FOUNDATIONS OF A STRONG SPIRITUAL LIFE
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OUTLINE
1.LOVE
2.FAITH
3.WISDOM
4.GRACE
5.HOLINESS
6.WILL OF GOD
7.HOLY SPIRIT
THE MESSAGE
FOUNDATIONS OF A STRONG SPIRITUAL LIFE
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1.LOVE
Love is a very important foundation of a strong spiritual life. The greatest commandment for us to follow is to love God with all our heart and to love others as we love ourselves. Our hearts must be filled with divine love for God and people. If we lack this love all our spiritual activities will be in vain. This love will produce godly qualities in our life such as patience , kindness , humility etc. We must understand the fullness of God’s love for us . This will fill us with great inner strength especially when we deal with unloving people. The Apostle Paul was deeply rooted in the love of Christ and he was certain that nothing could separate him from the love of Christ.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Matthew 22 : 35-40
One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
Jesus replied: " ’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
This is the first and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it: ’Love your neighbor as yourself.’
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Romans 13 : 8-10
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.
The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Ephesians 3:14-19
For this reason I kneel before the Father,
from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Romans 8:35-39
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I Corinthians 13 : 1-13
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
2.FAITH
Faith is a very important foundation of a strong spiritual life. We can accomplish great things through our faith in God. We can get answers to our prayers when we pray in faith. We live by faith and we would lose great blessings if we lose our faith. We cannot please God without faith. We must strong in faith even before we see the manifestation of the promises of God because we walk by faith and not by sight. Faith is the shield which protects us from the fiery attacks of the devil. We must be strong in faith to overcome the attacks of the enemy and inherit the promises of God in our life .
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Mark 9:23
" ’If you can’?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."
Mark 11 : 23-24
"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ’Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Hebrews 10 : 35 , 38
So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.
But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him."
Hebrews 11:1, 6
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
2 Corinthians 5:7
We live by faith, not by sight.
Romans 4 : 18-21
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be."
Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.
Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,
being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
Hebrews 6 : 12
We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
James 1: 6-7
But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;
Ephesians 6 : 16
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
3.WISDOM
Wisdom is a very important foundation of a strong spiritual life. Wisdom helps us to make the right choices in our life. Wisdom helps us to escape the snares and dangers of this evil world. Wisdom helps us to enjoy the blessings of God and avoid needless suffering we can bring upon ourselves by our own foolishness. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. When we obey the words of Jesus we are like the wise man who built his house upon the rock which withstood all the storms that came upon it. The divine wisdom that comes from God is very different from the cunning and deceitful wisdom of satan. We need spiritual enlightenment to know the riches of the inheritance that we have in Christ and the great power that is available for us.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Proverbs 4:7
Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
Proverbs 9 : 10
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Proverbs 24 : 3
By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established;
Matthew 7 : 24-27
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
James 3 : 13-18
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.
Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.
For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
Ephesians 1:15-23
For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength,
which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,
far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,
which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Colossians 1:9-12
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully
giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
4.GRACE
Grace is a very important foundation of a strong spiritual life . The Grace of God brings us blessings that we do not even deserve . We receive Salvation by Grace. The Grace of God brings us favour in sight of God and man. It enables us to accomplish great things for God which we cannot do in our own strength. It can lift us from a low state to great heights. Joseph, Daniel , Esther, David, Paul are examples of what the Grace of God can do in the life of a person. Jesus was constantly increasing in favour with God and man. The grace of God is a great protection and a shield in our lives to protect us from the dangers of this world.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Genesis 39 : 21
the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.
Esther 2 : 15 , 17
When the turn came for Esther (the girl Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her.
Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.
Luke 2 : 40 , 52
And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
Daniel 1: 9
Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel,
Daniel 6 : 3
Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.
I Corinthians 15 : 10
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
Psalm 5:12
For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.
5. HOLINESS
Holiness is a very important foundation of a strong spiritual life. Without holiness no man can see God. God wants us to be holy even as He is holy. Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and must be kept holy . Our body has been bought by Christ and does not belong to us .Therefore we must glorify God in our bodies. All our great works for God will not help us on the day of Judgement if we have lived a sinful life. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all our sins when we repent sincerely and ask the Lord to forgive us.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Hebrews 12 : 14
Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
I Peter 1 : 15-16
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;
for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."
I Corinthians 6:9-10 ,19-20
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders
nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
Do you not know 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.
Matthew 7:22-23
Many will say to me on that day, ’Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’
Then I will tell them plainly, ’I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
I John 1 : 6 - 10
If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.
6.WILL OF GOD
The will of God is a very important foundation of a strong spiritual life. We are called to fulfill God’s plan and purpose for our life . We cannot enter the Kingdom of heaven if we do not fulfill the will of God in our lives. We must strive to fulfill the purpose for which God has chosen us. Our thoughts and ways are much different from the thoughts and ways of God. We must submit our ways to God and allow Him to form us as a potter forms the clay into the vessel of his choice. Each one of us has a unique role to play in the body of Christ and we need not compare ourselves with others. We need not feel inferior or jealous if anybody is given a different responsibility.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Matthew 7 : 21
"Not everyone who says to me, ’Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 26:39
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
John 15:16
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
Philippians 3:12-14
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Isaiah 55: 8-9
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.
"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Jeremiah 18:1-6
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD :
"Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message."
So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel.
But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.
Then the word of the LORD came to me:
"O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?" declares the LORD. "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.
Romans 9 : 19-21
One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?"
But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ’Why did you make me like this?’ "
Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?
I Corinthians 12 : 12 - 26
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.
For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
Now the body is not made up of one part but of many.
If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.
And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.
If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?
But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.
If they were all one part, where would the body be?
As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don’t need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don’t need you!"
On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty,
while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it,
so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.
If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
7.HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is a very important foundation of a strong spiritual life. Without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit we cannot be witnesses for Christ. The Holy Spirit develops our Christian character to help us produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. He imparts spiritual gifts to us to serve God powerfully. He reveals truths to us and guides into divine revelations. He is our comforter and a constant source of encouragement in our Christian walk especially when we face trials and tribulations. We enjoy great blessings when we have a close fellowship with the Holy Spirit.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Acts 1: 8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
Acts 10 : 38
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
John 16 : 7-14
But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:
in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me;
in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer;
and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
"I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.
Romans 5:5
And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Galatians 5 : 22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
I Corinthians 12 :7-11
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,
to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,
to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
Acts 2:17-18
" ’In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
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