Growing Strong in Christ: Forty Ways the Holy Spirit Sustains Us

Summary

Container-grown vegetables illustrate the Christian life. Without constant nourishment, growth fails. Believers are planted by God but lack the strength to flourish on their own. The Holy Spirit provides continual life, power, guidance, and transformation. He renews hearts and minds, produces Christlike character, empowers prayer and witness, and equips believers for service. Lasting spiritual fruit comes only through daily dependence on the Spirit, not human effort.

Dependent Like Container-Grown Plants

For at least ten years, I have grown vegetables in containers. Without significant rainfall, I must water them daily. If I ignore them for a week, they will die. I apply Miracle-Gro fertilizer every ten days to provide essential nutrients.

Why Human Strength Is Not Enough

We are like those vegetables. God has planted us in our time and place in history to fulfill His purposes. We are not strong, smart, or wise enough to do that without help.

Like container-grown vegetables, we are dependent on external help to prosper. We need continual insight, strength, and encouragement. Trying to produce a spiritual crop in our strength yields only frustration.

God’s Gift of the Indwelling Spirit

We need spiritual strength beyond our own. Part of God’s solution is the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Forty Ways the Holy Spirit Sustains Us

Let us consider forty ways the Holy Spirit sustains us.

·       The Holy Spirit is not a distant resource. He lives in us (1 Corinthians 6:19).

·       He reveals the wonderful things God has given us (1 Corinthians 2:12).

·       He gives us a new birth and eternal life (John 3:6, John 6:63, 2 Corinthians 3:8, Titus 3:5).

·       He empowers us to overflow with confident hope (Romans 15:13).

·       He makes us holy (Romans 15:16).

·       He affirms that we are God’s children (Romans 8:16).

·       He helps us overcome our weaknesses (Romans 8:26).

·       He prays for us in harmony with God’s will (Romans 8:26–27).

·       He enables us to live a life of goodness, peace, and joy (Romans 14:17).

·       He equips us to discern truth in a lie-packed world (John 14:17).

·       He teaches us everything God wants us to know (John 14:26, 1 John 2:27).

·       He enables us to guard the truth (2 Timothy 1:14).

·       He makes it possible for us to think about things that please Him (Romans 8:5).

·       When He controls our minds, we experience life and peace (Romans 8:6).

·       He renews our thoughts and attitudes (Ephesians 4:23). 

·       He frees us from sin’s power (Romans 8:2, 2 Corinthians 3:17).

·       He enables us to put to death the deeds of our sinful nature (Romans 8:13).

·       He changes our heart (Romans 2:29), filling it with God’s love for others (Romans 5:5, Colossians 1:8).

·       He gives us desires opposite those of the sinful nature (Galatians 5:17).

·       He fills us with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

·       He fortifies us with inner strength (Ephesians 3:16).

·       He leads every part of our lives (Galatians 5:16, 25).

·       Through Him we can live fruitful lives for God (Ephesians 5:18).

·       Because of Him, we can worship God (Philippians 3:3).

·       He supplies power for us to be Christ’s witnesses (Acts 1:8).

·       He anoints and sends us to testify about Jesus (John 15:26).

·       He furnishes the words for us to explain spiritual truths to others (Matthew 10:20, 1 Corinthians 2:13).

·       He assures us the gospel is true. (1 Thessalonians 1:5).

·       He appoints church leaders (Acts 20:28).

·       He equips us to serve God (Romans 7:6).

·       He distributes spiritual gifts for ministry (1 Corinthians 12, Hebrews 2:4).

·       He guides our ministry to others (Acts 11:12, 13:2, 16:7, 19:21, 20:22).

·       He makes us more like Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18).

·       He fosters unity in the church (Ephesians 4:3).

·       He baptizes believers into one body (1 Corinthians 12:13).

·       He predicts the future (John 16:13, 1 Timothy 4:1).

·       He inspires prophecy, visions, and dreams (Acts 2:17–18).

·       He searches out everything and reveals God’s secrets (1 Corinthians 2:10).

·       God’s word is His sword (Ephesians 4:17).

·       He powers our prayers (Ephesians 6:18).

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