It is not possible to follow Jesus as we should without the Holy Spirit. It takes more than careful imitation; it takes more than setting your jaw saying, “I can do this.” We need the grace of the Holy Spirit. We need an inner strength. In short, if we would truly follow Christ we need the Spirit of Christ to come dwell in us. Ask Jesus for His Spirit, He is eager to give us Himself. The ascended Messiah pours out His Spirit on Jesus’ followers. “Be filled with the Spirit” in Ephesians 5:18 is literally, “Be being filled with the Spirit.” We need the constant flow of the Spirit into our lives; He guides and empowers us to follow Jesus.
“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:16-18 NASB)
From “Growing Toward Maturity”, by H. Lamar Smith.
