“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25). The apostle Paul gives us this very simple instruction in plain terms, “If the Holy Spirit is living in you, let him have full control of your life.”

We are all to be led by the Spirit. He was sent to be our constant, infallible guide, and he abides in all who confess Christ as Lord and Savior. Most Christians have no trouble accepting that the Holy Spirit leads us to Jesus, and we have no problem believing that the Spirit is continually at work in us at every moment.

Forgiveness is not just a one-time act but a way of life, meant to bring us into every blessing in Christ. “I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:44-45).

The one great concern of our heavenly Father is that no “other gospel” will take us away from the cross of Jesus Christ. Many Christians have had their faith shipwrecked because they were given a flattering word years ago, perhaps something like this: “You’re going to have a great ministry and win thousands of souls to the Lord,” and not one word of it came to pass. Now those sheep are totally discouraged, their faith on the ash heap.

We can often possess something valuable without fully appreciating its worth or significance. The story is told of a farmer who worked his small farm his entire life, tilling the rocky soil year after year. At his death, the farm was passed down to his son who continued plowing the ground — but the son found a gold-streaked nugget in the soil. The land was full of gold and he instantly became a wealthy man. Yet that wealth was lost on his father, even though it was on the land his whole life.

God still speaks to his people today. And he speaks as clearly as he did in the Old Testament, or to the apostles, or to the early church. Yet we must realize one thing: God chooses to speak only to those who have ears to hear.

Mark tells us Christ “taught them many things by parables” (Mark 4:2). In this passage, Jesus tells the parable of the man who sows seed in a field. Yet when he finished the story, the crowds were baffled and wondered, “Who is this sower he is describing? And what does the seed represent?”

The prophet Isaiah prophesies what happens when the Holy Spirit falls upon a people. “The Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is counted as a forest” (Isaiah 32:15). He is saying, “When the Holy Spirit comes, what was once a barren wilderness becomes a harvest field. A dead patch of ground suddenly overflows with fruit and that field of fruit will grow into a forest; you will be able to take cuttings from this forest year after year and build on your fruitfulness continually.”

Many servants of God are bearing heavy burdens today and God wants to remind each one, “My righteousness is near, my salvation has gone forth, and My arms will judge the peoples; the coastlands will wait upon Me, and on My arm they will trust” (Isaiah 51:5).

God is saying, “I have already spoken the word of your deliverance — I decreed it in my covenant promises — and I have stretched forth my mighty arm to take you out of your wilderness experience. Why don’t you claim what I have decreed and walk in the light of my freedom, joy and peace?”

Satan is deceiving many in Christ’s Body, causing despair and confusion, and he is not being challenged in God’s house. Why is that? Too many sermons today focus on meeting the needs of people rather than on living a victorious life in Christ. Preachers offer how-to plans for merely getting by and totally neglect the heavenly position we have been given in Christ. The truth is, this world has always been troubled, which means God’s people have always faced an enemy who attacks from all sides. The circumstances change, but the devil remains the same.

In days past, “Jesus is coming!” was declared during almost every Sunday church meeting. Evangelists brought stirring messages about the hope of Christ’s return and there was a godly fear and expectancy in the hearts of his followers. Today, however, the coming of the Lord is seldom spoken of and, sadly, only a few righteous servants seem to yearn for his appearing.

The manger in Bethlehem speaks directly to the resurrection of Christ! He was fully human at birth — Mary’s blood nourished him in the womb — but his birth was a breaking forth of the eternal. We read: “The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned” (Matthew 4:16).  The light referred to here was eternal life — resurrection from death.