Walking according to the Spirit

The majority of us started our Christian life believing that God was everything we needed. It was a period. We knew for sure that there was nothing we could do to be accepted from God. His salvation was a free gift - all we had to do was believe and receive. But then following Christ becomes a little more complicated. Conscious of our failings, we no longer turned to Him, but to ourselves! And it is for this reason that Paul summarizes his teaching to the Galatians with these few words : "If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:25)

We are born again through the Holy Spirit in us, and we live by the Spirit. Having begun in this way, should we now backtrack and return to our own efforts in pathetic attempts to live a "good" life ? Paul's directive is to continue to walk in the Spirit - with the living presence of God dwelling in our hearts. When we submit to the Spirit of God, he takes away all the things that displease him, layer after layer.

By our own strength, we can never act like Jesus Christ. That's why He sent someone to help us. The Spirit of Jesus in us wishes to lead our days, tenderly and with love. It's not a bad thing. He was not sent to play the spoilsport and prevent us from enjoying the best of life. It's quite the opposite! He is ready to - and able to - lead us into the clean, fresh air of the words, thoughts, and actions of Jesus Christ.

"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are past ; Behold, all things are new "(2 Corinthians 5:17).

"There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8: 1).

Lord, we want to be "holy as you are holy."

Jim Cymbala