“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.” ~ Galatians 5:16-17 NLT
In these verses, the Apostle Paul offers the ultimate solution to overcoming selfish and sinful tendencies. It focuses on three main concepts:
Walk by the Spirit: To “walk” means to live, conduct your life, and make daily decisions. To “walk by the Spirit” means relying on the Holy Spirit’s guidance and power rather than your own strength.
The Flesh: This refers to human nature apart from God—our natural, selfish inclinations, compulsions, and desires that lead to sin.
The Promise: Paul presents this as a cause-and-effect relationship. As you actively focus on and surrender to the Holy Spirit’s leading, you lose the drive to fulfill the desires of your sinful nature.
The verses acknowledge an ongoing internal struggle (detailed in verses 17-23) between what your natural self wants and what God’s Spirit desires.
Paul’s message is that victory does not come from strictly following a list of rules; rather, it happens naturally by cultivating a daily relationship with God.
Key Takeaways:
Continue to deepen your relationship with the Lord through short prayers and expressions of gratitude throughout the day.
Tether yourself to the Holy Spirit who lives in you. He is not a guest; he is a resident.
Resist your earthly desires. It will require prayer and positive self-talk.
Listen to the Holy Spirit who will serve as your cheerleader as you separate your wants from your spiritual needs.
God can call you wherever you may be, in any number of ways, answer the Call.
~ Lisa Blair
The medium does not matter, He can call you via Skype, Zoom, radio, television, advertisements, a stranger, or silently speak to your inner self. The important thing is that you answer His Call. It doesn’t matter what sins you committed, God will receive you and forgive you of your sins. He is a loving God who is waiting patiently for you to call His name and receive His son, Jesus Christ, as your Lord and Savior.
God knew you before you were born. He knew the path you would take in life and knew what you were going to experience, and (He) uses those experiences to lead you down the path of righteousness, the righteousness of Christ. For many this is difficult to believe, they feel undeserving of a chance to live an eternal life with Christ, but the beauty of His story is that God wants us all to be saved and reconciled to Him.
There are many stories of people accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, from an innocent child, to atheists, to those who grew up with other religious affiliations, to those who only believe in science, to frightened tormented souls, to those willing to give up their lives to receive Christ and spread the gospel in deadly environments. God will receive you anywhere and everywhere, including on your death bed. His sole concern is your everlasting soul, your eternal life with Him.
My Uncle was a scientist and only believed in science and the Big Band theory. He rejected the notion that God created the world. No one could convince him otherwise. It is not our place to try to force our loved ones to believe in Christ. All we can do is what two sisters have done for their mother, who was a nonbeliever. Their Mom, a Buddhist, accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior after her daughters had shared the gospel with her for many years. The story is the same for my Uncle. Both had heard the gospel and rejected it time and again. Still, the time eventually came when the seeds planted in their hearts overtook their belief systems when they openly received Christ as their Lord and Savior and received eternal life. There is a saying that one plants, one waters, and God sows. Only God can Call us at that moment, both the sister’s mother and my Uncle answered. She was in her nineties and very ill, my uncle was in his mid-nineties, and death was not far off. Later he experienced doubt as did she, but their hearts were already connected to Christ’s heart, and they were overcomers. At the moment, they accepted Christ; they became new people. Both received eternal salvation.
Experiences of two people finding Christ late in life
God knew them before they were born. He knew what path they chose to take, and knew when they would accept His Son as their Lord and Savior. People do their part sharing the gospel (the Great Commission), the seed is planted and when the day arrives, they are ushered to the place of reconciliation. I say reconciliation because God has always been with us, sitting patiently for us to return to Him. My prayer is that everyone will rest in peace in Jesus’ arms during their life on earth. It is never too late to receive Christ. The time is always the perfect time.
If you have not received Christ as your Lord and Savior and want to have a relationship with Him, recite Romans 10:9 NIV, If you declare (confess) with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Reference Scriptures
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 ESV
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be sav.” Romans 10:13 ESV
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV
It is important to find a church home or a body of believers to help support you as you walk down the path of righteousness, the righteousness of Christ. The gospel is a living word and meets you where you are. The Bible (Word) is what will begin to inform your decision making. It is the warmth that fills your soul. It becomes the language you use to strengthen your relationship and conversations with God. It becomes your go-to. This is not a walk you want to take on your own. If you have no one to share your walk with, pray to God to send someone. He does not intend for you to do it on your own. The grace of God can change your heart.
Lisa’s Daily Inspirations 