GODtalks Walking in the Spirit
“For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;”
-Acts 15:28-
“Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh”
-Galatians 5:16-
“It seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us. …”
These words by the Jerusalem Council when making an important church decision in Acts 15:28 are a pattern for Christian living today. When Christians make important decisions, they must make them based upon, first, what seems good to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not a distant third in the Trinity. He is the One who was given specifically to the church when Jesus ascended into heaven.
He is the other Helper that Jesus promised. Our relationship with Him should be close and intense. Sin grieves the Holy Spirit and He immediately convicts us of our sin. Our response to conviction demonstrates our proximity to the Holy Spirit.
Is our response: Immediate, Delayed or Ignored.
Do we lay blame, justify, or take ownership and repent?
The Holy Spirit is the Christian’s Guide
“When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13, NIV).
The Spirit’s guidance is available to every believer. It is God’s desire that we be able to hear His voice. Then we can say with confidence, “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit.”
The Holy Spirit’s guidance is available for…
Large things
Small things
Expected things
Unexpected things
Longstanding difficulties
Spontaneous needs
It is important that we live with spiritual ears attuned to His voice, that we “walk in the Spirit.” Walking in the Spirit insures accurate direction, and protection against sin. To walk in the Spirit means that we yield to His control, we follow His lead, and we allow Him to exert His influence over us.
YIELD TO HIS CONTROL
FOLLOW HIS LEAD
ALLOW HIM TO EXERT HIS INFLUENCE OVER US
To walk in the Spirit is the opposite of resisting Him or grieving Him. A Spirit led life is one in which we can say that we made decisions because…
“It seemed good to the Holy Spirit”
WALKING IN THE SPIRIT
“Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh”
-Galatians 5:16-
Temptation is overcome by walking in the Spirit. Look at how the Holy Spirit works to help equip us to overcome temptation.
I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
-Ephesians 3:16-20-
Access to Unlimited resources
Inner strength
Christ makes His home your heart
Strong roots to anchor you in the storms of life
Fully understand
Fullness of life
Mighty Power at work within us
Accomplish infinitely more
The Spirit’s role is a major one in all genuine revivals.
“When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8, NIV).
“Repentant tears, are the waters upon which the Spirit of God moves.” said revivalist Brownlow North
Responding to conviction immediately demonstrates our position in Christ Jesus. If we are distant in our relationship our response to conviction will reveal it. As our Guide the Holy Spirit will not take us any further than our response to conviction allows.
I was in the middle of a conversation that began innocently enough about concern for a person but turned at some point to criticism of that same person. The conviction from the Holy Spirit on my life was quick, to the point and effective. Immediately I apologized to the person I was speaking to and ask God to forgive me. I knew in an instant that my actions had grieved my guide.
Interesting thing about repentance, it is a process.
I did not leave that engagement feeling on top of the world. I grew more suspicious of my own righteousness. I took time to evaluate how I fell into the trap in the first place, and I expressed my sorrow to God.
The Holy Spirit does not want to spend your lifetime demonstrating His recue methods.
He wants you to be Victorious and not fall for the same traps over and over and over again. Victorious living is Spirit Filled living. Holy Spirit fullness is not a one-time thing.
Ephesians 5:18 literally means, “Be being filled,” or “Keep on being filled with the Spirit.” It’s a continuous process. “The initial impetus comes from the Spirit, but the responsibility for being continually filled with the Spirit rests with the Christian as he cooperates with the Spirit.”
States Biblical scholar Anthony Palma
“Keep being filled” also implies there is a measure of the Holy Spirit’s presence, based on our capacity (which is further limited if there are lots of other things in our life).Our capacity for the Holy Spirit in our lives is determined by us not Him.
Our capacity for the Holy Spirit in our lives is determined by us not Him. If we are hoarding the worlds treasures in our heart, we leave little room for the treasures of heaven