“There is now, therefore, no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:1-2

Living in the Holy Spirit

What glorious victory is in this verse. The previous chapter in Romans seems hopeless, caught up living in the flesh and the desires thereof. But…there is a rescue!

God is holy; I am not. This reality has stunned me recently, knowing that there are habitual things in my life that do not please God. How can I break free of these awful chains? “Who will save me, O wretched man that I am; but thanks be to God through Jesus Christ my Lord—so then with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin” (Romans 7:24-25).

Where is my security? Where do I find my comfort or solace? I want to say, in Christ alone, but the tendency sometimes is to trust the circumstances of immediate gratification instead of waiting and resting in the promises of God in my life. Promises like Psalm 37:3: “Trust in the Lord and do good. Dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness.” I need to live in the place of doing what I know to be good, trusting in His smile of pleasure, and knowing that He will handle the process and the outcome according to His best plan.

God’s grace meets us with joy unspeakable when we quit striving, and trust and rest in Him. He forgives, and His grace covers us when we acknowledge our wrong direction. Then it’s our job to take the next step of trusting, obeying, and enjoying Him. His individual, personal care is real, and I can hear and feel His joy over me when I surrender myself to live in this place. This is the place of true hope and true life—living by the Holy Spirit and His power in me to overcome my flesh and trust in my Redeemer, the lover of my soul who died to rescue whosoever would believe in Him!

My encouragement for you today is to remember He is singing over you throughout the day, and He has our worries and our fears. Walk in the Spirit and the chains of these things cannot hold us down. We can live for His kingdom and purpose!

“Lord, we pray for Your empowering love and grace to hold our hearts today. Enable us to realize Your grace and love by living according to the Holy Spirit, and not the chains of the flesh. In Jesus name, Amen.”