The Power of the Spirit

Rebuttals with you not turn with me if you would first John chapter 3 look at one verse, verse 24 whoever keeps his commandments abides in God and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us by the spirit whom he has given us pray. Heavenly father, we thank you for the precious book that we call first John, thank you Lord for how it is laid out to help us, that we might have assurance of salvation. Thank you Lord for all the distinguishing marks of salvation that are laid out for us that we might check these things out in determine Lord whether we truly belong to you were not heavenly father we pray, that is, we look at these things. We will bring comfort where we need comfort and conviction where we need conviction got a directors to this passage this evening. May Jesus be exalted and lifted up through it. His congregation beatified by Jesus name we pray. Amen. You may be seated.

The Jews in Jesus's day believed in a theology that theologians today call due to her nominate theology.

In essence, this is what it says God blesses the godly with material wealth physical health and trouble-free free living in that era theology is while the friends of Job are so critical of Joe. His possessions were taken from him, his family was just devastated his his health was just absolutely torpedoed so the friends of Job were bound by their theology to consider Job is a horrible center because their theology taught them that that God had to be judging those who had terrible calamities. Following only him and that reason was they had committed some horrible sin. We know the story. These calamities that were befalling Job or not they are because of some horrible sin that he had committed. They were sent from Satan. With God's permission in order to test Job's faithfulness to God. Satan believe that Job would wilt under the pressure. Satan believe that Job would get angry with God and that he would turn from God not turn to God Job glorified God defeated Satan as Job came to this point in his life for all these things that happened to doing and he said the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord and his wife intensified the pressure and she said this to Joe. Do you still hold fast to your integrity just go ahead and curse God and die and to which Job answered. Shall we accept good from God and not accept adversity in the Scripture says in all these things Job did not sin with his lips. So the book of Job is an all out attack from God of prosperity teaching you can't judge a man's spiritual condition before God by looking at the calamities that are falling upon him in his life, but yet the Jews in Jesus's day had done that very thing that's while the disciples were so shocked when they saw the attitude of Jesus when the rich young ruler came to Christ. Remember that story in Matthew chapter 919. The rich young ruler came to to Jesus and the disciples were all gathered around the many and he said good master, what must I do to an carried eternal life in Jesus said to him, no one is good but God what he say that he was claimant deity.

He was making this rich young ruler face the question is Jesus Christ really God then Jesus said if you want eternal life and keep the commandments keep the commandments. Now what would you do if Jesus Christ put you in the face and said to you if you want eternal life to keep the commandments. I think outcry I think I would absolutely cry because it is my E eternal destiny was determined by me keeping the commandments I would know I come way way short. I have not just broken the commandments physically broken commandments spiritually. I may not of ever killed anybody, but I hated I may not of ever committed adultery. But I blessed have the follow my face weeping it if that were brought before me, because I know I just made so many mistakes I've never made a graven image, but I have driven one and I've never never ever never fall of fallen before a golden calf, but I have fallen down and bowed before peer pressure and that's a false God's will.

Jesus told me that to have a turn. LIFO must keep the commandments. I think outcry but that's not the response that the rich young ruler had, in fact, he didn't get upset he didn't freak out at all. He said all you have done that of The commandments. I've never killed anyone. I've never committed adultery have never stolen anything, have never worshiped of a false idol I've honored my father and mother all you have The commandments from my youth up.

What is that tell us it tells us that he didn't have a clue as to what's going on in his heart. It tells us that he doesn't realize that God judges not only our actions but also our motives or intentions in our thoughts to Jesus forces the issue is is okay if you think you you really have done all these things then then this is what you need to do.

Go sell everything that you got take that money and distributed among the poor in, then come and follow me. The Scripture says that he dropped his head down and walked away. Sadly free, he knew he could not do that then Jesus turns the disciples and sailor. Surely I send you it is hard for rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven, and he said it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into heaven, and in verse 25 is the verse that blows me away is when the disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, who then can be saved.

The disciples were absolutely shocked they were astonished because to them. This guy was. That was the perfect candidate for salvation. He was rich he was young he was a nobleman he was moral. He was ethical. He was the one that went to Jesus to asking these questions, he it seems to be that he would be the perfect candidate for salvation there due to her nominate the knowledge theology said this guy is last beyond last three's got to be a child of God. I believe the apostle John probably had this incident in mind when he wrote the letter that we call first John three knows that there are people all over the world who appear to be children of God by their outward appearance, but on the inside.

They had been no absolute change in Amanda my former church and we were south side who had a sister at that time was 83 years old.

She had gone to church for 81 years and he said there never been in repentance and there's never been a change of heart, but he said after 81 years of going to church. Finally she came to the point where she said I'm not doing this anymore. Now he said she knew the songs she knew the creeds she knew the Bible stories that she knew a lot about the Bible, but she did know Christ. Finally, at 81 years of age. He said not going back to church. I don't love Jesus I don't love his church, and I absolutely refused to go again and she died a couple of years after that and an absolute belligerence against God. It's because of situations like that that John is screaming at us in first John to examine ourselves to see if were in the faith we gone over already a number of distinguishing marks that that believers will have.

We look at these true evidences if your genuine believer, then these things are going to be seen in your life but in verse 24 he gives us a test that is more subjective than it is object we read verse 24 again. Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God and God in him.

And by this we know that he abides in us by the spirit whom he has given us all. Here's our question.

How does a person know if he really has the Holy Spirit. I remember backs several decades ago nail guy named Jim Jones was leading a cult and took them down to a place called Jonestown Guiana and he led them at that point in time to to drink Kool-Aid was laced with cyanide and just go ahead and commit suicide almost a thousand people that he led to an early death, and I can remember him saying that the Holy Spirit led him to that action are a member. David Qureshi was a another coleader back several decades ago. The little group of people. In Waco Texas call of the.

The Branch Davidians and he led them in a governmental revolt and the result was almost all of them were killed. David Qureshi made the same statement that God had led the Holy Spirit had led him to to to lead that rebellion against the government in the list is endless.

People who were filled with energy who have leadership skills. People who have us some type of spiritual zeal and we ask us if is that the Holy Spirit will these people I just mentioned were controlled by spirit all right, but it was not the Holy Spirit. So what should we look for is true evidence of the Holy Spirit abiding in us and share with you for things tonight for test that we can look for number one. Those who perceive the Holy Spirit are aware of a power dealing with them and working in them. Philippians chapter 2 verses 12 and 13, Paul said this work out your salvation with fear and trembling fortis, for it is God who works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

I was a story that Moses told Israel a right before his death and his death.

He he went up to the top of Mount Nebo died they are. The Scripture tells us that the Lord buried him, but he wanted to give a message to Israel before he died he gave a message about a mama Eagle and his mother, Eagle had a little baby Eagle and she pampered the little baby and she went to the top of this huge mountain. The tallest mountain around and they are on the ledge. There was a tree that had big branches and she built a nest layer she built out of very strong twigs and strong little branches that she had that she had taken in and she put them together and made the last she took mud and that she covered it over. So is almost hard as concrete and she went out she kill little animals like squirrels and rabbits and she fed the meat to the baby but she took that the furry and she covered the inside of the nest and so it was it was something that the little little Eagle just absolutely love it was. It was so warm. It was soft. It was cozy. He was down and that NASA's mom was bringing him food and he thought, man, I've got it made. This is great I love it like this until, all of a sudden, mama flies up and she lands on the branch and she's does something that shocks the legal she starts ripping the.

The further out of the inside of the nest and it flutters to the ground. Then she starts ripping out that the twigs in the branches and the nest starts fluttering just falls to pieces. Legal holding onto the goodness of the lien, with all the air it with every bit of strength is God is absolutely scared to death and he looks at his mom and think of what in the world is going on.

She's always been his protection. She's always been his greatest comfort and now she's become a disturbing presence in his life. He is absolutely scared to death than mama Eagle reaches over and she grabs them by her beak and she flipped them over on her big outstretched back.

She says hold on and so he grabs only holes all of her always worth a mama Eagle flies above that that that nest and she keeps going higher and higher and higher to she finally reaches a point she starts circling and she lurches in the little Eagle falls and he starts tumbling through the air.

He's going to they or I can just hear them what's happening and she's flaky just tumbling through the air. Looks like it's certain death for him than right before he hits the ground she flies up undreamed sweeps up undreamed and catches them only as big outstretched wings pieces mama what you doing what you treat me got like this I thought you loved me next time.

Flap your wings to go so that same height. Again he start search.

She starts circling again and then once again she flips the mall thinning. He goes falling to the ground and in all of Sonny's… Arms that is wings out as he lifts his wings out. He starts gliding hits a little air current. He can't believe it. He gets pretty excited when he forgets to flap he starts falling again and she goes flying up undreamed.

She catches him once again take him right up to that same spot this happens again and again and again until finally he's learned how to do it and he's flying at any can't believe it the eighth, the EEE thought will mama was just a big disturbance in my life. She was doing something to hurt me. Then finally he realized that his mama was disturbing him not to hurting. She was disturbing him to stretching.

She was helping him to be what God intended and illegal to be and he flew over with her rivers and lakes and valleys and he saw visions and things that he never even imagined before that never could have happened until he was stretched has us Holy Spirit of God interfered with you as a spirit of God made you uncomfortable with your sin is a broad conviction in your heart that is lead you to repentance.

The Holy Spirit has a purpose for you and that purpose is to conform you into the image of Christ. Has that happened to you is a spirit of God working to will into doing of his good pleasure .2.

Those who receive the Holy Spirit taken interest in spiritual things. Romans 8526 Paul said the following for those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the spirit, the things of the spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Martyn Lloyd Jones said this non-Christians say that the Bible is a tear terribly boring book and when you talk about spiritual things. I do not know what you're talking about. I'm not criticizing them a rather pity them.

They just do not understand and the whole thing is boring has no relevance to life. If you feel like that about these things.

You have not received the spirit because when people receive the spirit they find themselves curiously interested in these things they are amazed at the fact that they can ever live without them. This they say is the most wonderful thing of all, they are no longer interested in the mechanics of religion. You can be interested in that, in the work of the church or in your work in the church without being interested in the spirit that is not what I'm talking about those who receive the spirit or spiritually interested in truth there many many churches in our society today who are revamping their church vision and their church philosophy because they say our people are just not interested in the Bible are people are just not interested in prayer meetings so we got to come up with something that is going to hold their interest. I don't know about you but I was not interested in the Bible until I got saved and then I got saved and all of a sudden I couldn't keep my nose out of the Bible and when I fell in love with Cindy, she'd send me a card and I would read that car not read what she put on it over and over and over again because I wanted know what she thought about me and I wanted to learn everything about her that I could because she was going to be my wife.

And you know that was not a Judy. It was not obligation. It was a joyful endeavor.

I worry about people who say that there Christians and have no hunger to know more about Jesus. I remember when I got got SATA I read everything every book I could find on the second coming of Christ. A lot of it was not secrets, but I like doing that because it took me to all the different places in the Scripture that deals with the second coming. I think the reason that I wanted to do that was because when I thought about the second coming of Christ. I thought about what it's gonna be like to see him face-to-face and have glorious that's going to be and that became an endeavor for me had a long in my heart to see Jesus and it thrilled me to read about the day that I would see him face-to-face, numbering about the apostle John XXII chapter of the book of Revelation and John has just been given that vision of Jesus coming back and all of his glory and John's just now he's finished the book of Revelation. He's on the island of Patmos where he been exiled for preaching the gospel, he's got that scroll in his hand. He's just written just finished writing the book of Revelation Inc. probably still wet on the scroll and I conceived it, look it up to heaven. Just thinking about that vision of Christ that he's just saying the holes that scroll up and says even so, Lord Jesus between the spirit of God has done a work in your life. The new cars and new homes you close TV shows golf games and football shopping sprees. They just can't lose their appeal. What matters is Jesus, and Jesus plan for your life. The Bible is not just a dead boring book. It's a love letter love letter from Christ to you that does that ring your bail. Does that resonate with your heart. If you look at the Bible like a school textbook. You'll never understand it folks, the Bible is Jesus love letter to you and it only excites you sent history and absolutely science and it absolutely theology, and it absolutely anthropology and it absolutely is primarily about Jesus. Jesus said, search the Scriptures for they testify of me is your mind focused on spiritual things.

If the Holy Spirit of God is indwelling you.

If the Holy Spirit of God is abiding in you and you and him then you cannot help but have Jesus on your mind of reading Charles Spurgeon's biography.

He said after his conversion. He never went as far as he could remember. He never went over 15 minutes of his waking hours without at least thinking about Jesus and that's the way it all to be if the Holy Spirit is abiding in you and your mind should be saturated with Christ .3 if the Holy Spirit is abiding in you, there will be conviction of sin. John 672 11 Jesus said the following. Nevertheless I tell you the truth it is to your advantage that I go away for five do not go away, the helper will not come to you, but if I go, I will send him to you.

And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment concerning sin, because they do not believe in me concerning righteousness, because I go to the father and you will see me no longer concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

The Holy Spirit reveals the condition of the heart when I'm witnessing to somebody and that person starts trying to convince me that is really just not all that bad, that I know that the Holy Spirit is not doing a complete work in that person.

Because when you begin to see the purity and the holiness of Christ and you begin to compare the purity in the holiness of Christ to the despicable desperate depravity in your own heart and life, then you can't be happy with yourself. You don't want to start making excuses for who you are. You want that thing that CN removed from you and want to try to hide it man you want it removed, and you hate what that sin is done to your heart want your save your relationship with sin is forever changed. No longer can you embrace sin as a friend. When you do as a Christian you pay for it dearly. Sin doesn't leave you with the feeling of satisfaction. It leaves you empty and guilty and joyless.

If the Holy Spirit is indwelling. You then your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. And guess what the Holy Spirit in CN are not friends. They're not friends. The Holy Spirit will do whatever he has to do in your life to remove that sin in your life he'll do whatever he has to do payee will or it he'll remove your joy, he will destroy your piece he will chasten you they will scourge you he will discipline you. He will do what ever necessary to run sin out of your life will what is that mean can a true Christian sin. Oh boy can weigh but can a true Christian sin and enjoy it. We can see and we can enjoy it for a short period of time, but that time doesn't last. And it way if we have sin in our lives as Christians. It brings unhappiness and guilt and makes us absolutely joyless.

The temporary pleasures of sin prove not to be worth the cost for the Christian. Fourthly, the Holy Spirit is abiding in you, there will be the fruit of the spirit relations 522 and 23 says, but the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. Notice of the word fruit is written in a singular tense the fruit of the spirit is all the ninth fruits that were just mentioned.

But it's all balled up in one is called one fruit all the fruits of the spirit are one. Why is that because what we see in Paul's description of the fruit of the spirit is the character of Jesus Christ.

If you have the fruit of the spirit, then you have the character of Christ in John 15 Jesus said I'm the vine, you are the branches. In verse five of that chapter. He says this I am the vine, you are the branches.

He abides in me and I in him, bear much fruit, for without me you can do nothing now the vine Jesus said was himself the life-giving sap that flows through the vine that produces the fruit is a picture of the Holy Spirit we are the branches. Jesus said a branches what just a hollow tube, just a hollow achievement if the branch is is broken off from the vine, then the thus the sap cannot flow through the vine and produce fruit and the branch will eventually die.

But if the branches abiding at is rightly connected to the vine than it lives in a conveyor much fruit. If you're a true Christian than the fruit of the spirit comes naturally or supernaturally.

It starts off a little blossom and produces seeds then it produces the fruit itself is the work of the Spirit. It's not what you work up in yourself is what the spirit does in you, you know it's interesting you have to strain to make it happen never been out in in in the garden and looked at Appletree everything Appletree strain into groats apples then that met why does it just happens naturally will in your life, the, the Holy Spirit produces fruit supernaturally.

You have to strain to make it happen. So what what what what goes on love, joy, peace, long-suffering goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control, flow supernaturally through you are certainly other evidence is the Holy Spirit's work in your life that you take those for that I just mentioned use them as attested examination and then you can know whether you can be honest with Paul's verse Romans chapter 8 verse 16 where he said this is spirit birth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. First John was written primarily to give us assurance of salvation having the Holy Spirit of God result abiding in us us abiding in him is one of the great assurances that you can never have is subjective is not objective, like the other things we've seen, but it's very, very real.

Does the Holy Spirit reside in your heart you are you abiding in him is he abiding in the ask yourself those questions.

Let's pray heavenly father we thank you and praise you this evening that you are great God, we thank you that you love us that she did not leave us to to make it on her own but you gave it your Holy Spirit to live your life through us helpless father that we might be more dependent upon your spirit than we are helpless heavenly father that we might quit dependent on sale for start truly dependent on you have a floor that we might love you more than we do, that we might hate sin more than we do, that we might exalt Christ more than we do. Heavenly father's we get ready now to to celebrate the Lord's supper. We pray that your presence will be sweet to us.

We pray father that we might experience your presence in a way that's different than any other time in that Lord you might just show up here in a very great and powerful way. This evening, and it's near holy and wonderful and precious thing that we pray. Amen