Day 10 — Living by the Holy Spirit

“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him “ — Philippians 2:13 (NIV)

Following Jesus was never meant to be accomplished through human strength. We can read Scripture. We can know what Jesus taught. We can desire to live differently. We can even try very hard to change ourselves, but lasting transformation does not come through willpower alone. God has given us the Holy Spirit. Jesus told His disciples that He would not leave them alone. He promised that the Holy Spirit would come to live within them, teach them, strengthen them, guide them, and empower them to live the life He was calling them to live. The same is true for us.

The Holy Spirit is not simply an influence or a feeling. He is the Spirit of God living within every believer. He is our Helper, our Teacher, our Comforter and He is continually working within us to make us more like Jesus.

Sometimes we approach spiritual growth by trying harder. We think: I need to be more patient. I need to stop getting frustrated. I need to love people better. I need to control my words. I need to overcome this temptation.

Those desires may be good, but God never intended for us to transform ourselves. The Holy Spirit works from the inside out.

Philippians 2:13 says: (NIV)

“For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”

God is at work within you and as you surrender your thoughts, attitudes, desires, reactions, and choices to Him, the Holy Spirit begins changing what comes out of your life.

You are not simply learning to be better. You are becoming more like Jesus.

Galatians 5 describes the qualities the Holy Spirit develops in a surrendered life:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” — Galatians 5:22–23 (NIV)

These qualities reflect the character of Jesus.

As the Holy Spirit works within us, His transforming work becomes visible in the way we live. We begin loving people more deeply, responding with greater patience, walking in peace, showing kindness, and exercising self-control.

This does not mean we become perfect overnight. It means there is growing evidence that God is changing us.

We are not producing this transformation through willpower. We are surrendering to the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to form the character of Jesus within us.

Transformation also means there will be moments when what the Holy Spirit desires conflicts with what our flesh wants.

Galatians 5:17 explains:

“For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.”

You may want to respond angrily, but the Spirit is producing gentleness. You may want to hold onto an offense, but the Spirit is leading you toward forgiveness. You may want to make a decision based entirely on fear, but the Spirit is developing faith and peace. You may want to put yourself first, but the Spirit is forming the heart of a servant.

This is where surrender becomes practical. Walking with the Holy Spirit means allowing Him to have greater influence over our responses than our old patterns, emotions, or desires.

Jesus has already begun a work in you, but transformation requires cooperation.

The Holy Spirit may reveal an attitude that needs to change. He may convict you when your words do not reflect Jesus. He may expose unforgiveness, pride, jealousy, fear, selfishness, or another area that you have been holding onto. Conviction is not condemnation. The Holy Spirit reveals these things because He loves us too much to leave us unchanged.

When He reveals something, we can surrender it.

We can pray: “Holy Spirit, change this in me.”

That simple prayer reflects the heart of a disciple. Not: I can fix myself, but: God, I surrender myself to Your work.

The goal of the Christian life is not merely to become a nicer version of ourselves. It is to become more like Jesus.

The Holy Spirit forms His character within us and over time, people should begin encountering something different in us: More love, more patience, more grace, more compassion, more self- control, more peace not because we have mastered Christianity, but because Jesus is changing us from the inside out through the power of the Holy Spirit and that transformation does not stop with us.

The more we become like Jesus, the more His love begins flowing through us toward the people around us.

Today, ask the Holy Spirit to show you one area of your character He wants to transform. Maybe it is your patience, your words, your reactions, your attitude, your thought life, your ability to forgive, or the way you treat someone who is difficult to love. Don't try to change everything at once. Bring that one area before God. Pray: “Holy Spirit, I surrender this area to You. Produce the character of Jesus in me.” Then pay attention throughout the day. When that area is tested, remember: You do not have to respond from your old nature. The Holy Spirit is at work within you.

Where have I been trying to change myself through willpower?

What area of my character is the Holy Spirit currently transforming?

Which fruit of the Spirit do I most want to see growing in my life?

What would surrender to the Holy Spirit look like in that area today?