September 26th

September 26th

Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.
Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. (‭Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭21-24, 29-30‬ NLT)

Today's reading is a particularly good teaching about having the Holy Spirit living inside of you. See, in every one of us there is a battlefield. Good vs. evil, light vs. dark, dog person vs. cat person. But this is not what I am talking about today. I am referring to God's will vs. my will. We are all on this battleground. We all try desperately to impose our will, and in some cases try to make a case that our will is the same as God's will. But they are two separate things. Our human nature has a natural tenancy to oppose God's will. Look at Adam and Eve at the tree, they wanted further knowledge, and that will directly opposed what God wanted for them. This is where the Holy Spirit comes in. The Holy Spirit is a guide to point us to God's will. Now the field where this battle is fought is the mind. Will vs. will, the knockout round. And the Holy Spirit is there not to help us to oppose God's will, but to remind us to surrender to it. Without the surrender to God's will, we are completely lost and alone. That is not a place I want to be. But it is a place that my human nature pulls me towards. So the Holy Spirit jumps in and reminds me whose authority I need to be under. Just one clue, it's not mine. The battle of the mind is the hardest battle that you will face. It is full of wins and losses, but the closer we become to our savior, and the more time that is spent in His word and prayer, the easier that battle becomes. Well, at least the more better choices you will make. The battle will never go away, and the liar has a way of getting involved, but the Spirit is there to bring back our focus. And that changes the way we live our life.

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