Part 2 of 6 of the theme 'On Easter-resurrection-resurrection  by Gijs van den Brink

Last time we talked about the three stages of our liberation.
1. Freed from the penalty for sin through Jesus' death on the cross.
2. Deliverance from the power of sin by the Holy Spirit, and
3. Deliverance from the presence of sin in the world at Jesus' return.

We now live in the time between ascension and return, in deliverance phase 2. The Holy Spirit delivers us from the power of sin. The first and most important power of sin is selfishness: always and first thinking of yourself.
You think how you can get advantage, how you can achieve your ambitions.
The Holy Spirit frees us from the prison of selfishness. When sin reigns in your life, you always think of yourself first. You cannot do otherwise.
Sin forces you to think that way. Only then do you think of another, and only when it suits you. And last you think about God. And that often doesn't happen at all.

Whoever places his life in the hands of Jesus Christ comes under the rule of the Holy Spirit. Then you think exactly the other way around. Then you think first of God, then of your neighbor, and in last place of yourself.
This is how the Holy Spirit frees you from the prison of selfishness. The Holy Spirit thinks first of God, always thinks first of the glory of God. The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus, makes Him great. And then the Spirit has respect and love for others. The Holy Spirit always does what Jesus says: love God above all things and your neighbor as yourself.

Author: Gijs van den Brink

This is part 2 of 6 of the series "On Easter-resurrection-resurrection" Some of which we will be posting online in the near future. We hope this will help you understand the Bible better!