Read Exodus 14:23-31.
When the Egyptians wanted to destroy God's people, it was the pillar of cloud and fire that stood between the chariots of Pharaoh and the fleeing Israelites. The cloud—the Holy Spirit—protected the people of God. The cloud was also a sign of God's presence and provision on their journey.
The Spirit is our down payment, proof that God has already made us new.
In the same way, the Holy Spirit is God's presence for our life's journey. The Holy Spirit temporarily filled people in the Old Testament—men like Samson and David. But today, because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross, the Holy Spirit has been given to us in an enduring, new way. He stays with us always, faithfully guiding us, empowering us to live as children of God and no longer as slaves, and marking us as new creations in Christ.
He is also a sign of God's provision. The Israelites would have died in the wilderness without the cloud to lead them. They had to move when it moved, stop when it stopped. The cloud was guiding them to places of provision, preparing them for the Promised Land. Today, the Holy Spirit is preparing us to receive our inheritance, making us ready for the abundance God promised us in eternity. The Spirit is our down payment, proof that God has already made us new and will one day complete this transformation in us to perfection when He ushers in the new heaven and new earth.
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for the Holy Spirit who guides me to live as a child of God. I know I am a new creation because He dwells in my heart, and so I have hope that does not disappoint. I rest in the promise of heaven in Your presence. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
"During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion" (Exodus 14:24).
Learn more in Dr. Michael Youssef's sermon Treasure That Lasts: Giving Up Gold for Glory, Part 9: LISTEN NOW
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