Holy Spirit Administration

You guide me with Your counsel,
and afterwards You will take me up in glory.
Whom do I have in heaven but You?
And I desire nothing on earth but You.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart,
my portion forever.
Those far from You will certainly perish;
You destroy all who are unfaithful to You.
But as for me, God’s presence is my good.
I have made the Lord God my refuge,
so I can tell about all You do.
(Psalm 73:24-28 HCSB ©®)

I won’t become more Christ-like by finding the right rules. I won’t be good by improving my behavior. I will find strength to walk in righteousness by allowing disciplines to give the Spirit of Jesus access to my thoughts and desires. Praying, meditating on Scripture, fasting, all the rest – only have real benefits if they give the Holy Spirit liberty to run my life. Goodness is a fruit of the Spirit. Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit.

I become more like Him as I draw closer to Him in my thoughts and desires through discipline. The disciplines alone can’t do it though – I could have the Scriptures memorized and not recognize the Word of God when He appears to me in life. The more I allow Him to manifest in me as He bears fruit through me, the more He gains access to my identity and can change me.