Trust the Holy Spirit
Live by the Spirit

Scripture Reading:  Galatians 5:14-21

Key Verse: Galatians 5:16

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

The New Testament Christ followers understood that the Holy Spirit was much more than a theological discussion or concept.  For them it was very practical, an every day, down to earth essential element to their life in Christ.  The Apostle Paul wrote to the Galatian Christ followers that they were to live by the Spirit.  In other words, each day was to be lived listening and obeying the inner voice of God’s Holy Spirit.

            The result of any person determined to live by the Spirit will be a transformation of behavior and conversations.  As the apostle points out, if a person does not live by the Spirit, they will continue to live by the sinful nature that they were born with.  Anyone that wants to be a Christ follower must realize that they must listen to the Spirit in order to truly know what it means to follow Jesus.  The sinful nature desires what is contrary to the desires of the Spirit, according to verse 17 of our scripture reading for today.  The apostle gets very specific on what the sinful nature desires: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery and more.  The Spirit desires us to put these behaviors out of our lives and replace them with Christ like traits.

            We will look at the fruits or evidence of the Spirit in a Christ follower’s life in the next couple of devotionals.  For today, will you carefully listen for the Spirit’s voice in you?

Father, I want my walk to match my talk!  Help me today to hear and obey all that the Spirit has to say.  In Jesus’ name, amen.