The Word – May 11, 2012 - THE HOLY SPIRIT--THAT VOICE BEHIND YOU

"You are controlled by the Holy Spirit, if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to Him at all" (Romans 8:9).

This series of teaching devotionals may be the most important ever directed your way. Understanding what the Holy Spirit of God desires to do in your life means understanding God's guidance which is available to every believer.

When you received the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, the Holy Spirit came to live within you (John 14:16-17; Romans 8:9b). The responsibilities of the Spirit living in you are made clear in the Scripture. Here are a few:

1). He is within you as a teacher to aid you in understanding the truth of Scripture.

2). The Holy Spirit seals you as God's own child, and makes your body His dwelling place, actually His temple (Ephesians 1:13; I Cor. 6:19).

3). He makes His power available for you to use in Christ's service (Acts 1:8).

4). He immediately gives you at least one very special "gift" to be used in service for the Lord (1 Cor. 12:4-11).

5). As you allow Him to, he begins to develop in you the actual characteristics of Christ such as, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, etc. (Galatians 5:22-23).

6). He also enables you to become linked with other believers into the "body of Christ." (1 Corinthians 12:13).

The message of Scripture makes it very plain that God's desire for every one of His children is that they become filled with His Spirit. You can trust Him to fill you, only if you commit your life to Him. Total commitment in this act of obedience is the important prerequisite to attain spiritual fulfillment God desires for you.

Romans 12:1-2 gives us the formula that leads to the personal commitment necessary in able to know God's perfect will. The steps are:
   1. Make a definite prayerful decision to yield your entire being to God. Put your future completely in His hands.
   2. Don't let the world system "squeeze you into its mold" its way of thinking and acting; instead "renew your mind"   every day by prayer and the study of God's Word.
   3.   According to the promise of His Word, (Romans 12:2), God will then reveal His perfect will for your life. Just as guidance is needed on a daily basis, so the commitment described in #1 & 2, must be reaffirmed daily.

When you have complied with these conditions, God can and will reveal His will to you (at the point you are now in your life) through the Holy Spirit who indwells you. Life's most difficult battles are those you will face within yourself as you determine to learn, how to let His Spirit rule in your life.