Scripture says we are to live for Christ; to do our best to emulate Christ. What does that mean? How do we do that? God gives the Holy Spirit to us as a helper, a friend, a counselor, to help us in our walk with God to become more like Jesus over time. This sanctification process is to be accomplished using the nine fruits of the Spirit. This is the heavy artillery God will use in our lives as we confront this fallen world. The arsenal of God is unstoppable. The problem is most Christians are still on spiritual milk and are not aware of the weapons at their disposal. Those who are aware of God’s divine attributes inside them have no idea how to release the power of God to their benefit. They fail due to lack of knowledge.
2 Cor 4:8-9 – We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
The above verse is life in a nutshell on this sin-filled world, if you’re a Christian. For the unbeliever I can’t imagine the horror they must be going through with no hope.
2 Cor 4:17 – For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.
God will do the work of sanctification Himself using the fruits of the Holy Spirit, but He won’t do it without your free will acceptance and participation in the process. God’s power of the Holy Spirit can only be released through saints with a knowledge and understanding of God’s Word and that requires personal reading and study of the Bible. You can’t ask for what you don’t know? You can’t ask if you don’t know how to ask? With the knowledge and understanding of God’s Word comes the wisdom necessary to unleash the power of God within us.
Gal 2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.
Col 1:27 – Christ in you, the hope of glory.
James 4:2 – You do not have because you do not ask.
James 5:16 – The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.