Romans 8:2, 4-5, 8-11, 13 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death…in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires…Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you…For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live…
Are you living the exhausted Christian life (obedience through your own strength) or the exchanged Christian life (allowing Christ to live in you)? Being obedient in your own strength wears you out but allowing Christ to live in you empowers you. The empowered Christian life is described in Ephesians 5:18– “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.” It begins when you give the Holy Spirit control.
There are five indications that you are filled with the Holy Spirit and experiencing His controlling presence:
- Leading (Romans 8:14)
- Confidence (Romans 8:15a)
- Intimacy (Romans 8:15b)
- Security (Romans 8:16)
- Identity (Romans 8:17)¹
We hinder the Holy Spirit by grieving Him (through our sin) and by quenching Him (refusing to do what He tells us to do).
Father God,
I have been living the exhausted life–trying to do everything in my own power. Please forgive me for thinking that I need You to save me but not to change me. Today, I choose to live the exchanged life–acknowledging that Christ lives in me. I ask You now to fill me with the Holy Spirit. Live Your life through me and make me the woman You would have me to be for Your glory. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
[Read 1 Thessalonians 1-5 and 2 Thessalonians 1-3]
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ.
¹James MacDonald, “Lord Change Me” rev.ed. (Chicago, Illinois, Moody Publishers, 2002) pp. 167-169
Embracing God's Word 