To relinquish something simply means to renounce or surrender. If we go deeper, this word also means to give up; to let go or release. What have you let go of during your Christian journey? Has it been God’s Word? Your faith? God’s perspective on a certain matter? Have you surrendered to the authority of the Holy Spirit to your own desires. Today’s reminder is “Don’t Relinquish the Power”!
The presence and power of the Holy Spirit has been evident not just in the experiences of believers from the Old and New Testaments, but also during the time of creation. Each believer has been given the Holy Spirit once they have accepted Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. He equips us with the power to not only perform the work of God, but to carry out God’s will for our lives. Today’s thought will center on a specific passage from the scriptures, namely Romans chapter 8 verses 5 through 9. Verse 5 says, “Those 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.” When we succumb to our sinful nature, we ultimately surrender the authority of the Holy Spirit. Instead of leaning on the strength that is accessible to us, we opt for our own human abilities. Then when we look at verse 6 it says, “So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.” The meaning of this passage is quite obvious. If we let our sinful tendencies dictate our actions and decisions, it will ultimately result in death. It is imperative for every believer to consistently reject their own desires in order to allow the Holy Spirit to guide their lives. Verses 7 and 8 proceed to emphasize the potential repercussions of denying the Spirit’s control over us. These verses tell us, ”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.” There it is! WE CAN NEVER PLEASE GOD IF WE CHOOSE TO BE UNDER THE CONTROL OF OUR SINFUL NATURE! Ultimately, it is through verse 9 that we discover the true identity of the individual residing within us. It says, “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.)”
We are not bound to follow the desires of our sinful nature, as stated in Romans 8:12. Therefore, by choosing Christ, we are choosing the Spirit. Opting for Christ means choosing life and peace. By living for Christ, we cannot renounce or surrender the power of the Holy Spirit that desires to work in each believer.