Why should we submit to the Holy Spirit’s control?

Romans 8:5-9Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)

Galatians 5:22-23The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

God’s control is the only kind of control that produces completely positive results. Sin’s control tears us apart from within. God’s control builds us up into all we were created to be.

2 Corinthians 3:17The Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Galatians 5:17The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.

2 Timothy 1:7God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

The Holy Spirit works in us to bring freedom from the drives and desires that distract us from living for God.

John 8:34-36Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”

Romans 6:14, 18Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace . . . Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.

2 Corinthians 5:17This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

1 Peter 2:16You are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil.

Submission to Christ’s lordship frees us to live a new, righteous, and grounded life!

Romans 6:16, 22Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living . . . But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.

Galatians 6:8Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.

Submission to the Holy Spirit pleases God and results in eternal life.