Jesus said; “If you love me, you will obey what I command.  And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth.  The world cannot accept Him.  But you know Him for He lives with you and will be in you.” (John 14: 16, 17)

It is the special privilege of the born again Christian to have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  He is the third Person of the Trinity and He is to be known, not just talked about or heard of. He is much more than just a name mentioned in a creed, in a hymnal or during a baptism service. Non-Christians do not know Him and sadly many church attendees only know about Him.  That is why the sins of the flesh, the world and the devil so easily overtake them.  The Bible says, “For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die;  but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” (Romans 8: 13, 14)  Therefore, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.  Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you – unless, of course you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13: 5)

The litmus test for seeing if you are living a life led of the Holy Spirit is the Word of God.  It tells us in Galatians chapter five of the fruit of the Holy Spirit which will be evident in an obedient Christian’s life.  These are: Love: A genuine self-sacrifice for the good of others.  Joy:  Great pleasure and delight in who God is and what He has provided. Peace:  A sense of well-being, rest, tranquility not dependent on circumstances. Gentleness:  Kindness toward others, reasonableness and flexibility. Patience:  Stability under pressure, self-controlled under provocation from others.  Faithfulness:  Reliability and perseverance. Meekness:  Willingness to be governed.   A submissive attitude toward authority and circumstances.  Self-control:  Especially of one’s passions.

True Christians “…are not controlled by the sinful nature but by the [Holy] Spirit…  And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” (Rom. 8: 9) Friend, if you don’t have Christ, you are not saved.  Invite Christ into your heart today! Be empowered to overcome the flesh, the world and the devil. You can then enjoy the fruit of the Holy Spirit in your life, instead of being destroyed by the wages of sin, which is eternal death.