If the Spirit is present in someone, then the fruit of Gal. 5:22-23 will be evident instead of the deeds of the flesh in Gal. 5:19-21. This means that sanctification is not measured primarily by major decisions and turning points in our lives, but rather by the day in and day out work of God in our hearts as we walk by the Spirit, seeking to please the Lord with all of our life.
Additionally, if the Holy Spirit is the energizing source of our sanctification, Gal. 5:24 states the ground of our sanctification—when we were united to Christ’s death and resurrection by faith alone, our old self died and our new self was raised to newness of life. So in v.25, Paul teaches that if we have this life from the Spirit, then we should walk or conduct our lives in submission to the Spirit. This isn’t complicated since the Spirit’s work involves convicting us of sin and renewing our mind with the truth. Only when we resist his work in unbelief, do we hinder our sanctification.
So in the end, we would do well to consider the indwelling Holy Spirit in comparison to our sin and temptation. We should ask ourselves: Is this temptation too powerful for the Holy Spirit, who is the 3rd member of the Triune God? Or is the temptation really too deceptive that the Spirit-inspired truth cannot cut right through it? Has God not supplied everything we need for life and godliness?
In fact, the Spirit was given so that you would know Christ and follow Christ, so why would he withhold what you need to glorify God in your sanctification? Rather than being stingy, the resources God has granted all believers are immeasurably powerful.
The Effect of Having the Spirit
