31055 Spirit-filled Lifestyle

The adventure of living with Jesus is a life controlled (guided and empowered) by the Holy Spirit. This is a Spirit-filled life.

At the moment you believe in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are spiritually born again, and the Holy Spirit is given to you as God’s promise of all that is and will be yours in Christ.

The Holy Spirit dwells in you and is the source of your new life in Christ (John 7:37-39). What makes you unique and different as a Christian is the Holy Spirit in you. You live by the Spirit.

Being Filled with the Spirit

Every believer in Christ is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, but being filled with the Spirit is an act of faith and is not automatic.

Many Christians are not aware of the Holy Spirit or the commandment to be filled with Him. Apart from Him and His enabling, it is impossible for Christians to live a life pleasing to God. In our own effort, we will also live a life that is devoid of His love and power.

To be filled with the Holy Spirit is an act of faith in three steps:

  1. Desire to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
  2. Confess your sins.
  3. Ask and believe that He is guiding and empowering you.

1. Desire

As a Christian, you have a deep desire to follow Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. You want to please God as His beloved child. Knowing that it is impossible to live a Christian life with your own strength and effort, you want the Holy Spirit to control you.

Desiring the fullness of the Holy Spirit to guide and empower you earnestly with the right attitude is important.

The right attitude is one of humility to submit yourself under the authority of Jesus Christ and “to present your bodies as a sacrifice—alive, holy, and pleasing to God” (Romans 12:1).

2. Confess

Confess your sin to the Lord as the Holy Spirit reveals to you (Psalm 139:23–24).

To confess means to agree with God.

By confessing your sins, you are not asking God to forgive you for your sins but agreeing with God that what you have done is a sin and that you view it as offensive and repulsive as God sees it. You agree with God to turn away from it.

Then, give thanks to God that He has already forgiven your sin because of the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

3. Ask and Believe

Because it is a command of the Lord (Ephesians 5:18), we can trust God for his promise that “whenever we ask anything according to his will, he hears us” (1 John 5:14) and believe that the Holy Spirit fills us.

Simply ask the Holy Spirit to fill you and believe that He has answered your request. You are filled with the Holy Spirit by faith.

Now that you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you can go about your everyday life.

One of the surest ways to know that you are being filled with the Holy Spirit is that you are living in faith. In everything you say and do, you are doing it as to the Lord (Colossians 3:23), and you keep His commandments (John 14:21).

Because you are guided and empowered by the Spirit, you want to be mindful of His presence within you throughout the day. Even with your mundane tasks, you can turn to the Holy Spirit and ask Him to help you. He will often speak to you as your own thoughts, ideas, and images in your mind. A Scripture verse may come to your mind. They are usually a still and small whisper.

It will take time and practice to learn to discern His voice within you. One important rule to remember when you are trying to discern if what you have in your mind is from the Holy Spirit. The voice of the Holy Spirit will NEVER contradict the Word of God.

The Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth, draw you closer to Jesus Christ, and help you obey the Father.

This is why it is critical that Christians are students of God’s Word. The more you become familiar with the Bible, the more clearly you will hear the Holy Spirit. The more you obey the Word, the more He will speak to you.

Walk by the Spirit

Now, “if we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25). When we are in step with the Holy Spirit, our life results in purpose, power, peace, and hope. To keep in step with the Spirit is to remain filled by the Spirit moment by moment. It is like a ballroom dance. In it, a man takes the lead, and a woman follows. She must attentively follow his lead in every step.

You can cultivate a Spirit-filled lifestyle in which you habitually trust Jesus and submit to the guidance of the Holy Spirit in obedience to the Word of God. This is also the way to experience spiritual growth and transformation in your life. One of the key Biblical concepts to help you keep in step with the Spirit is called spiritual breathing.

It is a practice of exhaling the impure and inhaling the pure.

If you sin by committing a deliberate act of disobedience, or when the Holy Spirit points out a sin in your life, practice spiritual breathing. 

Exhale by Confession

To confess in the New Testament means “to agree with” or “to say along with”. So, confession is more than acknowledging your sins. It means to agree with God on everything he has to say about anything.

First, you agree with God that what you have just done – name it specifically to God – is indeed a sin out of your willful disobedience.

Second, you give thanks and praise, by faith, to God for his forgiveness through Christ’s death on the cross.  

Third, you repent. To repent in the New Testament means to “change one’s mind”. It is more than saying or even feeling sorry. By repenting, you change your mind, heart, action, and attitude. Instead of depending on your own strength to please the Lord in all respects (Colossians 1:10), you choose to depend on the Holy Spirit. 

Inhale by Faith

Then you inhale by surrendering the control of your life to Christ and appropriate by faith the fullness (influence) of the Spirit in your life to direct and empower you. It also means embracing God’s truth instead of false or sinful beliefs of the flesh and adopting Christ-like thoughts, actions, feeling, or attitudes instead of carnal ones.

Even though every believer in Jesus is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, not all believers are filled (influenced) by the Holy Spirit. That is why God through the Apostle Paul commands us to be filled by the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). 

“And this is the confidence that we have before him: that whenever we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask, then we know that we have the requests that we have asked from him.” (1 John 5:14-15)

According to the promise in the above verses, God always answers our requests that are according to his will. Because being filled by the Spirit is God’s command, he will certainly answer you if you ask to be filled by the Spirit.

A Spirit-filled life is not a problem-free life. Jesus was the perfect example of a Spirit-filled person. If even Jesus faced misunderstanding, oppositions, persecutions, and other challenges of life, Spirit-filled believers are not free from the problems of life.

There are two types of problems we face. Some difficulties in life are created by our own selfish actions. Spirit-filled individuals will be able to avoid these problems. The second type of difficulty is simply the result of living in this fallen world. Spiritual persons can face these challenges with peace and confidence in God and His goodness, depending solely on the power of the Holy Spirit.

Walking in the Spirit with spiritual breathing can be summarized by the words of the Apostle Paul:

“I have been crucified with Christ: and I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me. And the real life I now have within this body is a result of my trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

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31057 Living By Grace

“From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.” (John 1:16)

Have you ever been around someone who made you feel like you just didn’t measure up to their expectations? No matter what you did, it never seemed quite good enough?

In reality, we don’t measure up to God’s standard either. We aren’t good enough. That is why Jesus died on the cross for our sins and has clothed us with his righteousness. God bestows his goodness on us, not because we are worthy, but because he is gracious. “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it” (Ephesians 2:8–9, NLT).

Many people live a performance-based life. What they do determines the rewards or punishments they receive. Because of this perspective, they bring the scales of performance into their relationships. Are you living a performance-based life or is your life characterized by grace? How you honestly answer this question has a profound impact on your relationship with God and with others.

First, let’s consider your relationship with God. Are you still trying to earn God’s favor through your deeds? The Bible is clear that we will never be good enough to gain entrance into heaven apart from Jesus’ saving grace. But even though believers rely on Christ’s sacrifice for their salvation, later, like the Galatians, they often try to please God through their self-effort. In Galatians we read these words of challenge: “After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?” (Galatians3:3).

Certainly, God wants us to live righteous lives and reflect Christ-like character qualities. We need to seek to live as Godly people. But the transformation of our character comes through our surrender to and dependence upon the Holy Spirit. Whatever blessings we receive are the result of God’s loving kindness.

So, what happens when you bring performance-oriented attitudes into human relationships? Acceptance is dependent upon behavior and rejection is the consequence of failing to satisfy the other person’s expectations. As a result, there is insecurity and tension in these kinds of relationships.

“We must appropriate the tender mercy of God every day after conversion, or problems quickly develop. We need his daily grace in order to live a righteous life.” —David Jeremiah

God wants us to freely receive his grace and love. And he wants us to extend that same grace and love to others. In fact, with the help of the Holy Spirit, others may actually sense God’s unconditional love and acceptance flowing through you.

With God, you need to remember that you do not have to be “good enough” to “earn” favor. Instead, believe in God’s goodness and expect him to give you far more than you deserve.

Enjoy God’s goodness and grace. It is really given freely.

31056 Talking with God

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” (Philippians 4:6)

Are you used to going it alone? Do you think it is up to you to solve your own problems?

That’s not what God wants. He is there for you. But you need to talk with him about what is going on in your life. As a Christian, you do this through prayer.

Prayer is taking time to talk with your heavenly Father. It is a conversation where you can share what’s in your heart and anticipate God’s response. Prayer is a vital part of developing your relationship with God.

God wants you to seek his guidance, comfort, peace, and intimate companionship at all times … not just when you want something. He has the answers to all of life’s questions!

When you are praying, God is listening … and he will answer—if not immediately then eventually.

So why does God want you to spend time talking with him?

God wants to develop a relationship with you.

“Come near to God and he will come near to you.” (James 4:8, NIV)

God wants to bless you.

“So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.” (Matthew 7:11)

God wants to meet your needs.

“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16, NIV)

Talk with God about your life and your desires. Openly share your thoughts and feelings. Invite him to open your mind and heart to embrace what he has for you. Then listen for his prompting through the Holy Spirit, seek his insights within the Bible, and watch for his orchestration of your circumstances.

“God’s help is always available, but it is only given to those who seek it.” —Max Lucado

 

As you learn more about the faithfulness of God, the more you will trust him; and the more you trust him, the more you will enjoy talking with him. Because God is your perfect heavenly Father, you can pray with confidence knowing that he is listening and will answer your prayers!

Keep the communication lines open. You are on an exciting journey with your heavenly Father.

31059 You Live in a World at War

When you submit your life to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, God delivers you from the domain of darkness and transfers you to the Kingdom of His Son.

Before Jesus saved you from sin and death, you were an enemy of God and a slave in the domain of darkness. You were under the power of the evil one (1 John 5:14).

Now that you belong to Christ, you are a son/daughter in the family of God and a citizen of His Kingdom.

That also means you have a new enemy whose sole purpose is to kill, steal, and destroy everything. The devil, the Enemy of God, has waged war against God’s people. His cruel hatred is now directed at you.

That is why God commands us to stand firm and put on the armor of God. Read Ephesians 6:10-17:

6:10 Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power. 6:11 Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. 6:13 For this reason, take up the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand your ground on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand. 6:14 Stand firm therefore, by fastening the belt of truth around your waist, by putting on the breastplate of righteousness, 6:15 by fitting your feet with the preparation that comes from the good news of peace, 6:16 and in all of this, by taking up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit (which is the word of God).

You are at war whether you like it or not.

“Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

It is dangerous to ignore the reality that you have an enemy who is always trying to destroy you. Christians can neither fight the evil one in their own strengths nor stand against him on their own righteousness. Jesus Christ in us has decisively destroyed the works of the devil.

“You are from God, little children, and have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

Remain in Christ and let the word of Christ richly dwell in you (John 15:7; Colossians 3:16). Having thus submitted to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7).

You can overcome evil with good because Jesus has already won the war even though spiritual battles are still raging all around you.

22981 Character Matters

You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? (Matthew 7:16)

Character is the essence of who we are. Our character is comprised of the values and convictions that have been shaped by our relationships and life experiences. Character is developed over time.

Character changes usually require a great deal of time.

Every person has external and internal qualities. The external qualities are easily perceived, but the inner ones require careful observation. When the prophet Samuel was sent by God to anoint a new king of Israel to replace Saul, God cautioned him, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them.

“There is no way to grow a saint overnight. Character, like the oak tree, does not spring up like a mushroom.” —Vance Havner

People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7)

God is committed to transforming you into the character likeness of Jesus.

Here are some guidelines you can review yourself to help you discern the character in others.

Words reflect the inner self.

It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth. (Matthew 15:11)

Actions speak louder than words.

A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. (Luke 6:43)

Friendships indicate standards.

Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” (1 Corinthians 15:33, NIV)

Expenditures demonstrate values.

Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. (Matthew 6:21)

Difficulties reveal strengths (and weaknesses) of character.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character. (Romans 5:3–4)

Character is who you really are. Whenever God reveals something in your character that he wants to change, stop and ask the Holy Spirit to help bring about the necessary transformation.

22982 Voices in Your Head

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5, NIV)

Do you trust your thoughts? Most people do. And almost everyone assumes the thoughts in their head are their own.

But in reality, at any given time, the thoughts you assume to be your own can actually originate from four different sources.

Some Thoughts Are from God

God is able to give us divine insights. For example, at one point Jesus asked his disciples who they thought he was. “Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being’” (Matthew 16:16–17).

Peter spoke what he was thinking without realizing the thought had originated from the Holy Spirit.

Some Thoughts Are from Satan

Later Jesus was explaining that he would need to go to Jerusalem where he would suffer, die, and then be raised from the dead. Peter took issue with what Jesus had just said. “‘Heaven forbid, Lord,’ he said. ‘This will never happen to you!’ Jesus turned to Peter and said, ‘Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s’” (Matthew 16:22–23).

Although well-intentioned, Peter had become Satan’s spokesperson, and Jesus, recognizing the origin of the thought, rebuked him.

“We can’t stop the Adversary from whispering in our ears, but we can refuse to listen, and we can definitely refuse to respond.” —Liz Curtis Higgs

Some Thoughts Are from Our Old Nature

Because we are born sinful beings, our natural thinking becomes polluted with concepts that are contrary to God. Paul explains it like this, “The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God” (Romans 8:6–7).

This old pattern of thinking is natural to us even after we become followers of Christ. That’s why Paul also said, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2, TLB). God uses the truths and principles found in the Bible to reshape our thinking patterns.

Some Thoughts Are from Our New Nature

As the Holy Spirit renews our minds, we develop a new pattern of thinking. In 1 Corinthians 2:16, we read, “’Who can know the LORD’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?’ But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.”

To think with the mind of Christ means we now view life through this new filter of his values and desires.

The Importance of Right Thinking

In order to identify a thought that is not from God, ask the Holy Spirit for help. He can expose thoughts and attitudes that are contrary to God’s will and lead you into all truth (see John 16:13). It’s not a sin to have a bad thought enter your mind. It only becomes destructive if you permit it to remain and dwell on it.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. (Philippians 4:8)

22983 A Thankful Heart

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Are you a glass half-full or a glass half-empty type of person? We all have different personalities. Some of us have a naturally more positive outlook on life, while others quickly see the downside of any given situation. But regardless of how we were designed, God wants to cultivate a gratitude-filled heart within each of us. Thankfulness is mentioned in many New Testament passages that focus on the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives.

So how can we cooperate with the Holy Spirit to develop a consistent attitude of gratitude?

Choose to look at life from a gratitude perspective.

Thankfulness is a choice. It is intentional. You can’t experience gratitude if you are focusing on negative circumstances. Regardless of your difficulties, God is still a loving, good God.

Give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:20)

“The joy of the Holy Spirit is experienced by giving thanks in all situations.” —Bill Bright

There is always someone who you believe is better off than you. And there is always someone you know who has it worse. The joy of the Holy Spirit is experienced by giving thanks in all situations. The secret to living a life of gratitude is not to covet someone who has more but to be content with what God has chosen to give you.

Look for signs of God’s love and goodness to you.

Ask the Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes so you can see what God is doing in your life right now. Watch for his fingerprints on your daily activities as he orchestrates events and guides your footsteps.

May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. (Colossians 1:12)

Make it a habit to thank God for all that you notice as being unique in your day. Be alert and anticipate God’s involvement in your daily life. As you focus on his presence, the Holy Spirit will open your eyes to show you what God is doing in your life.

Meditate on God’s mercy, lovingkindness, and goodness.

There are times when we feel we deserve better. In reality, looking through God’s divine standards of holiness and righteousness, we deserve far less. It is only because of God’s grace and Christ’s sacrifice for us that we can enjoy blessings that will last for eternity.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. (Psalm 107:1)

Be content with where you are and with what you have. When your life is characterized by a heart that overflows with gratitude to God for his goodness, you are the kind of person other people enjoy. Ask God to give you a heart of gratitude so others will enjoy being in your presence. Develop a habit of thankfulness and contentment.

22984 Unconditional Love

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8, NIV)

Have you ever heard, “I will love you if …” expressed either in words or by someone’s actions? In either case, you got the message. Love for you was based on conditions. If you met the conditions, you would receive love. If you failed, you weren’t worthy of love.

The world operates on performance-based love. And unfortunately, that is how most of us unwittingly live. But God offers us a different way to experience love and to share the love.

“God loves me if…”

What do you believe about God’s love for you? Do you feel like God loves you more when you are good and less when you are disobedient? The truth is, we do not deserve God’s love. There is nothing we can do to earn it. It is freely given to us because that is God’s very nature. We are beneficiaries of God’s love because of Christ’s death for us on the cross.

The apostle Paul explains, “Nothing can ever separate us from God’s love” (Romans 8:38). Is there anything that “nothing” does not encompass? Consider Jesus’ parable of the Lost Son (see Luke 15:11-32). This boy squandered his inheritance in reckless living. Yes, his father was disappointed and heartbroken by his son’s choices, but he never stopped loving his son and he welcomed him home with open arms.

“You can always give without loving, but you can never love without giving.” —Amy Carmichael

God loves you unconditionally and will do so forever. However, unconditional love should not be equated with unconditional acceptance of behaviors. God loves each and every sinner but hates our sins. Hebrews 12 tells us that God will discipline us in love as a Father disciplines his child.

“I love me if…”

How do you feel about yourself? Do you struggle with self-condemnation when you do not live up to your own expectations and standards? If you have accepted the pardon for your sins that Jesus purchased for you on the cross, “there is now no condemnation for (you) those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1, NIV). God wants you to hate your sin—not condone it. But he does not want you to live a life of self-condemnation. Confess your sin to God, repent of it, and then ask the Holy Spirit to help you see yourself as the forgiven, loved child you now are in Christ.

“I love you if…”

Do you make others feel like they need to perform in order to receive your love? You were created in the image of God and God is love (1 John 4:16). He wants you to be a vessel through whom he can love others around you. That is only possible to the degree that the Holy Spirit radiates the love of Jesus through you.

Ephesians 5:1–2 tells us, “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us” (NKJV).

You are to be Christ’s mouth, hands, and feet so others can see Jesus in you and feel his love through you. That is God’s desire for you. “May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you” (1 Thessalonians 3:12, NIV).