Jesus died once
for anyone who believes in Him. We will eventually be raised with Christ into
immortality, because death no longer has any mastery over Christ in us.
We used to be
slaves to sin, but now we owe our allegiance to Christ as slaves to
righteousness (Romans 6:1-18). Each moment of our life, we submit our plans to God's
direction (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Through the
sanctification process by His Spirit, the carnality in our body and soul
decrease and He increases within us (John 3:30). Even our physical life is His.
Through His life
within us, although our body may go to the grave, our spirit and soul live
forever with God. We are filled with the Holy Spirit and are part of Christ’s
Body (Romans 8:9).
The Spirit
transforms our life by giving us His fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). We exhibit
fewer carnal characteristics in exchange for the nature of God.
We have more love,
joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, meekness, self-control and faith.
We have less greed, anxiety, deception, evil thoughts and actions, pride,
rebellion, impatience and intolerance for others.
God's Spirit calls
us to a life of faith and obedience, and we respond by relinquishing the
depravity in our life in exchange for the holiness of God (Romans 12:1-2).
Our life is hidden
with Christ in God through the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17; 2 Peter 1:4;
Hebrews 3:14, 6:4; Romans 6:11). As we realize that we are already dead in
Christ (Colossians 3:3), we no longer control our life; He does.
God's Spirit is
more and more able to express Himself through our body, spirit and soul – our mind,
will and emotions – as we live a surrendered life to Him.
Prayer:
Father God, You
are waiting for us in Heaven (Matthew 6:9), but You are always with us through
Christ and Your Holy Spirit, even to the end of the age of grace (Matthew
28:20). We give You all of the praise and glory due to Your name. We cry
"worthy" to the Lamb who gave Himself to be slain for us before You
even created the world (1 Peter 1:20).
Thank You that Jesus
sent the Spirit of truth to come and guide us into all truth. The Spirit speaks
Your words to us and reveals to us what is yet to come (John 16:13). As our
triune God, You come to make Your home in everyone who obeys Your Word and the
teachings of Christ (John 14:23).
Thought for the
Day:
The purpose of
God's Spirit within us is to sanctify our carnality, to transform us into the
nature of Christ, to guide us into all truth and to comfort us in every
affliction.
