That Convicting Spirit…
I am so thankful for the presence of the Spirit in my life: He ensures my salvation, He has made me a part of the Body of Christ, He enables me to walk the Christian walk, and He convicts me of my sin. It is this last aspect of the Spirit’s ministry that is most painful.
I know where I am wrong. I know what I need to do that is right. But it is so hard! It is in times like these that I particularly feel my sinful desires kick in and struggle against the Spirit. It is easy to excuse my actions. However, it is in times like this that the Spirit once again has to remind me of something that I have unconsciously pushed to the back of my mind for a while: “You are responsible for what you do. You are not responsible for what others do or may do to you. You are going to answer to God for your actions. You are not going to answer for the actions of others. Now, you have the facts. What are you going to do with them?”
Such bold truths put me between a rock and a hard spot: I cannot escape without directly stepping into disobedience. However, yielding to the pressure of the Spirit’s work is not fun. However, yielding does somehow, amazingly, open up a way to freedom that was not otherwise available.
I know where I am wrong. I know what I need to do that is right. But it is so hard! It is in times like these that I particularly feel my sinful desires kick in and struggle against the Spirit. It is easy to excuse my actions. However, it is in times like this that the Spirit once again has to remind me of something that I have unconsciously pushed to the back of my mind for a while: “You are responsible for what you do. You are not responsible for what others do or may do to you. You are going to answer to God for your actions. You are not going to answer for the actions of others. Now, you have the facts. What are you going to do with them?”
Such bold truths put me between a rock and a hard spot: I cannot escape without directly stepping into disobedience. However, yielding to the pressure of the Spirit’s work is not fun. However, yielding does somehow, amazingly, open up a way to freedom that was not otherwise available.
6 “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8 now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once; but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”
Romans 6:6-14
I want to live my life as an instrument of righteousness unto God…by His grace.
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