Scriptures : 1 Corinthians 6:19; Romans 12:1
” Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? ” I Corinthians 6:19
” I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ” Romans 12:1
The apostle Paul wrote, “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” (1 Cor 6:19) Before the Holy Spirit dwells in us, we use our body for work. However, after the Holy Spirit dwells in us, our body has become the temple of the Holy Spirit and God wants us to use it for prayer.
If we use our body for work too much, although we may not be aware of it, we shall increasingly depend on ourselves. And, when we depend on ourselves, we unconsciously allow the spirit of the world to enter our lives. However, if we use our body for prayer much, we shall increasingly depend on God. We are open to the Holy Spirit and God will fill us with Him.
Before the Holy Spirit dwells in us, our body is our own. We use it as we please, fulfilling its desires and needs. However, after the Holy Spirit dwells in us, our body is no longer our own. Our body belongs to God and we must use it according to His will.
What is the will of God for our body? The apostle Paul wrote, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” (Rom 12:1) God wants our body to be presented to Him as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to Him. How do we present our body as a living sacrifice to God? By denying its desires and controlling its needs for His sake. The apostle Paul wrote, “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection.” (1 Cor 9:27)
The temple is the place of prayer and the lamb is the sacrifice in the temple. Our body is both the temple and the sacrifice. Therefore, we must use our body as a place of prayer as well as present it as a sacrifice of prayer.
What will happen if we use our body as a place of prayer, but we do not present it as a sacrifice of prayer? Our prayer will be without the spirit of sacrifice. It will either be carnal, that is, focusing too much on the things of the body, or religious, that is, with no fervency of the spirit. It is like doing service in the temple without a sacrificial offering. Praying without the spirit of sacrifice will never be answered by fire from God.
Prayer and fasting is the basic form of prayer with the spirit of sacrifice. We use our body for prayer and we deny our body of its basic need for food. We use our body as the temple of God by praying and we present our body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God by fasting. When we pray and fast, we shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire. Our body will become a holy temple for the Lord as well as a sweet smelling sacrifice to God. Our body will become a vessel for honor, set apart (sanctified) and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work (2 Tim 2:21). Our life will be holy and we shall be on fire for God.