Living Life Through The Spirit

Today, we are going to talk about living life through the Spirit.

Life is full of voices—some from the world, some from our own doubts—and the Spirit's voice often gets drowned out. But when we live through the Spirit, we step into freedom, peace, and purpose.

This isn’t about trying harder—it’s about walking in step with the Spirit, who transforms our thinking, our choices, and our hearts.

Romans 8:1–6 (NLT) — "So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body, God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace."

Today, let's talk about what life through the Spirit looks like in our everyday moments—at work, at home, in traffic, even in line at the grocery store.

Let’s lean in and discover how to shift from life’s chaos to life through the Spirit.

Romans 8:1 says, “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.”

The Spirit doesn't speak in shame; He speaks in truth and love.

The difference between conviction and condemnation—conviction draws us closer to God through the loving correction that He gives, and condemnation pushes us away because of our own feelings of guilt and shame.

Guilt loses its grip when we remember who we are in Christ, and when He corrects us, it is to help us grow closer to Him. Next time guilt creeps in, speak Romans 8:1 aloud over yourself.

Replace self-condemning thoughts with Spirit-led truths today.

Romans 8:2 says, “And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.”

Freedom isn’t the absence of rules—it’s the presence of the Spirit guiding us toward life.

For example—breaking free from an attitude or habit that used to control you. The Spirit breaks patterns we couldn’t break on our own.

One very vulnerable question we can ask the Spirit every day is, “What is one thing You want me free from today?”

What’s one area where you’ve seen God bring freedom in your life?

In order for us to know how to better react to life, hear the Spirit speaking to us, take in God’s correction, and really feel and live out the freedom that He provides, we need to make space to hear His voice through quiet moments, Scripture reading, and prayer.

This helps us evaluate life as we walk it and respond through the Spirit’s guidance, without getting distracted by the things of this life.

We need to pace ourselves to stay aligned with the Spirit and learn to hear God better.

Life’s noise can drown out the Spirit’s whisper, and Romans 8:1–2 reminds us to refocus on the power of the life-giving Spirit.

How does this Spirit-led life look in real life, when our plans fall apart or the unexpected happens?

Romans 8:5–6 says, “Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.”

The battle starts in our thoughts—what we set our mind on will steer our life. True peace isn’t found in calm circumstances—it’s found in a Spirit-filled heart.

I used to think if things were going smoothly, then my mind would stop racing and I wouldn’t feel so uptight and out of control, but that was only somewhat the case. My mind would always wander and dissect everything—you know, overthinker kind of stuff.

I soon learned that the only way to bring peace to my mind was to truly give everything to God and completely believe He was in control.

I choose to think with eternity in mind, even in temporary frustrations. This is a way for me to be anchored in Christ no matter what.

Where do you need Spirit-given peace right now?

What’s the biggest “mind shift” the Spirit has led you through recently?

When living life through the Spirit, we are living with an eternal perspective—or at least we should be. Romans 8:5–6, which I read a little earlier, encourages us to be Spirit-minded. The Spirit’s focus is always forward-looking, eternity-minded.

Knowing that we are living with the Spirit resets our thoughts from living for “forever” to how we live “right now.”

We can ask ourselves what life will look like and what will matter in 5, 10, or 20 years.

How does remembering eternity change how you handle your daily stresses?

As we have talked about Romans 8:1–6 today, we have learned that the Spirit’s work is gradual but undeniable, that the Spirit can’t fully lead us if we’re clinging to control, that peace doesn’t mean everything is fixed—it means we’re held, and that the Spirit-led life is a lifelong journey, not a weekend hobby.

Take time this week to look back and thank God for the growth you’ve experienced.

Take time to pray, “Lord, I give You my plans and my pace today.”

Notice moments when you feel peace and thank God for them right then.

And close each day asking, “Holy Spirit, how did I walk with You today?”

We have discussed Romans 8:1–6 today, and in that we can hold to the fact that with a Spirit-led life we are free; we are not condemned. We are led. The Spirit is alive in you—guiding you, reshaping you, and filling you with peace.

Life through the Spirit isn’t about trying harder—it’s about trusting deeper.

Seek the Lord and allow the Spirit to make a change in you, starting today.