Congratulations! You have almost reached the end of this reading plan. That’s no small thing! It took discipline and intention to get here. You might be wondering what will carry you through to the finish line.

We started this reading plan by looking at Ezekiel 37 and the Valley of Dry Bones. In that graphic depiction of the people of Israel, it was only God’s Spirit that could breathe new life into those bones.

Just a chapter earlier in Ezekiel 36, God hinted at what he was capable of doing: “I will give you a new heart and I will put a new Spirit in you…”

The apostle Paul identifies the same active work of God in the New Testament:

“If the Spirit of [God] who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you.”

The Holy Spirit, the teacher, the comforter is living and active in your life. You don’t have to white-knuckle your way to a fuller, richer life with your heavenly Father. God is with you through the Holy Spirit to carry you along, to make the hard places soft, to do the heavy lifting of transforming your heart, your connection with him.

So what do you need to start doing or continue doing?

• Acknowledge that God is with you and capable of transforming your heart, drawing you closer to him.
• Make yourself available to connect with God through the practices highlighted in this plan.

Application

Breath prayer is an ancient form of prayer that follows the natural rhythm of your breath. With your inhales and exhales, you repeat a short and simple prayer. Your prayer can focus on the character of God, a desire of your heart or a need that is front of mind for you or others.

Following today’s devotion, try this breath prayer:

[Inhale]The Spirit lives in me, [Exhale] the Spirit transforms me.

Go Deeper Resources

For a solid introduction to the active work of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life, pick up Forgotten God by Francis Chan.