Once we return home, we don't want to keep making the same mistakes we made that removed us from The Father in the first place. God gives us what we need to help us enjoy all the blessings that come from being home. He gives us a special gift.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever-- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (John 14:16-17 NIV)
Remember what we were promised when we repent and are baptized? We can be sure that The Father forgives us. We can also be sure we received His Gift: the Holy Spirit. This is God's down payment of the new life to come. His Spirit reminds us that God is with us and lives with us. He will guide us into all truth. He will strengthen us to fight off temptations to leave home again.
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. (Galatians 5:16-17 NIV)
Inside us, we battle for our minds and hearts. The Spirit is there to back us up in battle. We need to fight spiritual battles, so it makes sense that we need a Spirit to help us in battle.
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21 NIV)
Notice the ways we suffer when we lose, or don't even fight, the battle. Sex becomes our god and then lets us down. Hatred, arguments, jealousy, anger, and selfish ambition fills our days and more than a few of our nights. We try to drown these sorrows in drunkenness or parties, but the next morning always comes too early and we wonder what we are doing again. The life of "fun" really isn't.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV)
God's Spirit leads us toward and empowers us to live a life of love. We enjoy people and circumstances that would have never brought us joy before. We sleep well at night. All that is good in life becomes a part of our life. It's a whole different path. It's a whole different kind of walk.
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:24-25 NIV)
God revealed Himself through creation. He speaks to us through His words. Now, he walks with us through His Spirit. Now we can walk with him personally. It's a great walk.
May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalms 19:14 NIV)
How about you? Have you received His Spirit to empower you? Are you ready to walk together with God?
No comments:
Post a Comment