Spirit Walk: The Extraordinary Power of Acts for Ordinary People

by Steve Smith

If there are rooms locked away from the control of God’s Word, then Jesus is not dwelling in us fully. He is a limited occupant. We still retain the keys and the control of our lives. We are the landlord. For example, you may surrender to Jesus to be the Lord of your devotional times. You set your alarm to awaken thirty minutes earlier than usual to spend time in the Bible and in prayer before heading to work or to school. You have started unlocking part of your life to His control. But if you allow God to speak only to that area of your life, He is still a limited occupant. If you choose to be involved in relationships that are not healthy and God-honoring, the Spirit does not have that room of your house. If you allow your thoughts to run rampant, He does not occupy that room. If you hoard your possessions or use belittling words, He is not occupying those rooms either. So, in your quiet time, you have started the day with good intentions—to hear from God and seek Him earnestly—but you have left the Spirit in that corner of your life. You started by abiding in Christ but quickly stopped abiding the rest of the day.