janbear
02-09-2009, 08:21 AM
Inside Information - Living in the Spirit
Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, in order to know what has been freely given to us by God.
1 Corinthians 2:12, Holman Christian Standard Bible
That ocean of relief and refreshment you felt as you turned your back on sin and turned your life over to Jesus Christ's control was the Holy Spirit of God rushing into your heart, filling you with the raw power of everlasting life. The Bible says: "In [God] you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation--in Him when you believed--were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit" (Ephesians 1:13b-14). Sort of like earnest money on the house God's building you in heaven.
Once we get there, we'll understand all that our salvation means. We'll see why we had to go through some of the tough times we faced on earth. Maybe we'll even find out how God pulled off that Red Sea thing, or why He thought it best to put our noses smack-dab in the middle of our faces.
But until then, God has given us His Spirit, so that we don't have to rely on our own vague observations and knowledge about spiritual things in order to do what He wants, to understand His plans for us, to put ourselves into position to serve Him with power and freedom.
This Week's Look-Up Verse
1 Corinthians 2:9-16
Lifeway.com
Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, in order to know what has been freely given to us by God.
1 Corinthians 2:12, Holman Christian Standard Bible
That ocean of relief and refreshment you felt as you turned your back on sin and turned your life over to Jesus Christ's control was the Holy Spirit of God rushing into your heart, filling you with the raw power of everlasting life. The Bible says: "In [God] you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation--in Him when you believed--were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit" (Ephesians 1:13b-14). Sort of like earnest money on the house God's building you in heaven.
Once we get there, we'll understand all that our salvation means. We'll see why we had to go through some of the tough times we faced on earth. Maybe we'll even find out how God pulled off that Red Sea thing, or why He thought it best to put our noses smack-dab in the middle of our faces.
But until then, God has given us His Spirit, so that we don't have to rely on our own vague observations and knowledge about spiritual things in order to do what He wants, to understand His plans for us, to put ourselves into position to serve Him with power and freedom.
This Week's Look-Up Verse
1 Corinthians 2:9-16
Lifeway.com