How to Yield to the Holy Spirit
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Gal. 5:22-23).
One way to know that we are yielded to the Holy Spirit is when this fruit is evident in our lives. But do you know that this kind of fruit is not produced in a comfortable setting of life? Most of the time, the fruit of God’s Spirit in our lives is produced when we are faced by our own weaknesses. Let’s say there’s a person in your life who would always provoke you to become angry. To yield to the Holy Spirit means you come to surrender yourself to Him, all emotions of anger, and ask Him to produce the fruit of self-control.
God’s grace is beautiful and powerful knowing that you are not alone in facing all your weaknesses. God is there to help you overcome. And in order to overcome, you must yield to His Spirit.
Here are some ways to yield to the Holy Spirit:
- Acknowledge your weaknesses before God.
When you acknowledge your weaknesses before the Lord, you know that in these areas of your life, God can and will do greater works. You start to see your need of God more as your realize your weaknesses before Him. Then, the Holy Spirit can manifest in you in ways you have never imagined. That is why the Apostle Paul rejoices in his weaknesses for he knew that his many weaknesses will become God’s best.
“And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Cor 12:7-9).
- When you are in a pinch situation and your red button is pushed or provoked, run to God immediately and cling to the Holy Spirit. Pray. Don’t let a single word come out of your mouth.
Situations like these can really happen even as believers of the Lord. In fact, it is us who are targeted by the devil for this so that we lose patience and self-control, and humiliate the Lord Jesus Christ inside us. This is probably the most difficult part when we are surrounded with unbelievers. And when you lose control they can judge you and the God you are serving. You cannot win souls to Christ when unbelievers don’t see the fruit of the Holy Spirit in your life.
While the devil works double time to destroy God’s people, we too must work double time in strengthening our character and faith in God through the renewal of our minds and getting washed by the Word of God.
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)
- Stay rooted in God’s Word
“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Romans 8:6).
You must always stay connected with the Word of God for God’s Word is the guide of the Holy Spirit in our life and it keeps our mind from being conformed to the patterns of the world. When you read God’s Word daily, it keeps your eyes fixed on heavenly and eternal things rather than the things and ways of the world.
