The Will of God for You

It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: (1 Thessalonians 4:3a)
When we come to Jesus by faith, we come to Him completely undeserving of His love and grace. We come to Him stained with sin down to our very core. Yet, He not only is willing to receive us just as we are, but He also compellingly draws us to Himself. However, His love won’t leave us in our former condition. He’s determined to change us into His very likeness. (See Romans 8:29)
In Paul’s day, the Judaizers confused the Galatian church into believing that faith in Christ alone was insufficient to be right with God; they also had to follow all the Jewish rituals in order to fulfill God’s law. This would mean that even though they were initially saved by faith alone in Christ, they would now have to complete their salvation by adding their own efforts to the work Christ had already done for them.
Paul corrected this false teaching by showing the Galatians how God has equipped believers to avoid sinful living. So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (Galatians 5:16) This command sounds so simple, but living it out demands our constant attention for the rest of our lives.
As Christians, we have been recreated through the new birth given to us by the Holy Spirit when we first believed. Yet, while we remain in our earthly bodies, the old sinful nature has not been fully overcome. Although we have “died” to our old self and now genuinely desire to live to please the Lord we love, we still must fight against the yet unredeemed part of ourselves, which is influenced by our sinful nature. We cannot win this battle by ourselves alone—without God’s help. Fortunately, He has given every believer the Holy Spirit to indwell them and equip them well for this ongoing battle.
The Holy Spirit brings us into intimacy with God; He illuminates the Scriptures so we know what we are to do; He strengthens us in the inner man to empower us to do His will; He glorifies Jesus Christ to us, both as our authority and our example; He personally guides us in our conscience to do God’s will; He ministers to us through other Christians to bring us strength; and He intercedes for us so that all things work together for good.
We can be free to live morally pure and loving lives as we allow the indwelling Holy Spirit to lead us day by day. Ultimate victory for every true believer is assured, thanks to the work of God.
By Jim Connell
When we come to Jesus by faith, we come to Him completely undeserving of His love and grace. We come to Him stained with sin down to our very core. Yet, He not only is willing to receive us just as we are, but He also compellingly draws us to Himself. However, His love won’t leave us in our former condition. He’s determined to change us into His very likeness. (See Romans 8:29)
In Paul’s day, the Judaizers confused the Galatian church into believing that faith in Christ alone was insufficient to be right with God; they also had to follow all the Jewish rituals in order to fulfill God’s law. This would mean that even though they were initially saved by faith alone in Christ, they would now have to complete their salvation by adding their own efforts to the work Christ had already done for them.
Paul corrected this false teaching by showing the Galatians how God has equipped believers to avoid sinful living. So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (Galatians 5:16) This command sounds so simple, but living it out demands our constant attention for the rest of our lives.
As Christians, we have been recreated through the new birth given to us by the Holy Spirit when we first believed. Yet, while we remain in our earthly bodies, the old sinful nature has not been fully overcome. Although we have “died” to our old self and now genuinely desire to live to please the Lord we love, we still must fight against the yet unredeemed part of ourselves, which is influenced by our sinful nature. We cannot win this battle by ourselves alone—without God’s help. Fortunately, He has given every believer the Holy Spirit to indwell them and equip them well for this ongoing battle.
The Holy Spirit brings us into intimacy with God; He illuminates the Scriptures so we know what we are to do; He strengthens us in the inner man to empower us to do His will; He glorifies Jesus Christ to us, both as our authority and our example; He personally guides us in our conscience to do God’s will; He ministers to us through other Christians to bring us strength; and He intercedes for us so that all things work together for good.
We can be free to live morally pure and loving lives as we allow the indwelling Holy Spirit to lead us day by day. Ultimate victory for every true believer is assured, thanks to the work of God.
By Jim Connell
Recent
Archive
2022
January
New Year's Day 2022All Things NewA New NormalA Renewed MindA New MissionA New BeginningSpring is Coming...God's Not DeadHis Presence As I Pray With Other BelieversHis Presence As I Fill My Heart and Mind with His WordHis Presence As I WorshipHis Presence As I WriteHim AloneGoodbyesOur Friend and So Much MoreTrust Your Gut...The Flooding of the Holy SpritLiving By the SpiritDon't Just Stand ThereThe Futility of Human EffortThe Will of God for YouThe Internal Battle for ControlEvery Good Tree Bears Good FruitAchieving Victory Over SinIlluminating Properties of SnowSearching
February
MapsThe AdvocatesPainting the PictureThree In OneFebruary Scripture Memory VerseWelcome to the Book of Acts!A Growing HeartThere's Something You Need to Understand!Let's Flip a Coin - Or Do You Have a Better Idea?Are We There Yet?Growing in the ChallengesA Day to RememberA Historical RealityA Life TransformedA Message that Convicts and SavesA Gospel that GathersPain with a PurposeThe Early Church - AccountableThe Early Church - God Living In UsThe Early Church - BoldnessThe Early Church - GenerosityThe Early Church - ServingThe IntroductionThe Starting Lineup
March
On the DefenseNot in My House!We Have a Barn Burner!Drop the Rock!Scripture Memory Verse for MarchThe Glory of God's RedemptionSalvation Comes from GodEncountering ChristChanged Hearts and LivesCompleting the Unfinished WorkPsalm 131Something Came UpUnoffendableSpeaking Our LanguageTo Love or Not to LoveShake It UpPsalm 131Sola GratiaFreed by GraceAmazed by GraceScandalous GraceEvidence of GraceWhat God Has GivenThe Travel PlannerWhat Makes You Curious?Strengthened by Other BelieversImposters Exposed
April
A Farewell to EphesusScripture Memory Verse for AprilHappy EndingsSomething You Need to Know About PaulAlmostBlank PageSuper ChristianThe Prince of PeaceA Special CrossMore Than an Empty TombTwo Things to RememberResurrection LifeWhat We Wear MattersA New LifeProgress ReportGospel GrowthPraying for the Global ChurchA Powerful Prayer GuideDelivered from Darkness