Volunteer at church/Christian events
Practical Application Today
In practical terms, “Dwelling with” God means inviting His presence into everyday life—like eating with Him in gratitude, walking with Him in prayer, working with His guidance, and resting in His peace. Just as Israel lived with God in their camp, and the disciples lived daily life with Jesus, we are called to live each moment aware that He is right here with us.
Finally, don’t forget Philippians 1:6, “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” God always keeps His promises; we just need to learn how to “…walk by faith and not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7
