“The Lord has given us His Spirit to help us walk through life.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – March 12, 2024
If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:25
I have sometimes asked myself, How does a Christian keep in step with the Spirit? What does it mean in the life of a believer?
To answer that question, first it’s important to recognize that Jesus promised He would give believers the Holy Spirit, His Spirit (Philippians 1:19; Acts 16:7, NASB), to help guide us in life. The Holy Spirit is not intangible or only available to help super “holy” people—and believing in the Holy Spirit is not weird, hyper-spiritual theology or only for certain denominations.
Instead, Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit is His gift for all believers (John 14:16) and does many things for His children including:
Help us and be with us forever. (John 14:16)
Remind us of the words that He said. (John 14:26)
Guide us into all truth. (John 16:13)
Give you the words you need when you need them. (Luke 12:12)
Counsel us. (John 14:26)
Since these truths are fact, we know the Lord has given us His Spirit to help us as we walk through life. This is what it means to keep in step with the Spirit: We allow Him to lead us as we move throughout our days. We listen for His voice and follow His lead, just as the disciples followed Jesus when He was on the earth. We keep in step with Him. We walk by His Spirit.
There are places He wants us to go, tasks He wants us to accomplish, gifts He wants us to use, attitudes He wants us to change, and words He wants us to speak for His glory and to share His love. So that means when the Holy Spirit says go, we go. When He prompts us to say something to someone, we say it. When He invites us to confess sin and repent, we do it. When He gives us opportunities to share His love, we do so. Keeping in step with the Spirit means that we listen to the Lord in humility and are quick to respond, not out of legalism, but out of love for Christ. Walking by the Spirit isn’t complicated, but it does mean that we take time to listen, and be sensitive to how He is leading.
I am overjoyed that in this season, I am learning how to keep in step with the Spirit in a new way that glorifies Jesus and thrills my heart. As a daily practice when I wake, I pray, “Lord, if there is someone you want me to have a divine appointment with today, please show me and help me to say what you want me to say and be a witness for you.”
It has been miraculous and exhilarating how Jesus has led me to numerous people who are struggling and need prayer. How good He is! These appointments from Jesus have given me the blessed privilege of praying with people on walking trails, in airports, restaurants, and even the YMCA locker room. The Holy Spirit is real and present in our lives just as Jesus was present in the lives of the disciples, and He wants to glorify Jesus so that He can draw people to Himself and He can personally reveal His deep love and power to us.
I invite you to walk by the Spirit today. Ask the Lord to lead you, guide you, and show you how to live. Be sensitive to what he’s telling you to do, listen and act. It’s exciting.
“The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord” (Isaiah 11:2)
Prayer
Lord, thank you that you have given me your Spirit to be with me each day, just as you were physically present with the disciples. I choose to wait on you today, to listen for your Spirit and to be led by you. Help me to experience the joy of intimacy with you through your Spirit and that others will know you too by how you work in my life. Amen.
Application
Put this devotional into practice today and see how the Lord shows up!
Related Reading
Romans 15:13; Acts 1:8; Galatians 5:16
Worship Resource
Michael Ketterer & Influence Music: Spirit Lead Me
Donate
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