Read Romans 8:1–17
Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
Romans 8:14
To be unsaved and not have the Spirit is the lowest level of life. But
people need not stay on that level. By faith in Christ they can move to
the next level. The evidence of conversion is the presence of the Holy
Spirit within, witnessing that believers are children of God (v. 16).
Their bodies become the very temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19).
What a difference it makes when the Holy Spirit lives within us.
When evangelist D. L. Moody described his conversion experience,
he said: “I was in a new world. The next morning I thought the sun
shone brighter, and the birds sang sweeter … the old elms waved their
branches for joy, and all nature was at peace.”
But there is a third level of experience for which the other two
are preparation. It is not enough for us to have the Spirit; the Spirit
must have us (Rom. 8:12–17)! Only then can He share with us the
abundant, victorious life that can be ours in Christ. Because He is “the
Spirit of life” (see v. 6), He can empower us to obey Christ, and He
can enable us to be more like Christ.
Something to Ponder
How has the Holy Spirit changed your perspective on life? What are
some ways you can allow God’s Holy Spirit to have more control over
you?