There Is News In The Truth

The Law of the Spirit of Life

IN CHRIST JESUS

Romans 8:1-4

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own on in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

We’ve preached several messages on these four verses. I believe we’ve plunged in pretty deep so I want to take us back up and review how we got where we got. When we got to these four verses I was looking for what is on the other side of this River Jordan. What is to walk after the Spirit of God. When I hit these verses I wanted to look forward and not look back. Instead of looking where we came from what we were, I want to look at where we’re going and what we have become by the grace of God. And in these four verses, I saw two things that God has made possible for us: And that’s freedom and righteousness.

So the first topic we’d tackle in these verses was freedom. John 8:26 “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” So I went through all the New Testament and pulled all the scriptures that had the word free, freedom, or liberty in them. I took all these and grouped them together into five different topics to make some sense out of it all. And to these five topics I have adhered five different questions.

The first group were all the verses that denoted possession. We preached of the glorious liberty of the children of God. Galatians calls it “Our Liberty!” Corinthians calls it “This Liberty of Yours!” We were called unto this glorious liberty. And we’re to standfast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free! And we answered the question: “To whom does this liberty belong?”

The second group dealt with the security and surety of this freedom.

James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

James 2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

These verses introduce to us this concept that our freedom is pronounced to us by a divine by edict; that our freedom was made possible by heavenly law! It is the Law of Liberty. And Romans 8:2 has more precisely declared it to be the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. And that has given us an outline that we’ve followed.

#1 And we’ve learned thus far that our freedom that we enjoy is Law! It’s not a suggestion or an idea. It’s a law. It’s always true, we can prove it over and over, and the law will never never change.

#2 And we learned that it’s not just A law, and not law of nature, or a law of even the church, but it is the law of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the third face of a triune God, the law of the Holy Ghost of the blessed Trinity of God Almighty.

#3 And this Spirit that executes this law and performs it is the Spirit of Life. The Spirit’s domain is LIFE. The same Spirit that brought Life to this dead earth; the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, is the same Spirit that makes us free from death and hell.

And the last part of this outline, we cover today in order that we might help demonstrate how secure this freedom is. It’s not just anything that makes us free; it’s a law. It’s not the law of just anybody; it’s the law of the Holy Spirit. We’re not free from death, but we’re given LIFE; because it’s the law of the the Spirit of Life. But there are three more words to this phrase. And these three words are the sweetest words of all. These three words all power on heaven and earth hang. In these three words every knee shall bow and every tongue confess. These three words did God build his church and gates of hell shall not prevail against it. These three words stand between a sinner and the wrath of Almighty God. Through these three words God commendeth his love toward us.

…IN CHRIST JESUS

 

It’s all in Christ Jesus

One thing I want to point out is the obvious. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Let us first look at the three words ‘in Christ Jesus’ as a parenthesis; a parenthesis around (The law of the Spirit of Life). All this is IN Christ Jesus and nowhere else. The law of the Spirit of Life is IN Christ Jesus. In order to experience and benefit from the law of the Spirit of Life, you must also be in the parenthesis, you must be in Christ Jesus.

Law is the answer to the question “What?” The Holy Spirit is the answer to the question “Who?” And Life is the answer to the question “Why?” But IN Christ Jesus is the answer to the question “Where?” Where is it that you’ll find so gracious and wonderful a law that can free you from all sin and death? Where is it you’ll find sweet Holy Spirit of God? Where is it you can have real life, and live for God? It’s in Christ Jesus. It’s all in Christ Jesus.

How Secure is this freedom? This freedom is in Christ Jesus. And in Christ Jesus and only in Christ Jesus works the perfect law of liberty. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are IN Christ Jesus..” “God sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh..” There is therefore now no condemnation because in Christ Jesus, Jesus has already suffered that condemnation and by the power of the Spirit of Life rose again and conquered sin and death; he has conquered condemnation. Therefore, now there is no condemnation to the which are in Christ Jesus.

What a wonderful place to be, in Christ Jesus. What makes this place wonderful is Christ Jesus. What a wonderful Savior we have. The bible says, “His name shall be called Wonderful!” It’s wonderful to be in Christ Jesus. It’s wonderful to be saved. His grace is amazing! His liberty is glorious! I tell you I’m gloriously saved! I didn’t just become a Christian. Like the song says, “I’m saved, saved, saved!” “Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it, Redeemed by the blood of the lamb!” Jesus told the Gadarene, “Go home and tell them what GREAT things the Lord has done for thee!” “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.” “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock…” That rock is our wonderful Savior, Jesus Christ, the son of the living God. He said upon this rock I’ll build my church. It’s upon this rock that the law of liberty, the law of the Spirit of life, stands.

If you’re saved today, The bible says you are: Luke 6:48 – …like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. How secure is this freedom? If it’s founded on the rock, the floods can rise, the stream can beat vehemently on it, but it will not shake it: for it is founded on the lovely Lord Jesus Christ, the rock of our salvation.

And what a great foundation it is: For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholy lean on Jesus’ name.” Where is it that we find freedom from sin? In Christ Jesus. Where is it that we find the power of the Holy Spirit to help us along this narrow way? In Christ Jesus. Where is it that we find the privilege and honor to serve God in the newness of Spirit? In Christ Jesus. Remember the problem that Paul introduced to us. He said I try to follow the law. I try to do good. But everytime I try evil is present with me and a way to do good I find not. I cannot find a way? Where is that way? In Christ Jesus. He said the law is spiritual, and I am carnal sold under sin. The law is spiritual and therefore it must be followed spiritually. Paul said serve in the newness of spirit. In Christ Jesus, we’re in a new kingdom, the kingdom of Christ. And in his kingdom, there’s another law: The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. And in his kingdom, the power of the Holy Spirit is not hid that we must endeavor to find it, but it’s in the very air you breathe. To be IN Christ Jesus is to have the Holy Ghost be IN you. It amazes me to see how the Holy Spirit has worked in my life. Despite my shortcomings, despite my misconceptions, despite my meager attempt at spirituality and religion, a sovereign God has worked in my heart and in my life. More and more I can say as Paul has said, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in me, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. “ If we can just learn to let go. Let God do a work in our life. “Whosoever will save his life will lose it, and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s shall find it.”

“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things have passed away; behold all things are become new.” If you are saved today, if you are in Christ Jesus, you are a new creature in a new kingdom. You’re not the same man you used to be and you’re not living in the same circumstances you used to live in. Old things have passed away! What do we mean when we say that someone has “passed away?” When someone has passed away, he’s dead and gone. When you’re saved, there’s some old things that have passed away. There’s some old things that are dead and gone. Preacher what are those old things? The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Sin and Death! That old sin and death! “Wherefore as by one man, sin entered into the world, and death by sin!” Sin and death entered into this world by Adam and it’s been here ever since. Sin and death are those old things. And Sin and death have reigned since Adam. But not in this kingdom and not for this creature. These old things have passed away. Sin no longer has dominion over us. And Jesus said, “Whoseover liveth and believeth on me, he shall NEVER die! Believest thou this?”

And there lies the secret to a Spirit filled life: Believest thou this? Believest thou what? That the old things have passed away. The very sin and death that entered at the beginning of time when there was only Adam and Eve. The curse that God declared has passed away in Christ Jesus. Sin and Death have passed away. There was a funeral 2000 years ago. Sin and Death was nailed to a cross and then placed in a borrowed tomb. The bible says that 2 Corinthians 5:21 – For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God IN him. Jesus took our Sin and our Death to the tomb. When he rose from the dead he rose no longer in sin, but in glory. And the Sin and Death that went with Jesus to tomb had passed away!

Sin and death has passed away! If any man be in Christ: he’s a new creature; old things have passed away! BEHOLD! All things are become new! He’s saying LOOK! Look at the new creature that God has made. Look at the new creature that is no longer under the law of sin and death. Look at the the new creature that is IN Christ Jesus! That’s what we do when we baptize somebody in water. When we pull them out of the water, we’re telling the whole world BEHOLD the new creature in Christ Jesus. All things are become new! The old things have passed away.

Reminds me of a magician. He’s got something in his hand, a coin perhaps. He covers up his hand with a hanky or something and something magical happens under the hanky. Whatever it was in his hand disappears. And when he reveals his hand he says BEHOLD the coin is gone! Paul is saying BEHOLD all that is left is the new creature and the old things of sin and death have passed away! Except magicians are just giving an optical delusion. They’re just being tricky. God, the Lord of Glory, is no liar, is no trickster. What he says he’ll do, he’ll do. God is saying behold the new creature. God is saying, “Take a look at yourself. Look at what I’ve done to you!”

For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. James 1:23-25. We’re talking about going on with God and serving God in the newness of Spirit, and doing the will of God. James said we do this not by looking at what we used to be, but beholding the new creature that God hath set free.

To behold the new creature in Christ Jesus, is to look into the perfect law of liberty; the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 –

You see, to behold the new creature in Christ, to set your eyes upon the work that God has done is behold the glory of the Lord, and that will change you. Let me read this again and reduce it a little bit, “We all beholding the glory of the Lord are changed!” The Spirit of God can change us into the man, woman, or child that God wants us to be. You say, I know I’m saved, but I just don’t see a change in my life. I’m still defeated. Sin and death still seem to have dominion over me! All I can say is behold the glory of God. Look into the perfect law of liberty. Take a look into the glass and see the new creature in Christ Jesus where all things are become new and the old things have passed away!

And Jesus said, “Whoseover liveth and believeth on me, he shall NEVER die! Believest thou this?” Do you believe what you see? Isaiah said, “Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?” “Believest thou this?” Paul said, “Without faith, it is impossible to please God.” I want to please God, and I’m sure you do to. Maybe some of you, God is well pleased. But I struggle and my wife and family struggle. There’s one thing that stand between a fruitful, glorious life in Christ Jesus and you and that’s unbelief. It kept all of Israel out of the promised land. It will keep you too.

When we were lost, it was “Look and Live!” We were near death and serpents poison was near taking us, but we looked unto Jesus the author and the finisher of our faith and he saved us and put us into the family of God. But now, as we struggle in this world and the world’s evil allures us and there’s temptations all around and the flesh is battling with the spirit for dominion, it’s “Look and be changed!” We need to experience this freedom and liberty that God has wrought for us on the cross of Calvary! We get to trusting the old flesh and and forget that this battle is spiritual. It’s “Look and be changed!” Repeat 2 Cor 3:17-18

I want to repeat that scripture that we all know. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things have passed away; behold all things are become new.” I want you to notice that it says that old things HAVE passed away! They HAVE passed away, past tense. It’s done. They’re gone. But then it says, “Behold, all thing ARE become new!” It doesn’t say they HAVE become new as if it happened in the past and it’s just one time thing. No, it says they ARE become new. That’s NOW. That’s NOW. There is therefore NOW no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. I have a NOW salvation. It’s one thing to believe that Jesus 2000 years ago took your sin upon him and paid the price and conquered sin, death, the grave, and hell. But do you believe that NOW sin and death have passed away in your being?

How Secure is this Freedom? It’s as secure as you believe it. It is as effectual and liberating as you believe it to be so. There was one thing that stood between the Israelites and the promised land: Unbelief.

And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not. He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.

Mark 9:17-25 –

It’s not our great works that commends God unto us, but just Faith. “Faith is the victory that overcomes the world.”

 

 

 

The Spirit of Life.

I’m preaching this morning on the Law of the Spirit of Life.

So our freedom in Jesus Christ is a Law. It’s not a suggestion. It’s not a possibility. It’s a Law! It’s always true, we can prove it over and over, and it will never change. Our freedom from the law of sin and death is law itself. And that carries alot of weight. But what seals this law in heaven is that is not just a law, it is THE law of the Spirit; the Holy Spirit. We covered law in general, but whose law is this? Well it’s the Spirit’s law. I am FREE from the law of sin and death because the Spirit says so! And it’s the Spirit of Almighty God (El Shaddia), the Spirit of the creator of Heaven and Earth (Elohim). It’s His law. It’s not my law. The Holy Spirit is the Author of this law. It’s not the law of man, but the law of God. Therefore it’s sure. The bible says (Psalm 19) The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul!

We covered “The Law.” We covered “The Law of the Spirit.” But this morning, we’re preaching on “The Law of the Spirit of Life” The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of LIFE! His domain is LIFE, his jurisdiction is LIFE, his territory is LIFE! He is the authority on LIFE! Life is his expertise! He possesses all the knowledge of LIFE! And most of all he’s got power over LIFE!. Power to give it and power to take it. He is the Spirit of LIFE!

It’s the Spirit of LIFE that has made me FREE from sin and death! Death is when life ends. Death is when life ceases to be. Amen? But I tell you today that LIFE is when death ends. Life is when sin and death cease to be! That’s exactly what Jesus did when he rose from the dead. He conquered death and sin. Paul said, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” Jesus said, (John 11:25) “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:” Paul said in Rom 8:11 “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead SHALL ALSO SHALL ALSO SHALL ALSO quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” He is the Spirit of LIFE!

There’s a church down the road that advertises, “Do you need a life change?” Some people think that’s what they need: a life change. But we don’t need a life change. We need a life itself. Paul said:

Ephesians 2:1-6

1 – And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

WHO WERE DEAD! WHO WERE DEAD! WHO WERE DEAD!

2 – Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

3 – Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

4 – But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

5 – Even when we were dead in sins EVEN WHEN WE WERE DEAD! EVEN WHEN WE WERE DEAD! EVEN WHEN WE WERE DEAD in sin, (God) hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

6 – And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

LIFE is when sin and death cease to be. And the Holy Spirit has got the power to give life. We don’t need a life change. We need an old-fashioned dose of the Holy Ghost. We need a one on one encounter with the Spirit of Life. We need sweet fellowship with Spirit of Life. Remember the context. Paul is talking about getting victory over this old flesh. There’s someone else living on the inside that knows a thing or two about life, it’s the Spirit of Life. This reminds me of some advise concerning prayer. The New Testament instructs us to pray without ceasing. So I’ve heard preachers say that we can’t pray all day, but what we can do is to have an attitude of prayer or be in the spirit of prayer. I agree, but I think what’s more critical is than having a spirit of prayer is having fellowship with the Spirit of Prayer, the Spirit of supplication, the Holy Spirit. I had one teacher tell us that praying is not asking for God to supply your needs, but it’s sweet fellowship with the supplier. So likewise, it’s not about us changing our lives to conform to what we think God wants us to be, but rather it’s us having fellowship with the Life-giver, the Spirit of Life.

We get so caught up with results; seeking the end results. But the results are really not are business. Our business is the means to the end. Our business is to seek the means. God is the means. And if we get hold of the means, he’ll take care of the end. The bible says, “Paul planted, Apollos watered, but it was God that giveth the increase!” We’d like to see the fruit. In vain, we try to produce fruit. The bible says, “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” John 7:38,39 “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit..” The flowing rivers of living water represent the Holy Ghost and His life giving power. It’s no coincidence that David uses this metaphor to describe a man that is truly blessed of God. Today, blessed is the man that is filled with the Spirit of Life and walking after the Spirit. That Spirit is that river of water. The tree who’s roots tap into this water shall have life like no other tree. Look at the tree of life at the end of Revelation. John said, “He shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” Revelation 22:1-2 This tree of life straddled the crystal river. It’s roots anchored to both sides of that river.

Serving in the newness of Spirit, and walking after the Spirit, YES are about producing fruit for God, but it’s not about us doing it, it’s about us getting tapped into that river of Life, the Spirit of LIFE. And God will bring forth the fruit in his season. Our job is to get planted by the rivers of water. Put our delight in the law of the LORD, and in his law should we meditate day and night. And I’m not talking about the law of sin and death that condemns, but the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus that makes us free from the law of sin and death. And really and truly, if you’re saved, you’re already planted by the rivers of water. I guess our job is just drink up the living water. It takes a measure of faith.

That’s why Paul said, “The life I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” How many of us can say that? The life I now live. “If any man be in Christ, old things have passed away. Behold all things have become new!” The life I NOW live. John said, “We know that we have passed from death unto LIFE!” I heard a preacher say that he was gonna stop asking people when they got saved anymore. It’s not when did you make a profession; or when did you make a decision. He said, “Hey! When did you get out of the graveyard?” When did you pass from death unto life? When did you start living the life you now live? When did the Spirit of LIFE take up residence in your soul?

What did Jesus tell those Pharisees? “But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” Matthew 22:31-32

John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Romans 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

If we are to have any life, it’s going to be by the Spirit of Life. I don’t care how much you got going on in your world, how active you are, how happy you are, how busy you are. If the Spirit of LIFE is not your partner in all this, it’s all death and destruction. It will all come to nought. It will all perish in the using. It will all come to condemnation. James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. The perfect law of liberty? That is the the law of the Spirit of LIFE. Why is it perfect? Because it’s the only thing that make us free from the law of sin and death. It’s the only way to a blessed life.

We read on in James. (Read James 2:11-21) For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. 12 – So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. 13 – For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment. 14 – What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 15 – If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 – And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17 – Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 – Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 – Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 – But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

I don’t want to get into all of this, but verse 12 sums it up: “So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.” So speak ye, and so do. So speak ye, and so do. You know what he’s saying? So speak ye, and and so do? Talk is cheap. He’s saying why don’t you do what you say? You say you love God? Why don’t you act like it? You say you serve God? Why don’t you act like it? Faith without works is dead. I find it curious that James uses the word DEAD. He didn’t say it was fruitless, or ineffective, or unprofitable. No, he said it was DEAD. Dead means there’s no LIFE. James is saying that if there is no outward manifestation of your faith, if it doesn’t cause you to do the works of God, then that faith has no LIFE in it. That’s still walking after the flesh. That is not freedom from the law of sin and death. James is saying, “Let your faith come alive!” “So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.” My judge is the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. I am subject to that law. The law that makes me free from the law of sin and death.

How do we let our faith come alive? How do we get LIFE in our faith? How do we do those works that prove there’s LIFE in our faith. Put our faith in the Spirit of LIFE. Be filled with the Spirit of LIFE, and walk after the Spirit of LIFE. Paul said to the Corinthians: (2 Corinthians 3:2-3) “Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: 3 – Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.” How do we know that there’s life in our faith and the Spirit of LIFE in our works? Through them, the Spirit of the living God will speak to the hearts of men. The Holy Ghost has a purpose and job to do here on this earth. (John 16:7-8) “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 – And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:” Are we just scratching the surface in this old sinful world? Or are we plowing deep and touching the hearts of men? Jesus said (Luke 9:62) “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Hosea 10:12) Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.

The Spirit of God deals with the spirit of man, the soul of man. So first of all, can we say like David, Psalms 66:16, “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.” Paul said that his Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the sons of God. #1 Does that happen. Does God deal in the depths of your soul? And 2nd of all, does God use us to deal in the depths of the soul of others? If the Spirit that Jesus promised would come has indeed come and is working in this world, he will reprove the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment through his people. Now does this mean we go verbally reproving everybody about sin, righteousness, and judgment?

No, I believe that our perfect example of being filled with and walking after the Spirit of Life is Jesus. The bible says that (John 1:4) in him was life, and the life was the light of mean. We ought to hate sin, and flee from it, and warn others about it, but nobody ever hated sin like Jesus hated sin. His hate for sin was manifest in his love for us. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. God commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Christ hated sin so much that he took the sins of the world upon himself and let himself be nailed to a cross. Jesus set the standard. There is no greater reproof to this world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, than what Jesus did at Calvary. We must remember that the Spirit of Life is the Spirit of Christ. “Christ in you, the hope of glory!”

There is no greater reproof to this world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, than what Jesus did at Calvary. And before he left, he told the disciples that he’s gonna send another Comforter and he’s gonna do the same thing: John 15:26 “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:” A life filled with the Spirit of Christ will reprove the world of sin, righteouness, and judgment, by testifying of Christ. If there’s any real life in us, we’ll testify of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now what does this mean?

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 – And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 – And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Nobody hated sin like Jesus hated sin. His hate for sin was manisfest in his love for the world. How does the Spirit of LIFE reprove this world of sin? Through love. What’s the 1st fruit of the Spirit? Love. Paul said, “The life I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” The Spirit of Life is the spirit of love. And we live by love. When I was studying about the dove, I found out that the word dove came from a German word for dive. Maybe love comes from the world live; or live from love. Can I say this: We don’t learn to live until we learn to love.

I want you to see how Paul lumps these two together: Philippians 2:1 – If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

1 Peter 1:22 – Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

We don’t learn to live until we learn to love. Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care. We live by love, and we love by the Spirit of LIFE, the spirit of the living god.

 

The Deity of the Holy Spirit

One way we see that the Holy Spirit is God is to see in the bible that the same attributes that are used to describe Almighty God is used to describe the Holy Ghost. There are some things that only God is. And when the bible ascribes these things to the Holy Ghost, then that’s essentially telling us that he’s God.

 

His attributes attest to his diety

I He’s eternal

Hebrews 9:14 “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

II He’s omnipresent

Psalm 139:7-10 “Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from Thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, Thou are there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall Thy hand lead me, and Thy right hand shall hold me.”

III He’s omniscience

1 Corinthians 2:10-11 “Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”

IV He’s omnipotent

Luke 1:35 “And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

His works attest to his diety

I Creation

text

II Quickening

text

III Prophecy

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His references attest to his diety

I Old Testament / New Testament

Jehovah / Holy Spirit

II His close associations

Father, Son, Holy Spirit

III Direct reference

Ananias and Saphira

 

 

The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus

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This glorious law of liberty in which we are born into, we are called unto, and we standfast in in Romans 8:2 is described as the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. And we covered “the Law…” part of that and some characteristics about law to help us understand how God works; to help us understand how secure this liberty is.

We saw a few things about law:

#1 A law is always true given the same circumstances

#2 A law is proven through much experimentation

#3 A law does not change.

So our freedom in Jesus Christ is a Law. It’s not a suggestion. It’s not a possibility. It’s a Law! It’s always true, we can prove it over and over, and it will never change. I’m freedom from the law of sin and death is law itself. And that carries alot of weight. But what seals this law in heaven is that is not just law, it’s the law of the Spirit; the Holy Spirit. We covered law in general, but whose law is this? Well it’s the Spirit’s law. When someone tells you that you must do something that you think you have to do, what do you ask? Says who? I am FREE from the law of sin and death because the Spirit says so!

And I believe this is a good place to preach one our most foundational Christian doctrines: the diety of the Holy Ghost. (What is the Trinity?) Let us understand that what makes us free is the law of Almighty God the Spirit. It’s not just A law, it’s God the Spirit’s law. Our freedom is decreed by God the Father. Our freedom is wrought by God the Son. And can I say this? Our freedom is made real by God the Spirit. Our freedom is appropriated by God the Spirit. Our freedom is made effective by God the Spirit.

If we are to walk after the Spirit in liberty, I think that it would help us to know that we’re following after God himself. The bible says that Noah walked with God. The bible says that Enoch walked with God. You can walk with God today. David said, “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness…” That’s Jehovah-Rohi (The Lord is my shepard). That He (that person) that holds my hand, that person that walks beside me is the high and holy one. His name is El Shaddia (The Almighty God) His name is Elohim (The creator of the heaven and earth) Jehovah-Jireh lives inside of me (The Lord will provide). I AM THAT I AM has made his abode in me. To serve in the newness of Spirit is to serve Adonai (The Lord is Master). And it’s His law that made me free from the law of sin and death.

It’s God’s law that makes me free! Our freedom is made sure because it’s God’s law that makes it so. This was not thought up by man. No God’s thoughts are not like our thoughts. The work was not done by man. No it was God that died on the cross and was buried and rose again the third day. And it wasn’t man that drew you to him and saved you and baptized you into the body of Jesus Christ. It was God. And it’s still God that draws you now, that speaks to your soul, “Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away…” “Come away with me!” he calls. David said, “To day if ye will hear his voice…” Paul said, “If you hear his voice…” Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:…” That wasn’t his humanity speaking. That was his diety! (If it’s possible to seperate them)

To walk after the Spirit is to walk after God; to walk with God. To be filled with the Spirit is to be soaked and saturated and overwhelmed and controlled by the all knowing, all powerful, almighty God. 2 Corinthians 6:16 “…for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them and walk in them…” I believe that to walk after the Spirit, really and truely is to let God Almighty walk in you. So it’s important if you are seeking to serve God, and have the power of God in your life, it’s important to come to know that the Holy Spirit is not an abstract magical power that we in our fleshly minds and sinful bodies and ignorance are to somehow attain. But the Holy Spirit is God, infinitely holy, infinitely wise, infinitely mighty, infinitely loving and compassionate and tender, who’s desire is to take possession of you and use you according to His most perfect will.

 

The Person of the Holy Spirit.

So I want to cover a few things regarding this wonderful person, the sweet Holy Ghost that abides in us. Now, the bible says that God is spirit. We must worship him in spirit, yes. We must serve him in spirit, yes. It’s all spiritual, but just because God is a spirit doesn’t mean that he’s not a person. All the things that the Spirit of God does in the bible can be ascribed to a person. They’re something that a person does. I know when we think spirit, we may think just a floating mist that influences things. Yet I want to say this: The Holy Spirit is more real, more influential, more able that the flesh on our bones. He is a person; and a very active person. And according to the scriptures, he’s a very active person on our behalf.

(Remember when we went through the New Testament and saw all the times that God had filled his people with the Holy Ghost. Person after person, time after time God has made his Spirit known. I want you to see that the Spirit of God is very active, and active on our behalf)

1 Cor 2:10, He searcheth all things for us

Rev 2:7, He speaks to us in the churches

Gal 4:6, He cries in our hearts

Rom 8:26, He helps our infirmities; He makes intercession for us

John 15:26, He testifies of Jesus to us

John 14:26, He teaches us all things

John 16:12, He guides us

Acts 16:6, He forbids us

Acts 13:2, He calls us.

He does all these things for us. I want to say this: The Spirit is the perfect person to walk after. The bible says that “…there’s a friend that sticketh closer than a brother!” All of us have had crowds that we’ve run with, friends that we’ve hung out with. What was it about them that drew you to them? Or why did you keep company with this person? There was something about their personality that you liked or maybe got some benefit from. There was something about their person that attracted you and convinced you to walk after them. The Spirit of God is the perfect person to walk after. There’s something about the person of the Holy Ghost that draws me to him. (Repeat the list)

What a wonderful friend we have in the Holy Ghost. You don’t have to worry about this friend’s faithfulness. He’s cares about you. He’s got your best interest at heart. He’s making sure that we might know Him and the power of his resurrection. He’s the perfect person to walk after. If you want to walk with God, if you want to press on to mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus, the Holy Ghost will lead the way. Just follow him, he’s the perfect person to walk after.

#1 He’s perfect in his knowledge

1 Corinthians 2:9-11 “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”

The Spirit of God is perfect in his knowledge. I certainly don’t know everything. Look, I’ll just be honest. I’m finding this out more every day. I’m an ignoramous. Man, I’m dumb. Some of the things I think, say, and do; I just prove to myself over and over, I know so little. Sometimes, I like to think of myself as the jack of all trades, but I realize that I’m a master of nothing. I don’t know everything. But there’s someone living inside that does know everything. He’s perfect in his knowledge.

There’s somethings I’d like to know. There’s somethings I’d like to learn, but more and more there’s one things that I want to know more of and that’s I want to know God. And I want to know the things of God. You say, “What are the things of God?” I don’t know. But he knows. Jeremiah said, “Call unto me and I will shew thee great and might things!” What are those great and mighty things. I don’t know, but he knows. The Spirit of God knows. And if you really want to know, you better to get to calling unto him. If we’re ever gonna know anything about God, it’s gonna be the Spirit of God that teaches it to us. We might want to follow after him? We might want to walk after the Spirit? He’s perfect in his knowledge.

The bible says that if man be in Christ,hold things are passed away, behold all things have become new! I’ll tell you one thing that God has made new in me, when I got saved: That’s my knowledge. I’m telling God wiped my hard drive clean. He erased my knowledge. My problem is that I didn’t know it. You know how they say that you can erase stuff from your hard drive, but it’s actually still there. For it to be completely erased, it needs to be overwritten. Ever since I’ve been saved, God’s been overwriting my knowledge all this time.

I think about my three years at Faith Baptist Institute, and then six years away from there, all the struggles that were going on inside of me, and wondering why in the world God has me up there. And not knowing what God was doing with us when we got back. Feeling my heart grow cold to things of God and seeing myself drift from the narrow way. I didn’t understand what God was doing. Or even it was God that was doing. But that last camp meeting, God let me see that he knew what was going on the whole time. I didn’t know what he was doing, but HE knew what he was doing. Thank God, he’s perfect in his knowledge!

You might not know why you’re going through the things you’re going through. You might not know why he let certain things happen to you. Maybe you don’t have the knowledge you wish you had. Oh but the Spirit of God has got that knowledge. The Spirit of God knows why you’re going through what you’re going through. Isaiah 46:9-10 “I am God, and there is non like me, Declaring the end from the beginning.” God knows the beginning from the end. God knows how this thing is gonna turn out. No wonder he helps our infirmities. No wonder he makes intercession for us. If you love him. If you’ll just trust him. If you’ll go with him, and walk after him, he’ll take us to the other of side of this thing, and when it’s over, he’ll look back with you and say, “Do you understand now?” We might not understand now, but he does, Amen? He knows! He’s perfect in his knowledge.

#2 He’s perfect in his love

Romans 15:30 “Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;”

We talk about the love of God the Father: For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son… For God commendeth his lord toward us in that while we were yet sinner Christ died for us.. And we talk about the love of Jesus, God the Son: The life I now live, I live by the faith of son of God who loved me and gave himself for me… Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it… But what about the Holy Ghost and the love of the Spirit.

Our freedom is decreed by God the Father. Our freedom is wrought by God the Son. Our freedom is made real by God the Spirit. Our freedom is appropriated by God the Spirit. Our freedom is made effective by God the Spirit. Who was it that sought you when you were a stranger to God? When you were in the mire and muck of sin, who sought you there. In love, the Spirit of God followed after you and pleaded with you. How many times did we reject him and turn aside from him, but in love, he kept trying to reprove us of wages of sin, of judgment to come, and of the righteousness in Jesus Christ. Like a mother, who was it that carried you, and travailed with you, and birthed you into the family of God. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. You mama has a love for you that’ll never die. How much more the Spirit of God who brought you to Jesus Christ, who led you and drew you to Calvary. Only one that loves you can do so great a work in your life. The Holy Spirit is perfect in his love.

And who is that’s helping you today work out that salvation? “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Whoever it was that begun it, will perform it! Paul said, “Are ye so foolish, having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” Paul told the Hebrews, “Let us go on to perfection…” There’s only one way we’re gonna get down that road, and that to follow after the one that put us on this road in the first place. And in his love, the Holy Spirit has to deal with our murmuring, complaining, our unbelief, our doubting, our SIN! In love, he calls us back to him. In love, he guides us and leads us in paths of righteousness for his names sake. Oh sometimes in prayer, when the Spirit of God has come upon me, it’s all love. Love! Love! And I’ll cry, “I don’t deserve your love! I don’t deserve you love!” The Holy Spirit is perfect in his love.

#3 He’s Perfect in His Goodnes

Nehemiah 9:20 “Thou gavest also Thy good Spirit to instruct them…”

John 14:16 “…he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;”

God the Holy Spirit is good. I remember Preacher Allen and others would say that it’s probably a good idea to hang around someone that is more spiritual than you, because they’ll encourage you in this Christian life. They’ll help you. They’ll rub off on you. Versus hanging around someone that is less spiritual. They’ll keep you down. They’ll drag you off away from God. Find someone that’s going after God. I can’t think of any better person to follow after than God the Holy Spirit.

He won’t lead you the wrong way, that’s for sure. When contemplating this thing about walking after the Spirit, and being filled with the Holy Spirit, my mind is alway brought to the fruit of the Spirit. What is the fruit of the Spirit? “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Number 6 there is goodness. That’s in Galatians. In Ephesians, it says, “(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.” In Ephesians there’s three, and in Galatians there’s nine. And they’re different but one item: goodness.

What is it we tell our children before we leave them alone somewhere? Be good. I tell you, there’s one thing that God wants of his children and that’s to be good. We can learn goodness and do goodness if we walk after the Spirit, because the Spirit can be nothing but good. And if there’s any goodness in me, it’s the Holy Spirit that dwells in me.

First of all, he’s good to me. And that testified to by his actions which we covered:

1 Cor 2:10, He searcheth all things for us

Rev 2:7, He speaks to us in the churches

Gal 4:6, He cries in our hearts

Rom 8:26, He helps our infirmities; He makes intercession for us

John 15:26, He testifies of Jesus to us

John 14:26, He teaches us all things

John 16:12, He guides us

Acts 16:6, He forbids us

Acts 13:2, He calls us.

All these are good things. And if we follow after him and be filled with him, our actions will testify of the goodness of God. We’ll do good things. Look at Apollos, he was MUCH HELP to the brethren. “We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.” How do we walk in them? Walk after the Spirit. I’m telling you, if we follow after goodness, goodness will follow after us. What did David say, “Surely goodness and mercy should follow me all the days of my life!” If we follow after goodness, goodness will follow after us. I tell you I want to be good. I want to do good. The bible says that against such there is no law.

There is not a law against the fruit of the Spirit. But there is a law for it, amen. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” Walk after the Spirit, and you can’t go wrong. Listen, the law of the Spirit is not just a principle that we need to grasp. It’s something that needs to grasp us. We don’t need the Spirit of God to help us produce goodness in our life. We just need to let the Holy Ghost be good through us. I know it’s subtle, but it’s a world of a difference.

(Glove example)

When we try to produce the fruit of the Spirit with our wisdom, and our righteousness, and our love, and our power, we’re severely limited. But through the power of the Holy Ghost, there is no limit. Against such, there is no law! There is no limit.

He’s perfect in his goodness. God is good. God in the person of the Holy Ghost is good. Oh the thought, that God saw fit to dwell inside of me. (Expound, He leadeth me)

 

#4 He’s Perfect in His Concern

Ephesians 4:30 “Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God..”

1 Thess 5:19 “Quench not the Spirit”

The Holy Spirit is a very active person on our behalf. We’ve established that. However, that’s not to discount that the Holy Spirit is also reactive because of us. Depending on how we respond to the work and action of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit as a person, like any normal person would do, reacts accordingly. However, a normal person, can either over-react or under-react. There’s certain friends or family, that we have to be real careful about how we say things, or they’ll get their feelings hurt. Or there’s someone in our life that all or nothing. If least little things doesn’t go their way, they shut the whole things down. They don’t talk to anybody. They just crawl up in their little hole and punish everybody by withdrawing their presence. They over-react. Or maybe you’re the one that actually does that. Now we’re human and fleshly and imperfect and sinful and prideful and hateful, and we’re prone to do things like that. That’s why we don’t make a very good friend sometimes.

But the Holy Spirit is not like that. Like I said earlier, the Spirit is the perfect person to walk after. He’s a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. He’s infinitely wise. He’s infinitely loving and compassionate. IF we ever grieve the Holy Spirit of God, rest assured that he’s justified in his emotions. Not only does the Holy Spirit love, but he hurts too. He can be grieved. And his grief is justified; meaning God the Holy Spirit has every right to be grieved with us when he is. He never over-reacts or under-reacts. Why? Because he’s perfect in his concern for us.

When is grief justified? Look at the person I described earlier. (Repeat) That person is concerned only with themselves. But when we’re concerned about others and we want the best for others, our loved ones, our family, our children. And when they do things or say things or believe things that are detrimental to them, that draw them further from God; Oh we have every right to be grieved. Likewise, the perfect person of the Holy Spirit is concerned for us.

1 Cor 2:10, He searcheth all things for us

Rev 2:7, He speaks to us in the churches

Gal 4:6, He cries in our hearts

Rom 8:26, He helps our infirmities; He makes intercession for us

John 15:26, He testifies of Jesus to us

John 14:26, He teaches us all things

John 16:12, He guides us

Acts 16:6, He forbids us

Acts 13:2, He calls us.

He is active on our behalf because he’s concerned about us. He’s trying to be lead us and help us get through this life. And his concern is perfect. If He’s grieved at us, he ought to be. Stephen cried at those Pharisees, “Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost!” Stephen filled with the Holy Ghost, could feel and express the grief of God. Remember the spies at Kadesh-Barnea. I think the sad truth is that we’re mostly like the 10 spies that rebelled against God than we are like Joshua and Caleb. Joshua and Caleb said, “Let’s go in. Let’s possess what God has given us!” The other 10 said, “No, we can’t do it.” God was practically pulling them into the promised land. He was clearing the way. Deliverance after deliverance. Miracle after miracle. He had them by the hand and was taking them into the promised land. And they fought and resisted and said, “No, I want to go back!” And the bible says that “How long will this people provoke me? And how long will it be ere they believe me?” God was grieved. God wanted the very best for them. He was perfect in his concern for them.

Likewise, the Spirit of God, that leads us through this wilderness is perfect in his concern for us. When God chastens us and deals with us it’s because we most certainly need it. We’ve grieved him. We’ve grieved his Spirit. His Spirit is his most inner being. We grieved his most inner being; his Spirit. And like in that wilderness, the Holy Ghost is going to with the rebellion in us and carcasses are going to have to fall… Why? Because the Spirit is perfect in his concern for us.

“…My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuke of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he recieveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” Heb 12:5-11

I think perfect concerns means not only justified grief, but also justified chastisement. Do we think that we can grieve the Holy Spirit of God over and over and Him not react. No he is perfect in his concern for us. (You think about that example of the Shepard… broken leg)

 

 

 

 

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own on in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

– Explain how we came to this question

Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

James 2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

The LAW of Liberty

So the question is, how secure is this freedom? And the scriptures declare this freedom a law. The law of liberty. The law of liberty is the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. So we have ourselves a distinct topic. The law of liberty. It almost sounds like an oxy-moron. I thought freedom meant the absence of laws and rules. Well no it doesn’t. So that gives us an understanding of liberty. Liberty is not above the law, but they co-exist. (Flirting with another topic)

So this law of liberty is named the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. This name alone speaks volumes of the security of our freedom. There’s alot of topics here and honestly, I’m not sure how to give all this to you nor have I had the time to really dive into alot of this. But the name itself speaks volumes of the security of our freedom.

#1 The law – Here’s where we can study law. What is law? What are the characteristics of law. What does it mean for something to be a law. This not a suggestion. This is not a theory. This is not probability. This is not a possibility. This is not a hopeful event. This is LAW. That in and of itself means something, and we’re gonna look at that.

#2 The law of the Spirit – Here’s a good place to preach about the diety of the Spirit. Understand that this is the law of GOD the Spirit. This is not some secondary law. Like God the Father is the federal government and the Spirit is the state government and the federal law trumps the state law. No it’s not like that. The Holy Spirit is God just as much as God is God. (Elohim) So when we speak of the law of the Spirit, we speak of the law of Almighty God. If anything, I would venture to say the the law of liberty is greater and more powerful than the law that was given on Mount Sinai. The law of liberty trumps the law of sin and death. It proves the diety and divinity and glory and majesty of the Holy Spirit. For his laws (the law of the Spirit) are greater and more powerful that the law of sin and death. “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh…” The law of the Spirit could do that which the law of Moses could not do. This world did not experience sin and death until Adam and Eve partook of that fruit in the garden. Romans 5:12. Well the Mosaic law was given for sin and for death. But God was without sin. God the Holy Spirit is eternal and without sin. This is the law of the Spirit, the eternal, holy Spirit, and it trumps the law of sin and death. It condemns sin in the flesh and brings to nothing the law of sin and death.

#3 The law of the Spirit of life – The Spirit of life. What does that mean? What does it mean to be the Spirit of anything. Nirvanah’s teen spirit? Spirit of a football game: We go Spirit, yes we do…. I think a real good understand of the Spirit of anything is the Christmas Carol:

– The Spirit of Christmas Past, Present, and Future

– They were distinct personalities

– They had a domain, a jurisdiction, a territory

– They had an expertise, authority, and knowledge in that domain

– They had power

I think that’s a real good understanding of the Spirit of anything. We’re dealing with the Spirit of life. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of LIFE! He’s got a life giving personality, amen? His domain, his jurisdiction, his territy is LIFE! He is the authority on life. That is his expertise and he possesses all the knowledge of life, and most of all he’s got power over it. Power over life. Power to give it and power to take it. He’s the Spirit of life

#4 The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus – So it’s not just life vanilla or life in general. It is specifically life in Christ Jesus. What is life in Christ Jesus? I can’t answer all that right now, but I can tell you that it’s under the jurisdiction of the law of the Spirit. In other words, if there’s anything in the life in Jesus, if there is any benefit, any truth, any difference to a life in Christ Jesus as opposed to a life outside of Jesus, it is dictated by what? The Law of Liberty, the law of the Spirit, the law of Almighty God the Spirit. The life that Jesus promised (quote) will be manifested not by the Spirit’s desire, but by his LAW. How secure is this freedom in Jesus Christ that God has given us?

God wrote the law and God executes the law! (Compare to today)

We’ve mentioned alot in this study of Romans about law: The Mosaic law, the Levitical law, the book of the law. We’ve made a lot of reference to this. I’d like to take just a step back, and take out all the adjectives or titles and simply look at law. What is law? There’s so many kinds: There’s Mosaic Law, There’s federal law, state law, county law, city law, natural law, scientific law, physical law, mathematical law. There’s even church by-laws. There’s the study of law, law degrees, lawyers, and courts of law. So strip all that away and leave only law! What is law? Here’s a few things that ideally represent what law is:

#1 A law is always true given the same circumstances.

A law is a description of cause and effect. A law is an explanation as to what circumstances led to certain condition. What is the cause of this condition? Or what is the effect that is produced by certain circumstances? A law defines a relationship between the cause and the effect; or the circumstances and the condition. And the nature of this relationship is that of certainty, or imminence; a definition of surety. There are no exceptions, no anomalies. The given circumstances will never ever never produce a different result. A law is always always always now and forever true. That is what makes a law a law. In the text, we’re dealing with two different laws: The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus and the law of sin and death. I’d like to deal first with the law of sin and death.

The law of sin and death is always true given the same circumstances. What are these circumstances? This is what Paul describes in Romans 7:21. “I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.” Paul discovered the law of sin and death. These are the circumstances. Repeat. What is the effect? Vs 23: It brings me into captivity. Vs 25: “So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” And he had already determined earlier that the wages of sin is death. And if these are the circumstances that plague all, then undoubtedly this same condition will likewise effect us.

This brings me to a topic I’ve mentioned before but had never spent much time on. And that is the unbelief of one’s circumstances. Paul in admonishing the Romans to place not their trust in the Mosaic law. In Galatians, Paul is writing to rebuke them for following after Judaisers; Jews that were trying to get Christians back under the bondage of the law. A theme throughout all of Paul’s writings. So it’s very tempting, whether consciencly or unconsciencly, to believe that these circumstances do not apply to us.

We are not Jews. So when we start preaching about the law and trying to follow the law, one can easily dismiss what is said. “I don’t try to follow the law so what do I care? This doesn’t apply to me!” So I want to stress that yes, it does apply to us, even though we are not Jews. Whatever is not by grace through faith, is by default under the law. If it’s not of the Spirit, then it’s of the flesh. If it’s not grace, then it’s works. If it’s not of God, then it’s of the devil, of the world, or man, and it will perish. What did Jesus tell the Jews that argued, “Our Father is Abraham!” He said, “No your father is the devil!” Jesus said, “I am the door” and if you try to get in any other way but by the door, you’re a “thief and a robber!”

Maybe we don’t have Rabbis hounding us and bugging us to get back under the law. Maybe we don’t have members in the church that are persecuting us and trying to bewitch us and trouble us because we don’t want to put ourselves under the law. But we do have on the inside that which was born of the flesh, that which is subject to the law, trying to subvert, trying to bewitch, trying to trouble that which is born of the Spirit. And as long as we live in this flesh, these circumstances will remain true. As long as we live in this flesh, and try to do good, evil WILL BE PRESENT. It’s the LAW of the sin and death. It will always always always be true. The law in your mind and sin in your flesh will always produce condemnation.

You may think that you’re not troubled by the flesh and the law, but you are mistaken. John said, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” “Well, preacher, I don’t have a problem with that, I know I sin. I know I have sin in my flesh. It’s the law in my mind that just don’t see as true. I just don’t see as a true circumstance in my situation.” But I say unto you: How can you have anything else, BUT the law of God in your mind. And whisper of morality in your head, comes from God’s law. Even the slightest sense of right and wrong, comes from God’s law. Even the wild bushmen in the Amazon running around naked, completely uncivilized, have within themselves some sense of what is right and what is wrong. It might not match ours. It might not be written down. But they have laws that govern. Where do you suppose that they got these laws?

Paul said in chapter 2 “For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another…” Read Romans 1:18-20. So if the heathen have the law of God in their minds, and they have never as much seen a Holy Bible, what makes you think that we don’t have the law of God in our minds.

If there is any hint of right and wrong in your head, it had to come from God. Even the stern look your mother or father has given you when you did wrong is ordained of God. And in those eyes is the judgment of God, whether we realize it or not. And that look, rich in the law and wrath of God, will penetrate and affect your soul for eternity. Anytime, we see a beautiful sunrise or sunset, we always quote that passage, “The heavens declare the glory of God!” We stand in awe and the wonder and majesty of God, but remember the glory of God will slay the sinner! What we see in the heavens is just a hint of his glory and declaration of his glory. If you have eyes to see, the heavens have declared not just his glory, but the very Law of Moses and the judgement of God upon you.

Patty asked me the other day, “What do you tell a person that asks, if God is so good, why does he let all this bad stuff happen in the world?” And I have to admit, I don’t have a good answer for those type of questions. But I have learned enough about God to say this, “Stand just two seconds before Almighty God and then ask him yourself. Stand just two seconds before the majesty and glory of God and then question his judgement.” That day I got saved, that day that God revealed to me how utterly wretched a creature I was, how dismally black was my heart was, and hopeless my condition was. That day I met God, I know without a shadow of a doubt, his glory was veiled. I was given just the slightest glimpse of his glory. Just a pin prick of light through a curtain of darkness. I just barely touched the hem of his garment. I was given just the knowledge of his glory. And I though I was gonna die. People say, “I can’t wait to get to heaven. I can’t wait to see Jesus.” I’m not so sure about that. There’s no way I can stand before God in this body. No way. Why do you say that? Because I have the law of God in my mind. And so do you. Adam and Eve ate it 6000 years ago and we haven’t gotten rid of it yet.

So the circumstances have never changed, therefore the results never change. Why? Because the relationship is law; the law of sin and death. A law is always true given the same circumstances. The circumstances must change for the results to change. Now hold on a second, there’s two laws that Paul is dealing with: the law of sin and death (which he covered in Romans 7) is just one of them. The other law is the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. The circumstances have changed. Verse 3: “God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh;” The circumstances have changed. Jesus, took our sin upon him, and took it all the way to Calvary and nailed it to a cross. He paid the price for our sin. He suffered the results of the law of sin and death. Now, things are different. The circumstances are different. There is now a new law. Different circumstances will result in a different effect or a different condition. Verse 4: “…the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us!”

A law is always always true given the same circumstances. What are your circumstances? Have you put your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ? Have you come to him? Have you believed in him. Have you cast yourself on the mercy of God, and trust the shed blood of Jesus Christ? If so, according to the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, you are free from the law of sin and death! He’ll save anybody that comes to him. It’s true everytime. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. He will not cast you out. He will not deny you. He will not break his law. If you trust him, if you come to him, you don’t have to doubt it, he’ll make you free! And if the Son make you free, you will be free indeed. It’s true everytime. Every saved person has got in this way. Every saint has been forgiven. Every saint bears the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Every saint is bathed and washed in the blood of Jesus Christ. Every saved person has come this way. Every saved person has stepped upon the path of the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. This path has brought every person that has walked it from death to life, from condemnation to righteousness. A law is always always true given the same circumstances.

Now, there’s another circumstance, which really and truely this message or Romans 8 is about. Vs 1 and Vs 4: “who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” I want you to see in Vs 4 a particular word that I think we should consider: ‘might’ That the righteousness of the law MIGHT be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. There’s one more circumstance that is needed to get the results we’re looking for; and that’s to walk after the Spirit. It’s very important that we have right view of this freedom we been given in Jesus Christ.

There is a freedom wrought and then there’s freedom effectual. There’s the freedom that Jesus Christ has won for us through his death, burial, and resurrection. But then there’s freedom in which we walk in and freedom that effects us. Is it the same freedom? Yes. Is there a difference? Yes. Let me explain. If I give you 20 dollars and you put it in your pocket, that 20 dollars wrought. When you take it out and spend it, that 20 dollars effectual. In efectivo! Is it the same 20 dollars? Yes. Is there a difference? Yes. The first 20 dollars CAN purchase you something. The second 20 dollars HAS purchased you something. It’s very similar to how we view salvation. John the Baptist said, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” Jesus blood was shed for all the world and is sufficient to atone for every sin ever committed or ever will be committed. But will all the world be saved? No. The bible says that strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. God stands ready to forgive any sinner, the price has been paid, but not all will go to him. Jesus has wrought salvation for us. But when you call upon the name of the Lord and are saved, that salvation become effective to you.

So it’s similar with the freedom in Jesus Christ. The freedom which we have in Jesus Christ has been purchased for us in the finished work of Jesus Christ. That is freedom given. But then there’s freedom livin; which is us walking in that freedom and using this freedom. And it’s that freedom, freedom livin, that erases that ‘might’ and righteousness is fulfilled in us. What I’m saying is that there is a distinction between imputed righteousness and fulfilled righteousness. It’s the same righteousness, but imputed righteousness is what God gives us when we come to him a lost sinner and fulfilled righteousness happens when we walk after the Spirit. There’s freedom given, and then there’s freedom livin!

I know I might sound like a broken record, but walking after the Spirit is more than just being indwelt with the spirit. Being filled with the Spirit is real. I don’t think see how anyone can ever be filled with the Spirit or walk after the Spirit, unless they realize the reality of it and the need for it. There is a difference. That’s why Paul says in Galatians 5:25, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Is it the same Spirit? Yes. Is there a difference though? Yes! Later on in Romans 8, Paul says, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” It’s very easy to gloss over these things and in our minds no make the distinction that little expression “in the Spirit” means “walking after the Spirit” and it doesn’t. It only means that the Spirit of God dwells in you. It means what Paul is saying in Galatians, “If we live in the Spirit…” Walking after the Spirit is more than just being “in the Spirit” just like in Galatians where walking “in the Spirit” is more than just living “in the Spirit”

Like I said before, you are what you believe. If you don’t believe there more to just the indwelling of the Spirit, there is a walking in the Spirit, there is a filling of the Spirit, then you’ll never walk after the Spirit, you’ll never be filled with the Spirit. You are what you believe. Do you believe the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus? And brings us to a second truth about law?

#2 A law is proven through much experimentation

A law is proven through much experimentation. This is what we need. Some experimental knowledge of the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. How we need to see the manifestation of this law, this great truth, in our life. If we didn’t, how would lives be any different from those that are lost. A law is proven through much experimentation.

Paul speaks of experimental knowledge in Romans 5. He said, “…we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” How can we know the love of God but through experimentation. How do we obtain hope but by experimentation. How do we experience the work of the Holy Ghost but by experimentation. Experimental knowledge.

If the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus only pertained to the indwelling of the Spirit of God, then there would be no way to broaden your experimental knowledge of the law. You’d have to get saved over and over and we know that’s not going to happen. But the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus is not just of the indwelling, but about walking in the newness of Spirit, about walking after the Spirit, about being filled with the Spirit. That is something that we can prove through much experimentation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#3 A law does not change.

1) BORN INTO LIBERTY

Romans 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Galatians 2:4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage.

1 Corinthians 8:9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.

2) CALLED UNTO LIBERTY

Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

3) STAND IN LIBERTY

Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty whereith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

1) BORN INTO LIBERTY

Romans 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Liberty belongs to the children of God. A child of God is one that has been brought forth or birthed from God. You are a child of your parents because you were conceived by your mother and father and formed in the womb of your mother and one day, after much travail, you were brought forth or birthed. Likewise, you are a child of God, if you are brough forth in the same manner. You were conceived by the Word of God formed by God and one happy day, you were also brought forth and birthed by the Spirit of God. You were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Liberty belongs to such; those who have been (as Jesus said in John 3:3) born again. Liberty belongs to those being (as Peter said in 1Peter 1:23) born again by the Word of God. Liberty belongs to those who have been (as John said 7 times in his 1st letter) born of God. We have been delivered from the bondage of corruption into the GLORIOUS LIBERTY of the children of God. A child of God is one who has been born of God, or born again. To those who have been born again, God has placed them into glorious liberty.

There are many privileges to being a child of God. There is forgiveness and pardon, most definitely. When this life on earth is over, there is the privilege of a mansion in the heaven, the street of God, the face to face presence of God and an eternity of bliss. It’s all good, it’s great, but on this earth after we are saved, but before we are translated into his presence, one of our most precious promises and privileges is the glorious liberty which God has reserved only for the children of God. To us who have been born again, God has made us able to live and stand in the glorious liberty that Jesus has wrought for us.

Paul’s letter to the Galatians confirms this. There is a reference to an allegory there. What’s an allegory? It’s a story that has a hidden meaning. It’s like a type in the bible. Much like we compared Egypt to being Lost, the Wilderness to be saved yet carnal, and Canaan to being saved and filled with Holy Ghost. There’s another allegory in the bible or type. And that the account of Hagar and Ishmael, and Abram and Sarai. Galatians, chapter 4:

Gal 4:22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.Gal 4:23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.

Gal 4:24 Which things are an allegory:…

 

These things are an allegory of reality. This is an allegory of what Paul is addressing in Galatians 4: There’s a struggle between the Jews and Christians. The Jews want do things one way, and the Christians want to do things another. These things are an allegory of Romans 8: The flesh wants to serve sin, and the Spirit wants to serve God. These things are an allegory of what is going on in the wilderness: Some wanted to go back to Egypt and some wanted to possess the promised land. It’s the same question: Should be walk after the flesh, or after the Spirit? There’s two that lusteth. There’s two that are vying for your attention. So Paul is saying that this is represented by this allegory Genesis by the bondwoman, and the freewoman.

Gal 4:24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.Gal 4:25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

Gal 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

Gal 4:28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

There are two Jerusalems. There is Jerusalam which now is, and there is Jerusalem which is above. And Hagar, or the bondwoman in this allegory answereth to Jerusalem which now is. Hagar represents the flesh. And the flesh answereth or is subject to Jerusalem which now is, that’s the law. Jerusalem is the headquarters, the capital, the ruler, the government. The Jerusalem which now is the government or economy of the law, or the law of sin and death. And Hagar AND all her children are in bondage to this Jerusalem which now is.

But Paul says that OUR mother is Jerusalem which is above. Notice he doesn’t say that Sarai is the mother of us all. No, he says our mother is Jerusalem which is above. And this Jerusalem, this headquarter, this capital, this ruler, this government, this Jerusalem which is above is free. And we are subject to, or a subject of, Jerusalem which is above. Who you are born of is who you answer to. We are in freedom under Jerusalem which is above.

So can I ask you this? “Who’s your mama?” Because who your mama is will determine who your Jerusalem is. Which Jerusalem are you a subject of? Who do you answer to? That depends on who your mama is. John 3:6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” 2 Corinthians 3:17 “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” There’s only one way to enter into the glorious liberty of the children of God, and that’s to be born into it. Who is your Jerusalem? Jerusalem which now is, run by the law of sin and death, where it’s subject walk after the flesh; for that which now is. Or is it Jerusalem which is above, run by the law of Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, where it’s subject walk after the Spirit; for that which is above.

Gal 4:29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. 

We should note that Paul believed that Isaac was born after the Spirit. Spirit and promise are used interchangebly. Evn so it is now. That’s where you and I are now. Now, I want to interpret scripture correctly. In Galatians, Paul is actually talking about other Jews that had come in and subverted these Christians.

Galatians 1 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.Galatians 3 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

 

There were Jews that were trying to get these Christians back under the law. They need to be circumcised. They need to do this part of the law, and that part of the law. The children of the flesh were persecuting the children of promise. Even so it is now. If you go back to Genesis and see the account of all this. Gen 16:4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had concieved, her mistress was despised in her eyes.” When Hagar saw that Hagar had concieved, Sarah was despised in Hagar’s eyes. If there’s any doubt of that. Look at verse 5 “And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes..” So it was the bondwoman that despised the freewoman. Not the other way around. It was Hagar that despised Sarah. Even so it is now. He that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit. It was the Jew that persecuted the Christian back then. These were actual people that were troubling the Christians. These people were Jews, and Paul considered them children of the flesh. They were bewitching the Christians. For the Galatians, their troubles were the children of the flesh on the outside. Our trouble today is the child of the flesh on the inside. We don’t have Jews telling us to back under the law. But we do have on the inside that which was born of the flesh trying to subvert, trying to bewitch, and trying to trouble and persecute that which was born of the Spirit. And what was Paul’s advise to this:

Gal 4:30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.Gal 4:31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

 

Cast them out! Throw them out! You don’t compromise with the flesh. You don’t try to work with it. There’s no room for the desires of both. Cast them out! This reminds me again of that quote from Jim Elliot. “He is not fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” For the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. The flesh will not be heir with the spirit. That means it will not endure. The spirit will endure and last and reign. 1Peter 1:24 “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:” This old flesh is just a temporary things and should have no dominion over us, so cast it out! We are not children of the bondwoman, but we are children of the FREE!

Liberty belongs to us. Liberty is our possession. The glorious liberty of the children of God is our property. It’s our standing ground. Galatians 2:4 “…because of false brethren unaware brought in, who came in privily to spy out OUR LIBERTY which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage.” It’s ours, it’s ours, it’s ours. It’s not their’s. It’s not for all men. It’s not for the children of the devil. It’s not even for the angels. It’s ours! God has acquired it for only one people. God has commandeered this glorious liberty for only one people to occupy! The children of God.

Liberty belongs to the children of God. Romans 8:14 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and join-heirs with Christ…” Romans 7&8: When we serve in the newness of Spirit, then are our possessions made manifest. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, and walk after the Spirit, our glorious inheritance of FREEDOM is clear.

Liberty belongs to the children of God.

 

2) CALLED UNTO LIBERTY

Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

This freedom belongs to those who have been called into it. Ye have been called unto liberty! The word eklesia, or in spanish it iglesia, in english it is church; it means “the called out assembly!” To be called is to be called out, called out of a lost and dying world that is imprisoned and in bondage to sin and death.

The Author of the Call

It says many times in the bible that you have “been made free” and that speaks of the action taken on your soul and the price paid to secure your freedom; but the bible also says that you have been “called unto liberty!” The fact that there is a call, implies that #1 someone is calling, and #2 that someone is calling for a reason. #1, That someone is God, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. #2, He is calling for a reason. This speaks to us of the heart of God, the will of God, the desire of God, the plans of God, or as some people say, “the determinate counsel of God”. It speaks to us of the love of God and the compassion and ardent longing that God has for us. Not that we loved God, but that he loved us first. Matthew 23:37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, … how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings…” His call to us is his desire. The bride in Song of Solomon, when she hears her lovers call, she says “The voice of my beloved! Behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.” It’s speaks to us and tells us that God has intentions for us and desires. We enter in this liberty because we were called! The angels may ask us, “Why are you here?” and we can respond, “I am not here on my own accord, but I have been called unto liberty!” “It was not my desire, but someone else’s desire and summons in that he has called me unto this liberty!” I stand here now in this freedom because I have been called to be here. Not my will that I be free, but thy will be done. O bless his holy name, that he saw fit to call me unto liberty. What a glorious peace to be in the mind and heart of God; that it was God’s desire to set me free. It was his idea and his calling to me. To be called unto liberty is to be called by someone who wants me and longs for me to be in this liberty; God the son, Jesus Christ has written out the invitation in his own blood, even before the foundation of the world; has sent his Holy Spirit, his angels, his bible and his evangelists, to present; this invitation, his will, for you; to call you unto liberty!

The Alarm of the Call

To be called unto liberty is to be awoken unto liberty. 1 Cor 15:34 “Awake to righteousness!” Romans 13:11 “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” The Spirit of God must awaken us to liberty; awaken us to freedom. Just as the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters before this earth began, so must the Spirit of God move upon the slumbering chords of our soul. Ezekial 37 “The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones… Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord… So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.” Awake to righteousness! As a newborn babe opens his eyes and takes his first breath, awake, open your eyes, and breath the Spirit’s breath of freedom! For God has called you unto liberty! As Jesus said at the grave of Lazarus, “Take away the stone! Open your eyes to the glory of God! Come forth! Loose him! And Let him go!” Hear the alarm of God! It’s calling you to awaken to liberty!

The Answer to the Call

To be called is not just to hear the call, but to answer the call; to claim and posses the freedom that you have been called into. It’s wonderful thing to be saved; but to be called unto liberty means not to be brought to the threshold of freedom, but to be ushered into it. Liberty is not something that God taunts and teases us with, but gives it to us freely and abundantly, “..it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over..” God gives his freedom. How free we are depends on how much we believe God.

Those Israelite spies that stood at the edge of the promised land had it in their head that they couldn’t posses the promised land. Num 13:30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. Use you imagination for just a minute. These ten spies that had determined that they were not able to overcome the obstacles to possess the promised land; if I know people (some of you know what I’m talking about) those ten spies had already decided that they weren’t going over before they took one step into that promised land to spy it out. They had already decided in their attitude and in their spirit. The bible says that Joshua and Caleb had a different spirit. This wasn’t the first time they disappointed God. It was the tenth time. Num 14:22 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; Ten times did they not believe God.

You can get into a habit of not believing God and God brings us to the threshold of freedom and liberty in Christ Jesus. He’s ready to usher us in, but do we really want to go. I can hear those spies with their negative comments the whole time. Oh man, look at these grapes. We’re going to have carry these all the way back. I can’t eat that whole grape. Look at this dirt! We can’t grow anything in this dirt. No, it will never work. Look at these Amelekites. They’re huge. Aww man, there’s no way we can beat them. I can see Joshua and Caleb saying, we can take them! And the others are there nodding their heads, no, no, no, no, no. They didn’t get there and start with the negative attitude. They had been saying no, no, no, no the whole time from Egypt.

They said no at the Red Sea, and God said yes and parted it. They said no when they were thirsty, and God said yes and gave them water from the rock. They said no when they were hungry, and God said yes and gave them manna from above. God gave them the law, and they said no with their golden calf. They said no with their strange fire. Time after time, it’s no, no, no, no.

Quit saying no to God and answer the call. To answer his call is to say yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Believe in God and what he says. The main reason we are not filled with the Holy Ghost and walking after the Spirit of God in the newness of spirit is because we don’t believe that we can. You are what you believe. He that comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them diligently seek him. Mat 21 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall recieve. Mat 7 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Luke 11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

God is calling you unto Liberty. Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Most people think that Peter is talking about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. If you keep things in their context, you’ll see that he’s talking about what just happened. What just happened. The bible says that they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. Peter explained that what they saw was what God had promised by his prophet Joel. …having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. … For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

Did you catch that? Even as many as the Lord our God shall call! God is calling you unto Liberty! Answer the call! Because freedom belongs to those who have been called into it.

 

3) STAND IN LIBERTY

Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

This freedom or liberty belongs to those that stand fast in it. To ‘stand fast’ means “to firmly remain in the same position.” Paul admonishes us in other letters to stand fast in the Lord, to stand fast in one spirit, to stand fast in the traditions which ye have been taught, and to stand fast in the faith. And here, Paul encourages us to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free. We should firmly remain in this place of Liberty.

The Place of Liberty

We must understand that there is a place a position in which Paul admonishes us to stand fast in; this place of liberty. This is the place where God has brought us.

 

A secure place to be: Psalm 40:2 “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock…”

 

A safe place to be: Psalm 4:8 “…for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.”

 

A secret place to be: Psalm 27:5 “…he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me…”

 

A fruitful place to be: Psalm 1:3 “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

 

A peaceful place to be: Psalm 4:8 “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep…”

 

A prosperous place to be: Psalm 122:7 “..prosperity within thy palaces.”

 

Oh what a wonderful place God has made for us; this place of Liberty. No doubt typified by the land flowing with milk and honey; a place of promise; a place of victory; the blessed promised land of liberty. Where is this land? Where is this secure, safe, secret, fruitful, peaceful, prosperous place? Where is this place of refuge? Fifteen times in the Psalms does is say that “God is our refuge!” Jesus is that rock! Jesus is the Prince of Peace! The Holy Spirit is the rivers of water! It’s the Holy Spirit that causes us to bring forth fruit! It’s the eternal Spirit of God that does not wither and His work that shall prosper. There is a place of Liberty! Psalm 91:1 “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.” This place of Liberty will I trust. This place of Liberty will I believe. This place of Liberty will I put my faith.

Our Position in Liberty

This place of Libert is our Position in Liberty. This place is where we ought to be standing. There’s no other place for us to stand. Any other place is not liberty. Any other place is not secure; it’s not safe; it’s not secret. Any other place, there’s no fruit, no peace, and no prosperity. Any other place is not liberty; it’s bondage.

That’s why Romans applies to us and not just the Jew. You might not consider the Mosaic Law. You might not worry about the law, but it’s not of faith, then it’s the law, whether you realize it or not.

SOS 2:13 “O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs…”

 

The first is freedom. Romans 8:2 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” It’s the next verse, so it makes sense to cover it. So, of course, the bible is it’s best commentary. I went through all the New Testament and pulled all the scriptures that had the word free, freedom, or liberty in them. I took all these and grouped them together into five different topics. And to these five topics I have adhered five different questions:

 

1) To whom does this freedom belong? Our Liberty

2) How secure is this freedom? The Law of Liberty

3) From what are we made free from? Free from Sin

4) How am I free? I am Made Free

5) To what are we made free for? Free to Serve

 

Lord willing, we will try to answer these five questions. But first, I’d like to look at a few things regarding freedom in general.

Freedom, a very interesting topic

Now in general, we are a particular people, living in a particular country, during a particular time in history. I don’t know if there has ever been a people, a place, and a time like there presently now in history. I’m sure there are similarities, but I believe it to be quite particular.

We are a people that are born free. That in and of itself is not common in the history of this earth. But on top of that, we are a people that have taken for granted the freedom in which we were born. We are a people that know not the value and worth of our freedom. And this I know to be true. Like Esau, we have sold our birthright for beans. We’ve sold the promises of our future for the desires of the moment. We are a particular people.

We live in a particular country. We live in a country like no other country that has ever existed on the face of this earth; a country that was founded on the solid rock of freedom; of liberty; of independence. This country has been a beacon of hope and freedom all around this world from the time of its inception. People from all around this world have come to our shores for one reason and that’s to be free!

And then we are a particular people, living in a particular country, during a particular time in history. The great experiment in freedom is very close to ending. Our freedoms are waning. Our debts are increasing. Our military is dwindling. Our influence is receding. This country has got some hard choices to make. And if we don’t make them, they’ll be made for us. Our country, the city upon the hill, is now in the balances. We’re living in a very crucial time right now for the future of this land. We are a free people that have forsaken freedom, living in a country whose foundation is freedom, that may see our foundation of freedom removed. Very particular.

I consider myself pretty average. And I can remember a time in my life that I was awakened to these concepts of freedom. I remember around my early 20s, self teaching myself about the founders of our country. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to know that most ALL children coming out of the public schools including myself know NOTHING about the founding fathers of this blessed country and what they believed. I’ve actually dedicated a part of my life to the study of this, and have read and researched, and I know little to nothing. So don’t worry. I speak out of knowledge. I’m not exaggerating. One thing that these pioneers in freedom believed was:

God is the author of civil liberty

The freedom that was instituted in this country when it was formed was based on the Bible and based on the freedom that God gives us in Jesus Christ and nothing else. I have some quotes from some of our founding fathers about how they regarded civil liberty and the bible.

The right to freedom being the gift of God Almighty… These may be best understood by reading and carefully studying the institutes of the great Law Giver and Head of the Christian Church, which are to be found clearly written and promulgated in the New Testament. – John AdamsThe general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God. – John Adams

I do not believe that the Constitution was the offspring of inspiration, but I am as satisfied that it is as much the work of a Divine Providence as any of the miracles recorded in the Old and New Testament. – Benjamin Rush

The only means of establishing and perpetuating our republican forms of government is the universal education of our youth in the principles of Christianity by means of the Bible. – Benjamin Rush

To the free and universal reading of the Bible… men [are] much indebted for right views of civil liberty. – Daniel Webster

The religion which has introduced civil liberty is the religion of Christ and His apostles… This is genuine Christianity and to this we owe our free constitutions of government. – Noah Webster

The Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children under a free government ought to be instructed. No truth is more evident than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people. – Noah Webster

These were some of our founding fathers, the ones that took part in the Revolution, and the framing of our Constitution. They knew that the liberty wrought in Jesus Christ was the basis for civil liberty. In other words, the freedoms that we enjoy today were the result of godly men that formed a government based on their Christianity. Therefore God was the author of civil liberty. And because of that…

Our civil liberty is directly proportional to our knowledge of the author of liberty

This means that the greater our knowledge of the God, the greater our civil liberties will be. The weaker our knowledge of God, the weaker and more scarce our civil liberties will be. “Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need for masters” – Benjamin Franklin

There’s a song we all know. It’s actually in alot of hymn books. It’s probably in ours. But every time I do sing this song, my heart aches for this country of ours. I love this country and what it stands for, how it was formed and founded. I believe that God has given his people this land as he gave the Isrealites the land of Canaan. And God has used this country for his purposes throughout it’s history. And I’m proud to be part of it. This song really speaks of the godly nature of this country and the founding principles of Christian liberty that it was founded on. But to hear it makes me sad because these are quickly becoming forgotten principles; it’s becoming a forgotten song.

My country ‘tis of thee, Sweet land of liberty, Of thee I sing;

Land where my fathers died, Land of the pilgrim’s pride,

From ev’ry mountain side, Let freedom ring.

My native country thee, Land of the noble free, Thy name I love;

I love thy rocks and rills, Thy woods and templed hills,

My heart with rapture thrills, Like that above.

Let music swell the breeze, And ring from all the trees Sweet freedom’s song;

Let mortal tongues awake, Let all that breathe partake,

Let rocks their silence break, The sound prolong.

Our father’s God to thee, Author of liberty, To Thee we sing;

Long may our land be bright With freedom’s holy light;

Protect us by Thy might, Great God, our King

God is the author of liberty. I believe that the people who founded this nation knew the author of liberty; hence, they knew the true nature of freedom. They shed their blood for it, and transformed this land into the sweet land of liberty. And for many years our land has been bright with freedom’s holy light. But things are changing and they’re changing fast. Our freedoms are eroding because our knowledge of the author of liberty and true freedom has eroded. I’m not talking about knowing about the author of liberty. I’m talking about knowing the author of liberty. This is how we know the effectiveness of our churches today, by how bright shines freedom’s holy light. As our liberties in this country erode, it speaks volumes of the condition of today’s modern church. It’s going to take more than this cool music and movies to turn things around. I’m not sure it can be. Show me a nation that has incrementally moved to freedom, and I can show you handfuls of them that have incrementally fallen to tyranny and despotism. “But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever.” – John Adams It’s going to take more than good food and colorful flyers. It’s going to take more than T-shirts, fun and games. The only hope now for this country is another great awakening and revival to sweep across this land; a return to the Word of God, and a manifestation of the Holy Spirit in power.

Freedom Must be Fought for and Fought to Maintain

Freedom is something that must be fought for and fought to maintain. Until Jesus comes, this world will always have those that want to take that freedom away. There will always be those that want to enslave other people and rule over other people. Therefore, if you want freedom, it must be fought for. If you want to keep your freedom, you’re going to have to fight for it. That’s why the founding fathers of this sweet land of liberty gave us the Second Amendment: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” The main reason the 2nd amendment was given to us was not for hunting, not for personal protection, but to secure freedom.

I heard something the other day on the radio. I was listening to Gun Talk after church the other Sunday. The host said something that really stuck with me. He said that a gun was an instrument of liberty. I thought that was very interesting. Of course that brought me to where I’ve been studying these past few weeks. See, back in bible times, they didn’t have guns. They had swords! A sword was their instrument of liberty. Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, implores us to put on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel, the shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation. The last thing he tells us to take up is the sword of the Spirit; which he says is the word of God.

The sword of the Spirit is God’s instrument of liberty! Now in the light of this doctrine of being filled with the Holy Spirit and walking after the Spirit, we see the Spirit’s sword more clearly. The Holy Ghost is a person, and in relation to His sword, he’s a warrior and a defender of liberty. He walks this earth, and with the power of His sword, he makes men free and keeps them free. To walk after the Spirit is to walk after the divine emancipator, the protector of liberty. To walk after the Spirit is to walk in this world under the protection of the Spirit’s instrument of liberty; with no threat to your liberty and no fear of ever losing it. To walk after the Spirit is also to partake and participate in the Spirit’s wielding power to free others. To be filled with the Spirit of God is how our liberty is protected and how other’s liberty is wrought. The Spirit is the one with the instrument of liberty. It’s the sword OF THE SPIRIT. If we are to benefit it, benefit from the word of God, we must be filled with Him, the Spirit of God. You see, God doesn’t want us to just read the Word of God, he wants us to wield it! Weild it as an instrument of liberty; an instrument of freedom!

Lord willing that’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to ask the Sword of the Spirit some questions.

 

Why must me walk after the Spirit?

“Now there is therefore now no condemnation to them that in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:1

Introduction

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Why must we walk after the Spirit? Why must we be filled with the Holy Ghost? There are perhaps many reasons, and I’ve covered many: Like Mary, so that God can accomplish the impossible inside of you. Like Elizabeth, that we might experience joy unspeakable and full of glory, rivers of living water flowing from the belly. Like Simeon, that we may depart this earth in peace. Like Barnabas, that much people might be added unto the Lord. Or Like Apollos, that we might be of much help to the brethren. All this is well and good reason to be desire to walk with God. But (this morning) I give to us our most precious and necessary motive to walk after the Spirit: that we might glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, our wonderful and loving Savior!

What is the incentive to us that we might desire to walk after the Spirit? What is the hunger and thirst of your soul that compels you to desire to walk after Spirit? “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.” What is it about God that you pant for? For His physical provisions: food, rainment, shelter; health and healing? For His mental provisions: peace, success, wisdom? Or does your soul pant after the glory of God?

John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,)

John 11:4 “When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.”

John 11:40 “Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

John 17:22 “And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.”

John 17:25 “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou has given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

Our most precious and necessary motive to walk after the Spirit is that we might glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, our wonderful and loving Savior!

Correct Interpretation

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Two Ways

Now I realize that not everybody teaches or preaches these chapters in Romans or these concepts of the Spirit like I have been here to you all. I’m not really sure how other people preach this. In fact, I remember Brother Wayne Henderson said this a few times, and he’s in his 70’s; and he said it again in the prayer room at the camp: “I’ve heard alot of preaching in my life, and I can only remember a handful of times I’ve ever heard anybody preach out of Romans 7.” My eyes lit up and I got nervous, because I was in Romans 7.

I remember another old man of God. He said you are what you eat. Physically, if you eat trash, your body is going to be trash. Mentally, if you watch trash and read trash, your mind is going to be trash. Spiritually, you are what you believe. So it’s very important what we believe. I was talking to an older gentleman the other day…

There are two basically two fundamental ways to interpret Romans 7 & 8. There is actually great controversy as to how to apply this text. Is Paul admonishing the saved person? Is all this written to help the saved person along this Christian journey? Or, has Paul written this for us to understand the difference between a saved person and a lost person? All this about the oldness of the letter, and the sin that dwelleth in us, and the body of this death; are they referring to the lost man?

 

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Written for the saved

Now, of course, the way I have been presenting this to you has been for the former. Paul is writing about saved people and he’s writing to saved people. Most of the time, he’s talking about himself in a saved state. The struggle between flesh and spirit is the struggle that every saved person must go through.

The context of these passages is SERVICE. Romans 7:6 is the perfect header for these two chapters, “we should serve in the newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.” Paul is explaining to us how to serve God; or (in terms of Romans 7:4&5) how to bear fruit for God; how to bear fruit in this new marriage.

Paul explains how he would “serve in the oldness of the letter” in the rest of Chapter 7 and sums it up in the last verse: “So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” He confirms that the context is service and he speaks of himself, a saved person.

When he gets to Romans 8, he covers the remedy for the wretched man; the remedy for the “this death” (Remember: the body of “this” death): to “serve in the newness of spirit.” He admonishes us to strive to serve God in the newness of spirit, by walking after the Spirit.

 

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Not for the Lost

Some people don’t believe that Paul is admonishing the saved. Rather, they believe that Paul is making a distinction between the lost and saved. Serving in the oldness of the letter and the sin that dwelleth in man and the evil that is present and the body of this death are strictly descriptions of a lost man. And serving in the newness of spirit and walking after the Spirit are now the new saved man. Some people believe that Paul was describing a time in his life before he got saved, that he called out, “O wretched man, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”

Even though this is probably simpler, it is problematic. The problem is that he says, “For that which I do” not “For that which I did” or “For that which they do.” Nowhere in the text does he ever indicate that his subject is not really himself or what he represents: the saved person. And he’s not writing to lost people; he’s writing to the Christians in Rome; the ones he said in Romans 1:8 “that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.”

If he was describing the lost person, then the implication is that once someone gets saved (becomes a Christian), then they no longer walk after the flesh, but now walk after the spirit; and consequently, they no longer must deal with the flesh. If this is so, then why would Paul have to admonish Christians in Rome to NOT walk after the flesh. By this interpretation, it is impossible for a saved person to walk after the flesh. Why would Paul admonish Christian in Rome TO walk after the Spirit, if it was inevitable to walk after the Spirit if they’re already saved? If walking after the Spirit was as sure as day and the inevitable result of being saved, then why would there be a reason to admonish saved people to do so. The implication is that saved people don’t struggle with the flesh.

The truth is they do; and that walking after the Spirit is not an inevitable result of being saved. No, it’s a choice that saved persons must make. On the contrary, walking after the Spirit is the direct, inevitable result of being filled with the Spirit. Therefore, if walking after the Spirit was a direct, inevitable result of being saved, then there would be no need to be filled with the Spirit. There would be no need for you to make a choice. There would be no need be admonished. Amen. So I do not believe for one second that Romans 7 and 8 is for the lost. It’s for the saved.

 

Introduction to Canaan

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Introduction

Now, assuming that our interpretation is correct, we come to Romans 8:1. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” So if this verse is for the saved, for those that in Christ Jesus, then that implies that saved people are in one of two states: walking after the flesh or walking after the Spirit. In order that there be no condemnation, two things must be true: You must be in Christ and you must walk after the Spirit. The other combination for the saved person is that you are in Christ, but you walk after the flesh. If this is so, the “no condemnation” clause does not apply. Therefore, there is condemnation if you are in Christ, yet walking after the flesh. Then can I make this assessment: There is condemnation in Christ Jesus. This is where people say, “No no no. The Bible says there’s no condemnation!” Yeah but you got to read the whole sentence, the whole chapter and the one before too. Now if I just say that without giving you anything else, “There is condemnation in Christ,” then sure; that doesn’t sound right, does it? Nevertheless, if you are saved, and walking in the flesh, then there is condemnation in Christ Jesus.

And the challenge for us today is to get out from under that condition and walk after the Spirit! To live the Spirit-filled life! That is why I’ve spent so much time on the Spirit of God. If anything is going to get done in this Christian life, it’s gonna get done by the Holy Ghost. Therefore, we want to know as much as we can about the Holy Ghost. We want to study as much as we can in our bibles about the Holy Ghost. And there’s a lot. Now what is the nature of this condemnation? What is the nature of this Spirit-filled life? How do you identify where you’re at. How do you obtain and live in this Spirit-filled life?

Now to better understand this, I would like to look at a specific type in the Old Testament, which we have discussed before, but hadn’t gone into detail. Now a type is a prophetic symbol that points to a future truth. The passover lamb was a type of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. The Ram in the thicket was a type of Jesus Christ, our substitute. Types are not perfect. But they’re good biblical ways of demonstrating the work of God. The Israelites journey from Egypt to Canaan is a type of Saved Person’s journey to the Spirit-filled life.

 

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The Type Explained

This type comes in three stages: 1) The Israelites deliverance from Egypt is a type of our Salvation. 2) The journey through the wilderness is a type of a carnal saved person [Romans 7]. 3) Canaan is a type of the Spirit-filled life [Romans 8]. So you’re either in 1 of 3 places. You’re either in Egypt; you are lost in bondage, a slave to sin. You’re either in the Wilderness; you are delivered from bondage, you’ve got the law, but you are carnal, you’re wandering, you’re unfit for the blessed promised land, you’re murmuring, complaining, and steeped in unbelief. Or you’re in Canaan; you are saved, filled with the Spirit, walking after the Spirit, in God’s perfect will, doing the work of God.

Canaan is primarily used as a type of heaven, the promised land, the final destination. And it may very well be used that way. Many see Canaan as the end of the road. They don’t want to entertain any thoughts of living in Canaan, until they die. They sing that song “On Jordan’s stormy banks I stand and cast a wishful eye to Canaan’s fair and happy land, where my possession lie. I am bound for the promised land.” And if you like that song that’s fine.

But there’s another crowd that sings another song, “Egypt was once my home, I was a slave, Helpless in sin did roam, love-light did crave, But when I looked up to heaven’s dome, Christ came to save, I’m living in Canaan now. Living on Canaan’s side, Egypt behind, Crossed over Jordan wide, Gladness to find, My soul is satisfied, no longer blind, Living with Jesus up in Canaan right now.” You don’t have to wait until you die to cross Jordan, you can cross Jordan now.

There are some benefits to reaching Canaan now and not later. Canaan is the land of promise and covenant; the land of God’s will, the land of the Faithful; where the wilderness is the land of unbelief, the land of limbo, the land of going in circles, the land of the doubters. Canaan is the land flowing with milk and honey, the land of sustenance; where the wilderness is the land of drought, starvation, and despair. Canaan is place where God fights your battles, a place victory; where the wilderness is the place of murmuring, complaining, and dissension. Where do you want to be?

 

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The Type Explored

So to better understand this, I don’t expect you to take my word for it. We must travel into the Old Testament and witness this journey through the wilderness and into the promised land. In order to understand and have victory over the flesh, we can see how God dealt with it the Old Testament.

Now the thing to remember in this type (the key to understanding this) is that all of Israel represents all the saint (not the church). Allow me to explain. Within all of Israel were many different people. For example, Caleb was one that had a different spirit; one of obedience and humility. While Korah had a spirit of disobedience and pride. Both were in the camp. Both were part of Israel. So it is with the saint. There are two powers within you. One that wants to do God’s will and the other that wants to do the will of the flesh. Both are present in you as both Korah and Caleb were present in the camp of Israel. So Israel does not represent the church; it represent the individual saint that desires the blessed promised land.

 

 

 

At Kadesh-Barnea

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Introduction

The Israelites have been delivered from the clutches of Pharoah. They at this point in the scriptures are at Kadesh-Barnea, the edge of the Promised land. A spy from each tribe was chosen to go search out the land. When they returned, one of those spies, Caleb, said plainly to the congregation, “Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it!” But the bible says that the other men said, “NO! We are NOT able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.” They brought an evil report of the land: They said the land eateth up the inhabitants thereof. They said there were giants.

So instead of hearkening unto Caleb, the children of Israel listened to the evil report. They all cried and wept and lifted up their voices and murmured against Moses. And they said they would have better if God had them die in Egypt, or die in the wilderness. They said “Were it not better for us to return into Egypt!” And they said, “Let’s make us a captain, and Let’s go back!”

God was wroth with them. He was angry. He told Moses he was going to smite them and disinherit them and raise up another nation from Moses instead. But Moses prayed for them asked God to pardon their iniquities according to the greatness of his mercy. And God heard his prayer.

Numbers 14:20, And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to thy word: But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD. Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it: But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.

 

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Promise and Condemnation

According to Moses word, God pardoned them; however not without consequence as we read: Ten times have they tempted God. Ten times have they not hearkened unto the voice of God. After God had delivered them with a mighty hand from the hardened heart of Pharoah, ten times have they hardened their hearts against God. This betrayal was the last straw. This was the land of the covenant. This was the land that God swore to their fathers: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This was the promised land, and instead of possessing it, they despised it. So God said, Numbers 14:29-30 “Your carcases shall fall in the wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me, Doubtless ye shall not come into the land.” So God condemned all of those to die in the wilderness.

But I want you to notice how God began this pronouncement. “And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to thy word: But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.” I want you to see that this pronouncement began with a promise: All the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD. It begins with promise and ends with a promise: “My servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.” God confirmed his promise he made with Abraham and once again established his covenant with Caleb and Joshua. He said, “… you little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.” So Israel as a whole would still possess the promised land.

So pardon came with both promise and condemnation. Israel as a whole was pardoned, but the part that transgressed against God would suffer loss. The promise passed to the younger generation; but condemnation passed upon the part that provoked the Lord. So we see, even in deliverance, there is condemnation. How can this be so? What we’re seeing here in the Old Testament, is Romans 8:1. Is there therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus? Ah yes! But not for those who walk after the flesh, but there is therefore now no condemnation to those that walk after the Spirit! Someone said that the Old Testament is the New Testament infolded; and the New Testament is the Old Testament outfolded. In the midst of deliverance (salvation), there is both promise and condemnation.

 

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Purpose

Now God said, “I have pardoned… But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.” I want us to see that this is the main intent of God in all of this; that all the earth would be filled with His glory. How wonderful, that God would share his glory with us. That we could partake of His glory. Not that we would be glorious, but that we’d see His glory. That we’d experience His glory. What did Moses pray for? “I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.” What did John say? “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory…” What happened to Stephen? “But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God”

The condemnation that God set forth after that was a means to an end. In order that earth to be filled with the glory of the Lord; in order that God would fulfill his plan for the people of Israel, their carcasses must needs fall in the wilderness. In order that your life be filled with the Glory of God, so must our carcasses, our members, fall in the wilderness. Our members, the parts or ones in us that are contrary to God, they must fall! Yes there’s condemnation for sin even while in Christ; but only to bring us to the glory of God. The aim of God is that our life be filled with his glory. So the condemnation that accompanies salvation is not judgment, it’s promise. In order that God would fulfill his promises to us, to bring us into glory, to fill us with his all the fullness of God; and to live and walk with Him.

It was a sad day for the some of the Isrealites in the wilderness at Kadesh-Barnea because they were condemned. They were denied the promised land. They were condemned to die in the wilderness. However, it was for only that part; and it was a means to and end. For Israel as a nation, as a whole, God confirmed his promise that they would one day enter into the promised land and it would be filled with His glory. See, God knows the beginning from the end. Jude said, “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.” (Israel said, “We’re going back to Egypt!” God said, “No your not! You’re going forward!”) (Paul said in Hebrews 6, “Let us go on to perfection… For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance;” You can’t go back! You can’t go back to Egypt!

So, we must take heart and thank God; for if we so desire the blessed promised land of a Spirit-filled life, he will deal with the sin in our life, the murmuring, complaining, the unbelief, the idols. Yes, your carcases, they shall fall in the wilderness. We ought not to dread it, but pray for it. Instead of waiting for them to die, we might ought to slay them now. Paul said to mortify the deeds of the body and ye shall live! “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”

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Not by the Flesh

Paul said, Phil3:3 “Have no confidence in the flesh”. Your flesh has not the power or the strength to resist sin. It may hold strong for a season. But sooner or later, it’ll fail and the bible says, James 2:10 “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” It may hold strong in public. It may hold strong to keep up your religion.

Those Pharisees were zealous about behaving religiously. Paul was one of them. Phil 3:4 “Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.” Paul said, “I did it all the law! But I found out it wasn’t good enough.” Jesus said, Matt 5:20 “For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Even the Pharisees, zealous for following the Law to the perfection would stand condemned before a Holy and Just God; because “I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing.”

Therefore to walk after the flesh, or follow after the flesh, or let the flesh lead you, will end in condemnation for it is “sin that dwelleth in you.” (That is, in your flesh) Therefore, the flesh will break the law. The flesh will transgress the law. The flesh, if you trust it, will fail you everytime. The sin inside, the indwelling corruption, will cause it to break the law and transgress the God’s holy law, and will bring you into condemnation.

So understand this: If you are saved, and walk after the flesh, there IS condemnation. There IS condemnation from the law of God Almighty. Thank God we have an advocate, Jesus Christ the righteous. And God knows we need one. Don’t think for one second that this condemnation is any less than the fires of hell and the everlasting condemnation of the lake of fire. The punishment for transgressing the laws of God will never change.

However, “Blessed is they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.” “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”

1 John 2:1 “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:”

Hebrew 7:25 “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” I’m glad I got an uttermost salvation. I thank God that I was saved. I was saved on January 8^th, 2005. But I thank God that I am saved. I thank God that Jesus keeps me saved. It’s a wonderful, blessed thing to have Jesus at the right hand of the Father to be my advocate. When I fail, I can go to God and confess my sin. And as the bible says, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.

But there’s another half to this. How would you feel if your child came to you every day, and said, Father, I failed today, I disobeyed you, but tomorrow I’ll do better I promise. The next day rolls around and the child comes to the father again, “Father, I failed today, I disobeyed you, but tomorrow I’ll do better I promise.” The next day: “Father, I didn’t do what you asked of me today…. And the next day “Father, I did what you asked me not to do today…. I know we have an advocate, Jesus Christ the righteous, but that should never conceal the tears of our Father, and the awful truth that we break our Father’s heart when we sin against him!

The law of God is the heart of God. It’s the very essence of God. The law is God. It’s the core of his being; his holiness and his desire. The law is the very heart of God. And everytime we transgress his law, everytime we violate his statutes, everytime we sin against the law, it’s a stab at the heart of God. It’s not God’s will that we live like this. Jesus did not go to Calvary, shed his blood, and be nailed to the cross that we might go on sinning. No, he came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. God has provided a better way. That is to be filled with his Spirit, and walk after the Spirit. Jesus said, “If thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God.”

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By My Spirit

God said, “Your carcases shall fall in the wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me, Doubtless ye shall not come into the land.” To see the full extent of this we must go back to the beginning of numbers when God was assemblying all the congregation to journey into the promised land. The Lord told Moses in Number 1:2-3 “Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls; From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel.”

The entrance into Canaan would be one of war. They were going in to possess land that belonged to somebody else. They were going to battle, to war, to conquer. So God told them to get ready. They assembled first the heads of the tribes, the princes over the tribes. The bible says they were “the renowned of the congregation.” The bible says they “declared their pedigrees after their families.” And one by one the tribes were numbered. “..by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war.” And tribe after tribe was counted. All that were able to go to war. From Rueben to Benjamin, the were counted. All that were able to go war. All that were able to go to war. All that were able. All that were able. All that were able! Every single one of these was able to go to war, but every single one of them, their carcases fell in the wilderness. They were led by the most renowned. They were led by those of the highest pedigree. The were all able, but when it came to it; when the time came to possess the land, to do the will of God, “how to perform that which was good” they found not. Yes, evil was present with them.

They were able! God needs not ability! They were renowned! God needs not the famous! They declared their pedigree! God needs not your bloodline or ancestry! The word of God says, “how that not many wise men AFTER THE FLESH, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.” The bible says, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.” Zech 4:6 By my spirit. By my spirit. By my spirit. God is able. God is renown. And God has got the pedigree. “But as many as recieved him, to THEM gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

It’s His glory. It’s all him. It’s all God. I must decrease, that he might increase. It’s his glory! It’s his might! It’s his power! If we’re going to walk after the Spirit, that flesh is going to have to get out of the way! If we’re going to be filled with the Holy Ghost, we’re going to have to get empty first. God will not fill an unholy vessel. If God is ever going to get the glory in our life, there’s some carcasses that are going to have fall in the wilderness first! Oh that God would bring us into the blessed promised land of a Spirit-filled life.

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Application

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them that in Christi Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

Romans 8:1 places on us a demand; a demand that we must now make a choice; a choice between the flesh and the Spirit. Galatians 5:16 “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.” Can I say this: Walk after the flesh, and ye shall not fulfil the lust (or the desires) of the Spirit.

Romans 13:14 “Make not provision for the the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.” Can I say this: Make provision for the Spirit, to fulfill the lusts (or the desires) thereof. Jesus said we must worship in spirit. Paul said we must serve in the spirit, and pray in the spirit. Therefore, we must make provision for the spirit.

Oh, but how we make provision for the flesh all day long, all the days of our life. We make provision for the outer man and all it’s temporal tangible things day in and day out. We sleep for the flesh, we work for the flesh, we take vacations for the flesh and for the pleasures thereof, we shop for the flesh, we eat for the flesh. We plan for the flesh. The decision we make financially, both present and future are for the flesh. We buy health and life insurance for the flesh. We pay doctors and pharmacists, and buy medicine and drugs for the flesh. We spend decades in school to train for a job in order to make provision for the flesh.

What about the soul? What about the spirit? What about the inner man? God has made our spirit to communicate with his. His spirit bears witness with our spirit, that we are the sons of God. Our spirits were breathed into existence by the mouth of God. Our souls were created by the voice of God, therefore it AND ONLY IT can communicate with God. God can speak to the spirit of man, the soul of man. Yet where are it’s provisions. What provision have you made for your soul? How important the inner man, yet how neglected. How we washjand clean, care for, we dress and groom the outer man? We air-condition it for it’s comfort. We’ve got plush pillows and beds and couches for it’s pleasure and comfort. Protection for it’s feet, hat’s for it’s head. Gloves for it’s hands. How we enable it with tools? Planes, trains, and automobiles for it’s convenience. What about he inner man? The soul and spirit. Yet God asks us to serve him in such and worship him in such.

The irony of our labors. We labor all day to protect, comfort, and benefit the flesh. Yet, “…all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away.” We labor and labor and labor for that which will not last. But the soul? Jim Elliot said, “He is no fool that gives up what he cannot keep for that which he cannot lose!” The soul and spirit are eternal. What we do with it now with it and for it will determine it’s eternal course and state.

What can we do with it now? Serve God. We can serve God in the newness of Spirit. We can worship God in Spirit. To serve and worship are the will of God, which is the lusts of the Spirit; the desires of the Holy Ghost. And you cannot fulfill the Spirit’s while making provisions for the flesh’s. We are fools to think that we can make provision for the flesh continuously day after day, neglecting the inner man, and then go turn around and do the will of God. Oh that we might learn to give attendance to the unseen things of our spirits.

Romans 8:1 places on us a demand; a demand that we must now make a choice; a choice between the flesh and the Spirit. Would you choose his Spirit today? Would you choose to let God bring you into His glory?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Introduction

• The overall organization of Romans was as follows: Chapter 4, Faith Conquers Sin; Chapter 5, Grace Conquers Sin; Chapter 6, The Gospel Conquers Sin; Chapter 7 & 8, The Holy Spirit Conquers Sin.
• The grand majority of Paul’s mentions of the Spirit are in Chapter 8, 14 of 22
• The mandate is for us to serve in the newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.
• Chapter 7 covered the meaning of serving in the oldness of the letter.
• And we introduced Chapter 8 with 3 points: The Introduction to the Holy Spirit; The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit; and the Ignorance of the Holy Spirit.
• I’d like to stay within this last heading, The Ignorance of the Holy Spirit
• I had no idea there was so much in the Bible about the Holy Spirit of Almighty God.
• I had no idea how ignorant I was of the wonderful promise of the Holy Spirit.
• As we enter Chapter 8, the first verse gives us the concept and the victory in serving God by walking after the Spirit.
• Remember, to keep all this in the context of the mandate, that we serve God in the newness of spirit. This is about serving God.
• I believe it would behoove you and me to learn more of the Holy Spirit before we undertake this concept of walking after the Holy Spirit.
• It would benefit us to know everything we can about the person, the ministry, and power of the one we must follow or walk after.
• So in doing so last time, we touched upon the subject of Ephesians 5:18, “… be ye filled with the Spirit.” Which is the baptism with the Holy Spirit.

Baptism with the Holy Spirit is Distinct from Baptism into the body of Christ

• Every sinner ought to be baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ.
• 1 Cor 12:13. “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we bond of free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”
• That’s Romans 6, Baptized into Jesus Christ, the body of Jesus Christ, baptized into his death, burial and resurrection.
• Yet every saved person ought to be baptized by Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit.
• In the Gospel of Luke, John the Baptist said, “I indeed baptize with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose, he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire;
• In the Gospel of John, John the Baptist said that the same one that sent him to baptize with water said unto him, “Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.” John 1:33
• Baptism with the Holy Ghost is distinct from the indwelling of the Holy Ghost.Every sinner after they’re saved is given the Holy spirit
• I want us to understand very clearly that the when someone is saved, according to the scriptures, they are placed into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit. They are made a member of the church that Jesus said he’d build and the gates of hell should not prevail against. And upon this, Jesus gives us his Holy Spirit to dwell within us forever. John 14:16,17 “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”
• This is also known as the earnest of the Spirit 2. Cor 1:22 “Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts” See 2 Cor 5:5
• This is also knows as the seal of the Spirit Eph 1:13 “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,”
• So the indwelling of the Spirit, the earnest of the Spirit, the seal of the Spirit; these are distinct from the baptism with the Holy Ghost that John the Baptist spoke of.
• The indwelling, the earnest, and the seal of Spirit is what you get when you believe from the heart the Lord Jesus Christ.
• When you cast yourself on the mercy of God, when you put your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, you are indwelt, your are sealed, and given the earnest of the Spirit.
• This is not the baptism WITH the Spirit.
• Baptism with the Holy Spirit is the same as the filling of the Holy Spirit
• The most readily recognized examples of this baptism, is of course, Pentecost.
• After Jesus was raised from the dead, the bible says that he appeared to the disciples for 40 days, and spoke of the things pertaining to the kingdom and said, Acts 1:4,5 “And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.”
• And then of course, on the 50^th day, the day of Pentecost, this baptism took place, Acts 2:1-4 “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost,”
• They were all filled with the Holy Ghost.
• Every saved person ought to be baptized by Jesus Christ with the Holy Ghost
• It’s God’s will to be filled with Holy Ghost
• Rom 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit
• I want to say this: The more I study this and it seems to me that to walk after the Spirit, is a direct result of being filled with Spirit. Therefore, if we are to serve in the newness of spirit and walk after the Spirit, we must then be filled with the Holy Spirit.
• To walk after the flesh, or “in the oldness of the letter”, with only the law in your mind, and sin in your flesh, will always result in failure. If you’re saved, yes, you have the Spirit of God dwelling in you, you have received the earnest and sealing of the Holy Spirit. But unless we learn to walk after the Spirit, and cease from to walking after the flesh, we will go day after day, and year after year, with no fruit, no victory, no life, no power and never no never accomplish anything for glory of God.
• Jesus told the disciples, Luke 25:49 “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”
• “Don’t go into all nations until you’re endued with power; Don’t baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit until you’re endued with power; Don’t teach them all things I’ve commanded you until you’’re endued with power.”
• He said, “You cannot accomplish God’s will until you’re endued with power from on high.”
• If we’re ever going to accomplish the will of God, if we’re ever going to do the works of God in this life, we’re never going to get it done until we’’re endued with power from on high.
• This is exactly where we are in Romans 7 & 8.
• We’ll never do right without God’s power.
• For to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
• HOW TO PERFORM. To be filled with the Spirit and walk after the Spirit.
• Every saved person ought to be baptized by Jesus Christ with the Holy Ghost.
• Paul said in Ephesians 5:18 “Be not drunk with wine wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;”
• What makes this verse so important is the verse right before it Ephesians 5:17 “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.”
• It’s God’s will that every saved person be filled with the Holy Ghost.

• People think that Paul is saying we shouldn’t get drunk. He’s not saying that we shouldn’t get drunk, he’s just telling us that it’s not wine that ought to be drunk with.
• When you’re drunk with wine or alcohol, you not you’re natural self. You don’t act normal. You’re under the influence.
• When you’re filled with the Holy Ghost, you don’t act normal either. You don’t act natural either. You’re under the influence of the Holy Ghost. And did you know that is exactly what that word baptism means: under the influence of, submerged in.
• 1 Cor 2:14 “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
• We have got to get out of that natural state, that carnal state. Our natural and normal state is to walk after the flesh. Hey, I’m tired of living a normal life. I don’t want to live a normal, natural life. I want life supernatural. I want life more abundantly.
• There’s only one way to know and receive the things of God and that’s through the Spirit of God. 1 Cor 2:11 “…even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”
• And we’ll never receive or know the things of God unless we get out of that natural state of existence, that normal state of existence. And there’s only one way to do this: Be filled with the Spirit.
• Peter understood this. On the day of Pentecost, some people said, “These men are full of new wine.” And Peter stood up and said, “These are not drunken, as ye suppose!”
• “Oh no. This isn’t wine you’re seeing, it’s that which was spoken by the prophet Joel. I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh!”
• Acts 2:33 “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.”
• “This abnormal behavior that you see and hear is not wine, it’s Spirit of God.
• If we are to serve in the newness of spirit and walk after the Spirit, and cease from our natural and normal state of walking after the flesh, we must then be filled with the Holy Spirit of God.
• Ephesians 5:17,18 “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. Be not drunk with wine wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;”
• It’s God’s will that every saved person be filled with the Holy Ghost
• This is the Age of the Holy Ghost

1) Mary was filled with the Holy Ghost

• The angel Gabriel came before Mary and said, “Thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son. Mary, you’re gonna have a baby, and it’s gonna be a boy!”
• And Mary said, “How shall this be. This is not natural. This is not normal. I know not a man?”
• Luke 1:35 “And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee:”
• Mary was filled with the Holy Ghost!

2) Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost

• Luke 1:39-41 “And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:”
• And she said this, Luke 1:44 “For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.”
• I want you to see this: If we’re ever gonna have real joy, it’s gonna come from somebody else living on the inside.
• Jesus said, John 7:38-39 “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given……”
• Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost

3) Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost

• We know the angel of the Lord appeared before Zacharias and told him “You and your wife Elizabeth are gonna have a baby, you’re gonna name him John.”
• And the angel struck him dumb because he didn’t believe him. He said, “I’m too old.”
• Well, of course the baby was born, everybody was telling his wife to name him Zacharias, after his father.
• And she said “No, his name is John!” So they said, let’s go ask his father.
• So Zacharias asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, “His name is John!”
• Luke 1:67 “And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spakr, and praised God… And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost,……”
• If God is ever gonna loose these tongues of ours and have us speak, we’re gonna have to be filled with the Holy Ghost.
• King David, the man after God’s own heart, who wrote most of the Psalms in your bible, on his death bed, his dying words, he said these words:
• 2 Sam 23:2 “The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.”
• Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost.

4) John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Ghost

• Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost; His wife was filled with the Holy Ghost
• And lo and behold, they had a baby boy that was filled with the Holy Ghost.
• John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Ghost!
• Luke 1:15 “For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.”
• How are our children ever gonna get full of God, if Mommy and Danny aren’t filled with the Holy Ghost?
• How are our families ever gonna do the will of God and honor God, if Mommy and Daddy aren’t filled with the Holy Ghost?
• John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Ghost

5) Simeon was filled with the Holy Ghost

• Luke 2:25 “And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.”
• Simeon was filled with the Holy Ghost.
• The bible says, “And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple……”
• He was walking after the Spirit!
• The bible says when the parents after the custom of the law brought Jesus into the temple, that Simeon took the child Jesus up in his arms and blessed God and he said this:
• Luke 2:29 “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word.”
• The peace of God comes only from the Spirit of God. (1 Chron 12:18)
• The fruit of the Spirit, is Love, Joy, Peace!
• Perfect peace lies only in knowing and being in God’s perfect will.
• Ephesians 5:17,18 “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. Be not drunk with wine wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;”
• When we are filled with the Spirit of God; anddo the will of God; when we accomplish all that God would have us to do, then we can depart in peace.
• I want to say this: There’s no peace in leaving this world, and appearing before the judgment seat of Christ knowing that you haven’t done all that God wanted you to do.
• God help us to take this thing seriously.
• Simeon was filled with the Holy Ghost!

6) Jesus was filled with the Holy Ghost

• Luke 4:1 “And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,”
• Mark says that the spirit “driveth” him into the wilderness
• Matthew says that Jesus was “led up of the Spirit” into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
• This is a perfect example of Romans 8, walking after the Spirit
• This is a perfect demonstration of what being full of the Spirit can accomplish.
• The Spirit of God can give us victory over that old devil and temptation.
• But what I’d like us to see today is not so much that Jesus was full of the Spirit, but in order for Jesus to be full of the Spirit, he had to be thus filled with the Holy Spirit.

• I would like us to take one step back in the scriptures and see when was it exactly when Jesus was endued with power for his ministry.
• If we take one step back in the scriptures, that will land us directly in the Jordan River, at the Baptism of Jesus Christ.
• Jesus was yes, baptized with water by John, but what I want us to see also was that Jesus was not only baptized with water, but…
• Jesus was also baptized with the Holy Ghost.
• I want to spend a little time here, you probably haven’t ever heard it put like this.
• I want to paint a different picture in your mind than what the Catholics and the Jehovah witnesses have regarding the baptism of Jesus Christ.
• I want to read all 4 accounts of this:
• Matthew 3:16 “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and , lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:”
• Mark 1:10 “And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:”
• Luke 3:21-22 “Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him,…”
• John 1:32 “And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
• There’s been many paintings and depiction of what happened that day in the Jordan River. And there’s always a white dove floating down from the sky, and maybe a bright light in the sky.
• But by the account that we are given, I don’t think what was seen that day could ever be captured on canvas.
• Heaven was open
• The bible says in three of the four accounts that heaven was opened. And the best we humans can come up with to put down on canvas is a bright light.
• My friends, heaven was opened in such a way that the Spirit of God Almighty came down from heaven. Heaven was opened in such a way that the voice of God the Father was heard down here on earth. “This is my son in whom I am well pleased.”
• God had opened up a window to the celestial kingdom where he sits enthroned. Where the angels are and the seraphims and the glory of God is. The Spirit of God came from heaven itself, not the clouds.
• Isaiah 57:15 “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place…”
• God opened up eternity and let down the Eternal Spirit! God opened a window to the glorious world of eternity, the high and holy place!
• There was no bird coming down from the sky
• No where in the scriptures does it say that the shape of a bird came down from heaven.
• All four gospels say, like a dove, like a dove, like a dove, like a dove.
• And all four gospels, the word like in the original Greek is an adverb.
• In Matthew, Mark, and John there is no mention of the bodily shape in which the the Holy Ghost came down. They simply say that John saw the Holy Ghost descending like a dove.
• An adverb modifies the verb. The verb is to descend. The manner in which the Holy Ghost descended was in the same manner that a dove would descend.
• If I told you that “so and so” moved like a turtle, does that mean that “so and so”” turned into a turtle. No.
• If I told you that “so and so” bolted out of here like bat out hell, does that mean that “so and so”” looked like a bat. No.
• And it doesn’t mean that in the bible either.
• Only Luke’s account of the Jesus baptism says anything about the bodily form in which the Holy Ghost took. And in that account, “like a dove” is still an adverbial phrase.
• “Like a dove” is not modifying the bodily form, but the descending.
• Why did they say the Spirit descended like a dove?
• What was is it about a dove descending that would cause John to say, “I saw the Holy Ghost descending like a dove!”?
• If it wasn’t the form of a dove than what was it?
• Jesus was filled with the Holy Ghost

7) The disciples were filled with the Holy Ghost at Pentecost

• The day of Pentecost was very similar to what we saw at the Jordan River
• At Jordan, heaven was opened, At Pentecost heaven was opened
• At Jordan, we heard the voice of God, At Pentecost we heard a sound as of a rushing mighty wind.
• At Jordan, the Spirit of God in bodily form descended like a dove, At Pentecost cloven tongues as of fire.
• At Jordan, the Spirit of God abode on Jesus, At Pentecost the cloven tongues sat upon each of them.
• Act 2:4 “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost…”

8) Peter was filled with the Holy Ghost

• Peter and John had healed that lame man at the gate of the temple.
• Everybody was filled with wonder and amazement.
• So Peter preached Jesus to the people.
• Of course the Sadducees were upset, they laid hand on him, and brought him before the high priest.
• Acts 4:8 “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,”
• And he preached “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
• Peter was filled with the Holy Ghost

9) The disciples were filled with the Holy Ghost Again

• They eventually let Peter and John go and told them not to teach I the name of Jesus any longer.
• They told the council, “We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”
• They got back to the rest of the church and they lifted up their voice to God in one accord, and praised his Holy Name. The the bible says:
• Acts 4:31 “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost,…”
• So the disciples were filled with the Holy Ghost again.

10) There were 7 men full of the Holy Ghost

• And the church grew. There were literally thousands added to the church.
• More people, more trouble. The Grecian widows were being neglected in the daily ministration. They weren’t getting fed.
• So the disciples gathered the multitude unto them and said,
• Acts 6:3 “Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost..”
• Whom they may appoint over the business of the daily ministration.
• We need people to help serve tables, and they need to be full of the Holy Ghost.
• Being filled with God is not just for the preacher or the missionary, but it’s for everybody in the church. More specifically, everybody in the church that wants to do something for God.
• They found seven men: Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, Nicolas were all filled with the Holy Ghost.
• The state may require that you get a health permit to serve tables, and we got those.
• But God requires that we be filled with the Holy Ghost and wisdom.
• Wouldn’t it be something if they could say of us: ____, ____, ____, ____ and all these brethren were filled with the Holy Ghost?
• 7 men full of the Holy Ghost.

11) Stephen was full of the Holy Ghost

• We know the story of Stephen, the bible says he did great wonders and miracles among the people.
• They accused him of blasphemy and brought him before the council.
• And with glory of God upon his face, he preached the entire history of the Jews before their ears, and he said, “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist” who? The Holy Ghost.
• The bible says they were cut to the heart and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
• Acts 7:55 “But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,”
• And took him outside and stoned him to death.
• Being full of the God might get you into some trouble down here, but I tell what Stephen got to see, the glory of God.
• Moses asked God, Lord show me your glory.
• Call unto me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things which though knowest not. If we’re ever gonna see the glory of God, we’re gonna have to get filled with the Holy Ghost.

12) The believers in Samaria were filled with the Holy Ghost

• Phillip went down to Samaria and preached Christ unto them.
• The bible says that the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
• Unclean spirits, many taken with palsies, and many that were lame.
• There was great joy. They got baptized.
• When the apostles heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent down Peter and John.
• Acts 8:15-17 “Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.”
• These people gave heed, great joy, baptized. (explain)
• But there was more. John the Baptist said, and he will baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
• The believers in Samaria were filled with the Holy Ghost.

13) Phillip was full of the Holy Ghost

• We know the story of Phillip and the conversion of the Ethiopian.
• What we need to see here is that the Spirit of God was all over this conversion from the beginning to the end.
• We’ve learned that when someone is filled with the Holy Ghost, they’re under the influence of the Holy Ghost, They’re outside of their natural, normal self. They don’’t do what they want to do or go where they want to go.
• Instead, they’re going where the Spirit of God leads, they’re doing what the Spirit of God wants. They’re walking after the Spirit.
• Acts 8:29,39 “Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot…(explain) And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Phillip……”
• Phillip was filled with the Holy Ghost.

14) Saul of Tarsus was filled with the Holy Ghost

• Saul of Tarsus, brother Paul, met the Lord Jesus Christ on the Damascus road.
• I believe Saul got saved between in Verse 6.
• Read 3-5
• Verse 6 says, “And he trembling and astonished said, “Lord!” and that comma right there is where Saul got saved. Amen. Then he said, ““what wilt thou have me to do?”
• And he was led into Damascus and brought before Ananias.
• I have no doubt that Ananias was filled with the power of God. The bible doesn’t say anything about it, but I don’t see any other way.
• The bible says in Acts 2 when they were filled with the Holy Ghost, Peter said that this was that which was spoken by the prophet Joel:
• “It shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your men shall see visions!”
• Ananias saw a vision. Ananias saw a vision where God told him that Saul of Tarsus was coming his way. Ananias was full of the Holy Ghost.
• But the bible says that when Saul finally got there, Ananias put his hands on him and said:
• Acts 9:17 “…Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath set me, that thou mightiest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.”
• And Saul was filled with the Holy Ghost

15) Cornelius and his company were filled with the Holy Ghost

• Another turning point in the book of Acts was when the Gentiles were added to the church.
• Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian band, was told of God to meet with Peter.
• And Peter of course was told of God to meet Cornelius.
• Cornelius men came down to Peter and said (Read 10:22)
• The bible says, then Peter opened his mouth
• I want us to see one of the very first things Peter says
• “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost!” and then he preached the Death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Acts 10:44-47 “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?”
• I want us to see what the Jews saw there that day. They said hey, we’ve seen this before. This sure looks and sounds like what happened to us at Pentecost.
• And when Peter was recounting this to the brethren, when he was telling them what happened with Cornelius, this is what he said:
• Acts 11:15 “And as I began to speak, the Holy ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then I remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.”
• Cornelius and his company were filled with the Holy Ghost!

16) Barnabas was filled with the Holy Ghost

• Tiding had come to the disciples after the persecution that arose after Stephen’s death, the gospel had reached as far as Antioch and that they had believed and turned to the Lord.
• So they sent forth Barnabas to Antioch to exhort them to cleave unto the Lord.
• Acts 11:24 “For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost..”
• And as a result, the bible says that much people were added unto the Lord.
• How are we ever gonna get people added to the Lord?
• Barnabas was filled with the Holy Ghost

17) Saul was filled with the Holy Ghost again

• Later Saul and Barnabas were to isle of Paphos because Sergius Paulus, a deputy of the country, a prudent man desired to hear the word of God.
• But a sorcerer by the name of Elymas withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
• Acts 13:9 “Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him.”
• And Saul rebuked him and blinded him, and the bible says
• “Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.”
• Serguis Paulus got saved.
• Oh but there’s some that seek to turn others away from the faith. That are trying to keep others from getting saved, from knowing the Lord Jesus Christ.
• How are we gonna deal with them? How are we gonna get them out of the way so others can hear and receive the gospel?
• Saul was filled with the Holy Ghost.

18) Paul and Barnabas and the disciples in Iconium were filled with the Holy Ghost

• So Paul and Barnabas end up in Antioch again, and Paul preaches, and multitudes of Gentiles believe and want Paul to preach some more.
• But the Jews saw all this and were filled with envy and they stirred up the women and the chief men, persecuted Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coast.
• But when they came to Iconium, no double they told the disciples what great work was done in Antioch, and the bible says:
• Acts 13:52 “And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.”
• So even in the midst of persecution, closed doors, and rejection, God can give us joy and we can praise him if we’re filled with the Holy Ghost.

19) Apollos was filled with the Holy Ghost

• Apollos had a lot going for him.
• The bible says he was an eloquent man, mighty in the scriptures
• He was instructed in the way of the Lord, and fervent in the spirit,
• He could speak bodly, and teach diligently.
• I’d say, I’d be doing pretty good if I could say that about myself.
• But I want you to see his problem, verse 25 “knowing only the baptism of John”
• Acts 18:26 “…when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.”
• Apollos had been baptized with water, but he had yet to be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
• It’s God’s will that every saved person should be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
• And the proof is in verse 27. The brethren had written letters to Achaia exhorting the disciple there to receive Apollos when he came.
• And the bible says, “… who, when he was come, helped them much which believed through grace:”
• If we are ever gonna be a help to the brethren, we’re gonna have to be filled with the Holy Ghost.
• Apollos was filled with the Holy Ghost.

20) Certain disciples in Ephesus were filled with the Holy Ghost

• Paul was passing through back through Ephesus again, and he came upon these disciples, and he asked them “Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?”
• And they answered, “We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.”
• And we’re to assume that Paul is asking about receiving the BAPTISM with the Holy Ghost because he goes on and asks, “Unto what then were ye baptized?”
• And these disciples are in the same boat as Apollos; they say “All we got was John’s baptism”
• So Paul says, “John’s baptism was for repentance. I’m glad you did that. But didn’t John say that we should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus? Because he’ll baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
• Acts 19:6 “And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them, and they spake with tongues and prophesied.”
• Once again, it’s just like Pentecost. It’s just like Cornelius. They were filled with the Holy Ghost.