The Holy Spirit and You 2

  The Holy Spirit and You

Let the Spirit lead.

If you want to become everything God has designed you to be, the place to begin is self-denial. It runs counter to everything the world tells us, but we are not meant to rule ourselves. That’s why Jesus said, “Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it” (Luke 17:33). It’s impossible to be a disciple of Christ and still be in charge. Our full potential is discovered only when we let the Spirit have complete control of our life.

You see, there’s a battle going on inside every Christian. The Holy Spirit wants to lead us into obedience to God, but our flesh desires its own way (Gal. 5:17). Satan tries to convince us that freedom is achieved by doing whatever we want, but in reality, that ends in bondage. God promises that if we’ll walk by the Spirit—letting Him lead the way—we won’t carry out the desires of the flesh that threaten to enslave us (Gal. 5:16). The question is, Who’s going to be in control of your life: you or God?

Make the decision to let the Lord lead, and then consistently surrender authority over your life to Him.  In time, you’ll notice His power in you increasing and your flesh becoming less dominant.Instead of insisting on your rights, you’ll listen to His promptings and seek to follow God’s will. I’m not talking about a life of perfection, but one that is bent toward obedience. Though we all stumble at times, when we are filled with the Spirit, we’re quick to confess, turn away from our sin, and reclaim the promise of His fullness.