(iii) The Spirit’s Help
Richard Fry
I felt encouraged to read this scripture bearing on what our brothers have said, because I felt the greatness of what is presented to us here in this epistle as to the Spirit. What our brothers have said is very important. I do not want to add to it in any way, but I was thinking of the way in which we need the service of the Holy Spirit to be found maintaining the boundaries that God has set and to know how to walk so as not to defile our robes. It is inherent in us to attempt these things in our own strength and in our own power. I feel weak in speaking of walking in the Spirit; I can speak more of the disappointment and failure that comes in in attempting to observe these boundaries in one’s own strength. To put it simply it ends in disappointment and disaster.
I read this section because I thought we would get encouragement from the fact that there is one within us, the Holy Spirit. It says, “if, by the Spirit, ye put to death the deeds of the body”. I believe it is a minute by minute matter, hour by hour, day by day. It is not something that we can put on and put off, because as soon as we stop being dependent upon the Holy Spirit, as soon as we look away from Christ, we find that we go back to what we are after the flesh. But as walking in the Spirit He says, “ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live: for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God”. Beloved brethren, what blessing is involved in these things. May we know what it is. For His Name’s sake.
LONDON
23 August 2004