“So the Lord said to Moses, ‘Take Joshua, the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.'”
– Numbers 27:18
What a great picture in Numbers 27:18. Moses is preparing to not be the leader among God’s people. When he dies, who is going to lead? God is appointing Joshua to lead. God says to Moses, “Take Joshua, a man,” here’s the description, “in whom is the Spirit.” Like, “My Spirit is in him, and that’s what qualifies him to lead. That’s what qualifies him to go into the Promised Land and to take others in there with him because my Spirit is in him.”
The Spirit Now Lives in All of God’s People
Now, take this picture in the Old Testament and bring it into the New Testament like when Jesus dies on a cross for our sins and rises from the grave. He meets with his disciples, and he says, “Wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit comes upon you.” Then, to everyone’s shock in Acts 2, as they’re praying, the Spirit comes upon them. But not just those disciples. The Spirit comes upon all of God’s people.
All of God’s people are empowered by the Spirit of God. We have the very Spirit of God indwelling us. May we live today in light of this reality.
All who repent and believe, they’re filled with the Spirit in such a way that people are just overwhelmed like, “We all have the Spirit?” They’re speaking in different languages by the power of the Spirit in them. Jesus had promised this would happen, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. You will all be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth.”
Numbers 27:18: Living in the Spirit
The rest of the book of Acts is the Spirit of God directing mission, empowering all of God’s people. Not just a few, all of them all the way to today, you and me. I have, by the grace of God, I have the Spirit of God living inside of me, and so do you if you’re a follower of Jesus. You have the Spirit of God living inside of you. What was said of Joshua is true of all who trust in Jesus. You are a man, woman, in whom is the Spirit, so live in that today. Live in that today and lead in that today.
You say, “What do you mean, lead? I’m not a pastor.” You are a leader. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria and the ends of the earth. You are equipped with the Spirit of God to lead other people to Jesus. And you have supernatural power in you for that purpose, to lead people into the Promised Land, to lead people into life in the full, to lead people to eternal life. Live in that and lead others to live in that by the power of God’s Spirit in you.
Numbers 27:18: Asking God to Help Us Live by the Spirit
God, help us to live in this. I pray, in my own life today. Help us to realize this is a supernatural life you have given to me. I pray this for every person who’s listening right now who’s put their faith in Jesus. That they would realize your supernatural Holy Spirit is dwelling in them right now.
God, blow them away with that reality. Just overwhelm them with that reality. That they might live today, not naturally, but supernaturally in the power of your Spirit. Walking in step with your Spirit, experiencing the fruit of your Spirit. God, by the power of your Spirit in us, lead others to live in you. Leading others to you supernaturally. O God, please make us witnesses right where we live and wherever you might lead us. God, scatter us among the nations as witnesses.
Asking God to Send People Across the World to Share the Gospel
Scatter us among people groups all throughout China. All those minority people groups in Southwest China who have little to no knowledge of the gospel. Please send out multitudes more laborers there filled with your Spirit for the spread of the gospel there. O God, please, among the nations, all across North Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, all those islands in Indonesia, God, all across Malaysia, cause Spirit-filled believers to go and to make this good news known, to lead others to life in you. O God, we praise you for the privilege of having your Spirit inside of us. Help us to live in that and to lead others to you by the power of your Spirit in us. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.