Tag: life in the spirit

Receive the Holy Spirit

John 20:22
And with that He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

It was the evening of the first day of the week. The disciples, fearing the Jews after the crucifixion of their Master, were meeting behind locked doors. With the appearance of Jesus, they were at once at peace. But then a greater thing happened, Jesus gave them the Holy Spirit. All that had been gathered in the room in fear suddenly began a supernatural life which is unique to Christians alone. They were sent forth to continue the work that Jesus had been sent to do by His Father.

As the New Year begins, how many of us are sheltering ourselves away from the world? How many of us are letting our fears hold us back from doing the work that Jesus was sent to do? Do we not recognize that the same power that was given to the early disciples is also given to us?

Let us begin our new year under the guidance of Our Comforter, the Holy Spirit. He has been given to us to instruct us and empower us to do the work of the Father. He has been sent to supernaturally strengthen us. He comes along side of us to provide the power and protection that we need to overcome the enemy, the world around us and even our own flesh, all of which are trying to bring us down.

We can be sure that we will encounter some failure. In all likelihood, our failures will come from the fact that we have turned once again to rely on our own strength. We must be continously aware that our own strength will never be enough to meet the demands and challenges of this world. Our strength must come from the Lord, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit that He gives us.

Let us take hold of what has been promised to us. Let us surrender to the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Let us commit to joining Our Precious Savior in doing the work of the Father in the new year.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank You for providing Your Holy Spirit to come along side of us to be our counselor. We praise the name of Jesus who defeated all evil when He died on the Cross so that we could defeat the evil that comes against us. We pray that you will teach us to accept our utter failure without Christ. Help us to realize our best will never be good enough until we are cleansed by the blood of Our Savior and receive His Holy Spirit into our lives. Help us Father to build our lives on the Rock that is Jesus Christ. May the Holy Spirit embolden and strengthen us to do the work of the Son. We ask all these things in the name of Our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.

Hanging on to the Cross of Our Savior

Galatians 5:24
And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

The works of the flesh are many and are manifest throughout the lives of all men and women. Unfortunately, there is much in the urgings of the flesh that seems attractive to pursue. If uncontested by the spirit, the affections and lusts of the flesh are the things that close the doors to heaven.

The endless pursuit of life in the flesh leads to a constant and unavoidable destiny that is certain to be deviant from the way, the truth and the life that is in Jesus Christ. Living in the flesh forms a path that is not compatible with maintaining a course of positive spiritual growth. Deterioration and destruction are inevitable.

Only by turning to Our Savior in order to pursue a life in the spirit, can we overcome the inherent flaws of our flesh. Only by focusing on our relationship with Our Savior, instead of ourselves, are we able to avoid destruction. Only by hanging on to the Cross of Our Savior are we able to put to death the desires of our flesh. Only by surrendering completely to the will of the Father will we find supernatural victory over the things that torment us.

Let us cling to the indwelling spirit of Our Savior, Jesus Christ. Let us claim our victories over the passions and desires of our flesh that were crucified with Him on the Cross. Let us celebrate the joy of living in the fullness of the presence of Our Lord.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for providing the sacrifice of Your Son so that we may live in the spirit and not in the flesh. We praise the name of Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life. We rejoice in knowing that we can overcome all the frailties of our flesh because of the victory that Jesus won for us on the Cross. We pray for the grace to maintain a constant focus on Our Savior so that we may be freed from the stirrings of the corrupt nature that remains in our flesh. Father, we seek the fullness of our lives in Christ so that we may bear much fruit for Your glory. We ask all these things in the name of Our Crucified King, Jesus Christ.

Freed From the Stirrings of the Flesh

Galatians 5:24
And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

The works of the flesh are many and are manifest throughout the lives of all men and women. Unfortunately, there is much in the urgings of the flesh that seems attractive to pursue. If uncontested by the spirit, the affections and lusts of the flesh are the things that close the doors to heaven.

The endless pursuit of life in the flesh leads to a constant and unavoidable destiny that is certain to be deviant from the way, the truth and the life that is in Jesus Christ. Living in the flesh forms a path that is not compatible with maintaining a course of positive spiritual growth. Deterioration and destruction are inevitable.

Only by turning to Our Savior in order to pursue a life in the spirit, can we overcome the inherent flaws of our flesh. Only by focusing on our relationship with Our Savior, instead of ourselves, are we able to avoid destruction. Only by hanging on to the Cross of Our Savior are we able to put to death the desires of our flesh. Only by surrendering completely to the will of the Father will we find supernatural victory over the things that torment us.

Let us cling to the indwelling spirit of Our Savior, Jesus Christ. Let us claim our victories over the passions and desires of our flesh that were crucified with Him on the Cross. Let us celebrate the joy of living in the fullness of the presence of Our Lord.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for providing the sacrifice of Your Son so that we may live in the spirit and not in the flesh. We praise the name of Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life. We rejoice in knowing that we can overcome all the frailties of our flesh because of the victory that Jesus won for us on the Cross. We pray for the grace to maintain a constant focus on Our Savior so that we may be freed from the stirrings of the corrupt nature that remains in our flesh. Father, we seek the fullness of our lives in Christ so that we may bear much fruit for Your glory. We ask all these things in the name of Our Crucified King, Jesus Christ.