Have you ever gotten into your car, ready to roll, turned the key — or pressed the button — and all you get is *click*? Or maybe a weak turnover. Or maybe nothing at all. No engine. No movement. Just silence.
This happened just a few weeks ago out in the church parking lot. I noticed a vehicle with the hood up, so I walked over to see if they needed a jump. They turned the key and… nothing. No click. No crank. Just silence.
I happened to have my tool bag with me, so I pulled out my multimeter and tested the battery — 12.4 volts. So the battery was fine. I checked the terminals for corrosion — they looked clean. But when I grabbed the cables and gave them a little wiggle … they lifted right off. No connection.
So I cleaned the terminals, seated the cables properly, tightened everything down — and the moment we turned the key again … boom. It fired right up. Problem solved.
Maybe it’s not your car. Maybe it’s a tool in the garage — a drill, a blower, a lawnmower — and you’re halfway through a project when it suddenly dies. You press the button, squeeze the trigger, flip the switch, turn the key … and nothing happens. Why? Because the power source is gone.
We’ve all had those moments. And here’s why I bring it up: it’s a perfect picture of the spiritual reality Paul is describing in Romans 8. You can be well-designed. You can have all the right wiring, all the outward signs of faith. But without connection to the power source — without the Holy Spirit — there is no life. No movement. No transformation. Just effort. Frustration. And a lot of religious noise that doesn’t go anywhere.
Last week, we looked at Romans 8:1–8 — which begins with this incredible declaration that “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” We talked about what it means to be “... in Christ Jesus” and the contrast between living “according to the flesh” and living “according to the Spirit.”
The flesh is all about self-effort, self-rule, and ultimately, spiritual death. The Spirit brings life and peace — real freedom; true Life In The Spirit.
In verses 9–11, Paul wants to make something crystal clear: If the Spirit of God lives in you, then you belong to Christ — and that changes everything. You are no longer powerless. You are no longer left to struggle through life under your own strength. You’ve been given the indwelling presence of God Himself.
That’s the heart of what Paul is showing us in these verses and it’s the core truth that I want us to leave with today: The Spirit gives us a new identity, a new vitality, and a new destiny.
We’re going to walk through those three truths together. And as we do, I want you to ask yourself this: Am I trying to live the Christian life without the power of the Spirit — or am I truly alive in Him?
Let’s begin with this first key truth:
I. The Spirit Defines Our Identity (vs. 9)
Paul picks up where he left off in verse 8, “... those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” and in verse 9 he says:
However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.
Paul is drawing a stark line in the sand. There are only two categories of people in this world — those who are “in the flesh” and those who are “in the Spirit.” And what makes the difference isn’t church attendance. It isn’t family background. It isn’t how good of a person you think you’ve been. What makes the difference is this: Does the Spirit of God live in you?
That’s the defining mark. The Holy Spirit isn’t an optional add-on for super-Christians. He’s not some advanced stage of maturity that you reach if you pray hard enough or live holy enough. The Spirit is the evidence that you belong to Christ in the first place.
Let’s break this down by looking first at what Paul says about the absence of the Spirit — and then what it means when He’s present.
A. Without the Spirit, We Are Still in the Flesh
To be “in the flesh” doesn’t just mean we have physical bodies. Paul’s not talking about your flesh and bones here — he’s talking about a realm. A way of life. A condition of the heart.
To be “in the flesh” means to live under the rule of sin where self is on the throne, where God is resisted, and where death is the outcome. It’s the condition of every single one of us when we are outside of Christ.
Paul says in verse 8 — “those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Not “they have a hard time.” Not “they occasionally miss the mark.” No — they cannot please God. Why? Because without the Spirit, there is no union with Christ, no new birth, no spiritual life.
Romans 7:5 describes this condition clearly: “For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.”
That’s the natural outcome. No matter how hard you try to clean yourself up, fix your habits, or improve your behavior — if the Spirit of God is not dwelling in you, you are still in the flesh. And the flesh cannot produce life. It only produces death. And so, without the Spirit, we are in the flesh, but …
B. With the Spirit, We Belong to Christ
From verse 8 to verse 9, Paul turns the corner — and what he says next is powerful: “However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.”
When Paul says, “if”, he’s not casting doubt here. He’s affirming the reality for those who are in Christ. Paul is saying: That’s not you anymore.You’re not in the realm of the flesh. You’re not under the power of sin. You are in the Spirit — because the Spirit is in you.
And here’s the defining truth … look at what he says next: “But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.” That’s not unclear. That’s not vague. That’s definitive.
And notice the phrases he uses here in verse 9 as he describes the Spirit. First he says, “the Spirit of God” … and then “the Spirit of Christ.” He’s not talking about two different spirits — he’s pointing to the unity within the Trinity. The Spirit who dwells in us is the very presence of Christ, the life of God, within us.
This is what theologians call “positional identity”–Who we are when we are in Christ and Christ is in us. It changes our position; our standing before God.
When we are in Christ, the Holy Spirit takes up residence in your life. This is not some temporary visit or occasional experience; it is a settled state of residence. He’s not a guest who stops by now and again; He’s moved in. The Spirit of God dwells in us!
Here’s what this means for us: It means your belonging is no longer up for debate. You're not hoping God accepts you someday if you keep up the effort. You're not walking on eggshells wondering if you’ve done enough to measure up.
If the Spirit dwells in you, you belong to Christ.
This is what we read in Ephesians 1 – “Having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance …” (Ephesians 1:13–14).
That word “sealed” is so powerful. In the ancient world, if the king took his signet ring and placed his seal on something, it was marked; it was a sign of ownership, security, and identity. That’s what the Spirit does for us. He’s God’s declaration stamped on your life: “This one is mine.”
Do you remember what Jesus says to Nicodemus? “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:5–6)
This is new birth. And when we are born of the Spirit, we are birthed into the family of God — not as a guest, but as a son or daughter. That’s who you are now.
So before we go any further — let me just pause and ask: Have you truly been born again? Does the Spirit of God dwell in you? Have you believed the gospel, repented, been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and received the gift of the Holy Spirit?
This is not a question we can afford to leave unanswered. We’re not talking about whether you’ve attended church or prayed a prayer or raised a hand or signed a card at youth camp. We’re talking about indwelling. About a living presence. About a Spirit-led relationship that marks your entire life.
And if you have received Him — if the Spirit of Christ lives in you — you belong to Him. That is your identity now. Not because you earned it, but because He gave it. Not because you’ve got it all figured out, but because He claimed you as His own.
The Spirit doesn’t just define who we are — He empowers how we live. He brings a new vitality to our lives, even while we still live in bodies that feel the pull of weakness and sin. And this leads us to the next powerful reality of life in the Spirit: The Spirit Defines Our Identity and secondly …
II. The Spirit Awakens Our Soul (vs. 10)
Let’s look now at Romans 8:10 — “If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.”
Paul is acknowledging something we all feel, even if we don’t always want to say it out loud: our bodies are still broken. They get sick. They wear out. They grow weak. Even after we come to faith in Christ, we still live in a world where aging, decay, and ultimately death are part of the story.
That’s the ongoing consequence of sin’s entrance into the world through Adam — and Paul doesn’t pretend otherwise. He says plainly, “... the body is dead because of sin …” But here’s the hope — here’s the glory — “... yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.”
There is something more true than just our failing bodies: our souls have been awakened. Our inner being has been made alive in Christ. That’s not just a future promise — it’s a present reality.
A. Though Our Bodies Are Dead, Our Spirits Are Alive
You may still carry the effects of the fall in your body — pain, weakness, chronic or terminal illness, or simply the steady march of time — but listen your spirit is not dead. Your soul is not asleep. If Christ is in you, then the Spirit has brought resurrection life into your inner being.
Paul says it so clearly in Ephesians 2 — “Even when we were dead in our transgressions, [God] made us alive together with Christ.” (Ephesians 2:5) That word “dead” isn’t a metaphor — it’s a reality. Spiritually dead, no pulse, no breath, no life. But God didn’t leave us in the grave. Through Christ, He made us alive.
Even though we still experience the consequences of sin on the outside, something has changed on the inside. Scripture says this: “Though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16). The decay is real — but so is the renewal. The weakness is real — but so is the strength. The body may feel like it’s dying, but the soul is alive and thriving in the presence of Christ.
Colossians 3:3–4 says this so powerfully: “For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” “You have died” — that’s the old self. But “your life” — your true, Spirit-awakened life — “is hidden with Christ.” Secure. Sustained. Alive.
You are not just surviving. You are not just holding on. Oh, it may feel that way! I get that! But listen, we must cling to this truth: If the Spirit of Christ is in you, then you are already experiencing resurrection life — a life that cannot be undone by disease, decay, or even death itself.
And here’s the key — here’s the core reason behind it all. Look again at the last phrase of verse 10. Paul says, “… the spirit is alive because of righteousness.” Not your righteousness. Not your improved behavior. Not your spiritual disciplines.
No — your spirit is alive because of His righteousness.
B. Christ’s Righteousness Is the Reason
This is the great exchange of the gospel: our sin laid on Christ and His righteousness credited to us. Romans 5 and verse 19 tells us this so clearly — “Through the obedience of the One, the many will be made righteous.” Not earned. Not deserved. But freely given. Imputed to our account by grace through faith.
That’s what Paul is celebrating in Philippians 3:9—“… not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith.”
When we respond in faith to the One who raised Jesus from the dead, we are justified — declared righteous — and indwelled by the Spirit who awakens our souls.
And here’s the beautiful truth that flows right out of this: the same Spirit who has brought life to your soul doesn’t just give present life, He guarantees future glory. Because even though our body is still weak, and even though death still seems inevitable, the Spirit has something to say about that, too.
And that leads us to the final truth we see in this passage: The Spirit Defines Our Identity, The Spirit Awakens Our Soul, and finally …
III. The Spirit Guarantees Our Glory (vs. 11)
Let’s read Romans 8:11 – “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”
What a promise. What a guarantee. Paul isn’t speculating here. He’s declaring something with Spirit-empowered certainty: the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the grave now dwells in you. And because He dwells in you, you can be sure that what happened to Jesus will one day happen to you.
A. Resurrection Power Indwells Us
The resurrection of Jesus isn’t just something we remember during the Easter season. It’s the very power that now lives within every believer. That empty tomb in Jerusalem isn’t just history — it’s our hope.
Paul is connecting two powerful truths here: first, the Spirit of God raised Jesus from the dead, and second, that same Spirit now lives in us. And because both are true, so is this: your mortal body will not stay dead.
Scripture says, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye … the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.” (??1 Corinthians? ?15?:?52?-?53?)
This isn’t some vague, ethereal afterlife. This is resurrection power. Real. Tangible. Glorious. Just as Christ was raised in glory, so we too will be raised with Him in glory.
Listen to what the Scriptures say – “Our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory …” (Philippians 3:20–21). That means Jesus isn’t just coming to rescue your soul — He’s coming to redeem your body. To take your aging, aching frame and transform it into something glorious. Eternal. Whole. Radiant with His life.
This is not fantasy. It’s not poetic imagery. This is resurrection truth, and it is secured by the Spirit of God who lives within you. Resurrection Power Indwells us and …
B. Resurrection Hope Sustains Us
If the promise of resurrection secures our future, then it also strengthens our present. The truth that death is not the end — that pain won’t have the final word — gives us what we need to endure the hardships we now face.
Romans 8:18 — just a few verses down — puts it this way: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” That’s not a call to minimize your pain. It’s a call to maximize your hope.
2 Corinthians 4:17 adds this beautiful perspective: “For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.” What you’re walking through right now may feel unbearably heavy. And I don’t in any way want to minimize the reality of the suffering that we experience in this life. But Scripture says those very afflictions — the ones pressing on you now — are producing something even heavier — ”... an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.”
That’s how Paul endured beatings and imprisonment and persecution. This is how believers today face terminal illness and horrible tragedy and devastating loss — not with denial, but with unshakable hope. Because they know this life isn't all there is. The Spirit within them is the proof of what’s to come.
I love the encouragement from 1 Peter 1:3–5 – We have been “… born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you …”
So when your body aches with age… when the test results come back… when death knocks at your door or the door of someone you love — you can say with quiet, unshakable confidence: This is not the end. The Spirit of God guarantees my glory.
So, what does this mean for us? It means we don’t live like people who are still dead.
Not in our minds. Not in our habits. Not in our hope.
The Spirit of God is not just near you — He is in you.
And because He is in you, He has redefined who you are
He has awakened your soul to life
He has guaranteed your future with Christ.
So stop letting sin call the shots.
Stop letting suffering steal your joy.
Stop living like this life is all there is.
And start living in the power of the Spirit.
Start living like someone who is alive in the Spirit.
Start living with the confident assurance that one day, you will stand in glory!
