God’s Dwelling Place in Us

God makes His home in us, filling every room of our lives with His presence and glory.

Devotional Credit: His Victorious Indwelling compiled by Nick Harrison
Photo Credit: Unsplash

In today’s reading, we are reminded that our union with Jesus is not a matter of our building but of our believing. Psalm 118 points to the stone that the builders rejected, which became the cornerstone. Jesus is that cornerstone, and by faith, not works, we are added as living stones, forming a spiritual house. The Holy Spirit joins us to Him, rooting and grounding us in His life.

The devotional draws attention to the futility of trying to build by law or self-effort. When we strive to achieve, we only exhaust ourselves, but when we yield, the Spirit grafts us into Jesus, and the house of God is built. This house is not made of bricks or stone, but of people redeemed and united in the Spirit. Some believers stand as pillars of strength, while others are weaker and need support, yet all are joined together in one spiritual dwelling.

The glory of this truth is that God’s Spirit does not only dwell in the church corporately, but in each believer individually. Each life becomes a sanctuary where God takes up residence. This dwelling is not symbolic or temporary. It is personal and permanent. His presence transforms the believer’s body, mind, and affections into a temple for His glory. The Father and the Son, through the Spirit, make their home in us.

Nick Harrison’s selection reminds us that this indwelling is dynamic. Sometimes our inner life feels like a place of prayer, at other times like a banquet hall, or even a battlefield. Yet in every manifestation, God is present. As there are many rooms in the Father’s house, so there are many expressions of His grace and power in the lives of His people. The marvel is that the living God has chosen to dwell in us, not as a visitor, but as His home.

Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture

My child, you are My dwelling place. I do not visit you from afar, for I have made My home within you. The foundation is My Son, and you are joined to Him as a living stone in My house. By faith you have entered into this union, and by My Spirit you are rooted and grounded in Him.

You are not alone, for you are joined with all My people into one dwelling. Some are strong and others are weak, but each is necessary. When one suffers, all suffer, and when one rejoices, all rejoice. Together you display My glory as My Spirit lives in you.

Do not see yourself as empty or insufficient. I dwell in your body, mind, and affections. I am present in your reasoning, your will, your conscience, and your imagination. I walk in you, I rest in you, I delight to express My life through you. Whether you face joy, trial, or temptation, remember that I remain your indwelling God.

Scripture References: Psalm 118:22-23, 1 Peter 2:4-5, Ephesians 2:19-22, Colossians 2:6-7, John 14:23, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Romans 8:9-11, Ephesians 3:16-19, 2 Corinthians 6:16, Galatians 2:20.

Real-Life Analogy

Think of moving into a new home. At first, the rooms are bare, but as you live there, you fill them with furniture, pictures, and sounds of life. What was once empty becomes a place of warmth and presence. In the same way, when God takes residence in us, He fills the rooms of our hearts with His presence. He is not a guest who comes and goes, but the One who makes the house His own.

Today, when I am tempted to see myself as lacking or alone, I can rest and say, “Lord, I trust You to live Your life in me and through me, for this heart is Your dwelling place.” That awareness steadies me and reminds me that every moment is lived in union with Him.

Prayer of Confidence

Lord, I thank You that You have made me Your dwelling place. I rejoice that I am not striving to build a house for You, but by faith You have built me into a living house for Yourself. I rest in the truth that You live in me permanently, not as a visitor but as the very center of my life. I give thanks that in joy or trial, in strength or weakness, Your Spirit remains in me, and I am Your temple.