"For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons (daughters) of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, "Aba, Father!' The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with  him." (Romans 8:14-17)

Are we living out of our true identity consciously? We are children of God by creation and by adoption. By creation we were made in his own image and likeness. By adoption we were filled with the Holy Spirit, sharing in God's divine life. So there is our human spirit given through creation and the Spirit of God given in Baptism. But there is another spirit at work, the evil one. The question Paul raises is which spirit are we following in the decisions we make? Our human spirit left alone may make good or wrong decisions. The evil spirit will always lead us away from God into sin. The Holy Spirit guides us to those decisions which lead us to grow in our relationship with God. The evil spirit seeks to take away our inheritance given to us in Baptism. The Holy Spirit protects our inheritance, of which he is the first pledge. Our human spirit united with the Holy Spirit is able to unite our human sufferings with those of Christ, so as to transformed them, enabling us to be glorified with Jesus in eternity. Which spirit are we following? Which spirit enhances our true identity?