Tell me this one thing: How did you receive the Spirit? Did you receive the Spirit by following the law? No, you received the Spirit because you heard the message about Jesus and believed it.  You began your life in Christ with the Spirit. Now do you try to complete it by your own power? That is foolish.  You have experienced many things. Were all those experiences wasted? I hope they were not wasted!  Does God give you the Spirit because you follow the law? Does God work miracles among you because you follow the law? No, God gives you his Spirit and works miracles among you because you heard the message about Jesus and believed it. Galatians 3:2-5 ERV

So simple yet so profound. It’s not because of what we do but because of what He’s done. The blood of Jesus was, is and will be enough to cover all our sin and believing in Him and the work of the cross is enough. Well said, brother Paul! Why was he talking like this to the Galatians? Because they again began to follow the law, thinking that by doing that, they would keep their salvation. The law only made us aware that we couldn’t keep it, but the blood of Jesus says, My grace is enough to buy your freedom and keep you free. He gave us His Holy Spirit to keep us free, to lead us into all truth, but many of us don’t want to hear that. We are rule followers, not Christ followers. 

When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment; Jesus answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and most important command.  And the second command is like the first: ‘Love your neighbor the same as you love yourself.’ All of the law and the writings of the prophets take their meaning from these two commands.” Matthew 22:37-40. I wonder why? Because love covers sin. There is no greater love than that and Jesus proved it when he lay down on the cross for us. 

He became for us a perfect sacrifice for all sin and then topped it off with a perfect gift; he left a part of himself here for us, the Holy Spirit. Don’t just take salvation and reject His Spirit. Without Him, we wouldn’t understand the simple truth of the gospel. Without Him, we wouldn’t know how to discern right from wrong. Without Him, we could search the scriptures and not understand what we’re reading. Without Him, we wouldn’t find the hidden treasures of God. Without Him, we couldn’t speak the language of God. Without this beautiful gift from God, we would have no power in our life. 

Father, I’m thankful for your Spirit. Holy Spirit, you comfort me when I’m hurting, strengthen me when I’m weak, You lead me into all truth and shine a light on my path. You are the essence of God, filling me to overflowing. It’s You who never leaves me alone. It’s You who teaches me what it feels like to really love. May those around me sense that and know that it’s not I who lives, nor writes these words of truth. It’s You, it’s all You. And when I have no words that describes how I feel inside, your language spills from my lips and overflows, completely washing over me like a river, taking my hearts cry directly to God as an sweet fragrance, a sacrifice to Him. You and I have a sweet relationship. You complete me. I’m thankful for your work in my life.