Romans 8:9-19 (NCV)
9 But you are not ruled by your sinful selves. You are ruled by the Spirit, if that Spirit of God really lives in you. But the person who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Christ. 10 Your body will always be dead because of sin. But if Christ is in you, then the Spirit gives you life, because Christ made you right with God. 11 God raised Jesus from the dead, and if God’s Spirit is living in you, he will also give life to your bodies that die. God is the One who raised Christ from the dead, and he will give life through his Spirit that lives in you.
12 So, my brothers and sisters, we must not be ruled by our sinful selves or live the way our sinful selves want. 13 If you use your lives to do the wrong things your sinful selves want, you will die spiritually. But if you use the Spirit’s help to stop doing the wrong things you do with your body, you will have true life.
14The true children of God are those who let God’s Spirit lead them. 15 The Spirit we received does not make us slaves again to fear; it makes us children of God. With that Spirit we cry out, “Father.” 16 And the Spirit himself joins with our spirits to say we are God’s children. 17 If we are God’s children, we will receive blessings from God together with Christ. But we must suffer as Christ suffered so that we will have glory as Christ has glory.
18 The sufferings we have now are nothing compared to the great glory that will be shown to us. 19 Everything God made is waiting with excitement for God to show his children’s glory completely.
Ron Musch
Lighthouse Regional Church – Concord
Observation: 14 The true children of God are those who let God’s Spirit lead them. This is the verse that seemed to jump out to me. In verse after verse, I hear Paul saying that all these things come by the Holy Spirit. If I am to see success in following after Jesus, anything good come to life, any victory over temptation, any spiritual connection to the Heavenly Father, any ability to reflect and share God’s glory and goodness, it will come to the degree I let the Holy Spirit lead me. It may not always come externally in the way or time I would like, but it will come. Until then, His Presence is always with me. Oh, that I would fully trust Him more and more.
Action/Prayer: How will I let the Holy Spirit lead me today? I have a specific thing in mind…I think you may have one too. I invite you to pray this with me; “Holy Spirit, it is only through you that I experience the Presence of the Father and am able to follow after Jesus. Breathe life into all I am and all I do today…especially in this area you have just shown me. Increase my ability to recognize your leading and keep filling me afresh so that I will follow your lead.” Amen.
Observation: But you are not ruled by your sinful selves. You are ruled by (or in) the Spirit, if that Spirit of God really lives (dwells -oikeo) in you. But the person who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Christ. Its like Jesus hit the reset button. I can chose whether I am submitted to the sin of self or the life of the Spirit. Some of us have a way of thinking about this and it says the power of the Spirit available to my life is endless, but its flow is subject to my resistance to the Spirit.
Action: Today – I will stop morning, noon, and night and observe the points of resistance. I will resubmit myself to the life of the Spirit as a child again.
Observation: I have the glorious privelege of somehow co-mingling with the Holy Spirit of God! And yet, as with Paul, I too often allow the wrongful urges of my natural self draw me out of His presence (draw Him out of my presence?).
Action: Today I will make every effort to stay in touch with the Spirit, and out of touch with my base instincts and urges.
Observation: I always have a tough time finding a response to, ‘If God is loving, how could he allow _____________ to happen?’ The right response is, ‘There is more in store’ (verse 18). Kind of like when you get to the end of a movie and you can clearly see they have left the door open for a sequel. Convincing the non-believer of that fact is the challenge.
Action: First, I need to remember there is more in store for me. Whatever I struggle with, something way better is coming. Remind somebody who is grieving or struggling, believer or non-believer, that there is more to come.
Dear Lord,
Thank You for who You are. Life transformer! Thank You for the wondrous gift of Your Son. Thank You Lord, for Your great gift of the Holy Spirit.
Lead us Spirit in the very attitude of our hearts. Lead us Spirit in our words and thoughts. Lead us Spirit in our daily tasks. Guide us into reflection and revelation, understanding- Lord, and wisdom. Wash us in Your ways, and then, pour Spirit powered selfless love inside us. Keep us Lord, low and bare, humble and couraged, full and overflowing with Spirit led lives. Compel us to only follow and only be led by You our one great tutor, lover of our soul. Thank You Lord, Amen.
Observation: “If” What an important little word. It makes all the difference in this world and in eternity. If we have the Holy Spirit we have life and the freedom to say no to sin. If we don’t and live according to the flesh than we are dead and separated for eternity.
Action: I will thank God that “If” is not a concern for me. I will thank Him that I have the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit in my life.