The GREATEST THRILL: Being SPIRIT - Filled

This week’s Devotionals will focus on “The Holy Spirit’s Control!”  The battle is on! Two formidable opponents, the Spirit vs the flesh, vying for dominance and who will win? Join us this week and let’s purpose to commit this scripture to memory and let’s hear what the Lord has given our Devotional writers to encourage us in our walk!

Undoubtedly, the phrase “full of it” could be enshrined in some “global hall of phraseology,” if ever there was such a thing. We’ve heard of people being “full of regret,” “full of remorse,” “full of recriminations.” Not surprisingly, those who are ensnared by any of those flesh-driven sins listed in Galatians 5:19-21 reap many of the forementioned “full-ofs” as a result. “He who sows to the flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life [Galatians 6:8]. Why would any biblically defined child of God undermine or completely ignore this command [1 John 3:10]? Better yet, why would any true Christ follower knowingly forfeit any of the blessings associated with “living in the Spirit” [Colossians 3:12]? That said, just what are some of those blessings unique to those who take seriously God’s command to be “filled with the Spirit?”

Christ followers who purpose to live a life of yieldedness to the Spirit: (a), discover the “dynamism” or energizing aspect of living for Christ; (b ) they experience a renewed sense of purpose, through trusting in, obeying, and—this last one trips up many a saint-- waiting on the Lord to guide them in what He has assigned them to do. They are blessed by Him with a renewed sense of purpose. “To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin,” says James 4:17. A third motivation for pursuing a Spirit-surrendered life is that it helps us to become “practiced” in walking in love, just as Christ also loves us [Ephesians 5:2]. This is no “one and done” enterprise. The Lord’s command actually translates to “be BEING filled!” We’re to continue SURRENDERING CONTROL of each life area to Him who died and rose again to make us part of His eternal family! Given what the Scriptures teaches on surrender, it helps us to ascribe even deeper significance to that declaration found in Galatians 2:20-- “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me…”

Prayer: Dear Father, no matter how briefly or how long we’ve been saved, please revive our spirit with a fresh appreciation for the truth of Your Word, where we are told, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit [Gal. 5:25]. Thank You, in the faithful name of Jesus; amen!
By Sis. Denise Diggs