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"THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT IN THE LIFE OF THE BELIEVERS"
I.
Jhn 14:16. "PARACLETUS" ALONG WITH (SIDE) TO HELP.
A. Walking with Jesus for three years - exciting.
1. You begin to depend on Him to come through.
a. Need tax money?
b. Have to feed a crowd?
c. Are you about to sink?
2. As Jesus begins to talk of His departure, panic begins to set in.
B. Another comforter, (Paracletus, one who will be along side of you to help) even the Spirit of truth.
1. Jesus promised the Christian path would be tough.
a. "In this world you will have tribulation."
b. "They that live godly in Christ Jesus..."
c. Danger in presenting gospel as panacea.
1. Just accept Jesus and your troubles will be all over.
2. Not so, we have troubles just like anybody else, but we have someone alongside to help us.
2. Jesus said, "They are going to hail you before the magistrates, take no forethought."
II.
Jhn 14:26. "BUT THE COMFORTER...HE WILL TEACH YOU ALL THINGS."
A. "The natural man understands not the things of the Spirit neither can he know..."
1. The blind man does not enjoy the beauty of the sunset.
2. The deaf man cannot enjoy the concert.
3. They lack the faculties by which they are perceived.
B. "He will bring all things to your remembrance."
1. The value of reading the Word.
a. Programming the computer.
b. Satan fights us in this.
2. If you have it stored in your heart, the Holy Spirit will bring it forth to meet the needs.
1. So many false doctrines sound so reasonable.
a. The line of logic seems correct, the conclusions are unscriptural.
2. We need the discernment of the Spirit.
3. Jehovah's Witnesses case in point.
a. Have you ever tried to argue with one?
b. Their whole premise is wrong, the Holy Spirit did not come to be Jehovah's witness. Jesus said, "He shall testify of Me and you also shall bear witness."
III. TO GIVE US NEEDED POWER.
A. New Year's resolutions are a joke, why?
1. With Peter, spirits are willing but our flesh is weak.
2. We all have our ideal self and our real self. Our ego and super ego.
B. The Spirit is in constant warfare with our flesh. "The flesh lusteth against the spirit..."
1. Paul speaks of the battle in
Romans 7.
C. Jesus told His disciples in
Acts 1 to wait in Jerusalem for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. "You will receive power after that the Holy Spirit has come upon you."
1. Word "power" in Greek is dunamis.
2. We get our word "dynamic."
3. And ye shall be witnesses.
a. A witness for Christ is something you are, not something you do.
4. Peter, a classic example.
5. Spirit's method is to work from inside out.
IV. THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT IS TO CONFORM US INTO THE IMAGE OF CHRIST.
A. Trying to imitate Christ can be a study in futility.
1. That which sets Christianity apart from other world religions.
a. They say that is the way you should live. I know it, but I can't.
b. Jesus says, now this is the path. You can't make it alone, I will indwell you.
c. Two sets of prints.
B.
2Cr 3:18, "We all with open face beholding..."
V. SEALING THE BELIEVER, "WE WERE SEALED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE."
A. God's mark of ownership.
1. This is comforting to me.
a. I don't always act like I belong to Him.
b. I don't always feel like I'm His.
VI. NOW THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE.
"BECAUSE HE LIVES."
I. WE HAVE HOPE OF LIFE ETERNAL.
A. "If Christ be not risen."
1. Preaching vain.
2. Faith vain.
3. Yet in sins.
4. Life empty, hopeless, empty dream.
B. "Because I live, ye too shall live."
1. Life after death.
a. Mystery. What will we be like?
4. 1Jo "We shall be like Him!"
C. Where will we be?
a. Christ returning for millennial reign.
D. What will we be doing?
1. Enjoying God's eternal blessings.
Verse-Reference
Square — [Jhn 1:1 KJV]
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