OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT SOME OF THE COMMANDS WE FIND IN SCRIPTURE CONCERNING THE HOLY SPIRIT. PREVIOUSLY WE HAVE LOOKED AT THE COMMANDS "GRIEVE NOT THE SPIRIT" AND "QUENCH NOT THE SPIRIT". THEY WERE BOTH NEGATIVE IN NATURE TELLING US THINGS THAT WE, AS BELIEVERS, MUST NOT DO IF WE ARE TO BE SPIRITUAL. HOWEVER, THIS MORNING WE WANT TO CONSIDER A POSITIVE COMMAND CONCERNING THE SPIRIT OF GOD. WALK IN THE SPIRIT.
To WALK IN THE SPIRIT SIMPLY MEANS WALKING BY A DEFINITE RELIANCE UPON THE ABILITY AND POWER OF THE INDWELLING SPIRIT OF GOD. IT IS NOT OUR WALKING IN OUR OWN POWER AND STRENGTH! THE RESULT OF OUR WALK IN THE SPIRIT WILL BE OBVIOUS: "YE SHALL NOT FULFILL THE LUST OF THE FLESH." THERE ARE AT LEAST THREE REASONS WHY WE ARE COMMANDED TO WALK IN THE SPIRIT:
I. GOD'S STANDARDS OF LIFE FOR THE BELIEVER.
A. SUPERNATURAL AND SUPERHUMAN.
1. SINCE WE ARE BORN AGAIN, THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD INDWELLS US.
2. WE ARE NO LONGER "NATURAL" MEN.
3. WE ARE CITIZENS OF HEAVEN, AND GOD EXPECTS US TO "WALK WORTHY" OF THIS CALLING. CF. Ep. 4:1
4. NOTE SOME OF WHAT GOD EXPECTS FROM EACH OF US:
a. LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU ... JN 13:34
b. GIVE THANKS ALWAYS FOR ALL THINGS UNTO GOD ... Ep. 4:30
c. REJOICE EVERMORE, PRAY WITHOUT CEASING ... 1 TH. 5:16-17
d. GRIEVE NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD ... Ep. 4:30
B. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO DO THESE THINGS IN THE POWER OF THE FLESH ... WE MUST WALK IN THE SPIRIT.
II. THE ENEMY WE FACE.
A. SATAN IS ALIVE AND WELL ON PLANET EARTH!
1. THAT IS MORE THAN JUST A CATCHY TITLE TO A BOOK...
2. IT IS THE TRUTH!
3. HE IS REAL AND HE OPPOSES GOD, NOT HUMANITY.
a. THE UNSAVED PERSON HAS NO PROBLEM WITH SATAN BECAUSE THERE IS NO CONFLICT.
b. BUT WHEN WE ACCEPT CHRIST, WE BECOME PARTAKERS OF HIS DIVINE NATURE.
c. THEN THE ATTACKS BEGIN.
B. NOTE: EPHESIANS 6:10-12
1. THE CONFLICT IS UNCEASING, AND CANNOT BE OVERCOME BY HUMAN STRATEGY AND STRENGTH.
2. TO DO BATTLE AND WIN THE VICTORY WE MUST NOT DEPEND UPON WORKS, BUT FAITH. CF. Ep. 6:16
3. GOD ANTICIPATED OUR HELPLESSNESS BEFORE THE ENEMY AND PROVIDED VICTORY THROUGH THE INDWELLING SPIRIT.
4. 1 JN. 4:4, "GREATER is HE THAT IS IN YOU, THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD."
C. SO WE MUST WALK IN THE SPIRIT BECAUSE OF GOD'S STANDARDS FOR THE BELIEVER, AND BECAUSE OF THE FIERCENESS OF THE ENEMY.
III. THE EXISTENCE THE OLD NATURE OF SIN.
A. THERE ARE THREE TERMS IN THE SCRIPTURE WHICH DEALS WITH THIS NATURE.
B. THE FLESH, THE OLD MAN, AND SIN.
1. WHEN FOUND IN THE BIBLE IT HAS A GREATER MEANING THAN JUST THE PHYSICAL BODY.
2. IT CARRIES A MORAL AND ETHICAL MEANING.
3. IT IS THE "SELF" NATURE AND DESIRES, AND IS OPPOSED TO THE "SPIRIT" WHICH INDWELLS.
C. THE CONFLICT.
1. SINCE THERE ARE TWO NATURES IN THE CHRISTIAN, THERE IS A CONFLICT WHICH WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THESE BODIES ARE CHANGED.
2. NOTE: GALATIANS 5:17
3. BECAUSE OF THIS CONFLICT BETWEEN THE TWO NATURES, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE WALK IN THE SPIRIT.
4. AGAIN THE RESULT: YE SHALL NOT FULFILL THE LUST OF THE FLESH.
CONCLUSION: WE CANNOT MEET TOMORROW'S ISSUES TODAY. THE WALK IS STEP BY STEP AND THIS DEMANDS A CONSTANT APPROPRIATION OF THE POWER OF GOD. THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS NOT LIKE A BALLOON RIDE WHERE WE ASCEND UP AND CONTINUE RISING UNTIL WE REACH OUR DESTINATION. IT IS A WALK WHICH SPEAKS OF CONTINUATION IN THIS WORLD, BUT IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD.