“The Apostle Paul informs us that…?

The Apostle Paul informs us that “Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19). Compare that with Jesus’ saying found in Matthew 18:20 “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there in the midst of them”. WHAT does that all mean and HOW is it connected with the Holy Spirit and spiritual warfare?
Once again, thanks for all the answers and some questions. It is a great blessing to me personally to know that you have spent time in the Word of God and have discussed the questions throughout the week with fellow believers.
Here is a summary of the answers given:
1. The Scripture verses are found in the question itself.
2. One person wrote: “Paul simply reaffirms or further explains what Jesus himself said of the helper in John 14:16-17. The Holy Spirit lives in us, which means he must be in our body. In each case, Paul is asking us to consider the choices we make for God’s temple. Are we really living as if this is God’s temple?
Regarding what this means for spiritual warfare, it helps me see that if we pray collectively during such battles that we have 2/3 of the trinity helping us and interceding for us with God. Ephesians 6:10…”
The concept itself is not too difficult to decipher. However, there is more to this subject then most of us realize. Biblical scholars call the 1 Corinthian passages “the sacred space and realm”. What does that mean? For starters, it means that the very existence of spiritual life in a human being – the born-again experience – is the trigger point for a spiritual turf war. When the Apostle Paul refers to the believers as the place where God now tabernacles, he proclaims that both individually and corporately we are the temple of God. In 1 Corinthians 3:16 Paul speaks of the church corporately, in 6:19 he focuses on each believer individually.
In Ephesians 2:19-22 Paul declares: ”Consequently, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole building, joined together, grows INTO A HOLY TEMPLE IN THE LORD, in whom you also are built up together INTO A DWELLING PLACE OF GOD IN THE SPIRIT.
There is one more Scripture I want to share to make the pieces fall into place. We find the connection in 2 Corinthians 5:1-2 where Paul declares: “For we know that if our earthly house, THE TENT, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made by hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed, in this house we groan, because we desire to put on our dwelling from heaven.”
Paul here is referring to the Old Testament TENT where God dwelled when the Hebrews were on their journey to the promised land.
It is here where we can connect these verses with Matthew 18:20. Jesus is telling us that ‘where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there in the midst of them.” This means that wherever believers are and gather, the spiritual ground they occupy is HOLY GROUND. If you could see into the spiritual realm right now, you would be able to see the world peppered with small pockets of light surrounded by darkness. These pockets of lights are where God’s people are, God’s temple is no longer in Jerusalem confined to one geographical location but is spread throughout the world.
Isaiah the prophet wrote about this initial great light that started all. “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; BUT THE LORD WILL ARISE UPON YOU, AND HIS GLORY WILL BE SEEN UPON YOU” (Isaiah 60:1-2).
Jesus proclaimed: “I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). Wherever Jesus walked there was spiritual light. No wonder the spiritual entities, called demons, where on the run. They are creatures of the darkness that cannot stand the light. These demonic powers are still roaming this earth making life for everyone as miserable as possible. This is also spiritual warfare. You and I MUST MAKE THE DIFFERENCE.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives LIGHT TO ALL IN THE HOUSE. In the same way, LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE OTHERS, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).