Fruitful Living
HOLY SPIRIT III
So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law – Galatians 5:16-18.
HOW TO LIVE IN THE SPIRIT
One thing above all distinguishes me from a non-Christian or from myself before I became a Christian: the indwelling life of Christ the Holy Spirit brings to me.
This is not simply an idea. It is a reality. I can know that Christ is my Savior and have perfectly orthodox ideas about Him, but that is different from having His living presence within me. As a Christian I have two natures perfectly united within myself by the working of the Holy Spirit: my human and the living presence of Christ. To live in the Spirit means the living presence of Christ has the authority. To live in the flesh means I have taken over the rule, and Christ does not have freedom to operate in me.
How do I learn to live in the Spirit, to activate the presence of Christ within me? I must take two basic steps.
- First, I must say yes to the Spirit. I must recognize Him and ask for His help. The most natural way to do this is in daily prayer. It seems as if the Holy Spirit thrives on recognition. As I recognize His presence, He makes that presence effectual.
I need to recognize the Holy Spirit day by day, so that He is free to work in me. Then, as I go about the activities of my daily life, I just say, ‘Lord, I’m going through these outward acts, and I am trusting you to work out their eternal dimension. The results both in my inner life and in the lives of the people I touch are up to you.”
One way, then, to release the Spirit within me is simply to recognize Him. Another way, related to the first, is to deal decisively back in its own hands. I simply must not allow the flesh that chance. Paul said, “Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature” – Galatians 5:16.
Paul didn’t say, ‘Don’t have the desires of the flesh.” Everyone has those desires, and it would be hypocritical to deny it. We are still of the flesh, and there is nothing wrong with the flesh – so long as it is not in the driver’s seat. But we tell the flesh, “No, you cannot have the steering wheel.” Even though we have the desires of the flesh, we don’t have to act them out. And when we say no to the flesh, we free the Spirit to act.
Larry Christenson puts it this way:
I had a disagreement with my wife one morning while we were traveling together in Europe. I was really angry with her. I felt she had been completely off base. We were going to take a train ride, and I was thinking, “If we get a compartment all to ourselves, I am going to really straighten her out.”
As we were riding down the hotel elevator, reedy to check out, I sensed the Holy Spirit saying, “Don’t talk about it.” The massage was very clear. This irritated me, and I mentally started to argue. “No,” the Holy Spirit said, “don’t bother. It’s not worth the time.” I recognize the Holy Spirit speaking, and so I didn’t say any more.
The whole thing was resolved in a far different way from what I had expected. We got a compartment all to ourselves on the train. I said nothing to my wife about our disagreement. She had a real burden to pray about one of our children, and so we had a good prayer time together. When we walked off a couple of hours later, the little thing I had been concerned about had just vanished. It had no more importance at all.
The Spirit, you see, had really wanted us to intercede for our child. All I had to do to release the Spirit was to decline to gratify the desire of the flesh to set my wife straight. The rest just happened; the Spirit took over. But in order for the Spirit to take over, I had to be willing to say no to the Spirit. At the moment of saying no, we may not know precisely what the spirit wants to do. But we can be sure He will tell us later, once we have cleared the way for Him to act.
Most people today have an individualistic mentally. They may have social relationships, but they think of themselves primarily as solitary individuals. This should not be true of Christians. What makes the Christian life so exciting is that we have been removed from a life of solitariness into a life of being united with another. This union needs to be quickened day by day. Day by day we need to become more aware of the presence of Christ living within us. We can do this if every day we say no to the flesh and yes to the Spirit.
Paul says it beautifully in Galatians 5:16-26 – So I advice you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict. But when you are directed by the Holy Spirit, you are no longer subject to the law.
When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts. Eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outburst of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law.
Those who belong to Jesus Christ have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to His cross and crucified them there. If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or irritate one another, or be jealous of one another.
EQUIPPED FOR BATTLE
Can the Holy Spirit fight our daily battles for us? There may be emergencies in which we see the Holy at work, and we realize that He has, in a sense, taken over when we are at the end of our resources. But the task of the Holy Spirit is to teach us, to convict us, and to give us a perspective that will make us more effective in fighting our daily battles. He equips us to fight, rather than taking over our battles for us.
Source: Inspired by writings of Larry Christenson.
Stay Blessed!
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Fruitful Living
Has man lost the essence of his creation? A reflective call to rediscover our divine purpose (Part 1)
Introduction: Rediscoveringour purpose
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. We praise Him, seek His help and forgiveness, and ask for His mercy. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our noble Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), his family, his companions, and all those who follow his guidance until the Day of Judgment.
In today’s increasingly materialistic and turbulent world, a profound question echoes louder than ever: Has man lost the essence of his creation? It is a question that compels every thinking soul to pause and reflect deeply.
In the midst of scientific breakthroughs, booming technology, and economic pursuits, we must ask ourselves: are we fulfilling the sacred purpose for which we were created? Are we still living as stewards of Allah on earth, or have we strayed from our divine assignment?
This article explores the Qur’anic foundation of man’s creation, the noble position he holds, and the deviation from this divine path in modern times. It further calls for a return to spiritual consciousness and outlines practical steps to help realign mankind with his intended purpose.
Man: Allah’s Vicegerent on Earth
The Qur’an states: “And when your Lord said to the angels, ‘Indeed, I will make upon the earth a vicegerent (Khalifah)…’” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:30).
This declaration marks the beginning of man’s honorable journey on earth. Mankind was created from clay, as recorded in Surah Al-Hijr:
“And We did certainly create man out of clay from an altered black mud. And the jinn We created before from scorching fire. And [mention] when your Lord said to the angels, ‘I will create a human being out of clay from an altered black mud.’ So when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My [created] soul, then fall down to him in prostration.” (Surah Al-Hijr, 15:26-29).
This prostration of angels was not to worship Adam, but to recognize the honor Allah had bestowed upon man. It signified a spiritual hierarchy in which man, though of earthly origin, carries a divine trust and responsibility.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) emphasized this dignity. He taught that every human is born upon the natural disposition (fitrah) and bears the potential to fulfill their purpose as a servant of Allah and custodian of His creation.
The Purpose of Creation
Allah did not create man in vain. The Qur’an states clearly: “And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (Surah Adh-Dhariyat, 51:56).
“And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah. And that is the correct religion.” (Surah Al-Bayyinah, 98:5).
Another profound verse underscores that life was not created aimlessly:
“And We did not create the heaven and the earth and that between them aimlessly. That is the assumption of those who disbelieve, so woe to those who disbelieve from the Fire.”(Surah Sad, 38:27).
These verses convey that creation is intentional, meaningful, and divinely ordained. The essence of man’s creation lies in his recognition of Allah, his conscious submission to the Divine Will, and his dedication to a life of worship, service, and ethical living.
Worship in Islam is not confined to rituals alone but extends to every aspect of human existence—how we earn, govern, lead our families, engage with society, and preserve the environment. Every righteous deed done with sincerity for Allah’s pleasure becomes an act of worship.
Imam Al-Ghazali explains in Ihya Ulum al-Din that true worship stems from knowledge of Allah and a heart that submits lovingly to His will. Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah likewise stresses that man’s highest honor lies in fulfilling the purpose of servitude (`ubudiyyah) to Allah, which brings inner peace and divine elevation.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) demonstrated this perfect balance of worship and engagement in worldly affairs. He was a husband, a leader, a statesman, and a worshipper who said: “The most beloved deeds to Allah are the most consistent, even if they are few.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6464)
Living in harmony with this divine purpose not only brings personal fulfillment but also collective peace. Conversely, neglecting it results in moral confusion, injustice, and spiritual emptiness.
Therefore, recognizing and living by our purpose is not a luxury but a necessity. It is the key to real success in this life and salvation in the Hereafter.
By Imam Alhaji Saeed Abdulai, the Author
Fruitful Living
Trusting God with our anxieties (final)
Jesus not only instructs us not to worry — He explains why worrying is counterproductive to our well-being:
❖ Worry is blind. It refuses to learn from nature, history, or personal experience. Birds and flowers testify to God’s faithfulness. The history of Israel is filled with God’s miraculous provision — from Egypt to the Red Sea to the Promised Land (Deut. 8:14–15).
❖ Worry refuses to learn the lesson of life. Time and again, God has helped us bear the unbearable and overcome the insurmountable. He strengthens us even when we reach the breaking point — and keeps us from breaking.
❖ Worry is irreligious. It stems not from our external circumstances, but from a heart full of fear and distrust. Yet Scripture declares:“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” — Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)
The antidote to worry: El shaddai
Proverbs 18:10 says, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” One of the most comforting names of God is El Shaddai, which first appears in Genesis 17:1 and appears 218 times in the Bible.
❖ El means “Strong One.”
❖ Shaddai means “The Breasted One.”
Together, El Shaddai paints a picture of God as:
❖ Our Strong Nourisher
❖ Strength Giver
❖ Satisfier
❖ All-Bountiful Supplier
❖ Fulfiller of Needs
❖ The Life-Giver who brings dead things back to life
(e.g., Abraham and Sarah conceiving Isaac at 150 and 90 years respectively)
In knowing who God is, we find the courage to release our anxieties. If He is truly El Shaddai — strong, sufficient, and sustaining — then we are safe in His hands.
Practical steps to peace
In Philippians 4:6–7, we are given a divine prescription for peace:
1. Stop being anxious and fretful. Recognize the emotional and spiritual toll of worry.
2. Go to God in prayer about everything. Nothing is too big or small.
3. Pray for yourself. God is your Father — your relationship with Him is personal.
4. Thank Him as you pray. Gratitude builds faith and reminds us of His past faithfulness.
When we do this, God’s peace — not the world’s peace — will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 4:7 (NIV)
CONCLUSION
We are living in uncertain times. Pressures abound and anxieties easily multiply. But as children of God, we are called to walk a different path — one of quiet confidence, steady trust, and daily surrender.
God’s Word is clear: worry doesn’t help — but trust in God brings peace. Let us shift our focus from fear to faith, from anxiety to adoration. Let us anchor our hearts in the unchanging character of El Shaddai — our Almighty God — and rest in His perfect care.
By Rev. Dr Joyce Aryee, the author
