“And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.” - Romans 8:11 (NIV)

Like Paul’s conversion experience, today's verse is about 180-degree turns. Paul, who once was so convinced he was doing God's will by persecuting Christians, had his “come to Jesus” encounter on the road to Damascus. From that point forward, he became one of the most vocal voices in bringing others to Christ and would end up dying for what he once persecuted. 

This verse has a physical 180-degree turn–from death to life, the very dead Jesus, who was in the grave for three days, is resurrected. The same Spirit who worked that miracle takes residence in our souls when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. When that happens, there are both spiritual and physical 180-degree turns. Spiritually, we turn from sinfulness to righteousness, darkness to light, evil to good. Physically, the Spirit gives us freedom from those things that once bound us.

As part of this turnabout, we become more than converts; we become children of God. Paul writes, “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” (v. 16-17)

Though we are His children, this doesn’t mean we are free from struggles. We are continually tried and tempted, but we are not alone. The Spirit, which resides within us, walks with us and helps us remain on the righteous path. When we were sinners, we didn’t require assistance–to sin is natural, but to walk in the light, we need the help of the Spirit.

Gracious God, we thank You for the 180-degree turns in our lives. By the Holy Spirit, You have brought us from spiritual death into life and freed us from sin's bondage. We thank You for Jesus Christ's sacrifice, His suffering, death, and resurrection, which made this transformation possible. Grant us the wisdom and courage to follow the lead of the Spirit, resisting all temptations. Amen.

Blessings,

Pastor Tim