Living by the Spirit
Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
Romans 8:12-14 (NLT)
Sometimes, we misunderstand entirely what it means to be saved.
The thinking goes like this: now that I’m saved, I can’t do any of these things anymore. And while there’s an element of truth in this thinking, it’s just enough skewed to put us off course. There are, in fact, things we should no longer be party to as Christ followers. We’re to be in the world but not of it. But it’s not so much that we can’t do certain things anymore as we aren’t obligated to do them.
When you were dead in your sin, you were a slave to it. Romans 6:6 speaks of our being crucified with Christ so that sin would lose its power over us. So, you are free. Hallelujah! Praise God for this freedom. The sin patterns that used to dominate your life no longer have to be. There will always be temptation, but in Christ, there’s freedom. You have been set free to honor God with your life. The focus should not be on what you can’t do anymore. Instead, it’s what you don’t have to do anymore since you’re free.
Paul is very clear in our passage from today—if you live by your sinful nature, it’ll lead to death. But to live by the Spirit is to experience true life. The new year is a great time to start over. Maybe that was your intent a few days ago, but you’ve already stumbled. Grace abounds and is sufficient for you. Repent, believe the Good News, and live in the freedom He’s afforded you.
Are you intentionally seeking to live a Spirit-led life? Are you asking the Spirit to guide you? How and when are you making yourself available to hear from Him? So often, our prayer times are us telling God what we want and need. Are we listening for the Spirit to speak to us?
Application
Completely unplug and disconnect from all distractions. That means turning off your phone and getting alone. This can be a difficult feat with family and work and the demands of life. So, plan. Put it on the calendar if need be. Plan it like you would a date with a significant other. And once you’re in that place of silence and solitude—ask the Spirit of God to speak to you. Just sit and listen for His voice, which can be like a gentle whisper (see 1 Kings 19:11-13).
Prayer
Holy God,
Thank You for setting me free from my sin. Help me remain free, honoring You with my life. Grant me an awareness of Your Spirit and help me submit fully to Your daily leading.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?