Ps. Bob Beverley
Talk Series presented Wednesday July, August and September 2010
Talk 1 - What is it to Walk after the Spirit?
download MP3 now
Talk 2 - Why do we Walk after the Spirit?
download MP3
Talk 3 - How do we Walk after the Spirit?
download MP3
You may browse MP3 recordings of ministry delivered recently at Southside Revival Fellowship here.
WHAT IS IT TO WALK AFTER THE SPIRIT?
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus (who walk (not run) not after the flesh, but after (following) the Spirit)
The Spirit is the revealer of truth about - God, life, the universe, and everything. John14:18, 16:13.
It is:
John 4:34;
".to do the will of him that sent me and finish his work"
To seek God's will and not our own ...to do always those things that please him and thereby glorify Jesus.
It is not:
Walking after (in) the flesh. Rom.8:4,8.
It is nothing of ourselves.
John5:19-30;
" I can of myself do nothing .....I seek not my own will but the will of the Father"
Therefore it is actively seeking his will before we do anything.
Knowing that;
John 8:28,29;
".he that sent me is with me" God with Jesus - Jesus with us.
If we believe and do this; "of myself I can do nothing" the consequence will be that
we will be walking after the Spirit, following the Spirit (and the word) because they are inseparable.
WE ARE WHAT WE DO!
Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart (by Psychiatrist Gordon Livingston)
'30 true things you need to know now'.
He says:
"
we people always talk about what we think, what we intend, what we should ..we are not what we think, or want, or say, or how we feel ...we are what we do"
The Bible says:
Matt. 7:16. "you shall know them by their fruits"
And he also says:
"the three components of happiness are something to do, someone to love and something to look forward to"
That's a wise statement, so let's describe what it is to walk after the Spirit in these terms.
SOMETHING TO DO
Live the life, be the gospel, preach the gospel.
Matthew 10:6-8; "Preach.kingdom of heaven is at hand .heal the sick, cleanse the lepers .raise the dead .cast out devils .freely give".
Gal:6:2; "Bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ".
SOMEONE TO LOVE
Jesus, God, family, brethren, mankind.
Matthew 22:37,38; ".love the Lord thy God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.and love your neighbour as yourself"
SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO
Blessings, healings, peace, joy, salvation, eternal life ... having done then reap.
So:
Matthew 7:16; "you shall know them by their fruits"
John15:8; "that you bear much fruit"
John15:16; "chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit"
Galatians 5:22,23; ".the fruit of the spirit..".
And ultimately:
Revelation 21:4; "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things have passed away....I make all things new."
WHY WALK AFTER THE SPIRIT?
Romans 8
Because:
8;1; no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus
8:4; the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us
8:5; to mind the things of the Spirit
8:13; to live eternally
8:26,27; to have our needs, weaknesses, conveyed to God
The Holy Spirit reveals Gods' nature and his intentions - his will, and gives us the opportunity to follow and see his will fulfilled in us.
And
John 16:7-15
He (the Holy Spirit) will reprove / convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment, and will guide us into all truth and glorify Jesus. Expound / discuss.
Because as Jesus said he could do nothing of himself and that he sought not to do his own will but the will of his Father, we can do nothing of ourselves and therefore must seek the fathers will at all times which is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit.
John 5:19 and 30;
".The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do". What has Jesus seen God do?
" I can of myself do nothing ..I seek not my own will, but the will of the father who has sent me".
If Jesus of himself can do nothing then what do you think you can do of yourself?
Give the children of Israel example - God leading them, the Spirit with them (though they didn't know it).
Hebrews 11:6; "
Without faith it is impossible to please Him...".
God is leading us by the Holy Spirit who is now in and not just with, provided we consult / converse) with him.
To glorify God.
HOW WALK AFTER THE SPIRIT?
1 Corinthians 1 and 2 are about not understanding or learning naturally but learning by the Spirit.
IF THE NATURAL MIND COULD DO IT THEN NO NEED FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT
It is important to note that Paul does not mention the Holy Spirit till chapter 2:4 and then 10-16.
He said he wanted to
"know nothing among them except Jesus and him crucified".
Why was this?
So that they would totally deal with any natural wisdom and understanding about their state as humans and their place in the church, so that they realize it is all through Jesus.
When we appreciate this then we listen to and walk after the Spirit - we will not be deceived by our own conceit / wisdom / carnal nature.
Examples:
Acts 8:26; The angel of the Lord spoke to Philip.
Acts 9:10; The Lord spoke to Ananias in a vision.
Acts 10;1-6; An angel of God spoke to Cornelius.
Acts 10:0-16; Peter had a vision and teaching from God.
Acts 10:19- 20; The Spirit spoke to Peter.
Acts 11:28; The prophet Agabus spoke by the Spirit.
Contrast with the natural thinking problem, viz:
Acts 12:1-16; the church was praying diligently for Peter but not really believing!
And:
Galatians:1:10; It is not seeking to please men (including ourselves).
So what should we expect and how?
First:
Hebrews 4:9-11. We cease from our own works and rest in the perfect work of God.
Galatians 5:16; We choose to walk in the Spirit so we do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.
Second: We give God opportunity seeking his will in prayer about everything that we do.
Galatians 5:22; We expect the fruit of the Spirit to grow strongly so that both we and others may eat.
Third: We listen and act when the Spirit gives us ideas, thoughts, directions.
Ephesians 6:17; We rejoice in using the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.
How identify the leading and directing of the Holy Spirit?
He always is consistent with the principles and teaching of God's word.
He performs things that only God can do.
The results always glorify God and Jesus (and no-one else).
He reveals his secrets to his prophets (servants) before they occur. Amos 3:7.
He leads us into all truth. John 16:13.
He will take us into the centre of God's will and work as long as we allow him to lead.
We do not quench the Spirit. Anybody ever done this?
How? It is in the doing of his will.
Which raises the next question. How do we know what his will is?
We read and pray.
Matt. 10:19,20;
"..it is not you that speaks but the Spirit of your Father which speaks in you"
We live as spiritual people not just as natural people.
1Cor. 2: 13-16;
".not in the words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.. ..the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God because they are spiritually discerned. ..but we have the mind of Christ."
We are active doers of his will in the body of Christ. (our particular fellowship).
The Holy Spirit has made us a new creation with the mind of Christ to DO, to LOVE, and to LOOK FORWARD.
So what is it to be?
The nature of Adam, carnal mind etc.
OR
The nature of Jesus, doing the will of his father, walking after (with / in) the Spirit?
Mark 16:20;
"...the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following". So we have to work - exercise faith in action.
John 4:34; ".finish his work"
Which means that we are to be involved in finishing God's work in and through us.
1Cor.10:5;
"Casting down imaginations (reasonings) and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ"
Trust - learn to work with him,
Ephesians 1:11; "...according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his own will".
Matthew 26:39;
"..not as I will but as you will".
and
Revelation 1:10;
We seek to be in the Spirit on the Lord's day - everyday!