Pastor Dave Martin ~ Cross Creek Community Church ~ Feb 10, 2008
“Getting Control of My Spirituality”
‘Building My Life’ series part 7 of 10
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Too many Christians try to live life in their own power and resource… performance based… |
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Doing the best you can in your own strength bringing fatigue, frustration and failure… |
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Remember the battle is won or lost in your mind… spiritually getting your head on straight |
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Failing miserably, swinging from hot & cold, struggling in the battle of your old nature and the new you. |
Romans 12:11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
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This morning we’ll briefly touch on the wonderful spirit filled life that is ours in Christ… |
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Example: when you buy a new car… that’s all you pass on the roads – they were there all the time. |
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Hopefully this message will prompt us to begin to be more aware of the blessed Holy Spirit of God |
The Holy Spirit…
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There is One God manifest in three persons – The Trinity, the triune God, third person of the Trinity |
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He is not an “it”, a “ghost” or a “concept” – He has a personality, speaks, a will/volition, intelligence |
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He is God, co-equal with God the Father and God the Son – He is called the HOLY, “hagios” – sacred, awful thing, consecrated, from root “hagnos” – pure, chaste, innocent, clean, perfect |
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He was actively involved in Creation and inspiration of God’s Word – vitally active today |
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He restrains evil, fosters fellowship, protects, teaches, convicts – 2Thes 2:5-9 holding back the Antichrist till the rapture of the church believers 1Thes 4:13-18, here’s a five page printout… |
· “Building My Life” - Let’s look together at this The Wonderful Spirit Filled Life…
1. He Supernaturally Transforms
John 3:6-7 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'
2 Thessalonians 2:13b ”…God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth”.
· The nature of the new birth is spiritual not physical – Jesus said you MUST be born again v7
· The Holy Spirit works like the wind… invisible but you see the effects…
· The sinful human heart must be changed… He gives us new birth, He sanctifies us thru faith
· God handpicked you because of His love… through the work of the Holy Spirit… separated you
Romans 8:9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
Titus 3:5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
· Absolutely imperative to have the Holy Spirit living in you… regenerates, indwells, baptizes…
· In God’s great mercy, He washed from the filth of sin… renewal, regenerated-new spiritual birth
· Weighty to understand: If you don’t have the Holy Spirit, you don’t belong to Christ.
2. He Indwells those that belong to Him
1 Corinthians 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
Ephesians 2:22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
· God the Holy Spirit actually dwells within the body of the believer… let this truth sink in deep
· Temple “naos” – Holy place, place where God would meet man… Now He dwells within us
· Our bodies are His Temples… they should not be defiled and polluted by sin… but honored
· What a sobering, humbling truth… wrap your arms around yourself… tell Him you love Him!
· Can you imagine this truth – God inhabits His children! We are His sanctuary/temple!
3. He Sets His Seal of Ownership / Identification within us
Ephesians 1:13-14 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.
· Not only does He regenerates us spiritually making us alive from a dead corpse… Indwells us
· You were marked with a seal – the instant you were saved, the moment you heard and believed
· “Seal” indicates security, authenticity, approval, identification of ownership, a deposit, guarantee
· A Divine pledge, protection, a sign to the spirit world – I belong to Jesus… what a comfort!
· As a seal impressed on a document, validity… little bit of heaven now with much more to come!
Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
2 Corinthians 1:22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
· This sealing is permanent… not saved then lost… it’s once and for all till day of redemption!
· Salvation/sealing is so huge… who can understand the multifaceted riches of these truths?
· The Holy Spirit dwelling in me is like a security deposit, down payment for eternity.
· I’ve been bought with a price (Jesus death)… God’s Spirit inhabits me… someday be with Him
4. He Imparts Spiritual Gifts and bears Fruit
1 Corinthians 12:4-7 4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
· Every believer is given at least one spiritual gift… what’s yours? You better find out for sure.
· Spiritual gifts given for the common good of the church body… to be used to God’s Glory
· Administration, teaching, giving, wisdom, faith, exhortation, helps, mercy, serving… etc.(There is much confusion today concerning the “sign” gifts… along with baptism/ losing salvation, etc)
· Jesus told us in John 15:5 without me you can do nothing of eternal value… gifts & fruit…
Galatians 5:22-23a 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control…
Cautions:
· The Holy Spirit can be Resisted
Acts 7:51 "You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!
· The Holy Spirit can be Grieved
Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
· The Holy Spirit can be Quenched
1 Thessalonians 5:19 Do not put out the Spirit's fire;
(According to God’s Word, the Holy Spirit can also be blasphemed, despised, lied to and rejected)
· The Holy Spirit saves our souls, comes to reside in us, seals us, imparts spiritual gifts/causes us to bear fruit that will last… He also…
5. He Grants Supernatural Power
Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
· Christians are powerless without God working through you…
· “dynamis” – miraculous, mighty, powerful, abundant power when God is given control of your life
· Not only to testify of Christ to the lost… but also in overcoming temptations, sin, obstacles…
Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
Ephesians 5:18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
· It’s not about you or me but is about yielding to Him… Feeding the spirit not the flesh (old nature)
· Living a troubling lifestyle? Stop trying to do it yourself… allow God in you to work mightily
· Don’t get drunk on wine, leads to licentious living, acting abnormally… wine controls the person
· God gives us a command here to be continually filled with the Spirit… be spiritually drunk…
· Be yielded and controlled by God’s indwelling presence
You have all of God… Does He have all of you?
6. He Guarantees’ our Future Hope in Eternity
2 Corinthians 1:22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
Romans 8:23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
· God the Holy Spirit is God’s deposit guaranteeing our future in eternity! Anticipation… adoption!
· Life is short – we must spiritually get it right – eternity is forever!
In West Texas is a famous oil field known as the Yates Pool. During the Depression, this field was a sheep ranch owned by a man named Yates. Mr. Yates was not able to make enough money on his ranching operation to pay the principal and interest on the mortgage, so he was in danger of losing his ranch. With little money for clothes or food, his family, like many others, had to live on government subsidy.
Day after day, as he grazed his sheep over those rolling West Texas hills, he was no doubt greatly troubled about how he would be able to pay his bills. Then a seismographic crew from an oil company came into the area and told Mr. Yates that there might be oil on his land. They asked permission to drill a wildcat well, and he signed a lease contract.
At 1,115 feet they struck a huge oil reserve. The first well came in at 80,000 barrels a day. Many subsequent wells were more than twice as large. In fact, thirty years after the discovery, a government test on one of the wells showed that it still had the potential flow of 125,000 barrels of oil a day.
And Mr. Yates owned it all! The day he purchased the land he received the oil and mineral rights. Yet, he was living on relief. A multi-millionaire living in poverty! The problem? He did not know the oil was there. He owned it, but he did not possess it.
I do not know of better illustrations of the Christian life than these. The moment you become children of God through faith in Christ, you become an heir of God, and all of His resources are made available to you. Everything you need – including wisdom, love, power – to be a man or woman of God and to be fruitful witnesses for Christ is available to you.
But most Christians continue to live in self-imposed spiritual poverty because they do not know how to appropriate from God those spiritual resources which are already theirs. Mr. Yates owned a vast ocean of oil, yet lived in ignorance of his vast riches.
All Heaven’s Resources are waiting for my Submission.
Be Living the Wonderful Spirit filled life!
Next two weeks you’re be hearing more about “Piercing the Darkness” Feb29th 8pm – 8am!
Let’s Pray