LED BY THE SPIRIT

Topic: Pneumatology- Text: Eph. 4:30; Eph. 5:18; Gal. 5:16- Title: “Led By The Spirit”. Temple: LFBC 2021.

Intro:

· Last Sunday we talked about Living Water.

· We look at two passages in the N.T. John 4 & 7, and we learned that Living Water refers to the Holy Spirit. John 7:39

· We concluded that the key to enjoy God’s blessings and to be a blessing to others is a life in the Spirit.

Satisfaction: “never thirst again…rivers of living water flowing” and Service: “welling up to eternal life…rivers (something that brings life to its surroundings)” is a result of a life led by the Spirit.

· The question now is: How do we experience rivers of living waters flowing inside and welling up to eternal life?

· The answer is By living a Christian life led by the Spirit.

· The Holy Spirit (or Spirit of God) transforms and empowers God’s people.

Christianity has taken of two approaches with the Holy Spirit: 1) Overemphasize the Holy Spirit. 2) Overlook the Holy Spirit.

· Acts 2:19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;

· Acts 19:2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

We want to have a biblical and balanced approach regarding the Holy Spirit. The Biblical and balanced approach is the principle of being led by the Spirit.

Definition: it means depending on God’s guidance in our lives, so we walk in the paths he wants us to walk.

Presumably means that, ideally, we are following the Spirit.

Biblical Foundation:

Ps 143:10 “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground

Matt 4:1: “Then Jesus was led up into the wilderness by the Spirit for the purpose of being tested by the devil.”

Luke 4:1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness

Romans 8:14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

Galatians 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Sermon idea in idea in one sentence: How to be led by the Spirit.

Proposition: 3 Commands to Obey

I. EPHESIANS 4:30 DO NOT GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT- SANCTIFICATION

Isaiah 63:10 But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; therefore he turned to be their enemy, and himself fought against them.

Do not- a negative exhortation. Something we should not do.

Grieve- “grieve” (lypeō) means “to cause severe mental or emotional distress[1]

This has to do with Sanctification.

Lexham Survey of Theology

Is the ongoing supernatural work of God to rescue justified sinners from the disease of sin and to conform them to the image of his Son: holy, Christlike, and empowered to do good works.

Why is Holy Spirit grieved? Because the believer doesn’t want to leave his old sinful habits. The Holy Spirit came to transform and to empower that person, but he wants to stay the same and not to do his mission.

But when the believer doesn’t want to submit himself to the ongoing process of sanctification, the H.S. is grieves.

1In other verses Paul refers to the third person of the Trinity as the “Spirit” :

1:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spiritof wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him

2:2 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

3:4-5 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.

4:1 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4:4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—

5:18 Anddo not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,

6:6 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

6:18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

Paul only uses the full title “Holy Spirit” is two passages in Ephesians:

1:13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

4:40And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

He is tying this verse to 1:13 with one common truth: the seal of the Holy Spirit. Why?

Because he wants us to remember that we belong to a Holy God…cant live in old sinful habits anymore

There is a redemption in the future, all these sin struggle will be no more…cant live in sin until them

The Spirit He gave you as a guarantee is HOLY…cant make him cohabit with sin, you will grieve Him, find no satisfaction, and not be used for eternal purposes.

The Holy Spirit He wants to form Christ in us. He wants to change us. Change is not a bad thing

Illustration: The Headline of the Lisbon Ledger of this week says: Fall Is Evidence That Change Is Beautiful.

If the leaves don’t change you would’ve never enjoyed the colors of Fall. Change can be a good thing.

Fall colors are pretty. But that is nothing compared to the beautiful transformation the Spirit wants to do in us.

Appeal: Habit replacement. “Spring of living water…rivers of living water” something with dynamic, rushing, with movement: Continuous habit replacement.

Stop doing something and start doing something.

In the same way, for us to be Led by the Spirit, we need to remove bad habits and replaced them with godly habits.

What are the sinful old habits that can grieve the Holy Spirit? Ephesians 4:25--32

1) Put off: Falsehood (NKJV Lying) Gr. Pseudo “a falsehood”

Not only telling a lie, something that is not true, but also omitting part of the truth (Saul, Ananias and Sapphira), exaggerating the truth, telling a white lie (those who start telling white lies will son become spiritual colorblind), broken promises, lies of fabrication (telling others what you don’t know for sure it is true).

Put on: speak the truth with his neighbors. If we want to be led by the Spirit we need to be people of the truth.

2) Put off: anger. Gr. originally any "natural impulse, or desire, or disposition," came to signify "anger," as the strongest of all passions.

There are times when a believer may be righteously angry.But there are other times when anger is sinful. When it is an emotion of malice, jealousy, resentment, vindictiveness, or hatred because of personal wrongs, it is forbidden.

Aristotle said, “Anybody can become angry—that is easy; but to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way—that is not easy.”

Put on: confession of that anger: don’t let the sun go down on you anger.

It is possible to be angry and not sin, but if we do sin, we must settle the matter quickly and not let the sun go down on our wrath. If we want to be led by the Spirit we can’t be dominated by anger.

3) Put off: Stealing Gr. Klepto (kleptomaniac). Steal no longer.

Put on: work with his hands. Stop stealing with your hands and work with yours hands.

If we steal, we hurt others; therefore, we should work that we might be able to help others.

Doing what is good: good Gr. Agathosgood in quality a “God-honoring employment”.

Why: so you can have something with share with others.

We are called to bless others and to share with one another, not to take from one another If we want to be led by the Spirit, we cant be breaking the 8th commandment, we can’t be a taker, we need to be a giver, like God.

4) Put off: corrupt speech Gr. “Rotten”. Used mostly by Jesus to talk about the diseased tree that brings forth bad fruit. Rotten speech comes from a diseased heart.

Put on: Good (Agathos) “ good in quality” God-honoring speech, necessary (as fits the occasion ESV) and edifying (Oikodome) words.

That it may give grace to those who hear.

Why: v. 30 it grieves the Holy Spirit. All sins do, but according to this passage specially the sins of the tongue.

Perhaps because the Holy Spirit came to transform us from within and empower us to bless others, and what is coming out is neither reflecting internal transformation or blessing others.

Remember last week? The Spirit will be in him springs of living water welling up to eternal live…but when our speech is rotten, is not living water welling up to eternal life, but rotten water to destruction.

5) Put off: sins of attitude

All bitterness Gr. Acridity, like in acrid fumes, especially poison.

Wrath: Gr. “passion” (as if breathing hard): - fierceness, indignation,

Anger: Gr, violent passion.

Clamor: Gr. Kradzo to “croak” as a raven or scream, that is, to call aloud.

CALLS

Common Ravens make many different kinds of calls varying from a low, gurgling croak to harsh grating sounds and shrill alarm calls. Scientists have placed their vocalizations into as many as 33 different categoriesbased on sound and context. The most commonly heard is the classic gurgling croak, rising in pitch and seeming to come from the back of the throat. It’s much deeper and more musical than a crow’s simple, scratchy caw. Ravens make this call often. It’s audible for more than a mile, and ravens often give it in response to other ravens they hear in the distance. Among their other calls, ravens make short, repeated, shrill calls when chasing predators or trespassers, and deep, rasping calls when their nests are disturbed. Dominant females sometimes make a rapid series of 12 or so loud knocking sounds that lasts about a second. Common Ravens can mimic other birds, and when raised in captivity can even be taught words.

Evil speaking Gr. Blasphemia.

Malice: badness, that is, depravity, or malignity, or trouble.

Put on: Be kind to one another Gr. "good, gracious, kind"

Tenderhearted: Gr. “Well compassionated”

Forgiving one another, Gr charizomai “to grant as a favor”

Why: because God in Christ forgave you as a favor, by Grace.

Sinful habits destroy our lives. Godly habits edify our lives.

Sinful habits give us fleeting pleasures. Hebrews 11:25 Godly habits give us everlasting pleasures. Psalm 16:11.

Application: That is why this is the first command to obey to be Led By The Spirit is DO NOT GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT by refusing to change your old ways. Don’t hold on to your sin. Don’t be stubborn, prideful. Let the Spirt change you.

II. EPHESIANS 5:18 BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT- SATURATION

The key idea here is control. “Don’t be controlled by wine, be controlled by the Spirit” Be under His Influence.

Filled:

Who Do you get filled by the spirit,

If we compare Col. 3:15-17 (Ephesians and Colossians were written at the same time, they are very similar), the parallel passage equivalent to this passage in Colossians, we learn that the results of being full of the Spirit are the same results of being filled with the Word.

Ephesians 5: 18-21 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, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Colossians 3: 15-17 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Therefore…

Being filled with the Spirit will take palce when we are filled with the Word of God, when we are saturated with the Word of God.

Col. 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God

2 Cor. 4:16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.

Psalm 1:1-3 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; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

Illustration😊 Gas price is skyrocketing. Gas cards are going to make a great Christmas present. Pretty soon we will have to apply for a personal loan to buy gas. We always manage to fill up our tanks don’t we? Matter of fact, that was one of the things I found it was different in America when I first came: where I grew up we usually pump $5, $10 or what we need to get back and forth where we go, we even have a joke: we hand the gas station attendant a $10 bill and say “top it off” and here we people generally just go fill up their tanks every week.

My question is: Why don’t we do the same with our spiritual tank?

I am going to quote something PJ said two weeks ago: “the Sunday service is not intended to fill up your tank, but to top it off”

Appeal: You and I should be filling our spiritual tank during the week, saturating ourselves with the Word, and when we come to church Sunday the preaching will top it off.

· Col. 3:16 dwells, abundantly. That is saturation

· Psalm 1 says he meditates in the Word day and night, all day. That is saturation.

· 2 Cor. 4:16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. That is saturation, every day.

The word Filled: in Gr. Is a present imperative does not describe a onetime filling but a regular pattern of life.

We are continually filling up our spiritual tank by reading our Bible, by listening to a podcast, by memorizing Scripture, by studying the Word, by reading Christian books,

We worry so much about sugar intake, water intake, caffeine intake, what about BIBLE intake?!

If we live filled with our own ideas, the world, the news, then we will be controlled by those things.

If we live filled with the Word of Christ, then the Spirit of Christ will control us.

Application: That is why this is the second command to obey BE FILLED BY THE SPIRIT. Saturate yourself with the Word of God so you can walk under His influence.

III. GALATIANS 5:16 WALK IN THE SPIRIT- SUBMISION

The idea here is to have a lifestyle of obedience to the Spirit.

Walk: GR. peripatéō; from perí (G4012), about, and patéō (G3961), to walk. To tread or walk about, generally to walk. Intrans.:

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Walk speaks of way of live. Not just to confess one old sin and replace that sinful habits for one godly habits and call it good. Not just fill up the your spiritual tank one week and then go run on reserve the rest of the month, but having an intentional, habitual life style of living in the Spirit.

Walk also speaks of progression. The more we live in the Spirit, the more we grow in the faith. Some people want to run in the Spirit before they learn to walk in the Spirit.

And you gratify the desires of the flesh: is cause effect. If we walk in the Spirit, we will be satisfied, we will fulfill God’s plan for us, and we will not have time or interest or need to gratify the desires of the flesh.

Spirit opposes the flesh, flesh opposes the Spirit (Romans 7) While believers live in this world, they face constant tension between their old sinful nature and what the Holy Spirit wants.[2]

If you are Led by the Spirit, you are not under the law: you either live under the Power of the Spirit (Fruit of the Spirit) or under the law (Works of the flesh 19-21)

Quote: Earthly wisdom is doing what comes naturally. Godly wisdom is doing what the Holy Spirit compels us to do.

Charles Stanley

Appeal: We need to be submitting to what the Holy Spirit is compelling us to do…

So we can walk in the flesh, and reap the works of the flesh: Galatians 5:19-21

19 Now the works of theflesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit thekingdom of God

Or we can walk in the Spirit and reap the fruit of the Spirit: Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

We need to be more concerned about listening what the Holy Spirit wants us to do then what the Pastors wants us to do. Please do.

Francis Chan: Even in my own church I heard the words, 'Francis Chan' more than I heard the words, 'Holy Spirit.'

Even though it is true that sometimes God will speak to you through your pastor, you should be primarily be listening to The Holy Spirit.

He will teach you. The is the best teacher.

John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

He is the representative of Jesus on earth, not the pastors.

v.25 as a conclusion Paul says: “If we live in the Spirit” (this is salvation, being made alive by the Spirit), “let us also walk in the Spirit” (this is submission, allowing the Spirit to command and control our lives)[3]

Conclusion:

A Spirit- led church is a result of Spirit-led individuals.

We were born in sin, and we like to be live according to the flesh. We like to follow the flesh instead of following the Spirit. The flow of our sinful nature wants to control

Reversing the flow

How do we reverse the flow so that our passions undergo a redemptive restructuring?

The processing of our passion instincts is very similar to what the ancestors of the city in Chicago did decades ago. The Chicago River runs directly through the city and in the early days was a source of transportation and commerce. It was originally like any other tributary of Lake Michigan, flowing from its source into the lake with all its accumulated debris.

The lesser (the river) contributed to the greater (Lake Michigan), most frequently contributing pollutants and particulates that polluted the lake. So the engineers came up with the idea that if they could reverse the flow of the Chicago River so that the power and resources of Lake Michigan flowed into it, they would always have a guaranteed source of supply.

The water from the depths of the great lake would be fresh and clean, and flowing from high to low would be a source of long-term satisfaction and strength for the city. The engineers did exactly that. They reversed the flow of the Chicago River so that today it is the only river in the entire Great Lakes system that receives its water from the lake. Because of this, the river is clean, strong, and never without a source, unlike tributaries that draw their water from minor and often unreliable sources such as rain, snow-melt, and underground sources.

Unfortunately, some of us are like the Chicago River before its flow was reversed. We have never allowed the Spirit of God to restructure our passions, to extract our satisfaction from God and from his clean resources. As a result, our passions draw their satisfaction from the world around us, and all we have to contribute is the rubble and pollution that we have accumulated.

We need the older and clean (God) to flow into the lesser and dirty (us). To be satisfied and fulfill the mission that God gave us.

NOT GRIEVING THE HOLY SPIRIT- Letting Him perform His sanctifying work, deconstructing, preparing the foundation.

BEING FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT- Intentionally saturating ourselves with the Word, so the Spirit has material wot work with

WALKING IN THE SPIRIT- Submitting to the lead of the Spirit when tells us to do, or not to do something.

And that will be a life led by Spirit, the Living Water. He will never thirst again, in him there will be a spring leaping to eternal life. Out of His heart rivers of living water will flow.

[1]Merkle, B. L. (2018). Ephesians. In I. M. Duguid, J. M. Hamilton Jr., & J. Sklar (Eds.), Ephesians–Philemon(Vol. XI, p. 85). Wheaton, IL: Crossway. [2]Barton, B., Comfort, P., Osborne, G., Taylor, L. K., & Veerman, D. (2001). Life Application New Testament Commentary (p. 789). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale. [3]Wiersbe, W. W. (1992). Wiersbe’s expository outlines on the New Testament (p. 530). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.