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Let's Get Reacquainted with the Spirit, Part 2

Insight for Living / Chuck Swindoll
The Cross Radio
August 12, 2022 7:05 am

Let's Get Reacquainted with the Spirit, Part 2

Insight for Living / Chuck Swindoll

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August 12, 2022 7:05 am

Flying Closer to the Flame

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Insight for Living
Chuck Swindoll

From trucks with the spirit of God's power to alter the emotional scars that men and women to put on us spirit of God has with his power healing ball that can bring tragic that we spend are you wishing as though it is possible for passion has begun to cool off. You don't feel his cell is well at the heart of our Christian experience.

Most of the sense that something is missing. We lack the joy of early Christians today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll presents a series that will reignite your passion. It's about the spirit of God series is called flying closer to the flame Chuck titled his first message, let's get reacquainted with this. I don't believe I've ever heard anyone address the groaning of the spirit and how in some way times of deepest trials when I cannot seem to get my thoughts disentangled so that I can put my aches into words.

He is dispatched to my rescue and he interprets my garbled emotionally drained feelings into words how significant and yet we have spent our entire Christian life without somebody addressing this work of the spirit that in some ways this is so powerful.

It's too deep for words. First Corinthians 2.

Speaking of these two things too deep for words. I thought of this example in the early part of the first Corinthian letter first begins 29 things, which has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love him. His point is, there are things that the natural world cannot grasp and will never appreciate to them, they are more lots.

They are moronic your foolish these things that are precious to us, which I and ear cannot grasp a lot that kind of thing, not empirical knowledge not something proved in the test tube. Their inner, they are deeply intimate, all the things God has prepared for those who love it just stop there. Look for to us God revealed them through the spirit of interesting these things that I have not seen and ear is not heard and tongue cannot express these things are the things God reveals to us through the spirit.

For the Spirit searches all things, even the path loss of God. The depth deepest things of God. The spirit is able to probe into the mysterious mind and profile will of God. He traffics there. He is comfortable in that scene. He knows his way around in our words but jump from a first Corinthian's way over to first John mentioned a couple of more of these intimate activities that I'm so concerned that we not miss. These are all some of the these are all the places we want to go in this series. First John 218 children.

It is the last hour and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen from this we know that it is the last hour they went out from us, but they were not really of us or if they had been of us, they would have remained with us, but they went out in order that it might be shown that they all are not of us but you have an anointing from the holy one, and you all know in the earlier versions of the Bible.

This is rendered function. You have an unction from the holy one is rendered here, anointing chapter 4 verse one beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God because many false prophets have gone out into the world by this you know the spirit of God. Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God.

And this is the spirit of the antichrist. What is the spirit that does not confess Jesus is from God is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world you are from God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world you have a power I would rather use the word dynamic and weary of the word power is power everything. Power worship along with power ties your power power that this is a dynamic.

Let's let's use the correct transliteration of the word. Do not miss a dynamic we have a dynamic within us and the dynamic allows us to test the spirits to see whether they all got our God. Do you test the spirits with this dynamic that is greater within you than all of the dynamic of the world are you even aware of a dynamic within you. Another chapter 5 verse one mentions the witness of the Spirit.

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the father loves the child born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God.

When we love God and observe his commandments, for this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not burdensome for whatever is born of God overcomes the world.

And this is the victory that over has overcome the world of our faith and who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the son of God. This is the one who came by water and blood. Jesus Christ not but not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood look and it is the, the spirit who bears witness because the spirit is the truth. Spirit bears witness was at me. What is this witness, Behringwerke of the spirit. I think you're getting the drift of where I'm going and I could have used 1215. Other examples that have sort of hung in the back of my mind without a label and without any background in teaching. I have not been instructed in these extremely important, though often unmentioned areas of the work of the spirit. I want to get into these and though they seem vague. They are as as important as the as the more practical and easily grasped trues of the Scriptures and let me have us all relax okay.

I'm not quote going charismatic that I can.

I can just feel some of you nudging your mate saying he's getting a little close to the age we we we better be careful. Let's pray more for Pastor Chuck.

He's going to lead this church into some dimension holy rollers or whatever other way. That's the name of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle gang up in Denver.

I think it's a great name, just relax. That's just a little side comment, never fear the truth.

Forget the labels go for truth stop defending denomination stop defending some area of insecurity that you you you get nervous about.

Relax. A great reason we spend so much of her time in theological ignorance is out of fear. We are taught in schools whose faculty are often afraid to get into areas that are quote outside the realm of their doctrinal persuasion. Does that mean then that I ignore portions of's of Scripture. Do I use half versus because I can explain the other half. I don't read that verse. The fact is, most of us don't have a clue of the depth of the dynamic that is ours and the spirit of God is a dynamic that is that is deep. It is peaceful where the spirit of the Lord is, there is peace there isn't chaos there. There is a peace in the midst of the most profound period of trial. There was a solid confidence in God that comes from his spirit though the snow, the illness lingers.

As I spoke with a couple just this morning said we just lost our 10-year-old cancer and and and we we waited on God for the miracle and it didn't come they've not been cashed on the rocks of of unbelief just come to realize that his plan for them was was was not a healing for their daughter and that was from God. It is, it is poor theology. To think God is in it when there is when there is a raising from the sickness listen. God is in it, even when there is death precious in the side of the Lord of the death of his godly one. Now I want to get into the whole idea of the spirits work of healing us.

I think the spirit of God has the power.

This inner dynamic to alter the emotional battles within us and to erase the scars that men and women to put on us in the whole area of abuse and the whole issue of incest that brings with it enormous deep scars that can make us bitter and confuse the spirit of God has within his power of a healing balm that can that can bring relief and tragic that we spend our year wishing for that and and hoping as though it isn't a possibility sort of a learn together were going to were going to discover this balm together and you live word all trust the Lord to lead us into the truth and were going to get reacquainted with the spirit.

Frankly, I'm very excited about turn if you will to John 14 sleigh little groundwork. Now that we see where were going in this John 14 want to point out here and elsewhere couple or three things that that we need to just put to bed just settled settled in our minds and and once that's done we can get on with the business at hand now. Context is always important when when somebody says let's look at a passage and they're not going to the first of the book the going to the middle of the book as in my case in this 21 chapter book.

I say let's go to John 14 in your mind, you ought to ask yourself what's the context all it it's like beginning on a newspaper article right smack dab in the middle… About.

I haven't even read the title, I am just starting to read may be midsentence easy to do that. Give it to your real quickly. Jesus has been with his 12 for over three years over three years they have walked together, minister together, prayed, wept, laughed and learned they have learned with him is only hours now before he goes is taken under arrest and after night has fallen and daybreak is calm. He is nailed to a cross.

The cross is less than 24 hours away. Okay this is last will and testament truth.

Theologians call it the upper room discourse. 12 and Judas is finally removed from the group so the 11 faithful and Jesus are around the table and he's giving them last-minute information before he's gone and they're still in the cloud, not knowing their mentally other in a cloud they don't know exactly what this is going to mean their frightened course they are.

They still have got it clued out in their minds, how he's going to go to La Crosse and die to come back and he's gonna leave is going to come return to office. It's clear because we had centuries to to hammer away at the trues and get it clear but this is like brand-new stop, even though he is mentioned before, it hasn't come clear so there sitting around the table sipping on the last bit of wine, eating a bit from the table and then he says in the in this grade to 14 chapter John records it. Some things mentioned nowhere else in Scripture. Let not your heart be troubled.

Believe in God believe also in me. In my father's house are many dwelling places. If it were not so I would've told you, for I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I'm going. Thomas said to him, Lord, we do not know where you are going and how do we know the way Jesus said to him, I am the way and the truth and the life.

No one comes to the father but through me.

One of the afraid up there for Freda being left all through ministry that had him right there with them through three years and more of of touching lives. He's always been there when they woke up he was there when they got frightened, they could hide behind when they were confused they could asking questions like having your mom and dad nearby and you're young and in your fragile and your brittle and having mom or dad there gives you comfort you can always put your hand in your dad's hand or your mom's hand not everyone we buried my father felt that I was grown man and ministering and had a family of my own. I felt strangely orphaned. My mother had died. Now I had no more daddy just the thrill of being able to call him on the phone and ask him and have him answer my question. That was go that's what the offending visit. These are not old man Jesus is 33 in the prime of life and they're afraid of being laughed verse 12 truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me, the works that I do shall he do also and greater works than these shall he do because I go to the father look at what that says I've done great things we have done them together. You have seen them done but I say to you, man were being laughed when I leave you are being left on this earth. Greater works than these he will do ever pondered that personally allowed to say what is really saying that because of what follows, it must be related to the ministry of the Holy Spirit were 16. I will ask the father and he father will give you another helper, another of the same kind I've been with you for 3 1/2 years I've been a help. I've been assistance. I've been up source of power and strength. I'm leaving I'm going to the cross. I'm going to the grave and shortly thereafter I'm going back to the father but greater works than I've done you will do. The reason is I am passing the baton in this relay I am handing it off to you and it will be the person of the Holy Spirit, who will now take over and do things that I never did before Monday greater things here is terribly important transition. I will ask the father he will give you another helper, that he may be with you forever. That is, this is amplifying helper, the helper will be the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold him or know him, but you know him because he abides with you, but he will be in you is the first direct statement regarding the spirit of God's coming that is in the context of the training of the disciple at the risk of sounding pedantic, look at the prepositions with you in you right now man. He abides alongside you and you he will be literally is the way that original text states. If you have ever wants to run a you really or ever wanted to really know that the most critical part of the relay occurs three times during that race. The passing of the baton and just in the latest Olympics. We we watched again as the baton was not passed carefully and was either dropped or was mishandled, slowed the race and they didn't win. This is a passing of the baton. Jesus is handling his men over to another of the same kind of helper they have known. He has been alongside them with them but he has not until immediately, it will happen immediately or very soon you will be in them he will reside inside you and I may be friends and I walk alongside you but I have no ability to come inside you. If I could.

Much of what I am could be a part of you and it would be for you.

Perhaps an advantage or for me to have each other's presence within it, we would have a new dimension of who a whole new personality, a dynamic that would come alive that would not be natural to us because someone has come within and think how magnificent it is that God has come within you getting ahead of myself but that's what's going to happen to these disciples there sitting there worried about being left as orphans and Jesus is saying don't worry, I will tell the father.

I will request of him to send another helper, and he will do that and he will bring his permanent presence which will become a part of your interbeing. What a change it would bring to them. Verse 16. I will give you another helper.

I went over to quickly that he may be with you for ever, and with the Greeks this on to the AE ever and ever for our you will never know a moment in your life when you have the spirit and don't let anybody tell you, you come to know Christ are part of that marvelous spiritual package is the presence of the Holy Spirit in a brand-new dynamic to bring cleansing and freshness and insight perception knowledge growth all that and so much more. He says I will give you him who will be another helper, and he will be in you for ever since your listening to Insight for living and Chuck Swindoll has just started our next teaching series were talking about developing a renewed passion for the Holy Spirit and Chuck title this message, let's get reacquainted with the spirit to learn more about this ministry, we invite you to visit us online@insideworld.org with the resources we offer.

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For example, we recently received this note from a listener in Amarillo, Texas, who told his story of redemption. He started by saying I want to say thank you for being so getting I did almost 11 years in the state prison system during all that time insight for living sent me innumerable Bible studies today.

Decades removed from his incarceration.

He admits in quoting here. I'm really struggling with those old strongholds that wage war against my soul Jesus is faithful to carry on to completion the good work he began. Thank you for your help in my journey what your gift that makes these moments possible. God uses your generosity to reach into unlikely places like prisons with his grace and mercy.

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So give us a call if you're listening in the United States, call 800-772-8880 or you can give generously when you go online to insight.. In March, 20, 23 insight for living ministries is hosting an unforgettable journey to Israel carefully planned to deepen your understanding of the Bible and draw you closer to God hears Chuck Swindoll for thousands of years. No place is more meaningful to God's children in the land of Israel. The rugged landscape reminds us to find refuge in God alone.

The fertile valleys invite us to follow our ship Jerusalem's position at the very center of the world announces the good news of Christ to every nation, and now you can see Israel with Chuck Swindoll and insight for living ministries March 5 through the 16th 2023. Every time I visited the holy land of returned home with the refreshed part for God and a renewed vision for the world really. I mean it every time. So I want you to have the same life changing experience to learn more, go to Insight.org/events call this number 1-888-447-0444 insight for living ministries toward Israel is paid for and made possible by only those who choose to attend by Bill Meyer inviting you to join us.

When Chuck Swindoll study called flying closer to the flame continues Monday on insight for living. The preceding message.

Let's get reacquainted with the spirit was copyrighted in 1992, 1993 and 2003 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2003 by Charles R.

Swindoll.

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