What is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit?
Indwelling is the permanent residence of God in the believer from the moment of salvation. At that moment we are permanently indwelt by God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. It is a once-for-all thing; it cannot be changed or lost, and the Spirit indwells every believer all the time.
Indwelling supplies us with an inherent power that can be activated through the filling of the Holy Spirit. Before salvation, our only source of motivation and power was the sin nature. After salvation the power of the sin nature is broken and a new power is resident within us.
Do not confuse indwelling with filling. Indwelling is permanent and universal among believers; filling is a matter of moment-by-moment choice. With the indwelling an inner conflict begins between the Holy Spirit and the old sin nature, and our volition is the arbiter in that conflict.
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Source: The Basics The Basics, Unit 2 - Indwelling: New Power (pp. 80, 147) · Read this lesson in the book →
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