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Posts Tagged ‘Led by the spirit’

LED BY THE SPIRIT # 2

Posted in Church, Equip the Saints, Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on May 12, 2013| Leave a Comment »

RELATIONSHIP BUILDER (MOTHER’S DAY)Led-ByTheSpirit-850x310

REVISION

In April we spoke about being full of the Holy Spirit. To be baptised in the Holy Spirit is necessary to be a witness. We shared about the difference between being born of the Spirit and being baptised in the Holy Spirit and also about the value of praying in other tongues to build up your spiritual life.

Last week we began a new theme of being led by the Spirit.

We are designed by God to be a vessel for the Spirit of God to dwell in. We can choose to walk in the flesh or walk in the spirit. Being led by the Holy Spirit is a daily conversation with the Holy Spirit.

Let’s look at the fruits of the Spirit. What does the bible mean by fruits?

Fruits are the outward signs of the tree being healthy. Fruit is the sweet part that a tree produces to benefit passers–by. Fruit is the seed bearing part of the plant that enables reproduction. (Joh 13:35  By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves].)

Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness,

Gal 5:23  Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge].

Now consider how many of these fruits can be displayed when we are alone?

Love  NO

joy (gladness),  YES

peace,   YES

patience (an even temper, forbearance),   NO

kindness,   NO

goodness (benevolence),   NO

faithfulness,   NO

Gentleness (meekness, humility),   NO

self-control (self-restraint, continence).   YES IN SOME WAYS

Most of the fruit of the Holy Spirit in your life is directed towards improving your relationships with people. Now let’s go back to the context of that verse about the fruit.

 LED BY THE SPIRIT – WORDS THAT BUILD UP – NOT TEAR DOWN.

Gal 5:14  For the whole Law [concerning human relationships] is complied with in the one precept, You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself. [Lev. 19:18.]

Gal 5:15  But if you bite and devour one another [in partisan strife], be careful that you [and your whole fellowship] are not consumed by one another.

Gal 5:16  But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God).

HERE WE SEE THAT BEING LED BY THE SPIRIT IS NECESSARY TO KEEP KIND WORDS COMING OUT OF OUR MOUTHS ABOUT EACH OTHER. NO GOSSIP, NO SLANDER, NO CRITICISM OF EACH OTHER. THE BIBLE SAYS IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH YOUR BROTHER GO TO HIM NOT EVERYONE ELSE.

Gal 5:17  For the desires of the flesh are opposed to the [Holy] Spirit, and the [desires of the] Spirit are opposed to the flesh (godless human nature); for these are antagonistic to each other [continually withstanding and in conflict with each other], so that you are not free but are prevented from doing what you desire to do.

SO THE FLESH WANTS TO BITE AND DEVOUR ONE ANOTHER BUT THE SPIRIT OF GOD LIVING IN US WANTS TO EXERCISE THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT – LOVE, KINDNESS.

Gal 5:18  But if you are guided (led) by the [Holy] Spirit, you are not subject to the Law.

Gal 5:19  Now the doings (practices) of the flesh are clear (obvious): they are immorality, impurity, indecency,

Gal 5:20  Idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger (ill temper), selfishness, divisions (dissensions), party spirit (factions, sects with peculiar opinions, heresies),

Gal 5:21  Envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

 LED BY THE SPIRIT – TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER

Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness,

Gal 5:23  Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge].

Gal 5:24  And those who belong to Christ Jesus (the Messiah) have crucified the flesh (the godless human nature) with its passions and appetites and desires.

Gal 5:25  If we live by the [Holy] Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. [If by the Holy Spirit we have our life in God, let us go forward walking in line, our conduct controlled by the Spirit.]

IN OTHER WORDS BEING LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT TRUMPS THE POWER OF THE FLESH! IF YOU ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO LEAD YOU GUIDE YOU AND CONTROL YOU – THEN YOU WILL NOT PRODUCE BAD FRUIT OF ENVY STRIFE AND DISSENTIONS BUT THE GOOD FRUIT OF LOVE, KINDNESS AND GENTLENESS.

LED BY THE SPIRIT FOR MOTHER’S DAY

So what does love and kindness look like on mother’s day?

Just about every kindergarten, school class room and Sunday school class will all be making a mother’s day gift each year. When little junior comes home to mum with the crayon drawing and egg carton stick man – her heart always melts.

Now we grow up and it’s not the same. Guys if you’re like me it’s Thursday and suddenly I think – Yikes…. I haven’t got a present for mum yet!! FLOWERS!!

Call the florist – spend some money and all is well. Call mum up on mother’s day and have chat.

It’s all good and that’s love. But imagine for one moment that you actually prayed about this…. I know that’s a radical thought!!! Now you ask God what would really bless my mum? He may very well lead you to say or do something that would truly make her day!

Here’s some random acts of kindness one of our interns prepared before hand for us…

  • Cook a meal for your mum
  1. Go grocery shopping with your mum.
  2. Wash her car
  3. Write a thankyou note to your mum.
  4. Post on facebook about how awesome your mum is.
  5. Send her a card once a week for a month.
  6. Buy her an inspiring book.
  7. Have a meaningful chat with her about stuff that she always cared about.
  8. Paint her a picture.
  9. Send some flowers.
  10. Send a note with just kisses on it.
  11. Go to her place and do some gardening.
  12. Take her to a movie. OR buy her a DVD and send it.
  13. Bake some cookies and send them to your mum.
  14. Call your mum
  15. Take you mum out to dinner or lunch.
  16. Tell your mum how she helped you as you were growing up.
  17. Tell your mum that you are praying for her.
  18. Ask your mum for advice about something.
  19. Send you mum some fun photos.

LED BY THE SPIRIT – CARING FOR VULNERABLE PEOPLE – SOLO MUMS

There’s a group of special mums that we as a church should look out for – The solo mums. There’s 8 solo mums in our church. It’s a big job being a great mum for any of our mothers, but when you don’t have anyone doing the journey beside you that makes it even harder. There’s no one to bounce ideas off and no one there with a shoulder when it all gets a bit tough.

That’s why church is a part of the answer.

1Ti 5:1  DO NOT sharply censure or rebuke an older man, but entreat and plead with him as [you would with] a father. Treat younger men like brothers;

1Ti 5:2  [Treat] older women like mothers [and] younger women like sisters, in all purity.

1Ti 5:3  [Always] treat with great consideration and give aid to those who are truly widowed (solitary and without support).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. Talk about some ways that natural fruit and spiritual fruit are alike and different.
  2. How can a Christian increase the fruits of the Spirit in their life?
  3. What are the fruits of the spirit you are pretty good at?
  4. What are the fruits of the Spirit you need to see an increase in for your life?
  5. What can you do to show kindness to a vulnerable person in the church? When will you do it?

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LED BY THE SPIRIT # 1 – 5TH MAY 2013

Posted in Church, Equip the Saints, Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 4, 2013| 1 Comment »

A Spirit filled life is a Spirit led life.Led-ByTheSpirit-850x310

REVISION
Last month (April) we spoke about – You’re Full of It!

Week 1 – Being Baptised in the Holy Spirit is necessary to become a witness. (Acts 1:8)

Week 2 – Being born again – Regeneration + Holy Spirit Baptism is a second step past salvation.

Week 3 – Being Spirit Filled means living in the Power of the Holy Spirit.

Week 4 – The importance of tongues as a prayer language and how to receive it.

You are designed as a vessel for the Spirit of God to dwell within.

Man was created to be a vessel for the Holy Spirit to live in. You are called to live a higher life. A spirit dimension life not a natural or carnal life.

1Co 6:19  Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God? You are not your own,

1Co 6:20  You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honour God and bring glory to Him in your body.

Rom 8:5  For those who are according to the flesh and are controlled by its unholy desires set their minds on and pursue those things which gratify the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit and are controlled by the desires of the Spirit set their minds on and seek those things which gratify the [Holy] Spirit.

Rom 8:6  Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death [death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter]. But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever].

Rom 8:7  [That is] because the mind of the flesh [with its carnal thoughts and purposes] is hostile to God, for it does not submit itself to God’s Law; indeed it cannot.

Rom 8:8  So then those who are living the life of the flesh [catering to the appetites and impulses of their carnal nature] cannot please or satisfy God, or be acceptable to Him.

Rom 8:9  But you are not living the life of the flesh, you are living the life of the Spirit, if the [Holy] Spirit of God [really] dwells within you [directs and controls you]. But if anyone does not possess the [Holy] Spirit of Christ, he is none of His [he does not belong to Christ, is not truly a child of God]. [Rom. 8:14.]

We walk in the spirit, being aware of the spirit realm all around us.

Seeing in the Spirit, but more than that; being led, guided and influenced by the Holy Spirit.

He brings conviction – Joh 16:13  When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

Warning. Act 16:6  And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.

Act 16:7  And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.

Act 16:8  So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas.

Act 16:9  And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

Act 16:10  And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Strengthened. Eph 3:16  May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality].

Comforted Joh 14:16  And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever–

There are 5 senses, but when you walk in the spirit that means relying on another source of information – the Holy Spirit.

2Co 5:7  for we walk by faith, not by sight.

Imagine if you could see in the spirit at all times. Imagine if you could see angels, Jesus, demons.

1Co 2:9  But, on the contrary, as the Scripture says, What eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man, [all that] God has prepared (made and keeps ready) for those who love Him [who hold Him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed]. [Isa. 64:4; 65:17.]

1Co 2:10  Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit, for the [Holy] Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God [the divine counsels and things hidden and beyond man’s scrutiny].

1Co 2:11  For what person perceives (knows and understands) what passes through a man’s thoughts except the man’s own spirit within him? Just so no one discerns (comes to know and comprehend) the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

1Co 2:12  Now we have not received the spirit [that belongs to] the world, but the [Holy] Spirit Who is from God, [given to us] that we might realize and comprehend and appreciate the gifts [of divine favor and blessing so freely and lavishly] bestowed on us by God.

1Co 2:13  And we are setting these truths forth in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the [Holy] Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual truths with spiritual language [to those who possess the Holy Spirit].

1Co 2:14  But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated.

1Co 2:15  But the spiritual man tries all things [he examines, investigates, inquires into, questions, and discerns all things], yet is himself to be put on trial and judged by no one [he can read the meaning of everything, but no one can properly discern or appraise or get an insight into him].

1Co 2:16  For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge? But we have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart. [Isa. 40:13.]

This passage is about the message that Paul speaks about how his message of the gospel was not conveyed with words of man’s wisdom but through demonstration of power and the Spirit. He goes on to say that it is the Spirit has been given to us to reveal to us all the good things that God has in store for us and has already made available to us. We have received the spirit of God. But the natural man, the man who does not engage with the spirit is one who cant see these spiritual things.

Stories of being led by the spirit.

Jesus was led by the spirit into the wilderness. (Matt 4:1-11)

Paul as above.

Are you a spirit man? A spirit woman?

Walking daily with the Holy Spirit. So close, always waiting on Him, always hearing His voice.

So the outworking of this – what does it look like?

  1. When you’re going through a tough time, the challenge is on and your mind is screaming – it’s impossible! And you stop and listen to the Holy Spirit. Show me what you want to do, what you want to say to me, Holy Spirit. And your answer comes. You have the mind of Christ and the Holy Spirit comes to remind you of things that you have read in the word of God. – This week for me – He said “It’s going to be alright”
  2. Someone is reacting badly around you. It may be that you are copping the brunt of it or it may be that you’re just observing, and you step back from the scene and you’re praying, “Holy Spirit show me what’s really going on here.”
  3. One of the things I am always doing, is asking the Holy Spirit shall I tell this person I’m speaking to, what thoughts are coming to my mind?  Sometimes people are ready to hear other times it’s not the right time.
  4. Before I go into the Police Station (I am a Police Chaplain) I pray – Holy Spirit flow through me. As I am talking to different Police members things happen and they open up their hearts.
  5. Holy Spirit – why do I find it so hard to forgive so and so? He may just show you an event where you were hurt a long time ago and it’s made you put a wall around your heart. Let Him come and heal you and take away that pain.

There is a conversation between you and God, the Holy Spirit is making the arrangements and guiding your life all day every day.

How do I become a man or woman of the spirit? –

  1. Reading the word of God – stores up inside you the reservoir of Gods words and values in your heart.
  2. Praying in the Spirit. – Rom 8:26  Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
  3. Have a daily conversation with the Holy Spirit – expect Him to lead you. Ask Him lots of Questions.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. As God designed you to be a human being filled with His Spirit, what do you think that means to us in our day to day life?
  2. Can anyone in the group share how they felt the Holy Spirit was showing them something?
  3. What would be an example of a Christian being carnally minded?
  4. What would be an example of a Christian being spiritually minded?
  5. How much delight might God receive from walking with you as you walk daily in the Spirit with Him?

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