Series: The Cure [#12]
THE COMFORTER
Romans 8:1-17
Introduction:
This has been a challenging week. Last week I spoke about how weak we are on our own, and I was challenged most every day of this week. As we start chapter 8, we find encouragement. At the end of Jesus earthly ministry, He was encouraging His disciples by telling them that once He left this Earth God would send them a comforter.
John 14:16 (KJV)
“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever.”
Through the power of the Holy Spirit we can do great things.
Romans 8:1-4 (NIV)
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.”
Through the Comforter…
1. You are not condemned.
What’s it mean to be condemned? Condemnation is when you feel guilty. It’s when you are afraid. It’s when you feel rejected. Through the power of the Holy Spirit within you, there is no reason to feel bad. Jesus Christ paid our price and we have nothing to worry about. Christians, don’t sit around being depressed and defeated- You are not condemned.
Romans 8:5 (NIV)
“Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.”
Through the Comforter…
2. You can have the right mindset.
This is an important concept. That which is on your mind can control you. If you have the mindset that you are defeated, that’s what will happen. If you have your mind set on what God’s will for your life is, you will be victorious every time. Set your mind on the things of God.
Romans 8:6 (NIV)
“The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.”
Through the Comforter…
3. You can have life and peace.
How you live each day is determined by who is in control. If the Holy Spirit is in control over your life, then you will have life and peace. It’s not what is going on that determines if you have peace or not- It’s based on your relationship with God.
Romans 8:7-8 (NIV)
“The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.”
Through the Comforter…
4. You can please God.
“Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.” The opposite hold true as well. If you aren’t controlled by the sinful nature, then you can please God. I don’t know about you; but I want to please God my Father. In order to please God, you must be led by the Holy Spirit. What or who controls you?
Romans 8:9-11 (NIV)
“You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.”
Through the Comforter…
5. You can have the power of God.
Think about this- As a Christian, the Spirit of God is in you. Through the Comforter you are able to do greater things than Jesus Christ. That is a crazy thought. The power of God is in you. Let the Holy Spirit of God overflow in your life and you will be amazed at what happens.
Romans 8:12-13 (NIV)
“Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation--but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.”
Through the Comforter…
6. You can stop sinning.
Every time I say that, I feel ridiculous. You have a choice- You don’t have to sin. It just depends if the Spirit or the flesh is making the decisions in your life.
Romans 8:14-17 (NIV)
“Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”
Through the Comforter…
7. You can know that you are God’s child.
You may think that this is an odd thing to say; but there are times when I don’t act like a child of God and I begin to wonder if I am. This word Abba, Father is like saying dad and that’s who God is to His children. Not only am I His child; but I am also an heir to God. We have the same standing with God as Jesus.
Conclusion:
We have a power through the Holy Spirit that I don’t think most people can even fathom. Instead of suffering through life letting everything and everybody destroy us; we can have victory and live in peace. The question today is, “Will you allow the Holy Spirit to lead and control your life”?
