Living Your New Life

Psalm 27:1-6 “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident. One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord.”

Intro - The Ephesians church was a remarkable church filled with radically transformed believers. God was doing extraordinary miracles through it, clothes that touched Paul were healing people.

Witches and warlocks were getting saved and burning their spell books.

Silver smiths were upset their clientele was in jeopardy.

This church is addressed first in Revelation. Paul writes to this church what we call the letter of Ephesians. He is calling them up to higher life in Christ for the purpose for re-presenting Jesus to the world.

1. From Lies to Truth

Ephesians 4:25 ESV

Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

Speak the truth, the Word, with one another

It cleanses, never returns void, brings forth a harvest, spirit and life.

It is the milk, bread, water, meat

DEEPLY LOVED AND VALUABLE

Opinions and offense

When women ask you for opinion, they want to hear theirs in a deeper voice.

2. From Unrighteous Anger to Righteous Anger

Ephesians 4:26 (ESV)

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,

Anger is a normal emotion. Time limit.

Ephesians 4:27 (NIV)

27 and do not give the devil a foothold

God also cares about why we are angry

Unrighteous anger is destructive and seeks retaliation.

Righteous anger is directed toward sin, mistreatment of others or damage to the Kingdom. It will be constructive and seek restoration.

Mark 3:5 “And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.”

Ephesians 4:27 ESV

and give no opportunity to the devil.

Don't give him a chance.

Eve Shouldn't have listened to the serpent

Samson lost his vision and life because he was doing something he wasn’t supposed to someplace he was never supposed to be

Moses wasn’t allowed to enter the promised land because he struck the rock when he was told to speak to it.

@ Jesus was given the name above all names because he only did what He saw the Father do.

@msThere's blessing, favor, and protection in obedience

3. From Stealing To Sharing

Eph 4:28 “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.”

The new life is about others. What we do for ourselves die with us what you do for anther lives on in them.

4. From Grievous To Gracious

Eph 4:29 “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

Dont let corrupting talk come out of your mouths. It takes 25-100 positive statements to make up for a negative one received.

Talk for building up

Give grace to those who hear

Eph 4:30 “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

grieve - cause pain to the Holy Spirit

grace - favor, thanks, kindness, life

5. Vices To Virtues

Eph 4:31 “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.”

Eph 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Put on the new man Col. 3:10 “and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.”

Altar call-

I want to surrender