ESOCS Devotional 31 May 2021
TEXT: JOHN 1:19-34
MEMORY VERSE: “I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit’” (John 1:33 NKJV).
Here, John the Baptist tells us how he was able to identify our Lord Jesus Christ in the crowd. In this manner, we learn how God identifies His people, His children, sons, and daughters, His instruments with different callings, His faithful messengers, His vessels of honour, true Christians – the holy and righteous ones, and His true worshipers who worship Him in Spirit and in truth.
It is a simple but unique form of identification: “Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him.” It signifies that only the person who has the Holy Spirit in him or her belongs to God. The Bible says, “… if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ” (Rom. 8:9 NIV).The word of God also encourages us to “… be filled with the Holy Spirit” (Eph. 5:18 NLT). Simply put, God’s people are Carriers of the Holy Spirit.
The visible evidence in such people is that they are controlled by the Holy Spirit. The Scripture says, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (Rom. 8:14 AMP). For this reason, they do not do wrong or commit sin because the Holy Spirit who dwells in them signifies that they are born of God (1 John 5:18).
What is your identity? Does the Holy Spirit live in your heart? Who is actually in charge of your heart, mind, thought, and life? Does heaven know you as a child of God? 1 John 3:9 says, “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God” (NIV). Do you continue living a life of sin?
Examine yourself now to know your true identity. If it is the wrong one, make genuine efforts to change, and be born again.
- Review your life and remove those things that make you live a life of sin.
- Father, give me the Holy Spirit that I may live a life that is pleasing to you.
Read Other ESOCS Devotional here
FURTHER READING: 1 Kings 1:35-53; Exodus 5: 1-23; Revelation 1:9-20
Thank you for reading the ESOCS Devotional today. Please share and follow us on all our platforms to contribute to the spread of the Gospel.
ESOCS Devotional 31 May 2021
