God's life within

Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God. 1 John 3:9-10 NLT

Physical life produces only physical life, spiritual life produces spiritual life. This is the reason why the Lord Jesus Christ told Nicodemus “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Without the life of God in us, we will continue to live in the flesh. It is God’s life within that will produce the power that we need in order for us to overcome sin. And that power is through the presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. “Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life” (John 3:6). When a person surrenders his life to God in faith, tremendous change will take place. Not only that he receives God’s righteousness for he has now a new standing before God, but also, he is set apart so that day to day, God is magnified in his life. This dramatic change can only happen through the life of God within. “And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires” (2 Peter 2:4). The old nature is dominated by sin but the new nature is predisposed to living a holy life. We have this responsibility to live the life God gave us. The inner man, the new life within, has to be fed regularly like the physical body that needs food in order to be nourished. Unless a Christian will feed on regularly in the Word of God, the inner man will lack power. “‘Jesus told [Satan], ‘No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4). It is by daily spending time in God’s Word that a child of God will prevent oneself to “indulge in evil desires” (Romans 13:14). But feeding on God’s Word regularly should be balanced with applying His Word in one’s life. Just like in physical life, if a person will only eat and not discipline oneself through exercise, the body will become susceptible to illness. Same is true with spiritual life, there must be balance between feeding on God’s Word and living out biblical principles in daily life. “…train yourself to be godly…training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:7-8). As we go through each day of our lives while here on earth, let us see to it that the life within is nourished and empowered by God through His Word and the Holy Spirit.

Blessings,