The Holy Spirit's Work in Us

Introduction

I wanted to be a super hero as a child. The only problem is that I didn’t have any special powers or abilities that were far beyond that of mortal men. I use to set up obstacle courses around my house so that I could “train” to be a super hero. Unfortunately, it was outside of my ability to actually be super. While I have long since given up the prospect of being a super hero, I do seek to grow in Christ likeness each day. Have you ever though about how impossible this really is? I am literally trying to become just like the divine, but I am not divine. How will it be done? By the divine coming into my life and changing me into His likeness

He Changes our nature (Galatians 5:22-23)

Explanation

There is a difference between living in the flesh and living in the Spirit

The flesh is what comes naturally, while the Spirit only come from the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives - He develops these attributes within us

The fruit of the Spirit is what we long for in everybody but ourselves - We have an expectation that everyone else be loving, patient and kind with us, but we don’t expect to be that way with everyone else

The truth is, we know that it is better to be a person who embodies the fruit of the Spirit, but our sin nature keeps us from it. The Spirit frees s and empowers us to be the people that we know we should be - Who acts like we know God designed us to act and be

Imagine a world where all people embodied these characteristics. We seek this type of Utopia all the time but can never achieve it because of our brokenness explained in Galatians 5:16-21 xx

The only time we will experience this will be after Jesus comes

Application

Let him change us

Live out the fruit of the Spirit and experience the foretaste of heaven that He promise us

He Inspires our faith (1 Corinthians 12:1-3)

Explanation

The problem - When they were pagans they were led astray to mute idols (they couldn’t speak, or do anything else because they were false)

The truth is that none of those idols ever called those people nor did anything in their lives. Why did they serve the idols? Because of what they could get out of them. They served themselves and had faith in nothing

Something is different when they are called by the true and living God - They begin to understand the truth of who He is.

Therefore, Paul teaches us that the one filled with the Spirit has a real faith that is placed in them and motivates them in the truth of who Jesus is

They cannot say Jesus is accursed because the True and Living Spirit motivates them to see Jesus as the greatest blessing.

No one can say “Jesus is Lord without the power of the Holy Spirit showing them that truth

Application

The Holy Spirit inspires our faith to trust in Him

He shows us the truth of who He is and we cannot turn away from Him

Once saved always saved theology - The glory is not that God holds us against our will, but that God reveals the truth of who He is in such a way that inspires awe in His glory

The Holy Spirit leads us to the truth of who He is

He Empowers our Ministry (1 Corinthians 12:4-6) - Faith and trust

Explanation

He empowers the gifts of the Spirit -

different gifts but the same Spirit - Whenever you see the gifting of the people of God you know where it came from

Different ministries, but the same Lord (Jesus)

Different activities but the same GOD works all of them in each person

Notice the triune nature of God’s work in us

Notice what God is empowering in us - gifts, ministries, activities

This work is done in EACH PERSON - there is no true believer, who is not indwelt by the Spirit and given a gift as a part of the body of Christ - Each of us has something to contribute to the work

Application

There is absolute power in the church because of what God is doing in each one of us

To deny your gift is to deny the power of God in our church

To have faith in Christ is to have faith in the fact that He wants to work through you to do great things that you could not do yourself

So, let God use you!

He Commissions our work (1 Corinthians 12:7-13) - Using our gifts

Explanation

A manifestation of the Spirit - Did you ever think about what a manifestation was? Oxford dictionary defines it as, “an event, action, or object that clearly shows or embodies something, especially a theory or an abstract idea”

In this case, a manifestation of the Spirit assumes that the Spirit may be one that we cannot see specifically, but we can sure see His work in us. It is something that we cannot take credit for, but we can give Him glory for what He has done through us

IT is given to each person - No one has been skipped

the purpose - For the common good - Not our own. It is for the good of the church and for those whom the church touches

What are these gifts?

wisdom, a message of knowledge, faith, healing, performing of miracles, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, tongues, interpretations of tongues

Not an exhaustive list as we see other lists in other places using different gifts.

The point is that whatever gift you are given, you are to use it for His purposes

We are also to acknowledge from whom those gifts come - We glorify God through the use and acknowledgment of these gifts

Every car part has a purpose

I am still amazed at the Toyota plant. Most of you all are use to it, but having one of the largest car manufacturing plants in the world right in our town is amazing. When I think about cars like that what strikes me is the amount of engineering that goes in to them. We so often hear the shade tree mechanics lamenting the fact that they can no longer work on their cars as freely as they could 40 years ago. Too many computers they always say. The truth is those computers and sophisticated parts are exactly what make the cars do things they never did 40 years ago and it is why 100,000 miles is no longer the life span of a car the way it use to be. One thing is sure, There is a purpose for every part, Imagine this conversation. An engineer walks in and says, “I have a new part,” Another says, “Yeah, what is it?” The first guys says, “It’s a thingsmajiggy.’ “What does it do?”

No one would ever then reply, “nothing. I just thought is would be cool to put on a car.”

Christ is the head of the church and he is designing it for his glory and His purposes. If He has brought you in to the body of Christ it is for a purpose. He is giving you a gift to use for His purposes.

Application

So, what is your gift? What has God distinctly called you to do in His body? In our new campus we need to see all Of the Lord’s gifts being used together

IN what God is building here, what part are you. There are no thingamajiggy’s. You might be the muffler, you might be the steering wheel, you might be the throttle or the brake, but God is wanting to use you to take your part in His work.

Conclusion