From Valley to Victory (Part 10)

Romans chapter 8 tells us that, apart from the power of the Holy Spirit of God.

We can never, never live an obedient life. The Scriptures radically listen to me. Surrender to the control of the Holy Spirit gives you freedom from the control of sin surrender to the part of the Holy Spirit will keep you from the pitfalls of the old nature surrender to the Holy Spirit and surrendering of your will to his will will help you overcome the enemy straps every time. Look at verse one. Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Now that verse always gives me chills always gives me chills every time I read it is the believer is no longer under condemnation. A believer is no longer under divine condemnation, but listen carefully please because here is where some believers get confused confusion. Number one they confuse divine judgment which that we escape from forever and for eternity with divine discipline. Hebrews 12 six says the indication that God loves you is that he disciplines you confusion. Number two is a confusion between deliverance from divine judgment with divine accountability in which we will be accountable for all the stewardship the love of him arrived. Believers never never never never will go to hell did you get that same or but there will be held accountable for their stewardship of the gifts for the time for life for everything that is given to us and that is why the believer should seek to obey God with all of his heart. All having said that, I understand that everyone of us. My fumble and stumble along the way but we immediately because of that divine nature. We dust ourselves often and clean ourselves, sometimes even with our own tears, and get back on the road. Now here's the good news is the good news. The Lord knows that obedience to him can never take place through our own feeble efforts in unit we saw in the last message that no matter how much you try to gin up your efforts. It will let you down, and that is why Jesus said in John's Gospel when I go to the father. I send you the Paraclete I send you the comforter why because Jesus knew that we are no match to the triple power of the fallen nature in a fallen world and the fallen Angel, which is the devil. The Holy Spirit is God's gift to every believer who surrenders his or her life to the Lord and Savior and Savior and Lord. Romans eight the apostle Paul gives us three reasons why the Holy Spirit is given to us as a gift.

Follow with me please. This is very important. It could transform your life from effort and hard work to total surrender. Three reasons as to why the Holy Spirit has been given as a gift to the believers first look with me and they come in verses 2 to 27 a recovered verse 12 to 27 first in verse 2 to 4. The Holy Spirit ensures our liberty and freedom in Christ. That's in verses 2 to 4 versus 5 to 17. The Holy Spirit seals are adoption papers. He confirms that he seals it. He witnesses it is that is done. Verses 18 to 27 the Holy Spirit turns our groans into glory. Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit as a gift to indwell us so that we might live in liberty and freedom, not slaves.

There are some who teach that if you are warring against sin. There's something wrong with your spiritual walk. Absolutely not true. In fact, the more faithful you are, the more obedient you are, the more longing for righteousness and hunger for righteousness you become, the more the battle heats up, just like in the physical warfare. Those in the frontline. Those who open the front again experience the fiercest of the heat of the battle at the same in the spiritual battle, even the most valiant soldiers are vulnerable to injury and discouragement permit out please.

This is important. There is nothing wrong about feeling the heat of the battle.

The only wrong would be is wind if you give up the battle. If you give up the fight. The only wrong is when you hoist your white flag and you surrender. Let me put it this way, the spirit led believer, which should be every believer, the spirit led believer is like a single big all when it gets ready to take flight from a steep hill or a cliff. First, it gets gripped with the law of gravity but are soon to start spreading its wings, another law takes over as the laws of aerodynamics which allow the gall to effortlessly soar in the heat of the battle. It is absolutely vitally important to remind yourself that you're not in the battle alone. This is something love and I do all day long, how does one supervisor that I do it all the time. I'm constantly reminding myself that I'm not alone in the battle and I might begin slow because of the law of gravity but then he said to the Holy Spirit Holy Spirit you are with me. You are in me, your about me. You're fighting for me and all of a sudden the law of gravity gives way to the law of ergonomics and the Holy Spirit is going to lift you up on your soar above all sin above your circumstances above your fear above your anxiety about whatever is troubling you, beloved, that is why God gave us his Spirit is his breath is God's spirit, God the Holy Spirit fights for you, God the Holy Spirit defends your God the Holy Spirit shield you, God the Holy Spirit empowers you, and that's exactly what John is saying in first John 44 that's exactly what he meant when he said greater is he is in you than he is in the world. Great, I can recite with me.

Greater is he losing you than he is in the world but something else you need to know here God's gift of salvation is gift of the Holy Spirit come to us, not through his perfect teaching perfect as it is, it doesn't come through his perfect example perfect as it is, but it comes to us as a result of his perfect sacrifice on the cross of Calvary.

So many preachers today preach moralistic gospel in this all just follow Jesus example just follow Jesus teaching. I want to vomit. This is normal or possible instilling a two-month-old baby to walk, to try to follow Jesus is perfect example. Without the power the Holy Spirit will only lead to failure the frustration and is impossible and that is why Paul is saying in Romans 84 believers freedom from sin is only possible when you activate the power of the Holy Spirit of God in and when the Holy Spirit takes over.

He convicts us. He changes us here empowers us he cleanses us, but seller is or will Michael, how do I know that when I'm operating the law of gravity or the law of aerodynamics. Great question. I'm glad you asked that I want to tell you three questions you need to ask yourself, and will answer that question. First question, what is the thing that preoccupied my mind the most.

Question number two what ambitions the drive me and energizes me question number three how do I spend my time and my energy. Beloved, the answer to these questions should tell you if the Holy Spirit is in his rightful place in your life or not, are some believers after operating with the law of aerodynamics. Therefore, back in operating on the law of gravity why you going to find the two reasons I know them true in my life and I know if you think carefully we true in your life either.

The Holy Spirit is being grieved inside of you.

By continuously living without regard to him in sin or by quenching him by ignoring his teaching in his book the Bible is what I know about the Holy Spirit. He is very refined gentleman listen carefully. He's a very refined gentleman.

He grieves easily in his clenched easily, but only that, but he has to be invited. He has to be welcome on the regular basis not just was allotted thing that's fine. No and that is why his presence in your life would make the world of difference between living in victory and living in defeat. So the first reason the Lord gives us the Holy Spirit, his spirit to dwell in us is to ensure our liberty to ensure victory over sin over fear of the temptations over circumstance. Secondly, the spirit of God is given to us as a guaranteed he guarantees on adoption papers. He witnesses adoption papers.

He seals our adoption papers. That's what Paul is saying you look at Romans eight again beloved. This is one of the greatest privileges for believers, it really is just focus on equipment that in the first seven chapters of Romans.

The Holy Spirit is mentioned once in a chapter 8 is nearly 20 times the Holy Spirit is mentioned through the power of the Holy Spirit the physical world was created through the power of the Holy Spirit the physical world is being sustained through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Every believer reborn of Christ is created you been re-created when you come to Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit and by the power of the Holy Spirit. He sustains you to be able to live in obedience. Don't ever forget the Holy Spirit is a person is a member of the Godhead is equal to the father and the son. I cannot understand the stupidity that goes on in some churches where they totally ignore the Holy Spirit is a breath of God is a breath of Jesus not I know there's some confused people and I met some of them in Sullivan ministry referred to the Holy Spirit as it, and one person, a debater will open the Greek text are short of its in the masculine pronoun with the adjustment influence in personal power that emanates from God. This is rampant in some churches love it.

This is a heresy. He is equal member of the holy Trinity of God. Look at verses 5 to 11 of Romans eight, every genuine believer is indwelt of the Holy Spirit, but you have to constantly welcome him. He's indwelt you with you constantly has to be welcomed. Why why why every believer is indwelt of the Holy Spirit, because you cannot be adopted by God's family without taking the power of your adopted father and that power is the power of the Holy Spirit is in his. And that is why Jesus said to his disciples before he ascended into heaven, he said you have to wait wait until you receive the Holy Spirit. And when you receive the Holy Spirit.

You will receive power to come upon a male religious person, beloved of the Holy Spirit, beloved of the Holy Spirit listen to me they may be moral people. They may be generous people there maybe conscientious people there may be active in their churches. They may exhibit many of the commendable traits, but they are not led by the spirit. Only the Holy Spirit of God, who is the adoptive agency can sign the papers that required to give you his power.

I know I know I know I know I know of finite mind sometimes cannot comprehend how the breath of God, the Spirit of God can hook up with our spirits. It is one of the things I'm really looking forward to understanding that I get to heaven. For now, I'm very grateful. One thing I know is this God the Holy Spirit will not be down the door of your life. He is not going to force himself in their seals a willing obedience together, he seals a willing obedience, by definition, he cannot be coerced. Some people think that but he cannot be coerced. But he can be invited to can be welcomed often pray. I invite the Holy Spirit. Many times I talked to the Holy Spirit. As I told you on the last message monopoly invited him to work in me always say to him that you will will dominate my will let you will overwhelm. I will let you will bind my will let you will take over my will. Someone Masco Michael, how does the Holy Spirit working ceiling on adoption papers were first he reveals the truth of his word. The Scripture don't ever forget that behind every person who was involved in the Scripture and the writing of the Scripture. There is a Holy Spirit behind the scene offering his own word description he reveals the truth that's in his word so as to illuminate our minds. Even a dull mind like mine without the power of the Holy Spirit opening the word his word to me. I would not understand it. Paul told the Ephesians in chapter 1 verse 18.

He said his price for them that the eyes of their hearts might be enlightening in order that they might know the hope Christ is called, but also the Holy Spirit leads us by helping us being obedient to the word of God. I tried to obey without the prior notice. I failed every time. Beloved, it is one thing to read the word of God. It is one thing to understand the essay even memorize the word of God. But it's a whole other ballgame to obey the word of God can show you from Scripture that the Lord is more pleased with obedience than sacrifice. Even in the Old Testament. You remember when salting saw screwed up badly and he cheated and lied and took the stuff that he's not supposed to take. And then when sample confronts a visible I'm just offering sacrifice asked all the stuff talking over sacrifice. He said to him, remember God is more pleased with obedience than sacrifice. There is a sacrifice that comes from obedience, but not a sacrifice as an excuse instead of obedience. Are you with me. There are times when I am being led by the spirit. I have pride I've sought the guidance of the Holy Spirit with all my heart, with all else of sincerity are sorted with all my heart, sometimes with fasting and prayer, and then I can see and I can hear anything within as I look back I see the fruit of his leaving a conceit of the time because when you pray that prayer overwhelmingly. He will work even if you can see him at the time in the deserts of Arabia. There was a man who served as a guide.

This is many years ago. I think it was in the days of Lawrence of Arabia. It was said of this man. He has never lost his way. Not even once he carried with him a homing pigeon or dove and was had a fine cord attached one of its legs and whenever he's in doubt about the past that he should take.

He would throw the burden of the dove up in the air and the bird starts flying in the direction of home.

Then the bird would lead him whatever he needs to go this man become known actually as the dove man beloved is not a surprise that the Holy Spirit symbolism above his homing dove. He's a homing of whenever you lose your where the Holy Spirit gently tugs on you and brings you back then also the Holy Spirit seals and confirms on adoption papers is by freeing us from the spirit of slavery.

Look at verse 15 for you did not receive the spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you will receive the spirit of son ship and authorship son ship and blood that we cry daddy is what Paul is saying soon bring slavery inferior.

But the gracious work of the Holy Spirit continues to deliver his children from both the slavery of sin and fear. But you know what I need to stop your particular for the young people because the bombers are nearly description and you need always say and ask yourself, to whom he is writing now. We are blessed by to have it in our hands to apply it.

But always remember that there was a reason and every time anyone with a Peter or Paul or any or James or Jude or any of the always wrought writing to certain people and that of many of them would take something that is cultural that is known in the culture of the day and then the use of an example in order to help them understand it in their own Christian life.

Don't ever forget that it's very important. It is absolutely significant to understand the adoption system in the Roman Empire is writing to the Romans and living in Roman society living by Roman law and you need to understand what Romans people did when it came to adoption nine Roman culture, the father of the household was an absolute dictator of the house and he is in total authority and adopted child in wrong had more prestige and more privilege than the natural son was in the same in the Jewish culture, but it was in the Roman culture and they understood that the adopted son has more prestige and more honor than the natural son is a how come well if her father becomes disappointed with his natural son. Whatever the reason is if he becomes disappointed he will go out and search diligently for the boy to adopt the adoptive son would have to have the characteristics that were lacking in his natural son. If, upon the father's death. The adopted boy had proved himself worthy, then he would inherit the father's title and becomes a progenitor of the family name. But when it is there is more there is more.

All of the debts. All of the financial obligations of the adopted son paid for the disappeared were completely eradicated, as if they never existed. As for justification were justified.

That's what happens. God says all of your sins.

All of the offenses as of never existed, but for the transaction to be binding in the courts. 77 reputable witnesses have to sign off on this adoption paper.

Why so the adoptive son could never be challenged in the courts. After his father's death, beloved, the Holy Spirit acts on behalf of the triune God as all of those seven witnesses and Paul Texas familiar practice in Rome and he says to the believer.

It is because of the immeasurable graciousness of God through Jesus, our heavenly father adopted us and he has given us the privilege of crying daddy and the Holy Spirit. Witnesses, the whole procedure you might say.

How do I know that the Holy Spirit dwells in me. Another good question. The evidence is in you having an intense desire whether be privately or publicly. That's between you and God to be able to cry out, Abba is a word that is filled with intimacy and tenderness in and dependence is devoid completely of fear or anxiety. But there's more.

There is more, when God adopted us the Holy Spirit's seal. Thus, he sets us free from all debts, he took away the fear of sin. He took away the fear of death, and he gave us his Holy Spirit who continuously bear witness that our adoption papers have been signed, sealed and delivered the amen belongs here.

No one could challenge these adopted papers.

No one, no one can challenge why what purpose these adoptive paper serve. Salvation is part of it.

Forgiveness is part of it. Cleansing is part of it, but the ultimate purpose of our adoption is to be progenitor's of our dad's name to be the progenitors the inheritance of his glory and has some great news some fantastic news.

Satan can never challenge these adoptive papers in the courts of heaven because he forbidden from going there anymore. Amen. Look. Look at verse 17 now if our children then wears heirs of God coheirs with Christ is another fantastic news. You know in our culture. Most cultures when parents die. The kids divide the state between them right to get a piece of unless some of the foolhardiness of trying to get the sharia into America and then the daughter would inherit half of the sun read my book the hidden enemy. You'll be blessed. Your eyes will open see each child gets a fraction of the whole amount, but our inheritance was Jesus does not work this way each one of the children of God are gone inherit the whole lot. Everything that Jesus received by divine right.

We gonna receive by divine grace. Hallelujah. Let me ask you this answer to yourself.

Have you reflected on your inheritance lately. Have you reflected on the green coffee and will receive lately another. Some people waiting for some rich uncle to die so I can have a few dollars now for me to die is gain as the best inheritance of all spirit of God assures us of our liberty in victory spirit of God guarantees and seals are adoption papers. Thirdly and finally, the spirit of God turns are groaning into glory. Look at verse 18 consider that all our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed for in us, my beloved friends.

What makes you groan today. I know it makes me groan. What causes you to be in agony.

What is waiting your spirit down God spirit is telling you to listen to me. God is saying to you today.

He can turn your groaning into glory you have God's word on it. All of your pain and hurt and disappointment shattered dreams all of your dashed hopes and abuses and alienation all of your rejections in the flexion. All of them, all of them like a puff of dust in comparison to the glory that is going to be revealed in us.

And Paul said not only the believers groaning, but also because of the weight of sin, but also the whole universe the whole earth is groaning because of the curse of sin, the consequences of sin. All the earthquakes and all the hurricanes. All the fires all the storms.

All signs that the creation is groaning in travail since the fall of Adam.

The earth has been convulsing and groaning under the curse of sin. But the good news is it in Matthew 24 eight Jesus said when you see these earthquakes received his natural phenomenon is a taking place in very short intervals you know is like of a woman in childbirth. You know that the baby is getting ready to be born, the new Jerusalem is a much way. Amen. Amen. The used to be once a year. Another every week. Beloved as long as we live in this tent as long as we live in the flesh will groan will groan different reasons, but will will groan will groan from cancer overgrown heart attacks were grown from kidney failure is regrown from bodily pains.

We groan because we are strangers and sojourners in this earth and our daddy posing heaven is waiting for us to be with him one day because our adopted daddy is in heaven. We are anxious to be with him and that is why we groan, longing for eternity. We grown because of what sin has done to the human body in terms of sickness and disease and disappointments and grief we've grown because of what sin is doing to others in public life and social life and political life and dividing homes.

We groan when receive violence in schools and drugs and gangs and terrorism in denial about our political leaders.

We groan when we see young people fail to acknowledge even today not talk about young people, modern churches. They say sin does not exist anymore only mistakes will make mistakes. The very reason for which Christ not only came in God on the cross and hung on the cross is not being denied by some church folks. But here's the good news. All of our groaning cannot begin to be compared with the coming inheritance with the coming glory. Something else that you must understand here's a contrast between the suffering that comes from people because from the earth, comes from this world and the glory that comes from God our suffering comes from Earth but our glory comes from heaven are suffering is short-lived, but our glory is forever. Our suffering is limited, but our glory is limitless. Our suffering is in this mortal body, corrupt body, but our glory will be in a perfected body glorious body body like Jesus is after the resurrection. Praise God. Verse 26 in the same way the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray, we do not know what to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express the material. This is conclude there are times in my life in the spirit groans and me is because I'm not so sure whether I should pray for deliverance or strength to endure many times I struggle to know the mind of the spirit, so the spirit groans within me and I know he takes those agonizing groaning to the throne of the father and then he brings with your answer in due course nor understand everything about the Holy Spirit, not in this lifetime. Anyway, what I know is this therefore not for the intercession of Jesus with the father.

If it was not for the spirits, groaning within me.

If it were not for the empowering of the Holy Spirit to give me victory it was not for his guaranteeing and ceiling my adoption papers everyone for the Holy Spirit is turning my groaning into glory.

I would've been as lost as a goat in the hailstorm. Have you ever seen a gardener hailstorm. Thanks be to God for his Holy Spirit say that with me. Thanks be to God for his Holy Spirit father. Whether a person understands what I just said I want to know the struggling Holy Spirit. Nothing is hidden from you. You see, everything. And so we invite you in the name of Jesus come those who need be convicted.

Convict us of those who need encouragement. Encourage us Holy Spirit, guide us leaders continue to dwell in us wind of God pull our sale of life into the direction you want us to go for father that is ultimate in our life. And when we try to get off in tangents and or get off in a detour.

We ask you a homing Dove leaders back to the father guide us back home for we pray this in Jesus name in all of God's people said amen.

Thanks for listening to this message from Dr. Michael. You sat recently featured on leading the way. If you'd like to know more about us, please visit LTW.org that LTW.org