In our daily meditations at groupbiblestudy.com over the past few weeks, we have focused on revival and the importance for believers in Christ to walk closely with the Holy Spirit, being sensitive to His leading and guidance. We examined Paul the apostle’s thoughts on how to stay in step with the Spirit of God and find victory over sin, self, and Satan. In his letter to the Romans, chapter six, Paul mentioned that three things would help us in this quest: 1) Something we must know, 2) Something we must consider, and 3) Something we must present. Yesterday, we discussed Something we must know, so now let's explore the other two.
2) Something We Must Consider or Count on
11In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus 12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires (Romans 6:11-12).
The word consider or count, depending on your English translation, is an accounting term that means to calculate or count on something. Counting yourself dead reveals the truth that believers in Christ are dead to sin's control, and we must live out this truth daily. We are no longer slaves to sin because we have been bought with a price—the precious, redeeming blood of Christ.
After becoming a Christian, a continual battle remains. There is an inner war between our lower nature, which the Scriptures call the flesh, and the renewed inner life of our spirit that prioritizes Christ and His Word. The more you listen to and obey the spontaneous inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the more you will put to death the commands of your lower nature. It all depends on who you choose to listen to and obey. Scripture tells us that God has called us to live a powerful life aligned with the Spirit. “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25 NIV). The ESV translates the same verse as: “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” The image depicts an army marching or fighting in unison. To stay coordinated, each person must keep in step with the one on their right, and the person on the right keeps in step with the one in front of them. This way, the entire group marches or fights without breaking ranks. We are called to live in harmony with the Holy Spirit, aligning our thoughts with the inner meaning of God's Word. The Holy Spirit will remind us of what the Lord Jesus has spoken. In this way, God’s power flows through the body of Christ as we uphold the unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:3). We no longer obey the commands of our lower nature.
3) Something We Must Present
13and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace (Romans 6:13-14).
Paul writes that we should be mindful of what we say and do, aligning our actions with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We are not to present our bodies as instruments of unrighteousness but rather offer ourselves to God. The battlefield is our mind, where the enemy first wages his war, and where we must be prepared. We present to God all we are—our mind, will, emotions, and physical self. However, it is in the mind that the battle is won or lost. Everything else is influenced by what we allow our thoughts to focus on and the choices we make. That is why we must first know, then consider, and then present. When we obey the Spirit, God will use us powerfully.
This meditation is part of the series "Be Filled with the Spirit," and the study is titled "In Step with the Spirit."