Getting to know the Holy Spirit: What should life in the Spirit look like for today's believer? Practical life in the Spirit - Part 1

Practical Life in the Spirit

1.    Love – Love God and love your neighbour as yourself

In the words of Jesus:

Mark 12:30-31 (NIV)

³⁰ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’^{[Dt 6:4-5] 31} The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^{[Lev 19:18]} There is no commandment greater than these.”

We know that God is love and that He loved us so much that He sent is one and only son to die for us – Jesus, out of love, took our sins upon himself and died for us so that we will have eternal life – this is the truth!

As God loves us so we must love others – this too is fact! If we live in love in Christ Jesus, then we live in God and He in us!

1 John 4:16 (NLT)

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.

Galatians 5:13-14 (NLT)

¹³ For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. ¹⁴ For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

In 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 Paul tells us that if we can fathom all things but don’t have the love of God, then we are just empty vessels that clang and amount to nothing.

2.    Be like Jesus

The Bible encourages us to be like Jesus and walk as he walked, follow him and imitate him. Jesus walked continually in the Spirit. Therefore, to be obedient, so must we.

1 John 2:6 (NLT)

Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.

In the next verse we are told to be imitators of God, because just like Jesus, we are his sons and daughters.

Ephesians 5:1-2 (NLT)

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. ² Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

Galatians 3:26-27 (NIV)

²⁶ So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, ²⁷ for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

God didn’t call us to be like other Christians, He called us to be like Jesus. Jesus is the only example that we as born-again Christians should be following. No matter how godly any man may be, he is still not worthy to be followed (worshipped) in place of our Saviour!

3.    Be readers and studiers of the Word

If you don’t know God’s Word, then it stands to reason that you don’t know God’s ways for Jesus is the Word.

John 1:14 (NLT)

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

James 1:23-25 (NIV)

²³ Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴ and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵ But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

When we are doers of the Word and are walking in the Spirit:

·        We become more Christlike

·        We don’t forget who God created us to be

·        We live in complete freedom

·        We will be blessed in whatever we do

·        We do not gratify the flesh but move in the Spirit as Jesus did

Galatians 5:16-18 (NIV)

¹⁶ So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

4.    Be light in the darkness

When you are outside your “Church” environment do you shine for Jesus or do you allow yourself to be swallowed up by the darkness of the world? When we follow Jesus, he expects us to have the light of life all the time just as he does, and to let that light shine in the darkness. When we walk in the Spirit, our light will shine without us even having to think about it. It will be a part of our natural lifestyle just as it was with Jesus.

John 8:12 (NIV)

¹² When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”

What is interesting in the above verse is that Jesus says that we shall not walk in darkness and we shall have the light of life. These are factual statements of truth that all believers need to appropriate. It is the truth that sets us free!

5.    Believe in Jesus – believe in the Word

John 12:44-46 (NIV)

⁴⁴ Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. ⁴⁵ The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. ⁴⁶ I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

When we believe in Jesus, and believe what is written in the Word, from our hearts, it is credited to us as righteousness. Righteousness is believing God in faith.

Genesis 15:6 (NLT)

And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.

Without believing in Jesus it is impossible for us to produce any form of righteousness.

Romans 3:10 (KJV)

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

The Bible through the Apostle Paul clearly tells us that righteousness is something that we should fervently pursue!

2 Timothy 2:22 (NIV)

Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

So, if we are unable to produce righteousness on our own, where does our righteousness come from?

It is imputed to us from what Jesus did for us when he died for us on the cross. Through His atoning sacrifice and death on the cross we are able to become righteous before God. It is only the blood of Jesus that cleanses us from sin.

Philippians 1:11 (NLT)

May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV)

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

1 John 1:9 (KJV)

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 Only the perfection of Christ could have accomplished this work. Only Jesus could have lived a perfect, obedient, and sinless life. Only Jesus could have atoned for the sins of His people. Only the righteous ones of Christ – a righteousness which he has imputed to us - will enter His Kingdom.

Matthew 5:20 (NIV)

For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

To put this little section into perspective as far as ‘Life in the Spirit’ goes, let’s look again at the first part of Philippians 1:11 above, and in particular the phrase ‘the fruit of your salvation’.

What is the fruit of our salvation? What does the Lord himself tell us about our fruit?

Matthew 7:17-19

¹⁷ A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. ¹⁹ So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire.

So, the fruit of our salvation is the bearing of good fruit and this good fruit looks like this:

Galatians 5:16, 22-25 (NIV)

¹⁶So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 

TO JESUS BELONGS ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND PRAISE!

Next week: Part 2: Practical life in the Spirit continued.

An extract from my book: Fan Into Flame: Life in the Spirit available on Amazon Paperback:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1798692120

Getting to know the Holy Spirit: The Fruit of the Spirit - Part 3 What is the fruit of righteousness?

The fruit of righteousness

In the book of Philippians, Paul talks to us about ‘the fruit of righteousness’ and that we must be filled with it so that we can be pure and blameless when Jesus returns.

Philippians 1:9-11 (NIV)

⁹ And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, ¹⁰ so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, ¹¹ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

So now, let’s work out what this ‘fruit of righteousness’ should look like in the daily life of a born-again Christian.

Firstly, what is righteousness?

Righteousness is not something we can produce on our own. Our righteousness can only be achieved through Jesus Christ being Lord of our life! Righteousness is our right standing with God because of what Jesus did for us on the Cross – He cleansed us of all unrighteousness by taking our sins upon himself and dying for us.

Apart from Christ we have no right standing (righteousness) with God. Apart from Jesus we can do nothing and are nothing. Jesus is the vine and God is the gardener – we must remain in Jesus in order to bear good fruit in the power of the Holy Spirit! This is our righteousness in Christ Jesus.

The Christian life is not a life that can be self-produced by our own efforts or bought with money. The Christian life is a life that can only be supplied to us by faith in Christ Jesus, believing the Word and being filled with the Holy Spirit. The Christian life is a life of abundance, it is a life of service in the love of God through Christ Jesus:

John 10:10

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Rom 8:32

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Eph 3:16-19

¹⁶ I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Php 4:19

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

2 Thes 2:13

But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.

Eph 2:10

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

James 2:17

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

When we are living life in the spirit and operating in the gifts of the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit will automatically be produced in and through us and will become evident for all to be see – a life of righteousness!

Proverbs 12:28

In the way of righteousness there is life; along that path is immortality.

TO JESUS BELONGS ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND PRAISE!

Next week: What should life in the Spirit look like for today's believer? Part 1: Practical life in the Spirit

An extract from my book: Fan Into Flame: Life in the Spirit available on Paperback:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1798692120

Getting to know the Holly Spirit: The Fruit of the Spirit - Part 2 What kind of fruit are Christians to bear?

 Let’s have a look at what else Jesus tells us about bearing fruit:

John 15:16 (NIV)

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.

Now what kind of fruit will last? We know that the flesh bears the perishable, but the Spirit bears the imperishable!

1 Peter 1:23 (NIV)

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

As born-again Christians we are born of the Spirit – imperishable seed!

John 3:5-8 (NLT)

⁵ Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. ⁶ Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. ⁷ So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”

And as we are now born of imperishable seed, we need to be producing fruit that will last! The fruit that will last is the fruit of the Spirit.

If we walk by the Spirit, we won’t be pleasing ourselves and gratifying our sinful nature, but we will be walking in the will of God – His good, pleasing and perfect will and we will be empowered to do the things Jesus did – and even greater things.

John 14:12 (NIV)

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 

Galatians 5:16-18 (NIV)

¹⁶ So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

When we are living life in the spirit and operating in the gifts of the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit will be naturally produced in and through us and will become evident for all to see.

Let’s now compare the fruit or acts of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit that Paul tells us about in Galatians 5 so that we know exactly what kind of imperishable fruit we need to be producing in our lives as born-again Christians.

Acts (fruit) of the flesh – verses 19-21

Sexual immorality – Impurity - Lustful pleasures – Idolatry – Sorcery – Hostility – Quarrelling – Jealousy – Outbursts of anger - Selfish ambition – Dissension – Division – Envy – Drunkenness – Wild parties – Other things like these          

Fruit of the Spirit – verses 22-23

Love – Joy – Peace – Patience – Kindness – Goodness – Faithfulness – Gentleness – Self-control

Galatians 5:24-26 (NLT)

²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature (the flesh) to his cross and crucified them there. ²⁵ Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.²⁶ Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.

The supernatural things that come to us as born-again Christians come to us through the Holy Spirit, so it stands to reason that it is our responsibility to believe in the things of the Spirit and to be filled with the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:14

The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

The above scripture implies that if we do not accept the things that come from the Spirit, and we are not Spirit filled, then our walk as Christians will not be able to reach its full potential and calling in Christ Jesus!

TO JESUS BELONGS ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND PRAISE!

Next week part 3: What is the fruit of righteousness?

An extract from my book: Fan Into Flame: Life in the Spirit available on Paperback:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1798692120

Getting to know the Holy Spirit: The Fruit of the Spirit - Part 1 What did Jesus teach on Fruit?

Paul’s letter to the Galatian Church in chapter 5 of the Book of Galatians speaks to us about life in the Spirit and tells us about the fruit of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. Now where did this concept of fruit originate? Well it originated with the teachings of Jesus of course when he was leading and teaching his disciples and preaching to the Jewish people.

But one of the first teachings on fruit came through John the Baptist who we all know was filled with the Holy Spirit from when he was in his mother’s womb (Luke 1:15). John’s word on fruit went like this:

Matthew 3:7-10 (NLT)

⁷ But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. “You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? ⁸ Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. ⁹ Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. ¹⁰ Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.

This was a harsh word to the religious leaders of the day – repent and start producing good fruit, or you end up in hell!

Jesus is our focal point and the reason why we exist as born-again Christians. Everything we are and everything we do should be done to ensure that we become His imitators – to be conformed to His image day by day. We can’t do this unless we are Spirit filled, obedient to His every word and loving our neighbours as we love ourselves!

In the book of John, we will find the most significant teaching Jesus gave on the bearing of fruit in our lives that we will be able to find in the Bible. Let’s examine the Lord’s teachings on fruit before we actually move into Paul’s teaching in Galatians.

Jesus, the True Vine

John 15:1-7 (NIV)

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes^[cleans] so that it will be even more fruitful. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Let’s do an analysis of the above eight verses to try and emphasise the importance of what we are being told.

¹I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.       

Jesus is the source of our salvation and through Him we receive all that God has for us. God the Father lovingly tends and nurtures us through Jesus as a gardener tends a garden. We are connected to God through Jesus and His Holy Spirit.

²He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes^[cleans] so that it will be even more fruitful.         

If we don’t bear good fruit, then it is God (the gardener) that cuts us off! When we are bearing good fruit, God prunes us – this can be quite painful at times – so that we will produce more fruit.

³You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.   

We are cleansed from our sin by the Word and work of Jesus on the Cross. Jesus is the Word.

⁴Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

We must stay connected to Jesus (keep your eyes on Him) because without Him we can do nothing, and we will not bear good fruit.

⁵I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  

Repeat of the previous verse. Jesus emphasizing the importance of remaining in Him and Him alone.

⁶If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.        

If we don’t remain in Him, we will be cut off and end up in hell.

⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.                                       

When we remain in Jesus, our voice (prayers) is heard by God through Jesus and the Holy Spirit interceding on our behalf.

⁸ This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.                                               

When we bear much fruit, we prove that we are Jesus’ disciples, doing this is to the glory of the Father and Jesus the Son!

A very strong word from the Lord about remaining in Him and bearing good fruit and the consequences if we do not! 

TO JESUS BELONGS ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND PRAISE!

Next week: What kind of Fruit will last?

An extract from my book: Fan Into Flame: Life in the Spirit available on Paperback:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1798692120

Getting to know the Holy Spirit: The Gifts of the Spirit Part 3 - Why does the Church need the Gifts of the Spirit?

The gifts of the Spirit are not given to us for our own selfish use, they are given to us to serve the body – to build up and edify the Church! When you are using your gifts to build up the Church, then you are living life in the Spirit.

Now why would Paul exhort us to eagerly desire the Spiritual gifts? For these reasons. The Spiritual gifts:

• Enable us to live life in the Spirit
• Enable us to express God’s love to others – He knows we need them to emulate Jesus, to be conformed to his image.
• Enable us to love others the way God wants us to, well not just wants us to but expects us to.
• Enable us to build up and edify the Church, our spiritual family in Christ Jesus.
• Enable us to receive God’s guidance for ourselves and to use us to give His guidance to others.
• Enable us to lift up and glorify the name of Jesus!
• Enable us to show God’s love in action to unbelievers and thus draw them to Jesus for salvation.
• Enable us to perform miracles, signs and wonders just as Jesus did.

Now that we know this, let’s do it!  Let’s follow the way of love and eagerly desire the gifts of the Spirit!!

How do I know what my spiritual gifts are? How do I identify them?

These are two questions that nearly all born-again Christians ask themselves more than once. They are good questions to ask ourselves, there is nothing wrong with doing so, but maybe we should ask this question first:

How can I serve the body?

And then go into the other two! After all the gifts are given to us not to serve ourselves but to serve the body – they are tools of service and go hand in hand with the gift that we have all been given and that is the gift of faith, faith in Christ Jesus.

James 2:14-17 (NIV)

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶ If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?¹⁷ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Right then, getting back to how we can identify our spiritual gifts, let’s have a look at some guiding pointers:

1.       Find out what needs there are within your local body

Find out what the current serving needs are within your congregation and begin to serve in an area where your heart feels you need to be. Be proactive – don’t just do nothing. God created you and predestined you for works of service.

Matthew 20:26-28

²⁶ But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, ²⁷ and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. ²⁸ For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.

  

Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Once you begin to serve others faithfully and without complaining you will find that your primary gift/s will come to the fore. You will be known by the good fruit that you will produce in serving others.

2.       Pray

Keep praying and eagerly desire the gifts of the Spirit. Pray in your understanding and pray in the Spirit. The more you talk to God and read the Word the more God will speak to you. Ask people you trust to pray with you and pray for you and ask them what gifts they have noticed you operating in. Listen to wise counsel.

3.       Let your faith rise up

If you desire to prophesy then step out and prophesy, if you desire to speak in tongues or to interpret tongues then step out and do so, if it is leadership, then lead, if it is serving, then serve. Keep praying and let your faith arise – let your faith be accompanied by your actions! Faith needs to be accompanied by actions!

Romans 12:6-8

⁶ We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; ⁷ if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; ⁸ if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

 4.       Understand the scriptures pertaining to Spiritual gifts

Study the relevant scriptures pertaining to Spiritual gifts and make sure you fully understand them. Ask the Lord to open your mind to fully understand the scriptures.

Luke 24:45 (NLT)

Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

5.       Ask yourself what you enjoy doing

Serving the Lord should be a joyful task, not one of struggle and strife, and your service will bring joy to others! If the Spirit has gifted us, and if we are growing in grace, then we will enjoy serving the Lord and the body. The Lord may also have equipped you with certain natural skills like sewing, woodwork, cooking etc – use them to serve the body of Christ! Exodus 31:1-6.

Exodus 31:3 (NIV)

 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills

TO JESUS BELONGS ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND PRAISE.

JESUS THE NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES

Next week we will be looking at The Fruit of the Spirit!

An extract from my book: Fan Into Flame: Life in the Spirit available on Paperback:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1798692120