Power for Living

Intro

The Law of the Spirit. Under the old Law the death of an animal and the shedding of its blood were the means used for atonement of sin. That is, the person who brought the animal to be sacrificed acknowledged in this way that he was a sinner who deserved death. He also expressed faith in God’s promise to forgive him on the basis of a substitute—the death of an animal sacrificed in his place. Those who were so poor they could not bring an animal could bring a little fine flour for a sin offering and be forgiven.

Hebrews 10:4 “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”

Now we offer our bodies as living sacrifices—we are no longer under the Old Testament Law, but we obey a new Law made possible through Christ’s sacrifice. It is the law of the Spirit, who gives us victory over the flesh and power to live a life pleasing to God. Through the power of the Spirit, we are made partakers of Christ’s inheritance, adopted into the family of God!

Sermon’s outline:

The Spirit’s Fire;

The Spirit and the Law;

Life in the Spirit;

Sharing Christ’s Victory;

Sharing Christ’s Inheritance.

N.1 - The Spirit’s Fire

1A. The Church in Thessalonica.

1 Thessalonians 5:19 NIV

Do not quench the Spirit.

According to Paul, the believers in Thessalonica were stifling the work of the Holy Spirit. There were several reasons for this:

Moral Impurity;

Wrong attitudes;

Resistance to all manifestation of supernatural power because of fear of human limitations or demonic power.

The apostle Paul encourages the believers in Thessalonica not to reject all supernatural manifestations, but to test every charism and every person:

2 Thessalonians 2:2–3 NIV

not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.

Quiz. When prophecies are given which contradict the Word of God, what should be done? We should reject them.

N.2 - The Spirit and the Law

2A. The Spirit of His Son.

Galatians 4:4–6 NIV

But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”

This verse clearly confirms what we have seen in Acts. God saves unbelievers when they change their minds and express faith in Jesus. But He does not baptize in the Spirit until after they believe.

N.3 - Life in the Spirit

3A. Victory over the Flesh.

Galatians 5:16 NIV

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Romans 8:13 NIV

For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

Quiz. Would you say that the same conclusion is true if miracles are done and souls are saved as the result of a person’s ministry even though works of the sinful nature are present in his life? It is not easy to see how God can continue to bless the ministry of some who are not living right. It may be that God honors the faith of those to whom they minister. It is also true that God is patient and tries to get the person who has turned away from the walk in the Spirit to come back. Remember that God was patient with Samson for a long time and continued to use him when he took a step of faith. But his failure to live in the Spirit finally led to his downfall.

3B. The Fruit of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22–23 NIV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Some people suppose that we do not need to concern ourselves about the fruit of the Spirit. They tell us just to enjoy the sunshine of God’s love and the rain of His Spirit, and the fruit will come. The Bible, however, shows that the ground must be cultivated, the plants must be cared for, the weeds must be destroyed, the branches must be pruned if we are to bear “much fruit.”

2 Peter 1:5–7 NIV

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.

Quiz. Which of the following statements are true?

a) According to 2 Peter 1:5–7 all we need is to have faith and the rest of the fruit of the Spirit will come automatically.

b) Since God is patient, it really does not matter how much of the fruit of the Spirit we have in our lives.

c) If we keep sowing to the flesh we shall reap eternal destruction. yes

d) If we keep sowing to the Spirit we will reap life everlasting. yes

e) Sowing to the flesh is the same as practicing the works of the flesh (the sinful desires of the flesh and the mind). yes

f) Sowing to the Spirit is the same as cultivating the fruit of the Spirit, adding to our faith the virtues Peter talks about in 2 Peter 1:5–7. yes

g) We can enjoy the fruit of the Spirit in ourselves and in one another without waiting to get to heaven. yes

N.4 - Sharing Christ’s Victory

4A. Victory through the Spirit.

Romans 8:9–11 NIV

You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life 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 because of his Spirit who lives in you.

We are victorious because the Holy Spirit lives in us. One illustration I have heard is that when we are converted the Holy Spirit becomes resident. When we are baptized in the Holy Spirit, He becomes president. Another illustration is that when we are born again, the Holy Spirit has a place in our lives. When we are baptized in the Holy Spirit, we turn over all the keys and let Him take full charge of the whole house (the entirety of our lives).

Quiz. Which of these statements are true?

a) The resurrection life of Christ is ours through the Holy Spirit. yes

b) If we had enough of the Holy Spirit we would always be healed and would not have to die.

c) Because our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit we should keep them physically and morally clean. yes

d) Our hope for the future should cause us to cultivate the things of the Spirit; it is the Spirit who will resurrect us when Jesus comes again. yes

Paul seems to say that the seeds of death are in this body. No matter what we do for the body, the body ultimately brings us down to death. Therefore, we should not yield to the sinful desires of the flesh. Instead, we should determine to keep the body the temple of the Holy Spirit and use it for the glory of God. Even if we live until Jesus comes, this body must be changed, transformed. Then we shall be like Christ with a body like His glorified body.

N.5 - Sharing Christ’s Inheritance

5A. The Redemption of the Body.

Romans 8:11 NIV

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 because of his Spirit who lives in you.

Over the years I have known of a number of people who have tried to claim a faith by which they hoped they would never die. Most of them are dead already. The important thing for the believer is not what happens to this body. The life in the Spirit, the renewing of the inner man, is the assurance that we shall share the resurrection of Jesus. As long as God has work for us to do here, I believe we can expect healing and strength. Healing is also very important as a means of drawing others to Christ and letting them know He is concerned over body and soul. But the resurrection will bring the redemption of the body for which we who have the Spirit groan.

Quiz. Which of these statements are true?

a) Paul’s sufferings for Christ had no real effect on his physical body.

b) Paul expected that if our inner man is renewed daily by the Spirit our physical body would also be renewed in the sense it would show no signs of old age or decay.

c) Through the Spirit, if we have enough faith, we can have right now all the glory and blessing that will be ours in heaven.

d) The redemption of our bodies is something we could have in its fullness right now if we had enough faith.

e) Our new bodies are going to be just like our present bodies except they will be free from death and decay.

f) Our new bodies will be spiritual, not in the sense of being ghostly or like spirits, but in the sense of being the perfect instrument for the expression of life in the Spirit. yes

g) Though we remain in the weakness of our present body, we have the Holy Spirit to help us. yes

5B. An Enlightened Conscience.

1 Timothy 4:2 NIV

Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.

Paul speaks of those whose consciences are seared (literally branded) with a hot iron (1 Timothy 4:2). Criminals were sometimes branded. It may be that Paul means that people’s consciences become like those of criminals. Criminals do have a conscience, but it works according to their own code. Sin doesn’t bother their consciences, but giving information to the police about a friend might bother them terribly.

The Spirit of God awakens the dormant conscience of man.

Romans 9:1–3 NIV

I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit—I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race,

Quiz. What seems to be the work of the Spirit in Romans 9:1–3?

a) Showing Paul the need of the Jews and giving him a deep concern for them

b) Showing Paul his responsibility to pray for his people and witness to them

c) Letting Paul know he was right to be concerned for his people

d) Witnessing to the fact that Paul’s concern was sincere

Questions

1 = The Spirit may be quenched by any of these.

2 = If it is contrary to God’s Word.

3 = After a person accepts Christ as Savior and becomes a believer.