Spirit Led old # 3

      Last time we were on being led by the Spirit of God, but we went on some side jour­neys along t way. We taught on t spirit & soul of man.

      I. We covered (1THES 5:23) which says, "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. This V shows us that man is a 3 part being, spirit, soul or mind, & body.

                              1. T spirit of man is t real man. Your body is just a housing for t spirit.

                                          a. It's w/ your spirit that you contact God.

                                          b. Jesus said in (JOHN 4:23) that "The true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him."

                  B. We also covered t Soul of man, which is his mind.

                              1. At t new birth our spirits are recreated.

                                          a. (2COR 5:17) says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

                                          b. This is talking about t spirit. It's t spirit of man that is new, it is t spirit of man that he is referring to when he says, "He is a new creature."

                                                      i. It's t spirit of man that is saved as soon as they are born-again.

                              2. But in (JAMES 1:22) James says to "receive with meekness the en­grafted word, which is able to save your souls, or (mind)."

                                          a. Look at ROM 12:2

                                          b. The word "Prove" might be a little blind to us.

                                                      i. T NIV says, "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will."

                                                      ii. What t NIV says, "test & approve" t Strong con­cordance says, "discern."

                                                      iii. In other words, When your mind is renewed w/ t word of God, you will be able to discern God's will, but not until then.

                                                      iv. Your mind or soul is in t process of being saved & it's done by t renewing of your mind thru t Word of God.

      II. Alright. We covered t spirit & t soul, But Paul also has a lot to say about t body.

                  A. ROM 12:1

                              1. Paul says here to "present your bodies a Living Sacrifice, holy, ac­ceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."

                                          a. That means that we are to crucify t flesh.

                                                      i. This is not something that God is going to do for you.

                                                      ii. He's telling us to present our bodies a living sacri­fice.

                              2. Look at what Paul said in GAL 2:20

                                          a. He said, "I am crucified with Christ."  What does he mean?

                                          b. Look at GAL 5:24

                                                      i. T NIV says, "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires."

                                                      ii. We have a sin nature which is in our flesh & Paul says that we need to crucify that sin nature.

                  B. Paul also said in (1COR 9:27) "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."

                              1. Again in t NIV it says, " I beat my body and make it my slave."

                                          a. Paul said that he forces himself to live a sinless life.

                                          b. Paul was t one that was going to live that sinless life. God wasn't going to do it.

                                                      i. T H.S. will strengthen us & empower us, but it's up to you to choose to live that life that is acceptable to Him.

      III. Alright let look a little more at t spirit of man & how to be led by t H.S.

                  A. In (ROM 8:16) it says, "The Spirit itself (Himself) beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:"

                              1. That witness w/ our spirit, or as we call it, t inward witness, is t primary way that God leads all of His children.

                              2. 1JOHN 4:4

                                          a. Thank God that we have t Spirit of God on t inside of us. In t OT only t priest, prophets, & kings were anointed by t H.S., but t Spirit was not in them it was only upon them.

                                          b. Today all who are born-again have t Spirit, but not just upon them but in them.

                  B. Turn w/ me to ACTS 13:2

                              1. We don't have any reference of any audible voice. Now, T lack of a statement doesn't mean that it didn't happen.

                                          a. Especial if it's just 1 reference.

                              2. MATT 10:16-20

                                          a. In (V 20) he said that it was t spirit that was doing t speaking.

                                          b. But we know that when we are baptized in t spirit, it is t Spirit that gives us t utterance, but we have to do t speaking.

                                                      i. Jesus is saying t same thing here. T H.S. will give us t words to say but you have to speak them out.

                                                      ii. Well, how will we get t words?

                                                      iii. He bears witness w/ our spirit.

                                          c. (JOHN 3:34) says, "For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him."

                                                      i. T statement, "He speaketh t Words of God," & that "He has t Spirit w/out measure", are joined together w/ t word "for."

                                                      ii. Because Jesus had t Spirit He could speak t things that t Father said.

                                                      iii. T Spirit bears witness.

                                          d. (1JOHN 5:10) says, "He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself. "

                                                      i. There is what you can call a knowing on t inside.

                                                      ii. When t H.S. says something to you, if you're sensitive to Him, you have a knowing you know that you know.

                                          e. Look at 1JOHN 3:14

                                                      i. How do we know that we have passed from death unto life?

                                                      ii. Because we love the brethren? Yes & no That will be a sign.  If you are saved you will love t brethren.

                                                                  a. Just because we love one another doesn't prove anything.

                                                                  b. Then how do you know that you have eternal life.

                                                      iii. You have t witness on t inside. T H.S. wit­nesses it to your spirit that you have passed from death to life. You know that you know.

                              3. Jesus said in (JOHN 16:13) that t H.S. will shew you things to come.

                                          i. Listen to t voice of your spirit & t voice of t H.S He will show you things to come.

                                          ii. He's speaking to you but you have to listen.

1/27/91 SUN AM