Romans 8:8–9 – “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye 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.”
The Christian life is not just a call to morality—it’s a call to intimacy with the Holy Spirit. Today, more than ever, God wants us to understand that pleasing Him is impossible through human effort alone. The flesh, no matter how well-intentioned, is still governed by a nature that resists God. That is why Paul, writing to the Romans, made it plain: “they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”
Paul knew this firsthand. Before his encounter with Christ, he was zealous for the law, passionately trying to do what was right. Yet, the more he tried, the more he failed. There was something within him—an inner corruption, a law of sin at war with the law of God. His frustration reached a climax in Romans 7 when he cried out, “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from this body of death?”
The answer came in the form of a person—the Holy Spirit.
When Paul gave his life to Christ, something powerful happened. The Spirit of God took residence within him. And what the law could not do (what Paul’s efforts had failed to achieve) the Spirit did. He broke the power of sin. He renewed Paul’s mind. He enabled him to walk in righteousness. And that same Spirit has been given to us as a seal, a helper, a guide, and a comforter.
THE FRUSTRATION OF TRYING WITHOUT THE SPIRIT
Too often, we try to live for God by setting up rules and moral checklists. We declare, “I will never do this again,” only to fall flat on our faces. Why? Because the flesh is powerless against sin. It has no strength to resist what it naturally desires. We think discipline alone can save us, but discipline without the Spirit becomes religious slavery.
Trying to please God without the Holy Spirit is like trying to run a marathon without lungs. You may start well, but you’ll collapse under the weight of your own limitations.
THE SPIRIT WHO SEARCHES AND STRENGTHENS
The Holy Spirit is more than a silent partner. He is our constant companion—omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. He sees what no one else sees. He searches our hearts, revealing hidden motives and desires we didn’t even know were there. He convicts but never condemns. He corrects, but always in love. He empowers, not with external force, but with inner might.
When we are weak, He strengthens. When we are confused, He guides. When we are tempted, He gives us a way of escape. When we fall, He lifts us up. This is not a vague force—this is a divine Person actively working in our hearts.
Think of the times you repeated the same mistake, despite your vows to change. That’s not a failure of desire—it’s a lack of divine enablement. “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the LORD.” (Zechariah 4:6)
If anyone does not have the Holy Spirit, they do not belong to Christ. That is how central He is to our faith. The Spirit is not an accessory—He is the evidence of our belonging.
PRAYER
Sweet Holy Spirit, I cannot please the Father without Your help. I yield myself to You. Strengthen me from within. Help me to live rightly, to walk wisely, and to honour God in every area of my life. Fill me afresh, guide me daily, and keep me from falling. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
QUESTION FOR MEDITATION
Is it only the Holy Spirit’s responsibility to help me please the Lord? Or do I have a role to play in yielding, obeying, and walking with Him daily?
SO, WHAT MUST WE DO?
Desire Him. Pursue Him. Ask for more of Him. Don’t merely rely on rules—rely on relationships. The Holy Spirit is not impressed by your checklist: When we walk with the Spirit, we begin to desire what God desires, and we gain the strength to act on those desires.
SO TODAY, DON’T JUST TRY HARDER. INVITE THE SPIRIT IN DEEPER. Amen.
