Thursday January 25
The great controversy is real; two sides are battling for our souls. One is drawing us to Christ (John 6:44) and one to the world (1 John 2:16). The power of the Holy Spirit in our lives can and will draw us in the right direction if we will but submit to Him.
“However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13, NKJV; see also John 14:16). The Holy Spirit empowers us to live by principle and by faith, not by whims or emotions that so dominate the world. Successful preparation for living in heaven comes by living faithfully in this world under the direction of the Holy Spirit.
Paul counsels: “Your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:5, NKJV). The lure of the world, often through material possessions, draws us away from the Lord. In contrast, if we do not resist, the power of the Holy Spirit will pull us toward Jesus.
Success in the battle with the world and its lures will be accomplished only from outside of ourselves. Read Ezekiel 36:26, 27; John 14:26; and Ephesians 3:16, 17. When we let the Holy Spirit take possession of us, what things will God do to assure that we have spiritual victory?
“It is through false theories and traditions that Satan gains his power over the mind. By directing men to false standards, he misshapes the character. Through the Scriptures the Holy Spirit speaks to the mind, and impresses truth upon the heart. Thus He exposes error, and expels it from the soul. It is by the Spirit of truth, working through the word of God, that Christ subdues His chosen people to Himself.” - Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 671.
The Holy Spirit is the reporter of truth and is the ultimate gift that Jesus could give to represent the deity on earth after His ascension. The Holy Spirit strives to give us power to overcome the powerful lure of the world and its “charms.”
The world does pull at us all, doesn’t it? What choices can you make, right now, that can help you surrender to the Holy Spirit, who alone can give you power to resist the world’s temptations?
