Using God’s Spirit In My Life To Have The Power to Say 'No'

In summary of Romans 8:9 it says,

“But you are not ruled by your sinful nature. You are ruled by the Spirit, if that Spirit of God really lives in you. But the person who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Christ.”

Bottom Line:

If you belong to Christ, then you have the Spirit of God living in you.  You are not controlled by your sinful self but rather the the Spirit of God.

What this means to me:

I have committed myself to Christ as the Lord and leader of my life.  Because of my decision, God has sent his Spirit to dwell within me.  I can now look to the Spirit of God living within me to help control my sinful nature.  Those who have not accepted Christ are missing out and subject to their own human/sinful nature and usually give into any desire that comes their way.  All they have is pure will power and they are relatively powerless against the great craving that drive them.  As a believer, I’ve got the Holy Spirit — and a new ability to say “no.”  This doesn’t mean that I won’t have the same compulsions, desires, lusts, and impulses I had before I began a relationship with Jesus, but now the power of God resides inside of me. Now I can say “no.”  Galatians 5:16 says, “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.” The Bible doesn’t say me that I won’t have sinful desires now, but it says the Holy Spirit will help me choose not to satisfy them.  I have the power to say “no.” So i need to use it.  When I am tempted, I’ll recall this passage and claim the power I get from the Holy Spirit to say “no.”