Are you controlled by the Holy Spirit? By Dan Delzell, Christian Post Contributor
“You are trying to control me!” Perhaps you have said that to someone or have even been accused of being a control freak yourself. You and I both know that no one likes to be controlled, right? And yet when it comes to the spiritual realm, every human being is controlled by either their sinful nature, or by the Holy Spirit. There is no third option. So, which one controls you?
The “fruit of the Spirit” consists of nine qualities supernaturally produced within those who are trusting in Jesus as their Savior from sin: “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22,23).
Man’s sinful nature is capable of producing the opposite qualities: Hatred, hopelessness, misery, impatience, meanness, wickedness, unfaithfulness, harshness and a lack of self-control.
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“Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you” (Romans 8:8,9).
So, which is it? Are you controlled by the Holy Spirit, or by your sinful nature? “Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires” (Romans 8:5). What is your mind set upon: sinful things, or holy things? The battleground is the mind. Scripture instructs believers to think about “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – and anything that is excellent or praiseworthy” (Philippians 4:8).
Christians are forgiven, but we are not permitted to intentionally indulge sinful thoughts.
“Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey – whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience which leads to righteousness?” (Romans 6:16).
