1. In the Battlefield of our minds, what’s in control? Who’s?
• Is our fleshly tendencies and unspiritual habits?
• Or is the Holy Spirit of God controlling our mind?
WELL PASTOR ED, I don’t know? How do I tell the difference?
• Look back at Romans 8:5ff
• When the Spirit of God is ruling, life and peace.
• When our flesh, our carnal minds rule, death.
It’s so wonderful to know, to believe, and live in the truth that there is now THEREFORE NO CONDMNATION in Christ… YES!
• But understand, if you are carnally minded…
• Living in the flesh… living for your flesh… living contrary to God’s heart and will for your life…
• Then you will NEVER have life & peace!
1. (8:9-11) If Spirit of God dwells in you.
a. The way to not be ‘in the flesh’ is to be ‘in the Spirit’.
b. It starts really, when you’re BORN AGAIN.
c. The Holy Sprit then immediately comes into your life and regenerates you… seals you… and becomes the guarantee of your Salvation from the INSIDE OUT. Let’s look…
THE SPIRIT REGENERATES a person…
Titus 3:4-5 (NKJV) 4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
THE SPIRIT INDWELLS a believer.
1 Corinthians 3:16 (NKJV) 16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
The SPIRIT SEALS a believer.
Ephesians 4:30 (NKJV) And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
THE SPIRIT EMPOWERS the believer.
Acts 1:8 (NKJV) 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
V9 again… you’re not in the flesh if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you…
• MARK that word DWELL… it literally means “to be at home”
Is the spirit of god at home in you?
• Or is He grieved? Are we hindering the work of the Spirit?
• If you’re a believer here today, the Spirit of God is in you with no exception. But does He dwell? Is He at home in your life?
A CONSTANT FIERY DART in the believer’s life is sexual sin.
• Both in action and especially in the thought life.
• Grieving the Holy Spirit means to make Him sad or sorrowful.
• When we allow bitterness to poison our lives or when we slander others or when we sin… we grieve the Spirit of God!
• YES: Sexual sin grieves the heart of God, grieves the Spirit.
NOTE: Flip over to 1 Corinthians 6:18-20
• Your body, my body has become the Temple of God!
• A life of worship. A life of communion. A life of pleasure in Him.
APP: It’s always a good idea to run away from sin. ALWAYS.
• To live you life knowing, I’m the Temple of the Holy Spirit.
• God dwells in me. I will live for Him for today, right now.
But in the battle, there is this attempt to destroy your temple!
• What? Yes, there are constant temptations that appeal to your humanity, to your flesh… sexual sins, lusts.
• Our world is filled with them!
1 Thessalonians 4:3 (NKJV) 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality;
As a pastor… a friend, I’ve never really met a believer that was happy they went down the road of sexual sin.
• It messed them up so bad, it corrupted such innocence.
• The pain and sorrow and difficulties… just rough!
• No really, quite the opposite happens… most will say, “I wish I could go back and make different decisions. I would cut that out and resist that. I would choose to follow Jesus.”
GLORIFY GOD WITH YOUR BODY… Paul says.
2 Timothy 2:22 (NKJV) Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
TURN OVER TO Revelation 14:3-4
• Oh to have the heart of these on fire believers.
• To follow the Lamb wherever He goes!
• To follow closely after Jesus in sexual purity, in holiness.
• As the Spirit of God dwells in you… in me.
APP: If you’ve been caught up in sexual sin, in dabbling with perversity, defiling your body, the Temple of God… return today!
8:10 – the body is dead, but the Spirit is life.
• These bodies are temporary shells. They are used on earth today giving us the opportunities to relate with each other.
• But they are not designed to last forever. New bodies are coming
1 Corinthians 15:43-44 (NKJV) 43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
AND YET HERE AND NOW… until that time.
• WHAT A DIFFERENCE it makes in your body when the Spirit of God lives inside you, dwells in you.
• Life is new. It’s fresh.
And so not only do you and I have the Spirit in us, but also, the Spirit of God has you!
2. (8:12-14) Led of the Spirit.
a. This is by far one of the most freeing & wonderful truths in all of the Bible.
b. How do I deal with these temptations?
c. How do I handle my sinful tendencies?
d. All of these habits & thoughts & carnality…???
e. Here’s the key… it’s so cool!
NOTE: The Spirit of Him who raised up Jesus from the Dead…
• He lives in you and will give life to you… and strength to put to death the deeds of the body!
• Freedom and victory comes through the Spirit, the very power of God living in you, helping you overcome the flesh!
• The very presence of God overwhelms the flesh life!
Usually things are attacked differently…
• The world likes to focus on the problem and even begins to identify you by that which has bound you up.
• You’re an addict, an alcoholic, a criminal.
• And everyday, that title, that banner slowly and persistently begins to burn it’s identity in your heart.
• Yes perhaps the struggle is with alcohol.
• And yes, maybe the burden is addictive and habitual.
• YET, in Jesus Christ the very resurrection power of Jesus Christ lives in you by the Spirit.
• That’s the glory of a testimony… what God has done!
I’m happy to report to you today, I’m NOT an alcoholic!!!
• Why? Because I stopped drinking? NO. Because I haven’t been in a bar in 16 years? NO. I haven’t bought any liquor? NO
• Because I finished a program, followed some steps? NO
• But because Jesus Christ has saved my soul and delivered me from the kingdom of darkness and translated me into the Kingdom of light! – Ephesians 5:8,
• It’s His work in my life that made me clean! AMEN!?!?!
TOO SIMPLE ED!!! -- No, it might be simple, but not too simple!
• Jesus Christ sacrificed His life, crucified so that we might be free! There is nothing simple about that!
Galatians 2:20 (NKJV) 20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Colossians 2:13-14 (NKJV) 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
APP: The way for you to overcome those fleshly tendencies, those leanings toward carnality, the deeds of your flesh…
• The way to overcome is to live in the Spirit.
• Oh wow wonderful it is to be here today as in the Spirit, we overcome the flesh, right here right now.
HEY, as you walk out of you here you will face temptations…
• U can continue the spirit filled life by simply loving the Lord.
• Get up in the morning and before the shower, before you brush your teeth, take time to talk to Jesus.
• Take that radio & tune it in to good uplifting music & Bible studies.
• Just do what the Spirit is telling you to do…
• Look again at v14, those that are led of the Spirit of God.
• What & Where is His Spirit leading you… follow.
Let’s close with John 8:1ff
• I love v11… go and sin no more. Jesus meant it to her.
• And He means it to us here today.
• That word from Jesus wasn’t a burden to carry.
• It was a blessing to enjoy. Woman, you don’t have to live bound up and tied down with that sin. You are free.
Calvary Chapel… you’re free in Jesus too, to live a life abundantly!
