The Point of the Temple | God’s Dwelling Place in Us

A few weeks ago, I found myself utterly spent—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Between caregiving crises with my sister and my mom, leading a young adult worship night with no heat or  electricity in the building, and dealing with an unexpected health crash, I felt fried. The enemy pounced. My mind was flooded with fear, negative thoughts, and even resentment. And yet… that wasn’t the end of the story.

In the weeks that followed, through inner healing prayer, God brought deep restoration. When another crisis hit—my mom’s serious fall and heart attack—I was surprised by peace. Where once there would have been stress, tears, and frustration, all I felt was love, presence, and gratitude.

I reached out for prayer, resisted my typical automatic negative thoughts (ANTS) and pressed into the Lords presence and comfort. I found I  wasn’t reacting in my usual way, and I knew something had shifted inside. I was being filled. I was being grounded. And as I reflected on 1 Kings 8, I saw it clearly: this is the point of the temple. God wants to dwell in us—so fully that His peace and presence overflow even in our hardest moments.

In 1 Kings 8, Solomon brings the Ark of the Covenant into the newly completed temple. The people gather, sacrifices are made, and then something astounding happens:


This wasn’t about Israel’s greatness or Solomon’s achievements. It was about God dwelling among His people. The temple existed for one reason: for God to be with them.

And now? We are that temple.

Paul reminds us:

The presence of God in the temple wasn't a one-time event. It was meant to be the ongoing center of Israel’s life—a holy, peace-filled place where heaven met earth.

And now, through Jesus, you and I are called to be that sacred space. His presence no longer resides in a building—it lives in His people. That’s the mystery and miracle of the gospel: God with us, in us, forever.

But this inner temple must be tended.

• What are we filling our minds with?
• Are we hosting the peace of God or the lies of the enemy?
• Are we responding to God’s invitation to surrender, worship, and be filled?

As Solomon recognized:


And yet… God chooses to dwell in us.

So, how do we welcome God's presence more fully into our lives?

1. Clear the lies | Reject the negative thinking, the shame, the self-pity. These are the enemy’s tools to destroy the temple of God within you.
   
   
2. Memorize Scripture | The Word of God is your anchor. Try starting with Ephesians 3:16–19 and Psalm 23—passages that remind us of who we are and how much we are loved.
   
   
3. Practice Presence | Spend time in worship. Let God’s Spirit fill your inner being. Like the priests who couldn't even stand under the weight of God's glory, allow yourself to be undone by His love.

You are God’s temple. His dwelling place. His project. And He is building something glorious in you.

What if we lived like that were true?

What if we made room for His presence each day—not just to survive but to thrive in His love, peace, and power?