Holy Spirit gives us life, new life. He is our Comforter, our Guide, and the Indweller, and He is the Spirit of Truth. The life he gives us is essential for our eternity. But the Spirit of Life is also the key ingredient to a life well lived now. The apostle Paul dedicated an entire chapter (well, we made it a chapter) to the Spirit of Life in his letter to the Romans. He wrote:
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
No judgment
“There is no condemnation.” Somebody say, “Hallelujah!” This is also translated as “no judgment.” There is now no judgment for those in Christ Jesus. The moment Adam and Eve disobeyed God, an order of life and death was set in motion. But God in his kindness and goodness satisfied that law of sin and death with the death of his Son. Jesus defeated death, but he also released his Holy Spirit of Life into the world for those who trust in him. So, not only has judgment been removed for Jesus trust-ers, we no longer hold the burden of trying to be good and righteous on our own. We have help on the inside. We must do our part, but he promises to do his, and he never fails. He can change us.
A Changed Life lived differently
In order to explain a changed life, first we should define sin. The textbook definition is “missing the mark.” I’m not sure that helps us much. Perhaps sin is clearer when we think of all the things we might do and think that do not result in life. When I get angry at the terrible driver in front of me on the busy highway, life is not given. Whether I angrily honk my horn or say bad words (yes, I have my unholy moments), the truth is a little bit of my own life is taken, right? Anger does not add to my days. It raises my cortisol levels! The person in the other car isn’t affected unless I am ugly to them, and if that happens, it certainly doesn’t give life.
The foundation of everything sinful is selfishness. Sin is often defined by outward actions: drinking, smoking, lying, and cheating. Yet sin always starts in the heart, right? Going to church may make us look holy, but Jesus always put the religious in their place. When the Pharisees complained that the disciples did not ceremonially wash their hands Jesus replied:
You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:
“‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.’”Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”
Matthew 15: 7-11
A changed life is a prayer away, “Holy Spirit, have your way! Change my heart. Make me less selfish, prideful, and disobedient.”
I don’t want to be religious. I want to be a life-filled-life giver on my way to eternal life.
Fruit of the Holy Life-Giver
The fruit of sin takes away life. It causes strife, breaks relationships, and wounds others. Sin ultimately harms, but the fruit of the Holy Spirit gives life to the host as well as those in her path because the fruit of the Spirit of life is good.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
Beautiful things flow from us when the Holy Spirit is in control.
Scriptures on the spirit of life
Do you want more of his life in you and flowing from you? I do! I want to change everyday and bless those around me because of the life-giver living in my heart. What we believe and what we focus on affects the Spirit’s power in us. Faith in Jesus gives us access to the Spirit indwelling in us, but our minds must be renewed and aligned with the truth. Come grow in the Spirit with me as we focus on the Spirit of Life for thirty-one days. Click on the image below to get the free printable.
I pray these scriptures will encourage your faith and fuel the fire of the goodness of God inside you. Let them be a starting point to your Bible time each day. Write them down, read the verses around each and journal your thoughts and prayers.
study with me!
Join me on Instagram on (most) Fridays. I’m in the middle of a move, but when I can, I meet with all my Gram friends to unpack some of these scriptures from our reading plan. It’s a time of encouragement and fellowship. If you can’t meet us, it’s always posted. You can also find fresh teaching on my YouTube channel.
Praying you up
Hold my hands:
Father, We praise you! What you’ve done for us is nothing short from remarkable. We are amazed and humbled that you would go to such great lengths for our eternal life and life lived right now as air still fills our lungs. Oh don’t let us take this gift for granted or dormant within. Renew our minds, have your way, change us and make us life-givers as we’re changed by the Spirit of Life. Let Life flow from us, our words, actions, and thoughts. We want to be life-givers too. I pray for the hearts reading this. Change them Lord. Change me Lord. Every. Single. Day. Amen.”
