Today’s Scripture: Romans 8:4, NIV- “He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.”
Who are we trying to kid? We cannot meet the requirements of God’s law on our own will power. As in Principle 3 of Celebrate Recovery, we must change our definition of willpower. Willpower becomes the willingness to accept God’s power to guide our lives. We come to see that there is no room for God if we are full of ourselves.
Even the apostle Paul, who wrote almost thirty percent of the New Testament, recorded in Romans 7:18 “And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t.” (NLT) We must also accept this fact. Left to ourselves, good will be in short supply. Without God, good ends. With the Spirit of God living in us, we are set free for good.
I am so thankful for the Spirit of God. I have experienced what Paul promises to us in Romans 8:2 that “the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.” (NASB) We must learn how to follow the Spirit and stop following our sinful natures. Romans 8:5 gives us the formula for living a life of freedom. “Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.” (NIV)
When we seek the desires of the Spirit and allow the Spirit of God to flow through us, we are truly free and fulfilled. As Paul wrote in Philippians 1:6 (TLB), “God who began the good work within you will keep right on helping you grow in his grace until his task within you is finally finished.” As we welcome the Spirit within us, we continue to grow in recognition of the difference between our minds and the Spirit. Not unlike working a muscle, we can work on recognizing when we let go of our minds and live and pray from the Spirit of God.
As we pray the Lord’s prayer, we can thank God for the daily bread He worked in us yesterday and ask Him for the daily bread He will work in and through us today. We can ask God to help us turn from our fleshly desires to the desires He has for us in His Spirit. God can redirect us and that is the way we are to follow as Paul directed us in Romans 8:4.
Paul also warned us in Romans 8:6 that “The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” (NIV). Do want life and peace? Simply welcome the Holy Spirit into your innermost being and then follow His direction.
Paul also warned us in Romans 8:7 that “The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.” (NIV) We witness, almost every day, a world that is hostile to God, yet we can live a life full of peace. We know the fullness of peace when we live in the realm of the Spirit, and we turn to the Spirit of God who lives in us.
The Spirit gives us life. Romans 8:11 is mind blowing to think that the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in us, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to our mortal bodies because The Spirit lives in us. When we pray in the Spirit, we know that when we pray to “Our Father” we are praying with Jesus to “our” Father.
Yet again this morning I welcomed and enjoyed the Holy Spirit praying for me just as Paul promised He would in Romans 8:26, “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.” (NLT) Thank You Holy Spirit for praying for me. I am welcoming Your kingdom and Your will. Please pray for me and fill me with Your desires.
Will you pause and welcome The Spirit now to lead you?
Today’s Prayer: Our Father who art in heaven, thank You for Your Son Jesus Christ who left for us our helper, the Holy Spirit. Thank You Holy Spirit for living inside of us as we welcome You. Thank You for raising Jesus from the dead and for raising us so we can live a life of purpose and peace. Guide us Holy Spirit where You desire for us to follow. Use us LORD to welcome others into Your freedom. In the mighty and powerful name of Jesus Christ we do pray. Amen.
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