Friday, November 6, 2009

Three essentials for a spirit-controlled life

I'll be the first to admit that I don't always live a spirit filled life and I am not always a very good example to those around me but I will also admit that I am incapable of any spiritual living without the Holy spirits help.
I have to appreciate the Holy Spirits position:
He is God
He is a person
He is active
1 Corinthians 2:11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the spirit of God.

I have to apply the Holy Spirits power:
Recognize and submit to the Spirits work
Confess and forsake sin.
Study and apply God's Word.
Identify and avoid temptation
Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish each other with all wisdom, and as you sing psalm, hymns spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God's.

Authenticate the Holy Spirit's presence:
God is leading Me
God is giving me confidence
I am growing in intimacy with God
I feel secure in Christ
I draw my identity for Christ
Romans 8:9-17 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. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit of alive because of righteousness. And if the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his spirit, who lives in you.
Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation- but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die: but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God. for you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. and by him we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God co-heirs with Christ if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

I love that passage, just to think we are co-heirs with Christ is hard to comprehend. I must yield to the convicting work of the spirit in my everyday life. It takes a conscience effort on my part not to grieve the Lord on a daily basis and I fail all the time but God still loves me and prevails in my life by the growing process that He promises to give me. I just have to implement God's plan. Rightly related to God, rightly related to people..

5 comments:

Fitter After 50 said...

It's all in the abiding, huh? :)

Cherdecor said...

Nancy, check the comments in your last post. You may want to delete!

I loved this lesson this morning. You are right on, girl!

Hugs,
Cheryl

Grandma Elsie said...

Amen

Connie said...

You touched on the reason we can live our life for Christ; and that is the fact we have the Spirit inside of us. Co-heirs with God - amazing!

Cathy said...

That God for His awesome Word to us.