The Spirit in Resurrected Life
Yesterday we talked about suffering, and how Jesus went to the cross with the power of the Spirit helping Him along. But let's remember that His suffering wasn't the end and that our earthly suffering is not the end. In fact, the Bible calls our earthly suffering “a light and momentary affliction compared to the glory that awaits.”
The Spirit's Power in Resurrection
And this was surely true for Jesus because He was resurrected by the power of the Spirit. Romans 1:4 says that it was through the spirit of holiness that Jesus was resurrected from the dead. We too will be raised from the dead by the Holy Spirit if we are in Christ. Romans 8:11 says, "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." And so what great news!
Living as New Creations
If we die in Christ, we receive a new body from the Spirit. But more than this, the Spirit gives us life in this world. If we want real life in this world, we need to be Spirit-filled.
In fact, remember on Tuesday when we spoke about our baptism? Baptism in the life of a believer is a sign of going down into the water like Christ went down into the grave, and then rising up again as Christ was risen from the dead—a new person. It's a picture of our spiritual rebirth.
And so let's remember today that not only will we live again in another world when we die, but those of us who are in Christ have died to our old selves and have been resurrected as new creations in Christ. And we have new life by the power of the Spirit.
Experiencing Transformation Today
So many of us Christians live without this reality! We know and we believe that God loves us, but we never die to our old selves and live in faith as resurrected new beings in Christ.
I want to encourage you today to open yourself up to the work of the Holy Spirit. Ask God to not only forgive you and love you, but to empower you with His Spirit and make you a new creation, free from the life of sin and selfishness, full of love and joy and peace and all those other fruits of the Spirit.
I love what Samuel Chadwick said about the Spirit in his book The Way to Pentecost. He said, "The Spirit dwells in people, clothes Himself with consecrated humanity, and accomplishes extraordinary things through quite ordinary people on the simple conditions of abiding surrender, implicit obedience, and simple faith."
May you surrender to the Spirit today, obey His promptings, and live with simple faith that He is at work in you. And I know that your life will take on a whole new shine through the Spirit's indwelling.
