When a person places faith in Jesus Christ and becomes a believer, he is sanctified—that is, set apart for God’s purpose. Unlike salvation, which takes place in a single moment, sanctification is a lifelong process. As the Word of God and the Holy Spirit work in our life, we are being sanctified. In other words, we’re progressively maturing in our faith.
In Romans 8:29, the apostle Paul explained God’s purpose for believers: “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son.” Our character, conduct, and conversation should be reflections of Christ. On our own, we’d place too much emphasis on behavior and get caught up with following rules and rituals that look Christian without truly reflecting Jesus. Thankfully, we have been given the Holy Spirit, who works through God’s Word to renew our mind. But we must cooperate in the sanctification process by filling our mind with Scripture.
You’ll never be perfect this side of heaven, but the Lord shows you how to think and act so you can “walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called” (Ephesians 4:1).
To get the most out of this devotion, set aside time to read the scriptures referenced throughout.
We’re currently enjoying the warm, seemingly endless days of summer, but this season isn’t all sunshine and beauty. It’s also known for severe storms that bring lightning, thunder, and heavy rainfall. When they pop up, isn’t it wonderful to be able to run into a dry, comfortable shelter and be protected until the sun begins shining again?
Life is like that, too, sometimes. All is well until, suddenly and often without warning, difficulties arise. Our lives are full of “storms” of one kind or another. Regardless of what caused them, there’s seldom much we can do to stop them from running their course. All we can control is how we respond moving forward. Rather than face these troubles alone, we run to our heavenly Father, the One who deeply loves and cares for us—and waits with open arms. (See Proverbs 18:24; 1 Peter 5:6-7; 1 John 3:1; Revelation 3:20.)
Think about it
- How would you describe your relationship with God? Does He feel distant or is He close, like a loving friend ready to listen? Spend some time in prayer this week, asking God to help you sense just how near He is.
If we hope to resist the Enemy’s schemes, it is important to clear up any confusion regarding salvation. So let’s consider three crucial steps of the conversion process.
1. We must know something. The first step is that we must grasp what our condition was, apart from the Savior. Ephesians 2:1 makes it clear that, left to ourselves, we were all spiritually dead. Without the sacrifice of Jesus, there wouldn’t be eternal life for anyone.
2. We must believe something. The good news is that God provided a means of salvation that is open to all people. Scripture explains that our loving heavenly Father, of His own initiative, made a way for our sin debt to be paid so we could dwell with Him forever (Ephesians 2:4-9).
3. We must receive something. In order to claim any gift, we must first open our hands and receive it. The Father is reaching out to mankind, offering His free gift of salvation. Once we have taken it, it is ours to keep—forever (Romans 10:8-13).
Are you a believer who is empowered by God’s Spirit and completely confident about salvation? Then you are a force to be reckoned with! If you have known, believed, and received God’s gift of salvation, you can stand in full assurance today.
We have an Enemy who wants to undermine our confidence in salvation. We’ve all been there—joyfully moving along through life, sure of our standing as God’s children, when all of the sudden we sin and our feelings take over. Satan can use our remorse and conflicting emotions to eat away at our assurance. We think, There’s no way I can be saved. If I were truly saved, I would never have done such a thing. Overwhelmed by feelings of regret and shame, we find our faith coming under fire.
It is amazing how effectively our fleeting human emotions can undermine our certainty about God’s promises. We should remember that feelings can be unreliable; the Lord, however, says only what is true and never seeks to confuse us. Anytime your emotions contradict the Word of God, you can be sure the Scriptures are reliable. For a believer, “feeling saved” is like a husband or wife “feeling married.” You either are or you’re not; your feelings do not make it so.
Has a sense of regret stolen your confidence in God’s eternal salvation? Lay your feelings before the Lord today, and embrace the certainty that comes only with His truth. Our loving Father longs for you to trust Him without wavering.
To get the most out of this devotion, set aside time to read the scriptures referenced throughout.
Every day likely begins in a similar way: You wake up, get ready, and say good mornings and goodbyes. But the second you step over the threshold into the world, you face a host of challenges that vary from one day to the next. Thankfully, you have the Holy Spirit to guide and help as you navigate whatever comes your way. He is your Helper, the Spirit of truth, the One who is with you forever (John 14:16-17).
Isn’t it comforting to know there is Someone who loves us beyond all measure and stays with us always? With the Spirit’s aid, we can travel through life with confidence, our hearts filled with the peace that surpasses all comprehension (Philippians 4:7). So each morning when you rise, remember you aren’t walking into the world alone. He is there, and He is even more constant and radiant than the sun shining through your windows.
Think about it
- Spend some time in Scripture this week, examining passages that describe the Holy Spirit. Is there one that speaks to your heart? Place it somewhere prominent where you can see it each morning and be reminded of His presence.
