Romans 8:9 – In The Spirit

Romans 8:9
⁹ But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.

In the first eight verses of Romans 8, Paul contrasts the ones in the flesh with those in the Spirit. It is difficult to determine what he is really referencing. But this verse makes it clear. Those in the flesh do not have the Spirit of God or the Holy Spirit dwelling within them. This simply means they have not accepted the finished work of Jesus as their own. For a person who has not made Jesus their savior, the Holy Spirit does not take up residence and the person does not become a new creation. They are still in the flesh and not in the Spirit.

This is important, however, difficult to determine. How does a person know the Holy Spirit dwells in you? Like everything in the Christian walk it is by grace through faith. If you believe in your heart the finished work of Jesus and confess that Jesus is your Lord, the Holy Spirit dwells within you. In fact, the Kingdom of Heaven is now within you.

Will you feel something? Maybe. But the proof is in the promise of God and taking that by faith. You may notice a greater sensitivity to the things of God. You may feel emotions as you worship and praise. You will have a knowing within you that you just know you are a child of God and nothing can separate you from the love of God.

^“5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. ⁶ For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Romans 8:5-6). You will find yourself thinking about the things of God more and more. When things go wrong you will feel an uplifting Holy Spirit’s comfort. You will know you are alive and are at peace in the midst of trying circumstances.

Say “I am not in the flesh, but in the Spirit.”