Welcome to week three of our discussion on what it means to walk in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. So far we have discovered that by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for our sins, God has offered forgiveness and pardon from all sin. To all who believe and place their full trust in Christ, God offers eternal life (1 John 4:10).
Because of what Christ accomplished for us, we are now the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16)! Walking in the Spirit means to yield to the Holy Spirit in every facet of our lives. It means surrendering our mind, emotions, will, body, relationships, finances, health, etc. to the control of God’s Spirit. This is something we must be very intentional about. Though the Holy Spirit lives in you and me, He gives us the freedom to obey and cooperate with Him. When we ignore or refuse to yield to His presence, it grieves the Lord (Ephesians 4:30).
As you consider your life right now, is it fully surrendered to the Holy Spirit? Do your choices and actions reveal that you are being Spirit led?
I want to share with you a very helpful metaphor from C. S. Lewis. This excerpt is from his book Mere Christianity. Have you read it?
“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of—throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”
― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
Have you seen any of those television shows where someone buys an old run down house and then rehabs it? It is truly amazing how the house can be transformed! By knocking down walls or adding on rooms they can take a dilapidated building and make it very attractive and the kind of place a person would be happy to live in! Until you and I step foot in God’s paradise, He’s going to be continuously renovating your life and mine. There are old sinful habits He wants to tear down and new behaviors He wants to establish. He wants to improve your character, deepen your love and expand your vision of what He can accomplish in and through your life. While nothing may change physically (exterior) in your life, He does want to make you irresistibly beautiful within. He wants to grace your life with the fruit of His presence—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
So sit back for a bit and imagine your life is a house. Will you let God spiritually renovate your life today?
What area(s) of your life are in need of renovation (mind, emotions, will, body, relationships, finances, health, etc.)?
Are there steps you can take to begin the “rehab” in your life? What specific things can you do?
Spend time dwelling on the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control). What would your life look like if you would more faithfully “walk” or “keep in step” with the Spirit?