Why Should We Live According to the Spirit?

And just WHY should we be living according to the Spirit? Because

“…those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” (Romans 8:14)

Paul is saying, “The people who belong to Christ are recognized by the Spirit’s work in them.” They wage war against sin—not to become God’s children, but because they already are. And that same Spirit who leads them in the battle today will bring them into resurrection life forever.

What is “Being Led by the Spirit”?

So what does it actually look like to be led by the Spirit?

The beautiful thing is that Paul doesn’t leave us guessing. He has already answered that question earlier in the chapter. In Romans 8:5, he writes, 

“Those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.”

Did you catch that? Paul begins with the mind. Being led by the Spirit isn’t first about dramatic experiences or mystical guidance; it’s about a transformed way of thinking. The Holy Spirit changes what occupies our minds, what captures our hearts, and what we value most.

“Living by the Spirit” isn’t primarily about mystical experiences, prophetic utterances, or miracles – though these things might be part of it. It might surprise you that I think that miracles, prophetic utterances, or other Gifts of the Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 12-14) are a minority part of the whole Christian experience. They are indeed PART of our Christian experience, but NOT the whole of it. What Paul is addressing here is the entirety of the Christian walk, i.e., our lifestyle – our day-to-day living. A move from selfishness to complete selflessness. 

Before Christ, our minds naturally gravitated toward ourselves—our own desires, our own ambitions, the things that satisfied the flesh. But when the Spirit takes up residence in a believer, He begins to redirect our thinking. We start valuing holiness instead of compromise. Christ becomes the center of our attention instead of ourselves. We develop a hunger for God’s Word, a desire to obey Him, and a growing love for righteousness.

This doesn’t happen overnight, and it certainly doesn’t mean we never struggle. But the direction of our thinking changes. The things we once ignored become precious, and the things we once pursued without question begin to lose their appeal.

 

Here is the YouTube Link:

Living by the Spirit Part 2

Here is the Spotify Link:

Living by the Spirit Part 2

In His Grip,

Paige