02/11/Th – Life by the Spirit

NT: “You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him. Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you.” (‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:9-11‬ ‭CSB)

Humans, unlike other animals, are tripartite beings: they have a 1) physical body, 2) soul, and 3) spirit. When God created man and woman, the Bible says that He breathed the breath of life in them, giving them a spirit. Other created animals on earth only have a body and a soul. The spirit is at the core of a human’s life and can have influence and control over the soul and body. When man sinned, his spirit became dead to God and could no longer lead the soul and body in righteousness – and the soul and body were given over to depravity and perversity. In Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dried bones, God gave the bones new bodies of flesh and blood, but they weren’t fully alive until they received the breath of life. For a person to be fully alive, they must be alive spiritually. After Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to His disciples, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22). The mark of truly being saved from sin is being truly alive in the spirit by receiving the Holy Spirit upon new birth. Beyond receiving the Holy Spirit is the baptism and filling with the Holy Spirit. Both are necessary to not be overcome by the sinful penchants of the flesh, but to overcome the flesh by the Spirit. If we allow the Spirit to have rule and reign in our lives, our bodies will be made alive by the Spirit, and we will not be in the flesh.

Psalms: “Lord, you light my lamp; my God illuminates my darkness. With you I can attack a barricade, and with my God I can leap over a wall. God — his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is pure. He is a shield to all who take refuge in him. For who is God besides the Lord? And who is a rock? Only our God. God — he clothes me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer and sets me securely on the heights. He trains my hands for war; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have given me the shield of your salvation; your right hand upholds me, and your humility exalts me. You make a spacious place beneath me for my steps, and my ankles do not give way.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭18:28-36‬ ‭CSB)

During the time in David’s life when he was on the run from his enemies, God was working in him to mature him and train him up as a mighty man of God. In those dark times, David allowed God to be his light and he allowed God’s word to light his path. It was by God’s grace on his life that David grew from being a humble shepherd in the fields of Bethlehem to being a giant-slaying king ruling in the palace of Jerusalem. If this was true of David who was a man of the old covenant, how much more should this be true of a believer in Christ Jesus that is the recipient of a new and living covenant. When we come to faith in Christ and receive the life-giving Holy Spirit in our lives, then the indwelling Holy Spirit becomes our light and leads us into all truth – teaching us how to walk in righteousness and empowering us to overcome the spiritual enemies that stand in our way. It is by the Spirit that we are given life and matured into royal priests of God, called to proclaim God’s praises and multiply God’s kingdom here on earth.