Transforming power through the Spirit

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses... Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Galatians 5:16-18, 24-25

It is only by the empowering that comes from the Holy Spirit that we can live the Christian life. This is what the apostle Paul kept on emphasizing in most of his letters. From the text, he emphasized that it is when we walk with the Spirit that we will not gratify the desires of our old sinful nature (v. 16). This filling of the Holy Spirit will produce in us virtues such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness that He alone could produce (Galatians 5:22-23). It is God’s goal that we reflect His character in our lives. “And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image” (2 Corinthians 3:18). The goal of God is not to let us remain the same but experience the transformation that He alone could do. The Holy Spirit is transforming us into the image of Christ. It is the ministry of the Holy Spirit to work within us so you will always have a glimpse of the glory of God. The glory of God is nothing compared to what the world offers. This is why Paul will not trade the priceless life he has in Christ. “Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8). Let us not settle for what the world offers but instead realize what we have in Christ. Remember that when you trusted Jesus as Lord and Savior, you belong to Him and your purpose is to live for His glory. “Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God” (Romans 6:13). Yield to the working of the Holy Spirit in your life for He will empower you to live for Christ and His glory. “I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit” (Ephesians 3:16).

Blessings,

Noel De Guzman

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