The waiter sets a rich, chocolate milkshake in front of you and your eyes quickly grow bigger. Then he does what you’ve been dreaming about since you ordered this tasty treat a few minutes ago. He places a towering silver metal cup next to your glass, still almost half full with more of the thick shake. You’re ready to dive into this delicious dessert.

That’s the way I feel when I read Galatians 2:20. It’s as rich and full as any Bible verse can be.

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (NIV)

Do you see what’s nestled in the middle of this? Four amazing words. “Christ lives in me.” Can it be true? God himself lives in me? This verse is packed with such good stuff that I can lose sight of this wonderful truth.

I’m hit with the opening words, “I have been crucified with Christ.” And a phrase in the closing statement, “I live by faith in the Son of God.” Those are two extraordinary statements and deserve meditations of their own.

But the best stuff, as far as I’m concerned, is sandwiched in the middle. Christ lives in me! Excuse another dessert reference, but it’s the creamy Oreo center. Sure, I love the outer cookies, but I live for the middle.

Jesus sent his Holy Spirit so he could reside in every believer. It’s beautiful. It’s amazing.

Do you realize the implications of God living in you? Above all, it means that the loving Father, Lord of the Universe — Almighty God — has taken up residence in you.

You’ve got power, strength, might. It’s God’s power. And it’s unlimited, because he is an unlimited God. This power was given to you to live for Christ and to bring glory to him.

You’re holy. Good bye sin, hello purity. God sees you as holy, because Christ lives in you. Even in your struggles with sin, God sees Jesus when he looks at you. The Savior’s shed blood on the cross paid the penalty for your sin and gave you God’s holiness. 

You’re alive. I know you thought you were always alive, but not the way you are when God lives in you. In John 3, Jesus explained to a curious religious leader named Nicodemus about what it means to be “born again.” Nic was totally confused about this concept until Jesus explained the spiritual birth he needed. Once you entered into a relationship with Christ, God began to live in you. He imparted his life to you – a spiritual life you never knew. You’ve become complete in Christ, physically and spiritually.

You have hope. Never, ever is your future hopeless. With God living in you, you are united for eternity and destined for heaven. He will never leave you. He will never forsake you. From now through forever, you will be one with God. In the toughest of times here on earth, know that they are only temporary in light of eternity. Because God lives in you, you have a sure hope that you will spend eternity with him.

There are so many more implications of God living in you, but these four should encourage you and cause you to marvel. You’ve done nothing to gain these things and you can’t do anything to lose them. They are yours because God lives in you through his Holy Spirit.

“This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.” (I John 4:13 NIV)

Thank God that he lives in you. Be encouraged by this wonderful truth. Reflect him to others. And go have a milkshake to cap off your day.

(From my new devotional, Your Life With God: 30 Days of Encouragement, available in Kindle and paperback on Amazon)