​If we become true believers in Christ, the Bible promises in Ephesians 1:13 that we will be marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit. The evidence of this is the “fruit” of the Holy Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22 & 23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

There is a popular theology going around today in some circles that says that if we just think about God’s grace, we won’t sin. I don’t think the New Testament writers bear that out. In Ephesians 4:22-24 Paul said, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

In John 14:26 these words of Jesus are recorded: “But the Advocate [sometimes translated Counselor], the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” It’s our job to listen to the Holy Spirit with the ears of our hearts. The next step is to be obedient. The fruits of the Spirit don’t win out over our natural inclinations automatically.

In a section subtitled “Living as Children of Light” in the NIV version, in Ephesians 4:30 Paul wrote, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” It grieves the Holy Spirit when we ignore His voice and choose to continue down the path of sin. I try to learn to respond to the little nudges from the Holy Spirit.

One of the best gifts we can give to our children, our grandchildren, our nieces and nephews, or any children with whom we have contact is to show them what a life controlled by the Holy Spirit looks like. I am so thankful for the example my parents gave me. In the verses preceding Ephesians 4:30 we are reminded of some of the sins we should avoid. We could use those verses to ask ourselves some questions:

-Do I always speak the truth, even when it isn’t convenient?

-Do I let my anger get the best of me?

-Do I steal—maybe by fudging on my work time, taking a few pens from the office, leaving out income on my tax return?

-Do I work hard to contribute to my household and help those in need?

-Do I guard my words so that what comes out of my mouth is wholesome? In other words,

*Do I stick to jokes that are clean?

*Do I stay away from gossip?

*Do I say things that are helpful rather than hurtful?

Putting Off Our Old Selves

How do we grow in “putting off our old selves” and being obedient to the voice of the Holy Spirit? There are three important activities that can help us:

(1) Studying the Bible (see Psalm 119:11) – I find that following a Bible-reading plan or joining an in-depth Bible study group with weekly assignments can help to keep me studying consistently.

(2) Remembering to pray (see Ephesians 3:14-19 & 6:18-20) – One tip I have heard and found to be helpful is to focus on one area of need each day of the week. I won’t say that nothing ever breaks my routine, but I try to follow it. You may want to break down the week in a different way, but this is how I do it:

•     Sunday – Pray for the church service (the pastor, teachers, and musicians)
•     Monday – Pray for family members
•     Tuesday – Pray for friends
•     Wednesday – Pray for neighbors
•     Thursday – Pray for wisdom for the church leaders
•     Friday – Pray for our nation
•     Saturday – Pray for missionaries (I’m trying to learn to pray for persecuted  Christians around the world on that  day, too.)

(3) Spending time with other believers so we can encourage each other (Hebrews 3:13) – I find that attending church and Bible study groups is very helpful.

Each day I also try to remember to praise God for some of His attributes, thank Him for something He has done, ask forgiveness for my sins, and pray for my own needs and any urgent needs. Of course God would love to hear from us more than once a day. We can thank Him and praise Him and pray for needs throughout the day. That’s what is considered “praying continually,” mentioned in  I Thessalonians 5:17.

I Corinthians 1:31 says, “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God.” We can’t bring glory to God unless we listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and obey it. So let’s do our best to listen and obey in the year ahead. Maybe you could spend a few minutes contemplating that thought as you listen to the song below.

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc. TM