“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.” Psalm 51:10-11
When you think of biblical characters whose hearts were right and who followed hard after God, who tops your list? For me, it’s David. Every time I read one of his psalms, I can feel the “heart” behind it. All the psalms are amazing, but David’s spirit always comes through to me. His close relationship with God is evident in his words.
In 1 Samuel 11, however, something in David’s spirit went incredibly wrong. He somehow drifted so far from the God he loves that he was willing to commit adultery, treachery, and murder. How did he get here? We’re not told, but we are given a hint. Power almost always corrupts, especially when paired with peace and prosperity. David had all of these in abundance, but he wanted “just a little bit more.” His spirit had gone wrong, and the Holy Spirit was absent.
Galatians 5:16 tells us,
“Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” That was what David forgot to do.
How do we walk by the Spirit? It is clear in Psalm 51 that this involves a broken spirit and a humble heart, willing to be made right. That is how we stay right before God and walk in his power and victory.
Have you wandered far? Or are you being enticed by sin today but have not yet wandered? It doesn’t matter where you are, you can have a clean heart and a right spirit before God. Choose to walk by his Holy Spirit today.
Lord, you know how many times I have wandered and how often I am tempted to wander. Please, keep my heart soft, my spirit right, and fill me with your Holy Spirit today. Enable me to walk in your joy and power and to honor you, today and every day! Amen.
By Rand Kreycik
Used by Permission
What is a Spirit Filled Life?
- To be filled means to be controlled by the Spirit. This is a work of God in us that we receive by Faith.
- Factors that contribute to the readiness of our heart for His filling:
- We must desire to live a life that will please the Lord.
- We must be willing to surrender our life totally and irrevocably to our Lord Jesus on an ongoing basis.
- We must confess our known sins to experience the cleansing and forgiveness that God promised in 1John 1:9
- It is not a once-and-for-all experience since there are many things that can stop the free flow of the Spirit. We must be intentional to be controlled and empowered with the Spirit as a way of life.
- God commands us to be filled by the Spirit in Eph 5:18 “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” So therefore we can be confident that He will empower us as we surrender.
- The purpose of the filling of the Spirit is that we might live a joyful life of significance and be a fruitful witness for Christ.
A Deeper Explanation of the Spirit FIlled LIfe
Further Reading
• The Spirit Filled Christian Life Explained
• Changed by the Spirit – by Gail Rodgers
• The Wind of the Spirit – by Marilyn Ehle