So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ~ Galatians 5:16 (NLT)
Do you sometimes feel like you are fighting a losing battle against sin? Is there something in your life that God is gently showing you that you need to change? Maybe He is trying to get you to walk more in love with others or extend mercy and forgiveness to someone you don’t believe deserves it. Maybe you are so caught up in your way of doing things you have pulled away from the Lord and taken your life into your own hands so to speak. Whatever it is, the Lord reveals to us in Galatians 5:16 the most important ingredient to overcoming sin in our lives and it is the Holy Spirit. We can read our bible and pray every day and still not overcome the power of sin if we don’t follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. David knew he could not live a victorious life without the Holy Spirit. He also knew the Holy Spirit wasn't going to hang around while David kept choosing his own way instead of doing what he knew was right. Psalm 51 is a picture of a broken man full of remorse for his sin. In Psalm 51:11 David says, “Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.” (NIV)
If you have ever experienced the presence of God and for one sin or another there has been distance created in that relationship you can identify with Psalm 51. Remember, God didn’t move. You did. There is nothing more wonderful or amazing than the presence of God in our lives. There is peace in the presence of God that the world knows nothing of. There is forgiveness in the presence of God that fills us with joy unspeakable. Those who know and walk with God by the power of the Holy Spirit understand that anything in our life that would separate us from the Lord is what we are supposed to shrink back from. The enemy wants us to move toward what our flesh desires and when we do, we shrink back from God just like Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden. Thank God we have been redeemed from the curse that has plagued mankind since that time. The Lord tells us in Romans 5:17 “For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through one man, Jesus Christ!” (NIV) Have you received that “abundant provision”? Are you reigning in life? God doesn’t do anything little. When He steps in and fixes a situation you can bet that He is going to do it right and grace is a shining example of that truth. It reveals the Lord's character, and it reflects His desires for us as His children as well. The grace of God is a free gift to you through the sacrifice and investment of Jesus Christ. He invested by suffering and shedding His own blood so that we could reap the benefits of that investment and the primary benefit is the ability to enjoy a relationship with God the Father through His Holy Spirit for all eternity! Through that relationship we enjoy victory, healing and restoration in every area of our lives. It's truly the gift that keeps on giving! Accept that gift today and let the Holy Spirit lead you to overcome the sin that so easily gets you off track!
For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. ~Romans 6:14 (NIV)
Are you reigning in life? What would reigning look like for you today?
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