Many songs and sermons have been written saying that we need more of God. But if we’ve received Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we don’t need more of Him because God’s sinless spirit came to dwell in us the moment we were saved. It’s called being “born again” (John 3:1-21). We became a “new creation” because of what Jesus did through His death and resurrection. By giving us a new spirit, God made us, not just new, but complete through Jesus.
Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17, AMPC)
For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority (Colossians 2:9-10, NLT).
Let’s look in detail at what you’re full of when you become complete in Him:
Full of God’s Life
With the honor of being God’s child came the honor of having God’s nature—His life—on the inside of us. It’s not just about having our sins forgiven, but also about becoming totally new with Him inside! Though we may not always feel like it, our spirits contain all of Him and everything He desires!
Look at the Amplified Classic version of Colossians 2:9-10:
For in Him the whole fullness of Deity (the Godhead) continues to dwell in bodily form [giving complete expression of the divine nature]. And you are in Him, made full and having come to fullness of life [in Christ you too are filled with the Godhead—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—and reach full spiritual stature]. And He is the Head of all rule and authority [of every angelic principality and power] (Colossians 2:9-10, AMPC).
Think about it. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit live on the inside of us! In fact, 1 Corinthians 3:16 says we are God’s temple, and His Holy Spirit dwells—or makes His home—in us. Because God is in us, we have everything we need to experience a life full of God’s goodness and godliness (2 Peter 1:2-4). We’re qualified to have “life and life more abundantly” (John 10:10).
Full of God’s Power
God is not a weak God. The moment He put His spirit in us, His power came to live in us as well. His power in us makes us strong and equips us with authority over the devil and sin (Ephesians 6:10, Luke 10:19). We are qualified to resist the devil in the name of Jesus, and when we do, God’s power is released to drive the devil away. According to Romans 8:11, the same power that raised Christ from the dead lives in us. That’s a lot of power!
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen (Ephesians 3:20-21, NKJV).
Full of God’s Gifts
God loves to give gifts—the most important one being His only Son (John 3:16). But He also gave us other spiritual gifts that equip us for life on earth. They enable us to fulfill our calling as ambassadors in the world and to accomplish what we couldn’t do on our own, supernaturally.
Fruit of the Spirit
God’s spirit inside of us is full of character traits that are key to living a life of godliness in a world of sin and unrest. These are called the Fruit of the Spirit. As an apple tree bears apples, a Christian life bears the fruit of God’s Spirit within it.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23, NKJV).
Redemptive Gifts
Out of our spirits come Redemptive Gifts (or sometimes called Motivational Gifts). Unlike the Fruit of the Spirit, we do not have all seven of them. God individually gives each believer one of these gifts containing specific attributes. Working together, they are a powerful force to advance the Kingdom of God on earth.
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness (Romans 12:6-8, NKJV).
Spiritual Gifts
Again, not every Spiritual Gift is given to every believer. They are given “individually as the [Holy Spirit] wills.” These gifts are meant to further the Kingdom and strengthen the body of Christ. They are supernatural and couldn’t be done without the Holy Spirit. Though many of the gifts may not flow through every believer, God desires that all of us should prophecy—or speak out—messages from Him (1 Corinthians 14:1).
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills (1 Corinthians 12:7-11, NKJV).
Ministry Gifts
These gifts are also not given to every Christian. They are specifically assigned to individuals. The purpose is to equip the saints “for the work of the ministry.” But even if a believer isn’t called into full-time ministry such as these, we are all called to minister the Gospel (2 Corinthians 3:6).
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ… (Ephesians 4:11-13, NKJV).
We may not physically feel any of these gifts and attributes. Regardless, they are living in our spirits, just waiting to be released. To see them manifest in our lives, we must first believe they exist. Then we must submit ourselves to our spirits, rather than letting our bodies, minds, and emotions call all the shots. This requires studying God’s Word and letting it wash our minds clean of wrong thinking that contradicts what God has done in our hearts (Ephesians 5:25-27; 2 Timothy 2:15). As we honor and acknowledge God’s work in our spirits, it will begin to show up in our daily actions, making it a lifestyle. When people are around us, there will be no doubt that we’re full of God!
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20, NKJV).
Christa Madrid 