Walking in the Spirit!

                                               Pentecost Sunday!

Intro.

A.   Today is Pentecost Sunday, so I want to talk to you about “Walking in the Spirit!”

 

B.   As we look at that, I want to ask you a couple questions. What does it mean to walk in the Spirit? If we aren't saved by our works, does that mean we will continue in our sin, that it doesn't matter?

 

C.   If not, then what is our part in keeping from sinning?

     Is Christianity a religion of dos and on'ts?

 

Trans.

These are some tough questions.  Let's look into the scripture and see if we can find the answer to at least some of these!

 

                            Prayer

                          Gal. 5:16-25

 

I.      There will always be a struggle in our inner being.

                                         (vs. 17)

 

A.   We cannot always do what we have an appetite

for!

 

B.   We can't always do what we feel like we want to do!

 

C.   We can't always go by our conscience;  we may not have

trained it well!

 

D.   But there is something that we can go by:  The Holy Spirit!

 

II.  Paul instructs us to, "Live by the Spirit . . . and do not gratify the desires of the flesh." (vs. 16 NRSV)

 

A.   This is our answer to a changed life!

 

B.   This is how we overcome the temptation to live as we once lived!

 

C.   Live by the Spirit!

 

III. But how can we do this?

 

A.   As Christians, each of us has the Spirit living in us!

 

B.   But we have to decide right away, "Will I say yes to the Spirit or yes to my own will?"

 

1.      Satan wastes no time in tempting us with this

one!

 

2.      We make this decision everyday and all through

the day!

 

C.   Paul tells us in I Thess. 5:19 (KJV), "Quench not the Spirit!"

 

1.   this is exactly what Paul is talking about!

 

2.   Don't say no to the Spirit!

 

3.   Don't put out the fire within us!

 

4.   Don't throw water on the fire by saying no!

 

D.   But how do we know if it is the Spirit's leading?

 

1.   That's why we study the Bible!

 

a.   This passage, Gal. 5:16-25, is a prime

example of how studying the Bible can help

us find the answer to this question! 

 

b.   It gives us some clues as to how to

     recognize the Spirit's leading:

 

1)   If the Spirit within us is quick-

tempered, it isn't the Holy Spirit because God's Spirit is long-suffering!

 

2)   If the feeling within us is to jump

     down someone's throat because they

     deserve it, it probably isn't God's

     Spirit because the Holy Spirit is

     Characterized by gentleness, kindness,

     and self-control.

 

                   3)   Are our actions guided by love? Are we

showing the love of God by our actions?

Is all that we do motivated by love? Do

we love all people as God loved in

Christ? After all, the first fruit of

the Spirit is Love!

 

                   4)   Are we patient with others and give

                        them time to grow in Christ, or are we

judgmental and try to make them conform

to our way of thinking?

 

5)   And so on.

 

6)   In this way, we can try the Spirits.

     This is the key! Be led by the Spirit,

     and God will take care of the rest!

 

2.   This is why Paul tells us to "Pray without

ceasing."  (I Thess. 5:17)

 

a.      We must be in constant communication with

God in order to be receptive to the Spirit's

leading!

 

b.   If we ask the Lord what to do, God will lead us through the Holy Spirit!

 

3.   After we have studied the Bible and are living a life of prayer, we need to do a lot of thinking and discerning.

 

a.   Think of how our actions will affect God and  the Kingdom.  Will they glorify God?

 

b.   Think of how our actions will affect others; is this the effect that God would have us to  have on others? Is it motivated by love?

 

c.   How will it affect our own self?  Our own

Spiritual growth?  Our physical life?

 

d.   God would have us to weigh out each of these

                   in making decisions.

 

3.      After we have done these things, we will know

what the Spirit would have us to do!

 

5.   The first two steps take advance preparation for them to help us in seeking the Lord's will!

 

a.   studying

 

b.   developing a life of prayer

 

6.   The latter is a process we can go through at the time in making a decision, based on our studies and prayers. How does it affect God, the Kingdom, others, and self?

 

a.   We may go through this process pretty fast  and get our answer.

 

b.   Or we may be going through this process for days, weeks, months, or even years before we  can feel satisfied we have found God's will in a decision!

 

Conclusion:

 

A.   So what is our part in keeping from sinning?

Is Christianity a religion of dos and don'ts?

 

B.   (vs. 18) "But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law." So no it is not just a

     religion of dos and don’ts!

 

C.   (vs. 16)  "Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not

gratify the desires of the flesh."

 

D.   Key!  Live by the Spirit!!

 

E.   As we encounter the Spirit of Christ at the table this morning, yield to that Spirit so that you can live a life pleasing to God!  Amen!

 

Prayer of Confession

Service of Communion