Spirit Led old # 1

      We've been on t ministry of t H.S. now for a # of weeks, last week we ended w/ t subject of t Gifts of t Spirit. Today I want to go on to a little different area, but still on t ministry of t H.S.

      I. If you have your Bibles, turn w/ me to ROM 8:14-16; also PRO 20:27

                  A. All of God's children can expect to be lead by God's H.S.

                              1. T RSV translation of (PRO 20:27) Says, "The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD."

                              2. What that means is that t Lord's light will come & enlighten us.

                                          a. God will enlighten us, & He will guide us thru our spirits.

                                          b. It's unfortunate, but many times people seek guidance thru some other means, other than what God said.

                                                      i. I think we all have a tendance to do that.

                                          c. Many times, especially when trouble comes, we judge how God is leading by what our physical senses tell us.

                                                      i. But t Bible doesn't tell us that God will lead us thru our physical senses.

                                                      ii. Too often we look at things from a mental standpoint & try to reason things out.

                                                      iii. But again t Bible does not tell us that God will guide us thru our mentality.

                  B. But t Word of God does tell us that t Lord will enlighten us thru our spirits.

                              1. Jesus told us in (JOHN 9:5) that "He was t light of t world."

                                          a. God will guide us or enlighten us, but it will be by His Spirit to our spirit.

      II. In (GEN 1:26 & 27) God said, "Let us make man in our own image, after our like­ness, So God created man in his own image."

                  A. Jesus said in (JOHN 4:24) that God is a Spirit.

                              1. For us to be created in God's image, man must be a spirit being.

                              2. Paul said in (1THESS 5:23), "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and {I pray God} your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blame­less unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."

                                          a. T spirit of man is eternal, it will live on forever.

                                                      i. That doesn't mean that everyone will be in heaven.

                                                      ii. Man will continue to exists weather in heaven or Hell.

                                          b. Look at what Paul said in PHIL 1:23-24

                                                      i. Here Paul is saying that he is going to live. Whether it is in t body or out of it, life is still going to go on.

                                                      ii. As a matter of fact, Paul said that it would be better for him to go on to be w/ t Lord. But he also knew that it would be better for t Church if he stayed.

                                          c. Paul said in (2COR 4:16) "Our outward man perish, yet the inward {man} is renewed day by day."

                                                      i. Keep in mind what we're talking about, that man is a spirit being & that God will guide us thru our spirits.

                              2. Look at 1PET 3:4

                                          a. Peter calls t spirit man "t hidden man of t heart."

                                          b. In this V, Peter is saying that t spirit man in of most importance, because it's t spirit that will live forever.

      III. Go over to 1COR 2:9-12

                  A. In (V 9) Paul said, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."

                              1. In other words Paul is saying that "Before t H.S. was given there was no natural way or spiritual way to know what God had for us."

                              2. Then in (V 10), he said that God reveals things to us by His Spirit.

                                          a. Then in (V 11) he begins to tell us how "God will reveal things to us."

                                          b. He tells us that only t Spirit of God knows t things of God.

                              3. Then in (V 12), he says "We have received t Spirit of God that we can know t things of God."

                                          a. Knowing t things of God covers a large area.

                                                      i. That could cover knowing about God's goodness, knowing about heaven, eternity, & it also covers knowing about God's will & plan for your life, as well as, His direction.

                  B. Let's go back to our text, ROM 8:14

                              1. In this V we can see that t Spirit of God will lead us, but (V 16) gives us some insight into how He will lead us.

                              2. V 16

                                          a. T phrase in this V, "Beareth witness" means, "testify to."

                                          b. T H.S. speaks to our spirits, & reveals to us God's will.

                                          c. We need to listen to our spirit, not just so we can be blessed, by getting God best, but also so that we can know who God wants us to pray for, when he want us to pray for them, & so that we can know what to pray for.

                                          d. It also goes for witnessing to others; we need to listen to t H.S. so we can know who t witness to & what to say.

                                                      i. Listen to t guiding of t H.S.; W/out Him we're just like any other club.

                                                      ii. Listen to His voice & His guidings.

1/5/91 WED PM TFC & 9/29/91 WOLCC SUN AM

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