I find it truly amazing how the Spirit of God lives within believers. When a person declares Jesus Christ to be their Lord and Savior, Christ’s spirit begins to live within them and begins to change their thoughts, actions, and behavior.  2 Timothy 1:7-11 mentions this amazing spirit Jesus Christ gave us to dwell inside of us.  The spirit does not come and go as a visitor, but as a dweller in our hearts.  The spirit changes us and knows our hearts more fully than we know ourselves.  When we grow weak in our faith, our spirit knows the sin in our heart and the circumstances to pull us out of a sinful situation.  The spirit knows our suffering and the trials we experience and how to bring us through hard times with the right people and resources in our life.  When we are too busy pursuing the world to stop and pray, the spirit prays for us and intercedes to bring us back to God.  Jesus gave his spirit to the apostles so they could go and be fishers of men, preach scripture, bring people to Christ, and build churches.  How miraculous is that?

Colossians 3:16 says the message of Christ dwells among us, teaching and admonishing each other with wisdom.  As we read the Bible more and educate ourselves on scripture, the spirit grows stronger.  In my own experience, Hebrews, Ephesians, and Romans have changed me more than anything in my life.  These books have opened my eyes to my own sinful nature and the natural tendency for me to behave or think in a worldly way.  I love to read about becoming a Warrior for God in Ephesians 6.  I can’t get enough of Romans where it talks about no one being righteous, not even one, and how no one seeks God.  The only way to salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ.  Hebrews provides guidance through life’s distractions.  Hebrews 12:1 orders us to throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  We are all running a race as Christians and it is up to us and our choices as to whether we let sin distract us and entangle us.  This spirit is always there to guide us.

Christians battle with worldly living every day and from every direction.  Matthew 17:26 asks what good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?  Success in society today is often determined by the riches we acquire and how worldly we live.  How does scripture define success?  It is not in the big house, fancy car, or riches we acquire here on earth.  Success is serving God every day and the salvation we earn by believing in Jesus Christ and keeping him as our focus.  Our eternal rewards are saved up for us in heaven by how we serve God on earth.  This beautiful spirit is what keeps us focused on those eternal rewards and how we can serve God.  I encourage you to listen to your spirit and discover your purpose.  Reading scripture is the best way to grow spiritually as a Christian and connect with Christ.  “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people,” 2 Corinthians 6:16.