NEW LIFE LESSONS: A New Life For New Disciples

POWER FOR THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

(The Spirit-Empowered Life)
No one can live the Christian life. It is impossible! Only Spirit-indwelt and empowered sons and daughters of God can live the new life of the Spirit. We often see good people do good things in this world. This is not evidence of the indwelling of the Spirit of God. Most people really do try to live good lives on their own. They follow good ethics and moral teachings. None of them, or us, keeps perfectly all the good things we know to do. Only Jesus can deal with our failure to be good enough. There are two overarching gifts that God gives His spiritually newborn children: 1) mercy/grace for our failures; 2) the Holy Spirit for the power beyond ourselves to live victoriously for Christ. UNLESS THE HOLY SPIRIT DWELLINGS IN YOU, YOU DONT BELONG TO GOD John 3:4, 5 Our saved relationship with God is established by the work of the Spirit in salvation. We are people who are born of water and the Spirit. Acts 19:1-7 The reception of the Holy Spirit is connected with Christian baptism. (Acts 2:38) I Corinthians 6:11 But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. (Acts 22:16; Eph. 5:26) I Corinthians 6:19-20 Do you not known that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. I Corinthians 12:12-13For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body Jews or Greeks, slaves or free and all were made to drink of one Spirit. (Gal. 3:26-27; Revelation 22:27) Titus 3:5 He saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit. Romans 7:6 Our new life with the Father is a result of the Spirits work. we servein the new life of the Spirit. Romans 8:9 Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. Romans 8:11 The Spirit dwells (lives) in us. he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through the Spirit that dwells in you. It is that same Spirit who gives new life now and will raise our recomposed bodies to resurrection at Jesus triumphant return. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 The Spirit is Gods seal of ownership on us and the first installment or guarantee of much more to come in eternity. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 It is through the work of the Spirit that we are transformed spiritually into the Lords image from one degree of glory to another. As we humbly yield ourselves to God, the Holy Spirit brings change to the heart, motives and lifestyle of the disciple of Jesus. Romans 8:16-17 The Holy Spirit confirms our claim to be the children of God. It is
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that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. No, the Spirit is not speaking to us or bearing witness to us that we are saved. Rather, the Spirit bears witness with us to God confirming our claim as being His children. GOD'S SPIRITUAL POWER TO LIVE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS AVAILABLE TO YOU THROUGH THE FILLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT Ephesians 5:18-20 All Christians need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is not a suggestion but a command. To be filled with the Spirit means to be under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Heres how Paul describes it. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father. To be filled means to be under the influence of the Holy Spirit of God. Are you being filled with the Spirit of God or instead with a different spirit, the spirit of this world? (Many of us know what it means to be under the influences of drugs or alcohol.) Being filled takes yielding your life, your ways, and your desires to the Lord of heaven and earth. Being filled takes a hunger and thirst for the things of God. Being filled takes a decision of openness to the things of the Spirit of God. Galatians 5:16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. GOD'S SPIRITUAL POWER IS AVAILABLE TO YOU THROUGH THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT The only way possible to live the Christian life is by God's power within us. So we seek to practice daily obedience relaying on God's Spirit to enable us to do what is right. Colossians Put on the attributes found in God which every Christian needs to 3:12-17 have in his/her life. I John 4:4 He who is in us (the Holy Spirit) is greater than he who is in the world (Satan). Ephesians 5:18 The Spirit filled person depends on God. Ephesians 3:16-21 The will of God becomes our will. We live under the influence of God's Spirit. We now allow God's will to control us. The Spirit's power - a strength and power not our own - is receive by prayer, study and faith. (2 Cor.10:4; 12:9-10; 2 Thess.3:3; Eph.1:19) Romans 8:12-14 Life in the Spirit is being led by the Spirit. This results in a lifestyle which is opposed to the habitual ways of this world (the flesh). Flesh centered life styles, if followed by the Christian, will lead to spiritual death and the loss of sonship, according to Paul. WALKING BY THE SPIRIT IS LIVING/SEEKING THE DESIRES OF THE SPIRIT
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NEW LIFE LESSONS: A New Life For New Disciples

Galatians 5:16-17

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. (NIV) The term the sinful nature or flesh means more than just sexual desire, though it includes that. It is whatever wants or desires that you have that are opposite or opposed to the lifestyle outlined for His children. It is what is opposite to God-likeness (godliness).

BEING LED BY OR WALKING BY THE SPIRIT IS COUNTER TO LIVING BY THE VALUES OF THE WORLD & SLAVERY TO SIN Galatians 5:19-21 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. These are a list of vices that disciples of Jesus are to have left behind. (See also: I Cor. 6:9-10; Eph. 5:5; Rev. 22:15) THOSE WHO LIVE BY THE SPIRIT PRODUCE THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT Once we are saved, God wants to help us to grow in Christ and become more and more like Christ through the power of the Spirit of Christ. 2 Corinthians 3:18 Gods intent for our lives is to be just like Him, like God. This is impossible as people who live in fallen world and who live in fallen flesh. But we can grow, mature and be transformed by the Spirit, becoming more and more like Jesus (being changed from one degree of glory to the next). This helps explain the fact that Christians still sin at times, disappoint us and our own behavior sometimes disappoints ourselves. Our Position: God has declared us legally holy and forgiven but we are still in the process (Our Condition) of change and growth. (see Lesson #2 The Cross-Walk) Legalism says Be good enough and God will accept you. Grace says only Jesus was good enough so God accepts you based on that. Its not cheap grace now that youre saved you can do whatever you want and never fall from grace. No, thats not grace but presumptuousness. Thats going back to the vomit of our former lifestyle (2 Peter 2:20-22). Thats holding Jesus up to contempt (Hebrew 6:6; 10:26-29). Galatians 5:22-26 The fruit of the Spirit is what the Spirit produces in the life of every Christian who is seeking the influence of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit listed in our passages has to do with the character of the Spirit-filled believer. That this is the fruit of the Spirit and not the fruits of the Spirit points to the fact that these qualities are to impact our character as a unit; just like grapes come in a cluster, not individually. Unlike the miraculous gifts of the Spirit which were given individually, (one here, one there) these characteristics are to be found in each Christian to a varying and increasing degree.

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NEW LIFE LESSONS: A New Life For New Disciples

THE NINEFOLD FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT INCLUDES: FOUNDATIONAL QUALITIES - Godward vs. 22 Love this is the Greek word agape, which means divine love. This, according to Paul, is the greatest of all (I Cor. 13:4-8, 13) and is the kind of love God expresses towards us (Jn. 3:16). The Bible declares that God is agape (I John 4:8). If you were to choose just one characteristic of Gods nature, the one that best reflects His being is the word love. It describes a deliberate decision to seek nothing but the best for others, even when the others may seek the worst for us. It is the agape that we return back to God and seek to extend to all people. (Matt. 22:37-40) Joy this is the Greek word chara, which means that inward satisfaction and sufficiency that is not affected by outward circumstances. It is deeper than happiness which depends on what is happening at the time. This is a holy optimism that keeps us going despite our difficulties because of the knowledge that our life is founded on God, not on ourselves. It is a joy based on our spiritual relationship with God. (Rom. 8:28; Acts 27:35; 2 Cor. 6:10; 12:9; Phil. 1:12, 13; 4:10-20; 2 Tim. 4:6-8) Peace this is the Greek word eirene which corresponds to the Hebrew word shalom which denotes not just the absence of trouble or war but that tranquility of heart which comes from the realization that our lives are in the hands of God despite troubles and wars. When the believer possesses love and joy peace is going to be the result. (John 14:27; Matt. 5:9; Rom. 5:1; Phil 4:7; Eph. 6:15)

QUALITIES RELATING TO OTHERS - Manward Patience this Greek word makrothumia does not have to do with patience with things or events but rather with people. The word refers to the ability to contain and hold in check large quantities of emotion, such as anger or frustration. Of God towards us, the word was used to translate the Hebrew phrase meaning slow to anger (Num. 14:18a; Ps. 86:15). God is patient and longsuffering because He suffers long and waits for us hoping for our conversion and repentance. (Romans 2:4; 9:22; I Tim. 1:18; I Pet. 3:20) The volatile, quick-tempered person is living according to what comes naturally. The patient person is one seen as wise, mature, godly and is what comes supernaturally as we are transformed into the nature of God. (Prov.14:29; 16:32; 2 Pet. 3:9; 2 Tim. 4:2; Heb. 6:12) Kindness chrestotes is the Greek word that means a quality of character that is bighearted, benevolent, befriending those who need it and reaching out to those who dont expect it. It is a person of grace who wins over the hearts of others by acts of kindness even when the others havent been kind to you. It is a positive and proactive attribute in a negative and reactive world (Matt. 7:12). Jesus taught this kind of unnatural attitude in Matthew 5:46-48. God is routinely kind to us, even when we dont deserve it. It is much more than sentimentalism (Rom. 11:22). He sends the sun and rain on both the just and the
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NEW LIFE LESSONS: A New Life For New Disciples

unjust (Matt. 5:45). God shows this characteristic and want us to replicate it in our own lives. (Eph. 2:6, 7; Titus 3:4) Goodness is the word agathosune in Greek which means a quality of character which is both upright and honorable while being combined with and tempered by generosity. It is a specific Bible word and does not occur in secular Greek. It is a goodness modeled after Gods own character. (Mark 10:17-18; Rom. 15:14; Eph. 5:9; 2 Thess.1:11) Goodness is love in action for the benefit of others. Not for the purpose of seeking attention or praise from others.

vs. 23

QUALITIES THAT DONT COME NATURALLY - Selfward Faithfulness is the Greek word pistis and means dependability, trustworthiness, loyalty and fidelity. The Scriptures consistently affirms the fact that God is faithful. You can depend on Him. (Heb. 10:23; 11:11; I John 1:9) He keeps His promises. No matter how we may feel about our relationship to God, God will keep His promises to the humble in spirit and contrite in heart because He is reliable. (I Cor. 10:13; 1 Pet. 4:19) He seeks similar reliability in His children. Our journey to maturity is measured by how dependable (faithful) we are becoming. Jesus wants us to keep our commitment to Him and not quit or give up. This long distance run is going to take allowing the Spirit to produce a heart that is loyal, faithful and dependable. Gentleness praotes is a Greek word with a many faceted meaning. It means one who is meek or submissive to the will of God (Matt. 5:5; 11:29; 21:5), one who is teachable (James 1:21) or considerate towards others (I Cor. 4:21; 2 Cor. 10:1; Eph. 4:2). Meekness is a gentleness toward other believers and all people; it is the right use of power and authority; it is power under control. Meekness is not weakness as can be seen in the lives of Jesus (twice drove the money changers and animal merchants out of the temple) and Moses (Num. 12:3 - who stood before Pharaoh and had to lead a multitude in the desert for 40 years). The way we treat others will be counter-cultural in a society that promotes rudeness, abusiveness and aggressive behavior. Peter encouraged believers to relate to others who ask us about our faith with gentleness (I Peter 3:15, 16). Self-control in the Greek is egkrateia which means the power to keep oneself in check. It is the characteristic of self-mastery. It is used of athletes who bring the body under control (I Cor. 9:25) and of the believers mastery over sexual desire (I Cor. 7:9). Those who possess this virtue bring every thought and action under the control of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5). Self-control seeks to restrain our natural desires before they can lead us to damage ourselves or others. It is founded in our self-surrender to the Holy Spirit. [From the Christian understanding, what we call self-control is really Spirit-control.] The Scriptures say of self-control that without it we are vulnerable and self-destructive (Prov. 25:28). When we speak to people about Jesus, like Paul, we are to appeal to a different way of life, one of self-control (Acts 24:25).
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NEW LIFE LESSONS: A New Life For New Disciples

COUNTERFEIT FRUIT It is possible to produce a kind of fruit that counterfeits some of the fruit of the Spirit? The difference between this and real fruit will be seen when it comes to glory: when the Spirit produces the fruit, God gets the glory and the believer is hardly conscious of his spiritual growth; but when the flesh has produced it, the person is inwardly proud of himself and is pleased when others take notice and compliment him. The work of the Spirit will make you look more like Jesus for His glorification, not for the praise of men or your own. Galatians 5:24-25 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Real Christians are those who keep in step, walk in line with or get behind the Spirit; going where the Spirit leads in spiritual transformation as outlined in the fruit of the Spirit above. Galatians 2:20a I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. Power to live the Christian life comes to us from Gods Spirit and our faith in the Spirit of God to empower us. Our relationship with God is one of Father and child. Children naturally growup to be adults as they mature. As you grow in Christ, the Spirit will be producing in you the spiritual fruit that shows that you are related to your Father and Jesus, your older brother.

Get in step with the Spirit and allow Him to transform you. Then others will come to see your family resemblance to your heavenly Father.

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