Convicted, or Filled?
📖 “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts.” — Galatians 4:6
The Holy Spirit’s work in us is not simply about convicting us of sin, but about removing self from the throne of our hearts so that Christ might reign. Conviction clears the way; filling empowers. When we yield to Him, the Spirit applies the reality of “not I, but Christ” (Gal. 2:20), replacing self-effort with the life of Jesus within.
We see this principle woven into the life of Christ Himself. Before He could impart His life to us through the Holy Spirit, He first laid down His own life on the Cross. He surrendered to death, not as a symbol, but as the necessary gateway to resurrection. In the same way, our experience of the Spirit’s fullness begins when we surrender—not trying to reform or improve the flesh, but recognizing it was crucified with Christ. Only then can His life truly be expressed through us.
The Spirit-filled life is not about striving, but about yielding. It is not about self-improvement, but about self-abandonment to Christ. The Cross and the Spirit are inseparable—one clears the way, the other fills the vessel. As we daily reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive to God, we walk in the power of His Spirit, no longer carried by our own strength, but by His life within.
đź’ˇ Reflection:
Are you still trying to live for Christ, or are you letting Him live through you?
Do you recognize that conviction is not the end, but the beginning of Christ’s reign in your heart?
How does seeing yourself as crucified with Christ change how you approach daily life?
🙏 Prayer of Confidence:
Father, You have sent the Spirit of Your Son into our hearts, and we rejoice that His life is our life. We stand in the fullness of what You have accomplished, knowing that self no longer reigns, but Christ is all in all. Thank You for leading us into the reality of the Cross, where self is set aside and Your Spirit fills every place surrendered to You. We walk today in the power of Your life within, resting in the sufficiency of Christ alone. Amen.
📸 Photo Credit: Unsplash
✍️ Devotional Source: Abide Above