If I had a piece of advice to give about today’s passage it would be to read it again in quiet place where there are no distractions. I’d then suggest that you read it again in a variety of different translations in order to get the full value of the teaching that it presents to us and when you’ve done that I’d suggest highlighting a few key sections to memorise.

As far as teaching on the benefits of being filled with the Holy Spirit this is the best there is. Let’s set out a few of the real gems that Paul hands to us:

V.5 “Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.” (NLT)

V.11 “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.” (NIV)

V.31 “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (NIV)

V.37-39 “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NIV)

It doesn’t matter to God how bad things look to us, His primary interest is in our spiritual health and our salvation. He sees beyond the mess and looks to the potential within us. If we can absorb the power of Paul’s words and receive the Holy Spirit so much will change that we will barely recognise ourselves.

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Questions:

Have you received the Holy Spirit? If you have do you need to receive more if Him and more of what He has for you?

Action:

Reread the chapter for today and learn some of the key verses. Meditate on them and make them part of your daily meditation.

Prayer:

Holy Spirit help me to lay my worries, my concerns, my fears and my sins at the foot of the cross. I come to You as one who carries the marks of sin and I ask that You would cleanse me and fill me with Your heavenly presence now. I ask that you would remain within me always. Amen.