Power to Change:
Controlled by the Spirit

Scripture Reading: Romans 8:9-17

Key Verse:  Romans 8:9

You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.

Once we come to God and accept His offer of grace, we have the power to change.  The evil one knows, better than we do, that we have that power.  The devil’s only hope for causing us to stay stuck in sin is to lie to us.  He is very good at lying, so many of God’s children don’t grow into the new creation as quickly as God intends.

The Apostle Paul, in today’s scripture, reminds us that we are no longer controlled by the sinful nature, which was the devil’s greatest ally before we came to Christ.  The evil one used to be able to suggest some evil behavior and our sinful nature fell helplessly to these destructive suggestions.  But we no longer are helpless; we are empowered by God’s Holy Spirit.  As believers we have the Spirit of Christ flowing through us, making it possible to say no to ungodliness and yes to righteousness.

Christ’s life within us goes about the business of putting to death the misdeeds of our sinful nature.  As we listen to the nudges of God’s Spirit, He guides us away from the sinful lifestyle.  We are slowly changing into the person we’ve always wanted to be and what God has always seen in us!  Our job is to simply believe, when tempted to sin, that we have the power not to give in.  We can stand strong because of God’s Spirit living in us, but we must believe even when we can’t see it!

Father, I feel weak but I am trusting that your strength will be there for me when I need it.  I praise you for living in me and changing me!  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.