The Body Of The Holy Spirit
by Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001)
(Chapter 28 from Dr. Hyle's excellent book, Meet The Holy Spirit)
Luke 16:23, "And in Hell he life up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom."
Emerson said, "Every man is carrying his own stature." He is saying that each of us has a body within a body. It is not secret that the flesh is the body of the soul. It is often unrecognized, however, that the soul is the body of the Spirit. Just as the soul lives in the flesh, the Spirit lives in the soul and the soul has a form (a body.) This body cannot be recognized by the physical senses. Nevertheless, there is a body which is inhabited by the Spirit.
There are many real things that cannot be seen by the natural eye. II Kings 6:17, "And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray Thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha." Elisha was surrounded by enemies of God. His servant came to him to report their predicament. Elisha did not seem to be disturbed. The servant could not understand it. The entire city of Dothan was surrounded by Elisha's enemies who were dedicated to his destruction. Elisha simply asked God to open the eyes of his servant to see that which was not visible to the human eye. This means that the soul is the real man. Your soul is the real you. Scientists say, "Matter is spiritual entity in manifestation." There is a manifestation of spiritual entity which is not visible to the human eye but which is, nevertheless, a real body which is the soul which is the habitation of the Spirit.
That soul body is being fashioned now. It is exactly what you personal character is. Emerson said, " you are carrying your own stature, and your are carving it day by day!" Just as the physical body is what one makes it by exercise, proper food, rest, etc., even so this soul body is what one makes it. Every thought is used to form this body. Every word that is read is used in the formation of this body. Every television program we watch and every song that we hear untie in the formation of this body.
This body is being prepared for Heaven. A Christian will enter Heaven at his spiritual maturity when he leaves the earth. Hence, the wise Christian will, through the use of proper spiritual diet, proper spiritual exercise, prayer, fellowship and meditation, build up that body which houses the Spirit.
I Corinthians 6:19, 20, "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost Which is in you, Which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." I Corinthians 3:16, 17, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." II Corinthians 6:16, "And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell with them, and walk with them; and I will be their God and they shall be My people." We find from these passages that the body of the believer is the temple of the Holy Spirit.
The Old Testament temple was divided into two main parts. The second part, known as the Holy of Holies, was very sacred. The building itself was not sacred, but it was made so by something that was in it. This something was the Shekinah Glory, representing God's presence with His people. So sacred was this room that only one man could enter. So sacred was this room that that man was chosen by God and he could enter it only one time a year and only then, by bearing the blood of the atoning animal.
Likewise the temple of the New Testament has two rooms- an outer room which is visible-the body. The inner room which is not visible to human eye is the soul. Just as the inner room of the tabernacle possessed the Shekinah Glory, even so the inner room of the New Testament temple possesses the Spirit. How tragic it is when the Christian forms this habitation of the Spirit with bad literature, evil thoughts, sinful music, sensuous radio and television programs, etc. Wise is that Christian who feeds his soul the proper diet realizing that the soul is the body of the Spirit.
