01/07/2026
*BY THE SPIRIT*
*"You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they are not belong to Christ."* Romans 8:9 (NIV).
The theme *"By the Spirit"* is a call to live in the constant consciousness of who we have become in Christ. The believer is no longer identified by the flesh but by the Spirit because the Holy Spirit now permanently dwells within us. Christianity is not about striving to become spiritual. It is about living from the reality of the Spirit who already lives in us.
The Holy Spirit came to permanently indwell us the very moment we believed the Gospel: the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the salvation of mankind (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). At salvation, we were not merely forgiven. We were made alive together with Christ, born of the Spirit, and brought into a new realm of existence (John 3:5-6; Ephesians 2:4-6). Therefore, Romans 8:9 declares that we are *not in the flesh but in the Spirit*, because the Spirit of God lives in us.
The indwelling Holy Spirit is not a temporary visitor but God's permanent gift to every believer. Jesus promised that the Spirit would abide with us forever (John 14:16-17). He is the seal of our redemption, the Father's mark of ownership upon our lives, and the guarantee of our eternal inheritance. As the Scriptures declare:
*"Having believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession."* (Ephesians 1:13-14)
Because of His indwelling presence, we belong to God forever. We are His sons and daughters, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:16-17). Eternal life is not merely a future promise but a present possession. Jesus declared, *"Whoever believes has eternal life"* (John 6:47), and the Apostle John affirmed, *"God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son"* (1 John 5:11-13).
Our identity and existence are therefore defined by heaven, not by the limitations of this world. The believer lives from heaven to earth, manifesting heavenly realities in earthly circumstances. As Paul writes: *"For our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ."* (Philippians 3:20)
Although we physically dwell on earth, our true homeland is heaven. We are ambassadors of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20), seated together with Him in the heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6), and blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). Our values, conduct, and perspective should therefore reflect the kingdom to which we belong.
To live *by the Spirit* is to continually acknowledge the indwelling Holy Spirit, to think according to our heavenly identity, and to express the life of Christ in every sphere of life. We are called to set our minds on things above, where Christ is seated (Colossians 3:1-4), knowing that *Christ in you is the hope of glory* (Colossians 1:27). As we walk in this consciousness, the fruit of the Spirit, the power of God, and the character of Christ become evident through us.
This month, let every believer reject the mentality of the flesh and embrace the reality of the Spirit. We are not trying to become God's children. We already are (1 John 3:1-2). We are not trying to obtain eternal life. We possess it in Christ. We are not striving to earn God's acceptance. We have been accepted in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:6). Therefore, let us live daily in the consciousness that *we are in the Spirit*, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, citizens of heaven, and representatives of Christ on earth.
*Confession*
I am not in the flesh but in the Spirit because the Spirit of God lives in me. I have been made alive with Christ, sealed by the Holy Spirit, and marked as God's eternal possession. My citizenship is in heaven, and I manifest the realities of heaven wherever I go. I walk in the consciousness of eternal life, the righteousness of Christ, and the power of the indwelling Spirit. Christ is my life, and through Him I reveal God's glory on the earth. Amen.
_ .GodLightAlfred_
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_ ,2026_
