The Law of the Spirit Romans 8:1-11

-You can only have an abundant and eternal life through the work of the Holy Spirit

A husband and wife didn't really love each other. The man was very demanding, so much so that he prepared a list of rules and regulations for his wife to follow. He insisted that she read them over every day and obey them to the letter. Among other things, his "do's and don'ts" indicated such details as what time she had to get up in the morning, when his breakfast should be served, and how the housework should be done. After several long years, the husband died. 

As time passed, the woman fell in love with another man, one who dearly loved her. Soon they were married. This husband did everything he could to make his new wife happy, continually showering her with tokens of his appreciation. One day as when was cleaning house, she found tucked away in a drawer the list of commands her first husband had drawn up for her. As she looked it over, it dawned on her that even though her present husband hadn't given her any kind of list, she was doing everything her first husband's list required anyway. She realized she was so devoted to this man that her deepest desire was to please him out of love, not obligation.

I. Walk According to the Spirit vv. 1-4

In our passage this morning, Paul gives us a beautiful picture of the kind of abundant life that is ours in Christ, a life that is lived through the Spirit

This abundant life is founded on a fact: There is no condemnation for those who are found in Christ Jesus v. 1

This is a simple truth with a profound impact

If this is true, our motivation for living is not shame, guilt, or fear of rejection by God

Instead, we pursue righteousness because of our love for and our hope in Jesus

We are facing a conflict: There are two laws we can live by:

There is a law of sin and death:

Here, we have to prove ourselves by our good deeds, hard work, and righteous character

We will always fall short of this law and be condemned by it

On the other hand, there is a law of the Spirit of life:

In this law, we find hope, freedom, and courage to face the challenges of life

It is founded on Christ and His work in me.

In light of this, pursuing a life under the law of sin and death is a kind of insanity

We are called to walk according to the leadership of the Holy Spirit!

I can spend my life trying to justify myself by the works of my flesh

Or, I can spend my life trusting in the justification that I receive through Jesus and walking in it, following the guidance of the Holy Spirit

We were not left a road map, but a guide for the Christian life

Last week, we were in New York City, serving with One Community Church in Hell’s Kitchen. On Saturday, we had the opportunity to participate in a prayer walk and pray for the needs of the community. We each received a link to an audio guide that would give us walking directions to each of the sites and directions for how to pray. Our map apps on our phones were helpful and the directions were good. You know what was much better? Bobby! He was our guide and all that we had to do was follow Him!

II. Set Your Mind on the Spirit vv. 5-8

How then, do we walk according to the Spirit? Paul tells us the key is a “mind set”

To walk according to the Spirit, we must set our minds on the things of the Spirit, rather than things of the flesh

How do we set our minds on the Spirit? Setting our minds on the flesh comes terribly easy to us!

We pray in the Spirit and seek His guidance

James 1:5

[5] If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. (ESV)

We read God’s Word and let the Spirit teach us truth

Psalm 119:9–11

[9] How can a young man keep his way pure?

By guarding it according to your word.

[10] With my whole heart I seek you;

let me not wander from your commandments!

[11] I have stored up your word in my heart,

that I might not sin against you. (ESV)

We meditate on the truths of God’s Word

Psalm 1:1–2

[1] Blessed is the man

who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,

nor stands in the way of sinners,

nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

[2] but his delight is in the law of the LORD,

and on his law he meditates day and night. (ESV)

We fill our heart with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs

Ephesians 5:18–19

[18] And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, [19] addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, (ESV)

We participate in biblical community

Hebrews 10:24–25

[24] And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, [25] not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (ESV)

We reprioritize our lives around spiritual values

Matthew 6:21

[21] For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (ESV)

Our decisions on these matters have consequences!

The mind that is set on the things of the flesh is:

Death

Hostile to God

Cannot please God

The mind that is set on the Spirit is life and peace!

If we are going to experience the abundant life of a child of God, we will only find it as we set our mind on the things of the Spirit. It is time to *literally* change your mind about some things. This is at the heart of what it means to repent! There are some things in your life that used to bring you joy that won’t anymore and there are some things that you used to find boring that will become thrilling. But nothing changes until you change your mind and focus on the things of the Spirit.

III. Find Your Confidence in the Spirit vv. 9-11

Finally, this calls us to a moment of self-examination:

Am I in Christ? Does the Spirit of God dwell in me?

For some of us, that is the overriding problem in our lives. We are trying to live as something that we are not

You cannot live like a child of God because you are not a child of God

You cannot live in the power of the Spirit because the Spirit is not present in you!

The abundant life is empowered and motivated by the truth of the Gospel and the presence of the Spirit; if we do not have those, we have nothing at all!

However, if I do have the Spirit living in me, there is hope!

We have a present hope:

We live in a body of sin and death; temptations to sin are real and faithlessness is too often a part of our reality

However, there is life in the Spirit that overcomes the darkness and that life is present and at work in me and it will have the ultimate victory in my life as a child of God

I do not have to live as a prisoner to sin anymore!

We have a future hope as well:

The power of God the Father that was working to raise Christ Jesus is at work through His Spirit in me

That is not just good news for today, but it is also good news for eternity

Through the Spirit I have eternal life and that life is a certainty

Now it’s time to walk in it!

Several years ago, when I was just beginning to grasp what it meant to follow Jesus, I came across a poem simply titled, “Fellowship of the Unashamed.” The story of its authorship is not clear; however, Louise Robinson Chapman, a veteran missionary to Africa (1920–1940) writes that the poem was found among the papers of a young Pastor in Zimbabwe after he was martyred for his faith in Christ.

The Fellowship of the Unashamed

I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power.

The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of His. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still.

My past is redeemed. My present makes sense. My future is secure. I’m finished with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, applause, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, am uplifted by prayer and labor by power.

My pace is set. My gait is fast. My goal is heaven. My road is narrow. My way rough. My companions few.  My guide is reliable and my mission is clear.

I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, pander at the pool of popularity or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I’ve stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give ’til I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He’ll have no problem recognizing me. My banner will be clear.

Do you need to?

-Come to Jesus and find life in Him?

-Change your steps and follow the Spirit?

-Change your mind and focus on the Spirit?

-Renew your confidence in the Spirit?