Monday, November 9, 2015

How Did You Receive The Spirit?

This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Galatians 3:2

Who led you to the Lord? Did they tell you about the Holy Spirit?  Were you under the Law?
Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus…. Romans 3:19-24

 Under the law is a legalistic way to approach God—to try to keep the Ten Commandments and all the additional requirements that are written in Leviticus. Try to keep the rules. But no one can really keep the rules. By the grace of God—He forgives our sin and then we can enter into His presence…in prayer, praise or worship and thanksgiving.
I feel like I’ve known about Jesus all my life. Some of my earliest memories are going to Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. Those experiences taught me about Jesus—but it wasn’t until I was in college that I developed a real “relationship” with Him. Lots of people pointed me to Jesus and the Holy Spirit—but it was the Holy Spirit Himself—revealing Himself to me—that really taught me. No law or rule keeping could have done that. So are you open to being taught by the Holy Spirit—to listening for the voice of God and responding in a positive way—in obedience to His grace and mercy?

Prayer ~ Holy Spirit, since I have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from Him, I throw off my old sinful nature and my former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Holy Spirit, renew my thoughts and attitudes. Thank you for changing my attitude. Put on my new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. Ephesians 4:21-24 NLT.

© 2015 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

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