Living by the Spirit's Power

Today, I read Galatians during my personal Bible study time. (As a side note, I've really been enjoying and learning a lot from reading a whole book of the Bible at a time; you should try it.) Galatians isn't too long, 6 chapters. But a certain set of verses stuck out to me more than the rest of the book. 

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. 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. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. -Galatians 5:16-18 NLT

I was "saved" (accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord) at the age of 7. Did I actually understand the fullness and depth of that commitment? Of course not. But I accepted it and wanted to live for Christ as much as my 7 year old heart and mind knew how. And somewhere between that commitment and where I am now in my spiritual walk, it became a deeper commitment. 
Around the ages of 13-16 though, I think I was caught in the middle of my commitments to Christ. I was smarter and had a better understanding than when I was 7, but I don't think I was Spirit-filled. And I say that because my decisions and my thinking during those ages were that of trying not to do wrong rather than please God. I had heard someone preach (I don't actually remember who), and they made a brief comment about we all sin everyday. That bothered me. Because I would lay down in my bed at night and think, "God, I didn't lie today, I obeyed my parents, I was nice to my friends, so what was my sin today?" 
Granted I was only a preteen, I was trying to live by a law rather than filled with the Spirit. Of course, I didn't understand the difference quite yet. But anyways, I was stuck on the list of "don'ts". This is just a tiny example that came to my mind when I read this passage about living in the Spirit. Not to say I'm anywhere near perfect now, and I definitely can always be learning, but as I look back, today is different than those years of my life because I'm no longer stuck on "What am I supposed to not do?" As I live out my life day-to-day, I focus on "Is this pleasing to God?" This mentality sure does take off a burden. Maybe God had something going when He gave us the Spirit to guide our lives. 

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. -Galatians 5:19-21 NLT

WOW! That to me is harsh. and scary. Because I think of myself as well as others who commit these sins quite often yet are "Christians". It just shows the importance of living a Holy Spirit driven life. If we strive to please God, the Spirit will give us the power and desire to stay away from these sins that lead to destruction. 

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another. -Galatians 5:22-26 NLT

 Be thankful you live in the days of the Holy Spirit and not the days where we would be slave to the law. Take advantage that we can have the Holy Spirit every second of every day.


Jesus speaking: "But now I am going away to the One who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. Instead, you grieve because of what I've told you. But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don't, the Advocate [Holy Spirit] won't come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you." John 16:5-7 NLT