That very same Spirit!

 

Now we can do everything the law requires. Our sinful nature no longer controls the way we live. The Holy Spirit now controls the way we live. 

Don't live under the control of your sinful nature. If you do, you will think about what your sinful nature wants. Live under the control of the Holy Spirit. If you do, you will think about what the Spirit wants.

 The way a sinful person thinks leads to death. But the mind controlled by the Spirit brings life and peace.

 The sinful mind is at war with God. It does not obey God's law. It can't.

 Those who are controlled by their sinful nature can't please God.

 But your sinful nature does not control you. The Holy Spirit controls you. The Spirit of God lives in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Christ. 

 Christ lives in you. So your body is dead because of sin. But your spirit is alive because you have been made right with God.

 The Spirit of the One who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you. So the God who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your bodies, which are going to die. He will do this by the power of his Spirit, who lives in you. 

 Brothers and sisters, we have a duty. Our duty is not to live under the control of our sinful nature. (Romans 8:4-12)

Think about it . . .the very same Spirit of God that was working in and through Christ . . . the same Spirit Jesus committed back to God on the Cross . . . . the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead . . . . that very same Spirit lives in you and me . . . . the Christ follower

The power that raised Jesus from the grave lives inside of every believer! It grieves me daily to ask this question of myself and others: Why do we keep on grieving that Spirit? (Ephesians 4:30) Jesus said if we love Him we would keep His commandments, yet I still sin! I do love Jesus too! It is a battle indeed that only the Spirit can win! 

Yet we fight from victory . . .the Risen Savior! He promised us His Spirit and He lives within us. I fight it . . .you fight it . . . Paul fought it as well (Romans 7). It is a fight we can and will win . . . There is victory in Jesus! 

That very same Spirit fights with us and for us!