“Living by The Spirit --- Living Beyond Ourselves”

Galatians 5:22-25

Philippians 2:3, 4

2 Chronicles 34

Power, Possession, Proclamation

Power:

Authority - Clout

Muscle – Strength

Ability – Influence, capability

Right – License, authorization

A look at Josiah – The last “good king”

·         Came to throne at age 8

·         Began to seek God at age 16

·         Character set towards God by age 20

·         He started on his own, just from his knowledge of David’s teachings for royalty:

·         He began to purge the Temple and the land of old things/ways:

·         Ashterath

·         Carved, molded and wooden images

·         Burnt them and scattered the ashes

·         Burned the bones of the priests

·         Started in the high places and went on down

Now, Josiah wanted to repair the Temple:

·         He started to make preparations

·         He surrounded himself with good men

·         They consulted with the man of God

The man of God delivers Josiah power:

·         Hilkiah finds the Word of God

·         He send it to Josiah

·         Even though everything was going his way, it was going to get better

·         Josiah is receptive to the Word

·         He hears the Word of God

Possession:

·         Control

·         Ownership

·         Custody

·         Residence

·         Safekeeping

Through Hilkiah, the high priest, Josiah takes possession:

·         He received the Word of the Lord God

·         He immediately has a contrite spirit

·         He verifies what he hears in the mouth on a 2nd witness, the prophetess Huldah

Proclamation:

·         Public statement

·         Announcement

·         Edict

·         Command

Based on the witness of Huldah, Josiah sounds a proclamation:

·         Josiah sends for everyone and reads the Word of God to them

·         He gives his total allegiance to God to obey Him

·         He leads those under his control to God

Living beyond Ourselves

Just like Josiah, we can’t live beyond ourselves until we get out of ourselves.  Until we stop following the desires of our sinful nature.  We can’t come out of ourselves by ourselves.

Left to ourselves and our sinful desires, we can not do what we might wish to do.  Instead, we:

·         Practice sexual immorality

·         Have impure thoughts

·         Eagerly seek lustful pleasure

·         Practice idolatry

·         Quarrel, jealous, anger at others, envy

·         Selfish ambition and divisions

·         Feeling everyone is wrong except your and yours

·         Partying and getting drunk

·         And other kinds of sin

No one living life with these characteristics primary will live in or enter Heaven.

Living beyond ourselves

·         Has to extend beyond Sunday

·         Does not involve “little trials and tribs”

·         Like people lying on you

·         That is just crop reaping (you reap what you sow)

·         Requires some cross bearing

·         Take up your cross, daily – Matt. 16:24

·         Living within the domain of the Cross – a sacrificial posture.  Your own ability to deny self & embrace the struggle of cross bearing.

·         Means living in the Spirit.  Living in His control of our lives to produce characteristics after His own.

·         Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

·         If you belong to Christ Jesus, your sinful desires have been nailed to the cross.

You have the Power – The Truth, The Word, The Spirit living in you.  The authority, the right and the ability to yield to the Spirit.

Take Possession – Repent, clean house, determine to stop some things, dig up and burn things, go into the caves of your hearts and minds, take a journey.  Own up to who you are in Him.  Hid His Word for safekeeping in your heart.  Take ownership of your position.

Start Proclaiming – Allow the Spirit to control your life.  Seek Him, trust Him, lean on Him.  Let your life proclaim the Spirit-controlled you, publicly.  Command obedience of yourself.