- Ephesians 3:16 - That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.
- Galatians 5:22-23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
There is an important truth: by our own power, we cannot change ourselves and become good people. Our will or good intentions are not enough to change our sinful nature. But the good news is that God never wanted us to try on our own. He knew we could not change ourselves. That is why He sent the Holy Spirit to live within believers. As the Holy Spirit works in our lives with His power, we can go beyond our natural limitations and live according to God's will. This is the life God intended for every believer. The ministry of the Holy Spirit has many facets, but four of them are especially important: He illuminates our minds so that we can understand the truth of God's Word; He gives our bodies and lives the strength to serve the Lord; He strengthens our will so that we can obey God's will; He produces the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. Living the Christian life in victory is possible only through the power of the Holy Spirit living within us. God gave us His Spirit so that we would rely not on our own strength, but on His power, and live according to His will.
Reflection
In which area of your life today do you need to rely not on your own strength, but on the power of the Holy Spirit?