The Power Of The Holy Spirit, Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ is God living out of you posted. Putting them into Christianity by faith. How do you live in Christianity by faith. What did God do when I came in Christianity, everything. What's God, do now that I'm a believer.

Everything that's what the role the spirit of God is because of the surpassing greatness of his power is made described to the working of the strength of his might, not yours. And then he said this illustrated, which he brought about in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right. How are you resurrection joining us today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana. Let's join Pastor Bill Gebhardt now again he shows us how God's word meets our work in Galatians chapter 5 in verse 16.

Paul says this is it. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh when he says, walk by the Spirit. Paul always means live by the Spirit you need to live your life by the spirit of God say not to those believers and to us as well. If you're going to be a Christian you have to live by the Spirit of God, and you have the choice that's kind of up to you notice what he says he sent for the flesh sets its desire against the spirit, the spirit against the flesh, he said these are in opposition to one another and so that you may not do the things that you please. By the way, that's a description of your life and mine, spiritually speaking, you and I are schizophrenic where all that way we either want to carry out the desires of our flesh, we want to carry out the desires of the Spirit.

He's indwelling us. But notice, this choice is going to be up to us how we go notice. Then he says this he said, but if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law of the deeds of the flesh are evident, they are immorality and impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, outburst of anger, disputes, dissensions and factions envying and drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. He said it, which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God to the flesh just brings about sin. That's what it does. This is why what I want to live a life of sin. Some of you struggle with that. You know that I'm reading that list that describes the way you behave you see is and why would I want to live that life, he says, but the fruit of the spirit is love and joy and peace and patience and kindness and goodness and faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. He said against such things there is no law. The fruit of the spirit. Notice what it doesn't say it doesn't say the fruits of the spirit. Christians misunderstand this verse. This is the fruit of the spirit. In fact, always make up just the fruit all right because here's what Christians have told me though. Say something like you know I love people and I am joy in mind some the time, and in peace.

I got to work on patients of my very patient. That's always talking about here. That's called the human go to your flesh. Some things are better at some things are better to resist but is not talking about that he saying when the spirit of God controls your life.

You bear this fruit and think about this fruit. When you bear fruit. It's always in context of relationship you can have fruit without relationship. For example, you can't have an Apple if you don't have an apple tree is you have to have an apple tree for going have apples.

It's always base a relationship.

That's why Jesus in John 15 picked it up and said look on the vine branches. You see, the only thing you need to do is stay attached to me.

You need to abide in me is that if you abide in me and I abide in you, you bear much fruit is set apart from me you can do nothing.

The whole idea fruit the spirit of God bears the fruit and notice this fruit. When you look at it. He said love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. You knew that is is Jesus you bear the character of Christ. The Bible calls that being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. He said if you allow the Holy Spirit if you walk with the Holy Spirit. He said you bear this kind of fruit in your life know what you think about that the spirit gives all creation physical life. He gives those who are born-again spiritual life. He produces the character of Christ within us. He empowers us to be a witness. According to acts 184 Jesus Christ according to Ephesians, he produces unity in the context of the church of so many diverse people with different backgrounds and according to Romans, he intercedes for us. Paul says he prays for us when were not sure how to pray for ourselves all. He said I'll do that for you. He is the spiritual Dumas of our lives. The spirit of God is the power of our lives.

And yet, for many of us. We don't even seem to realize it and for a lot of us. We never utilize it in our lives at all.

So Paul has a prayer Ephesians chapter 1 Ephesians chapter 1, Paul was going to pray. What's interesting is this chapter starts out wonderfully and then Paul breaks into prayer in the beginning of the chapter and verse three says, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. How many blessings is God giving you of your child of God in the heavenly places all the snow blessings that I will give you. You have all that. So it sounds like it's a done deal and this is gonna be great, but there's something between the blessings and having you and I call that life you get up every day and go to work. We got we live in families, we have a context to live out our faith we have. We live in a cursed planet.

We have simple bodies are flesh of sinful. So Paul says I want to pray for you in verse 18. He says this I pray that the eyes of your heart will be enlightened, that you will know what is the hope of his calling.

One of the riches of the glory of the inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of his power toward us who believe these are in accordance with the working the strength of his might which he brought about Christ when he raised him from the dead, and he seated them in his right hand in the heavenly places light up all previous because, potentially, you and I may never experiences he's praying for you in the spring for me. You may never experiences in your life. See, there's no guarantee you'll experience this human have a lot to say whether you experience this or not.

The first thing you said, I pray that the eyes of your heart would be enlightened.

You see, there has to be is what he said in Romans 12, a renewing of your mind.

I better think about this differently. Secondly, he said that we don't don't know the hope of his calling. You know the hope of the calling of God know that that's a bad word in English. You've heard me say many times hope because I think for a lot of Christians hope always means cross your fingers and hope that's never what the Greek word means the Greek word hope means future certitude Jesus coming back.

That's called the blessed hope of the church. Okay, so the hope of his calling is the surety of heaven. The surety of eternal life. He said I want you to know the hope of your calling.

I say it over and over again.

The worst thing that could happen. You can happen to you. I read the end of the book and you win. You see why because a lot of Christians all know that they don't know that they don't have peace and the reason they don't have pieces they don't know the hope of the calling to surety is a guaranteed comes from God.

He said, and a lot of them don't realize the inheritance and again, what are you going to inherit. And the answer is everything we think about that everything everything the Christ inherit you inherit.

He said I want you to understand this, and then he makes these this statement though he said and what is the surpassing greatness of his power toward us who believe he said I want you and understand the surpassing greatness of the power that you have some time to talk much more do you have any idea the power you have settled think we think that way at all season the person of the Holy Spirit, I won't ask for Hans because I get them off. They were honest, how many you disappointed in your spiritual walk. I think almost everyone say I'm really disappointed myself and you know what happens will disappoint ourselves. I hear Christians say this kind of thing all the time you are really disappointed in my spiritual walk to do or try harder.

Let me say some right now. Don't waste your time. You can do this you this summer and it's a supernatural life.

You can't live this by trying harder.

This isn't all boy would make New Year's resolutions. I want to try harder is not Christianity is Christianity is God living out a new Paul said how did you come into Christianity by faith.

How do you live in Christianity by faith. What did God do when I came into Christianity. Everything what's God do now that I'm a believer.

Everything that's what the will of the Spirit of God is because of the surpassing greatness of his power, he says, let me describe it to you.

It's the working of the strength of his might, not yours.

And then he said this, let me illustrate it, which he brought about in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him in his right hand. What kind of power you resurrection power how much powers that how much powers have resurrection power. Think of man, all the years all the centuries. All of us together cumulatively, how much power do we have. I'd have to say the splitting of the atom may be our greatest single act of power and we were able to create bombs to kill each other by the millions. That's what we did with our power. Let me ask you something about me. Can you raise a good person is men have the power to raise someone who's dead. No, he doesn't even have that kind of power you have the kind of power as opposed to set you have that kind of power.

You see, that's what we get so indifferent to this we don't, it doesn't relate to us in any sensible way. Well, the question is how do we get it how I tap into it turned a few pages. The Ephesians chapter 5 verse 18. How do I tap into this power that were talking about how do I allow this power the power the Holy Spirit to be in control my life is what Paul says in verse 18. He said do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, not a real good word.

Let me just say this when getting drunk, stupid. Okay, everybody knows that you get drunk or stupid reason you're stupid is alcohol now controls you and that inevitably can get you in a world of trouble. He's… Dissipation getting letting alcohol control you. It is foolishness. Then he says this but be filled with the spirit. He doesn't mean filling up like a gas tank, you doesn't mean I'm filled up to the spirit with the spirit to my knees and now I spirit is not a liquid is not a gas he's a person you either he's in control or urine control. That's what he is saying be controlled by the spirit of God the way alcohol can control you be controlled by the spirit of God, and he said whenever that happens.

But what happens to you speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart. He said to the Lord, always giving thanks for all things in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ God even your father and be subject to one another. He said in fear of Christ. When the spirit of God controls me. I worship God. I don't mean corporately, just on Sunday morning. I mean daily in my heart I sing and make melody in my heart I worship God. I give thanks to God for all the circumstances of my life on the horizontally what's it look like the best way I could sit and see it is he says be subject to one another that were subject to Portage so and what time so mean to voluntarily line yourself up under. I have less rank than you posted to the Philippians.

Consider everybody else is more important in your that's what happens when the spirit of God controls you. If you're a wife, you subject yourself your husband if your husband you subject yourself.

Your wife if you're a parent you subject yourself to the child.

If your child to subject yourself to the parent if your slave you subject yourself to the master if your master your subject yourself to sleep. I don't mean in the sense the roles don't change. Each person there has a role to fulfill is not talking about Moses talking about her attitude. This has tremendous humility build into it again. The character of Christ not to give someone like on this go with me now to Colossians chapter 3 Colossians chapter 3 possibly give us another set of insights as to what I mean how do I get controlled by the spirit of God. He starts on verse 12 of Colossians 3 and he says so as those who been chosen of God.

That's us, he said, holy and beloved, that's us. He said you need to put on the heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience very against the fruit of the spirit, he said, bearing with one another, forgiving each other how he said whoever has a complaint against anyone, just as the Lord also forgave you, so also should you. He said, behold, beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

He said, let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. And then he says this you need to let the word of Christ richly dwell within you. You need to allow the word of God to richly dwell within you to have a meaningful relationship with you.

Now, your safe wide sets of the queue the filling.

Watch what happens if I let the word of Christ indwell me, richly he said with all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another was psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. He said whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the father that he says wives, be subject to your husbands. Husbands, love your wives, children, be obedient, your parents father's don't exasperate your children slaves in all things. He said Abbe those are your masters on earth, and he says masters grant your slaves justice and fairness. It's the same results if you controlled by the spirit of God in Ephesians, you will act exactly the same way as when you let the word of Christ indwell you richly in Colossians the requote is how the spirit of God controls you see, that's the beauty of this goddess set up a system where you should never fail. But we do the Holy Spirit inspired the writing of the word of God: inspiration. The words are his words.

We believe in the inerrancy of Scripture everywhere, verbal, plenary, all the words.

Every word inspired by God in the original autographs only inspired the word he protects the word, but he also says he teaches you. That's what Jesus said the Holy Spirit.

Your teacher will give you spiritual insight into the word of God but is not done. He also says I give you the power to obey. I'll be the power for you to obey the word of God that's with the Holy Spirit can do in your life. You see, you not only inspired the writing is teaching me how to use it but I can actually obey it in my life. How's he doing in your life. Paul prayed, you and I would utilize the Holy Spirit in our life. God commanded us to be filled by the Holy Spirit in our lives. When ask you some blunt questions you just between you and the Lord are you persisting in disobedient you persisting it. You see deliver the whole over and over again. You just consistently persist in a disobedience to God. If you're honest with yourself. Let me ask a second question, do you really neglect your faith. Now you what you want your faith. By the way, with some bad habits.

Then you run to God and tell mom caught him back.

I'm sorry if you get help get me out of this, but I mean do you neglect your faith is.

It is a compartmentalize to you. Thirdly, is there somebody you haven't forgiven because they hurt you deeply just read the verses were to forgive, just as Christ is forgiven us. You holding onto that your flesh serve a root of bitterness in your heart. You see, if that's happening and what the word of God says is happening in your relationship with the Holy Spirit quenching. He has great power, but you know what he won't work without you. You only work with you. That's the spirit of God you work with you they won't work without the choice is yours.

You can live in the flesh you live in the power of the spirit of God.

You have to let the spirit of God lead your life change your life and empower you. That's his role so if I was using imagery, etc. say it this way, the Holy Spirit, sorta like the Sgt. you and I are the platoon. We just simply follow the Sgt. or he's more like the drum major with a band okay where the drum major goes, we want to go that's the way this thing works. That's his role in our life. We are to stay in step with him and it says in the Bible. If we do we bear fruit whenever you bear fruit. God's glorified is for the betterment of all the people around you, and it's for your own good. That's the beauty of all this, and I don't know if you think about that enough the same power that pushed the stone away from a grave, the same power that push the stone away and because Christ to be raised from the dead can shove away all the doubt in your life. See can overcome any single barrier that you have for him. It's that kind of power you have resurrection power in my prayer for you is I just wish you would sense that in your own life too little tricycle doesn't really function in a two legged tripod will never be what was designed to be the same is true of us. We have to avail herself of the greatest thing that God is offered us the spirit of God and Jesus last words you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon the spring. Father, I don't believe that we decide not to utilize the Holy Spirit in our lives, but I think father through neglect or apathy or indifference.

We don't we don't realize is treasurers.

Paul says that we have a niece earthen vessels the incredible presence of God through his Holy Spirit, the capacity that we have, to walk rightly before you to enjoy what Jesus called the abundant life, a life of joy and hope and peace to be used by you in great ways to minister to the needs of others and to help in the process of leading people to a saving knowledge of our Savior.

Father I pray that you would deeply go into the hearts of each and every one of us and make us deal with this question, do I really utilize my depended on the spirit of God in my life at all on my now trying to live out my Christianity by the flesh, and I am reaping what I am sewing father I pray that all these kind of messages. This one it's home for us because it unleashes your power in our lives as we pray pastor broke apart on the radio ministry of fellowship in the world. If you ever miss one of our broadcast or maybe you listen to the message one more time. Remember, you can Google a great website called in one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen to Fellowship in the Word online at that website you will find on with today's broadcast but also many of our previous audio program that Fellowship in the Word. We are thankful for those who financially support our ministry and make this broadcast possible. We ask all of our listeners to prayerfully consider how you might help his radio ministry continuous broadcast on this radio station by supporting a monthly report just a one-time gift support for ministry can be sent to Fellowship in the Word.

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