Walk by the Spirit
God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit. So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. For we live by believing and not by seeing. Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. 2 Corinthians 5:5-9
The Holy Spirit lives in the life of every believer as a guarantee for the life that God promised they will have not just while here on earth but also when they are brought in the presence of God in heaven. If this is the case, there is no doubt that the life to come to those that believed and trusted Christ in their lives must be glorious and beyond comprehension. In another instance, the Holy Spirit was given as a seal that assures every Christian of the promises of God. “...and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us” (2 Corinthians 1:22). God wants believers to realize that even while they are waiting for the life to come, the Holy Spirit is the one that will help them experience the power so they could live lives pleasing to God. The power that worked to raise Jesus from the dead comes from the Holy Spirit. This power is available to every believer because they have Him in their lives. “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you” (Romans 8:11). God wants His children to be empowered so they could be victorious over sin. In this way, they could provide powerful witness for God’s marvelous grace. Through this grace, people will come to know Christ as their Lord and Savior. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). As Paul mentioned from the text “our goal is to please him.” Submitting to the Holy Spirit’s working in our lives is what will make it possible for us to please God. Left on our own, we won’t be able to do what God has called us to do. “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty” (Zechariah 4:6). “...walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).
Blessings,
Noel De Guzman
www.my-wbc.com
