by Elizabeth Haarberg

The renewing power of the Holy Spirit

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.”
James 1:13-14

There’s so much that could be written about this verse. What is God’s role in sinning? Why does He allow it? Is it really only ‘our desires’ causing us to sin? Where is Satan in this equation?

The bottom line is God is good, Satan is bad, and we have decisions to make. Our wants and desires are what open the door to good or evil.

“Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”
1 John 3:8

Jesus has made all things new but we choose to walk in the newness or not.

We can definitely blame Satan for a lot of bad things in our lives but when it comes to sin, we either resist him and he goes away or we buy into his suggestions.

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
James 4:7

So, how do we keep from being pulled back into sin that has been a part of us for so long?

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Romans 12:2

And 1 Corinthians 2:16 says, “…we have the mind of Christ.”

So, as the Holy Spirit transforms our minds to the mind of Christ our desire for sin dies away.

There are a multitude of ways the transformation takes place: by reading the Word of God and letting the truth wash over our old thinking, by praying, and by crying out to God. Find a community of people that will guide you toward the truth of Jesus. There are so many tools God gives us to become more like Him.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado