Prison Ministries

Read Galatians 5, Psalm 4
Permission Granted

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.” Ephesians 4:30, 31 NLT

We seem to need a lot of permissions to live in a very permissive society. While about any moral lapse or scandalous conduct is condoned by a very permissive society, we are made to dance through hoops trying to get permission to build a house, drive a car, to own a gun, etc.

I have gotten into trouble sometimes thinking it is easier to get forgiveness than permission, especially from bureaucrats. I think that many people have the same problem in living their lives against the will of a just and holy God.

In His love, God chose to give us a free will and the opportunity to make choices. Before we were set free from bondage to sin by receiving Jesus Christ as our Savior, we had no choice but to live out our bondage to the sin of the flesh. This is why so many people in the world live their lives for all the wrong things and all the wrong reasons.

Once we received the new birth in Christ, we became dead to sin and alive in Him. We no longer have an excuse for our sins because we are no longer in bondage to them. It is only our failure to give the Holy Spirit permission to control every area of our life that keeps us from growing into the fullness of Christ and being all that God would have us be in Him.

When we get our own self-centered and prideful flesh out of the way and let God be God, Christ in us becomes our hope of glory, our joy, and our salvation. We won’t have to get a permit to carry the full armor of God or to produce the fruit of the Spirit.

Father, help me to daily give You permission to take control of my life through the indwelling strength and power of Your Spirit. In Jesus’ Name, Amen