Relying on the Spirit’s strength is a gift from the Lord, guiding us on our spiritual journey so we can fulfill the plans He has for us. It’s a plan so excellent that, in the New Testament era, we are blessed to have the Holy Spirit dwell in every believer in Jesus. The Lord continued to reveal this wonderful gift the day before He was crucified, that He was going to send the Holy Spirit.
John 15:26 But I will send you the Advocate—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me. 27 And you must also testify about me because you have been with me from the beginning of my ministry. [1] In the Christian Walk, relying on God and the Holy Spirit is essential, but it runs counter to cultural norms.
In life, we tend to depend on ourselves, and many times, we have to figuratively hit a wall before we realize we can’t do life on our own. Perhaps you have been there in the past or are there now. It was only when I hit a wall in life that I became more open to relying on the Holy Spirit and letting Him lead me. That was the time when I started making greater progress in my spiritual life. God is an excellent teacher and often uses our failures as His most outstanding teaching opportunities.
Being Repeatedly Filled With the Spirit
Being filled with the Holy Spirit isn’t just a one-time experience; it’s an ongoing journey of empowerment that helps us live out our faith and joyfully share the good news with others. It’s a beautiful cycle of seeking and opening ourselves up to the Holy Spirit’s full presence in our lives. Ephesians 5:17Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. 18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.[2]
In this verse, the apostle Paul gently reminds us not to be foolish, but to truly understand God’s will. He beautifully compares being filled with the Holy Spirit to being under the influence of wine, emphasizing how important it is to be filled with God’s Spirit instead. The phrase “be filled” in the original Greek is in the present perfect tense, meaning it’s not a one-time thing but an ongoing action.[3] Being continually filled encourages us to seek and welcome the Holy Spirit’s fullness into our lives.
Dependence on God’s Spirit for Transformation
Our dependence on God and the Holy Spirit is a beautiful partnership. As we turn to Him, He works within us, changing us from the inside out. None of us can change without the Holy Spirit, who brings transformation. Without the Spirit, true salvation isn’t possible; it touches hearts, guides us to repentance, and helps us believe in Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection.
No one can truly come to faith or live fully for God without His Spirit. Remembering our need for the Holy Spirit keeps us humble and dependent on Him. We can’t rely on our efforts — only through the Spirit’s power can we see transformation and fulfill the Great Commission. To learn more about relying on the Spirit’s strength, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/when-the-road-gets-hard
[1,2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.
[3] Heiser, M. S., & Setterholm, V. M. (2013; 2013). Glossary of Morpho-Syntactic Database Terminology. Lexham Press.