The Holy Spirit wants us to comprehend that there is a lot more going on within us than we dare to realise. Jesus made the statement that the Kingdom of God was within us, Luke 17:21, which is food for thought. It’s more than just a thought, its a feast. Does this mean that Heaven is inside us?
We are more than just a human body made up of flesh and blood. There appears to be another dimension, which is unseen to the human eye, that is resident within us.
Jesus wants to come and live in us and I don’t believe that its after He has shrunk Himself down, so that He can nestle uncomfortably inside our physical heart that’s pumping blood. He wants to come into a realm that we are not aware of within. We can’t see it or feel it. It’s the spiritual side of us that Jesus calls a Kingdom. The mere fact that demons love to come inside humans, indicate that there is another place within us. Wouldn’t it be easier if they just controlled people from the outside than want to come and live within us?
“Don't you know that you yourselves are God's Temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst? “ 1 Corinthians 3:16
I love the statement made by Paul about Jesus. He said that Jesus came to the earth and was all of God in a human body. Not just a portion of God but all of God. There was a lot more going on in His physical body than there was in a normal human being. Paul went on to say that we Christians are complete in Christ and are also filled with God in our union with Christ. Colossians 2:9-10.
We are called to be just like Him and we are told in scripture that we are the Temple of the Holy Spirit (God’s House) and that He wants to live in us.
It says in Haggai 2 that in these last days God will fill His house with Glory and wouldn’t that also include our human bodies and not just be the Church?
“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” Haggai 2:6-9
He has always wanted to fill us with Himself, but He can’t do it in all His fullness unless we agree with Him and so allow Him to do it. He only gives us the land that we see. We have to ‘see’ it in order to believe it and receive it.
“Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” Amos 3:3
In a sense we are like the Tardis in the Science fiction series ‘Doctor Who.’ On the outside the Tardis was just like an ordinary Police Telephone Booth, but on the inside it was a large time traveling space ship. We too are like this, and are heaps bigger on the inside than we are on the outside. This is a spiritual dimension that requires faith to understand. Just as Jesus was all of God in a human body so do we have God on the inside of us. How does He fit in there? How on earth could God fit in us unless there was another side to us that transcends physical dimensions?
Jesus had God within Him and we have the promise that we shall be as Him in this life. “As He is so shall we be in this life.” We are meant to ‘know’ that God is in us.
“Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.” 1 John 4:17
In the parable of the sower and the seed Jesus likens our inner self to a field in which we can sow seed and produce a harvest. It’s not just a pot plant that’s within us but a field in which a harvest can be reaped, some 30, 60 and even 100 fold. Matthew 13:1-23. Jesus said there is a kingdom within us and the world in which we live, teaches us these spiritual realities.
It also says that there is a well inside of us in John 4:13 and also rivers in John 7:37.
The Song of Songs gives us an incredible insight into what God wants to do within our hearts. It speaks of the Lord coming into and inspecting the garden of our hearts. Like Adam and Eve we have the responsibility to look after this garden that He has given us. Those who do nothing will be judged for their neglect according to the parable of the talents. What He has placed within us can be enlarged. As Christians he gives us the seed of His word and wants us to plant it in our hearts and then look after it. The harvest depends on us. He is looking for a harvest and His desire is that the seed sown within us will mature and become a beautiful orchard of fruit, a vineyard and also fragrant spices and beautiful flowers. In the Song of Songs we see that the Lord wants to come and visit and dwell in this garden and eat those pleasant and delicious fruits.
The Bride (The Church) in the Song of Songs asks the Spirit to blow upon her garden within so that the fragrance will flow out and attract her lover. This is what happens when we praise God, its like a perfume that attracts His presence. It says in the psalms that He dwells in the praises of His people. Our praise prepares a place for Him to dwell.
“But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel.” Psalm 22:3
In the Song of Songs we also see that the writer likens our hearts to a secret garden that is to be kept exclusively for our Lord. He is a jealous lover and wants our affections to be for Him alone. The little foxes are to be chased away, for they are ruining everything in the garden.
It also speaks of honey and milk being under her tongue. This is a picture of Canaan Land being within us, for Canaan land was a land flowing with milk and honey. Just as we are called to inherit all that Christ offers of Himself, who is the true land of Canaan, so does He desire to possess all of us as His Canaan Land dwelling within.
“Your loving words are like the honeycomb to me; your tongue releases milk and honey, for I find the Promised Land flowing within you. The fragrance of your worshiping love surrounds you with scented robes of white.” S/S 4:11 TPT
We are all given a heart that is a piece of real estate and with the Spirit’s help, that land can be developed. It needs to be weeded and then plowed up with praise and have the word of God sown in it. Not only that but that seed needs to be protected so that it can grow and bring forth a harvest. We need to hold fast our confession without wavering so as to bring forth a harvest. The Devil is likened to birds that have to be chased away so that the seeds can mature and grow. We need to resist the Devil who comes to steal away the seed from our hearts or choke the seed that has been sown with weeds.
“As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.” Matthew 13:4
“Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.” Matthew 13:18-19
I'm not sure exactly what happens but I see that we can get to a place where He comes into His garden and finds His resting place there. We get to a place where we enjoy fellowship with Him and He with us not just once in a while but every day. I think we have just been tourists when it comes to the presence of the Lord, but God wants to possess us and fill us with Himself and His presence be our daily delight. He wants to abide in us. I love the way it is described in these verses from the Song of Songs chapter 7.
“Now I decree, I will ascend and arise. I will take hold of you with my power, possessing every part of my fruitful bride. Your love I will drink as wine, and your words will be mine. For your kisses of love are exhilarating, more than any delight I’ve known before. Your kisses of love awaken even the lips of sleeping ones.” S/S 7:8-9 TPT
“Now I know that I am filled with my beloved and all his desires are fulfilled in me.” S/S 7:10 TPT
The Bridegroom speaks of an orchard within us. Please read these verses carefully and compare them with other translations if you like. I am using the Passion Translation as verses of choice. If you get a copy of this translation you can read the foot notes as to why he expresses it this way. The writer thoroughly studies the Hebrew of every word.
“The love apples are in bloom, sending forth their fragrance of spring. The rarest of fruits are found at our doors— the new as well as the old. I have stored them for you, my lover-friend!” S/S 7:13 TPT
“My lover has gone down into his garden of delight, the place where his spices grow, to feast with those pure in heart. I know we shall find him there. He is within me—I am his garden of delight. I have him fully and now he fully has me!” S/S 6:2-3
“I have gathered from your heart, my equal, my bride, I have gathered from my garden all my sacred spices—even my myrrh. I have tasted and enjoyed my wine within you. I have tasted with pleasure my pure milk, my honeycomb, which you yield to me. I delight in gathering my sacred spice, all the fruits of my life I have gathered from within you, my paradise garden. Come, all my friends— feast upon my bride, all you revelers of my palace. Feast on her, my lovers! Drink and drink, and drink again, until you can take no more. Drink the wine of her love. Take all you desire, you priests. My life within her will become your feast. “ S/S 5:1
“Our inward life is now sprouting, bringing forth fruit. What a beautiful paradise unfolds within you. When I’m near you, I smell aromas of the finest spice, for many clusters of my exquisite fruit now grow within your inner garden. Here are the nine: pomegranates of passion, henna from heaven, spikenard so sweet, saffron shining, fragrant calamus from the cross, sacred cinnamon, branches of scented woods, myrrh, like tears from a tree, and aloe as eagles ascending.Your life flows into mine, pure as a garden spring. A well of living water springs up from within you, like a mountain brook flowing into my heart!” S/S 4:13-15
“Then may your awakening breath blow upon my life until I am fully yours. Breathe upon me with your Spirit wind. Stir up the sweet spice of your life within me. Spare nothing as you make me your fruitful garden. Hold nothing back until I release your fragrance. Come walk with me as you walked with Adam in your paradise garden. Come taste the fruits of your life in me. I have come to you, my darling bride, for you are my paradise garden!” S/S 4:16–5:1
The Bride says: “Come walk with me until I am fully yours. Come taste the fruits of your life in me.” S/S 4:13 -5:1
I have spent years meditating on all the translations that I can find on the Song of Songs. Its an amazing book that unlocks the love relationship that Christ has for His Bride - The Church. It unveils the magnitude of the love that He feels for His beloved and also teaches us how to respond to Him. Paul prays we will comprehend this love in Ephesians 3:14-20.
My prayer is that you will prepare a place in your hearts for the King of Glory so that He may come in. Encourage the Holy Spirit to blow upon your garden and attract the Lover of you Souls. May you realise that your love for Him is like wine that in His eyes is His most valuable possession on the planet. He loves to drink the wine of your love as you should for His. The word says that ‘His love is better than wine.’ His presence can intoxicate and thrills your heart. The trouble is we can love earthly wine more than His love. I think for so many Christians we love the world far too much and want our cake and eat it too. His wine is just an optional extra to add on to our love for the world. Don’t forget that Jesus is a jealous lover who wants no competition. We need to cast out these little foxes that are ruining the garden within. May our wine be pure and free from all impurities. May it be rich mature and fortified, a wine that thrills His heart. Lets develop the vineyard within and call for Him to come and drink from the cistern of our hearts.
