High Voltage Shareware/high1.zip/high1/DIR46/ALPHON_2.ZIP/WALKING.F16

Text File | 1992-10-31 | 8KB | 171 lines

WALKING IN THE SPIRIT                   STUDY NO.16

The new law of the Spirit that is working in the believer is
described by Paul in Romans chapter eight, verses 1-11 . In
Christ, the sentence of condemnation for failure to live up to the
standard of the law has been broken.  Now a higher principle is at
work, setting us free from the stranglehold of sin.  The Holy
Spirit begins to make real the life of Christ in our lives.

The Spirit living within us

No longer do we have to live only by the demands of our old
selfish nature.  Instead we live in the realm of the Spirit,
because the Spirit of God actually lives within us.  The Spirit is
at work prompting us to think His thoughts; our minds become tuned
to God's mind.  The whole effect of coming under the Spirit's
control is to give us life and inward peace.  We receive the
promise of strength and healing for our earthly bodies and the
hope that our bodies will be restored by future resurrection when
Jesus returns.

The old nature has been cut off

Living in the Spirit then means we are not obliged to live
continually under the control of our old nature, instead "if ...
you cut the nerves of your instinctive actions by obeying the
Spirit, you are on the way to real living" J.B. Phillips (verse
13).  He enables us to deny ourselves and make Jesus the lord over
every area of our lives day by day.
Living in the Spirit also means that we are led by the Spirit in
every decision of life, both great and small.

WALKING EACH DAY

Paul, in writing to the churches, likens the Christian life to
walking day by day along a pathway.  He uses the concept of
walking to illustrate to us how we should live in the Spirit.

1.   Walking in the good works God has already prepared for us.
     Ephesians 2:10.
a.   realise God has planned our lives since before the foundation
     of the world.  Ephesians 1:4; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy
     1:9
b.   allow the Holy Spirit to show us what He has planned.
     1 Corinthians 2:9-13.
c.   obey as the Spirit reveals each step of the plan.  Be content
     with God's plan.  Romans 6:16; 1 Timothy 6:6.
d.   do not try to add to what God has called us to do, for that
     first causes us to strive to please God, which in turn brings
     frustration into our lives.  God has made us sons, not just
     servants: we are to rest in Him.  Galatians 2:16; 2 Timothy
     2:24; Hebrews 4:9,10; John 6:28,29.
2.   Walk worthy of our calling.  Ephesians 4:1.

a.   God has made us His sons, so we should live as though we
     really are His sons! 1 John 3:l; Ephesians 1:5;
     1 Thessalonians 2:12.

b.   to be called a "Christian" is to be known by the greatest
     most wonderful name in the whole history of mankind.  There
     is no greater name than Jesus, in earth or in the heavens: we
     should live worthy of that name.  Revelation 1:11 ; James
     1:7; Psalm 72:17; Isaiah 62:2.

c.   our calling is high, holy and heavenly.  Philippians 3:14; 2
     Timothy 1:9; Hebrews 3:1.

d.   living worthy of our calling involves lowliness, meekness,
     patience, making allowances because we love one another, and
     endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit at all times.
     Ephesians 4:2,3; 1 Peter 3:4; Colossians 1:10,11.

3.   Walk with a renewed mind.  Ephesians 4:23.

a.   before we were born of the Spirit into God's kingdom, our
     minds were darkened, cut off from God's life, totally
     self-oriented.  Becoming a Christian however does not mean an
     instant change in the way we think.  We begin a process of
     renewing of our minds.  Genesis 6:5; Ephesians 2:2,3; 4:17,18.

b.   we have a choice to make: to set our minds on the things of
     the flesh, the old way of life; or to set our minds on the
     things of the Spirit.  Romans 8:5,6.

c.   how can our mind be renewed day by day?
     - realise the old nature has already been put off and the new
     nature been put on.  Ephesians 4:22,24.  This new nature is
     actually created in God's righteousness and holiness!
     - worship.  Philippians 4:4,6; 1 Corinthians 14:2,4,5.
     - do not allow anxiety into our lives; pass all our problems to
     the Lord.  Philippians 4:5; 1 Peter 5:7.
     - think about good things.  Philippians 4:8; Isaiah 26:3.
     - yield to the Holy Spirit's work of bringing self control into
     our lives. 2 Timothy 1:7.
     - talk positively. Philemon 6.
     - meditate on the Word each day.  Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2.
     - put the failures of the past completely behind us as we
     realise that God has forgiven and forgotten past sin.

d.   allowing God to renew our minds will mean we begin to think
     like God thinks: we will get his heavenly, victorious
     perspective on everything.

4.   Walk in love.  Ephesians 5:2.

a.   everyday we should love one another with the same quality of
     love as Christ had for us.  John 15:12,13; 17:26.
b.   loving means accepting one another; valuing the contributions
     that others make in the body of Christ.  Romans 12:5;
     Ephesians 4:10,25.
c.c. to walk in the Spirit is to be sensitive not only to God but
     to one another.  Real love means that we are constantly
     sensitive to the welfare of others; it means giving ourselves
     to others without expecting any return, noticing when others
     are in need - materially, physically, spiritually,
     emotionally.  Galatians 6:2; Romans 15:12.

5.   Walk in the light.  Ephesians 5:8.

a.   light rebukes darkness; our lives should cause darkness to
     flee away.  Romans 13:13,14; 1 John 1:5-7.
b.   God's standard has always been that we live day by day in
     righteousness and holiness before Him and before men.
     Christ's death on the cross provided for us not only a legal
     release from the consequence of sin, but also the provision
     for a practical day by day walk free from any kind of sin!
     Luke 1:74,75; Titus 2:14; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 4:3,7; 5:23;
     Hebrews 12:10,14; Jude 24.

6.   Walking in wisdom.  Ephesians 5:15.

a.   what is a wise walk? (verses 15-21 )
     - being careful; not neglecting any aspect of our
     relationship with God.
     - using the time wisely.  Colossians 4:5.
     - not being ignorant in the things of God.  Colossians 1:9.
     - being continually filled with the Holy Spirit.  This
       involves not only an overflowing life,but also discipline
       in thoughts, feelings, words and actions.  Romans 8:1.
     -  deep worship in the spirit to God. John 4:24.
b.   to walk wisely is to be sensitive to the promptings of the
     Holy Spirit; speaking when He prompts us to speak; waiting
     when He tells us to wait.

7.   Walk by faith.  Galatians 3:1-3,13,14.

     we should not be ruled by our five senses, although we would
     be foolish to discard them.
     Daily we should note what our five senses reveal to us, then
     make decisions and act on what God and His Word says, when
     this is sometimes quite the opposite to what our senses
     indicate.  Colossians 2:6; 2 Corinthians 5:7; 4:18.

SUMMARY

To walk in the Spirit is the most normal thing for a Christian to
do.  God has not made it an impossible task.  It means we must be
constantly desiring that God's kingdom be established rather than
our own.  Jesus is made Lord of every area of our lives.  It means
being sensitive to God: Lord, what are you saying? How can I
please you? How can I share your burdens? How can I fit in to your
goal for the Church? How can I draw on your love more and more?
How can I have your viewpoint?  How can I continually draw on your
character, your power and your authority?  God created us to have
fellowship with us.  He longs to answer these questions from our
hearts.  As we ask them and He answers, we will find we are truly
walking in the Spirit.

THE END