Sunday September 23, 2007

Living the Spirit-Filled Life
1 Corinthians 2:14 – 3:3

I. Introduction

To begin today, I need to acknowledge that the illustrations used and the general format of this message originated with Dr. Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ – you can find the illustrations at http://www.billbright.com/spirit/2.htm.

Sometimes we treat Jesus like a "spare tire." We take Him out of the trunk when we have a flat tire and run Him until the crisis is over, but put Him back in the trunk afterwards. Or we can be treating Jesus like a hitchhiker. We let Him in the car with us but only let Him ride part of the way. Yet as our Lord and Savior, Jesus doesn’t want to remain a spare tire or a hitchhiker. He wants to drive the car. So we need to move over and confess this as sin and allow the Holy Spirit to empower us. (Taken from http://christianwomentoday.com/training/illustrations.html)

How about you? Are you enjoying the benefits of living a Spirit-filled life? Or do you treat Jesus Christ like a spare tire?

Every day can be an exciting adventure for the Christian who knows the reality of being filled with the Holy Spirit and who lives constantly, moment by moment, under His gracious direction.

Today, I would like us to look at three kinds of people and as I speak, I encourage you to be honest with yourself and consider which kind of person you are.

II. Three Kinds of People

The Bible tells us that there are three kinds of people.

A. The Natural Person

The natural person is someone who has not received Christ.

“But people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can't understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.” (1 Corinthians 2:14, NLT)

The New Revised Standard Bible says: “Those who are unspiritual do not receive the gifts of God's Spirit…”

The natural or unspiritual person cannot enjoy the blessings of the Spirit because they have never received the Spirit.

The natural person is one who tries to direct his or her own life. Often, however, we fail in that attempt and usually find ourselves controlled by things like hatred, anger, drugs, work, other people, etc. (the list could go on forever).

To see an illustration that reflects the self-directed life of the natural person go to the website
mentioned above.

B. The Spiritual Christian

The spiritual person is directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:14 and 16 says, “…only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. For,
‘Who can know the Lord's thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?’ But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.” (NLT)

Now, we will talk more about the spiritual person in a moment. To see an illustration that reflects the life of a spiritual person go to the website mentioned above.

C. The Worldly Christian

The worldly Christian is someone who has received Christ, but who lives in defeat because he or she is trying to live the Christian life in their own strength.

“Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn't talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to
talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in the Christian life. 2 I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren't ready for anything stronger. And you still aren't ready, 3 for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other.
Doesn't that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren't you living like people of the world?”
(1 Corinthians 3:1-3, NLT)

To see an illustration that reflects the Worldly Christian go to the website mentioned above.

Which One Do You Want to Be?

A. The Worldly Christian

One of my concerns as a pastor is: Why is it that most Christians are not experiencing the abundant life?

I believe it is because although we profess to be Christians we still trust in our own efforts to live the Christian life (if we
are trying to live the Christian life at all).

In other words, we fail to draw upon the power of the Holy Spirit to live the Christian life.

The Worldly Christian may experience any or all of the following traits:

To see an illustration that shows these traits go to the website mentioned above.

B. The Spiritual Christian

But God has provided for us an abundant and fruitful Christian life as a result of being filled, empowered, and controlled
by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said, “I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.” (John 10:10, NRSV)

“I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from
me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, NRSV)

“But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23, NASB)

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8, NLT)

The Spirit-filled life is the Christ-directed life where Jesus Christ is living in and through us by the power of the Holy
Spirit. (Read through John 15.)

When you became a Christian (born again) it was through the ministry of the Holy Spirit (John 3:1-8).

When we genuinely turned from our sin and received Christ we were regenerated by the Spirit. From this point on we
have the Holy Spirit living in us at all times.

However, although you may have the Holy Spirit living in you, not all of you are filled (directed and empowered) by the Holy Spirit in your everyday experience.

III. Application

Which person are you today?

Are you the natural person who has never asked Christ into your life? You can experience a new life today by putting
your trust in Jesus Christ.

Are you a worldly Christian living a defeated, confused and unsatisfying Christian life? You can begin today to turn that around by surrendering to the Holy Spirit.

Or perhaps you are a spiritual Christian – what then are you doing to help others live a victorious and fruitful Christian life?

Wherever you are at spiritually you can either commit your life to Christ for the first time, experience the filling of the Holy Spirit for the first time or renew your commitment to live the Spirit-filled life if you:

  • Sincerely desire to be directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 5:6; John 7:37-39).
  • Confess your sins.
    By faith thank God that He has forgiven all of your sins – past, present and future – because Christ died for you     (Colossians 2:13-15; 1 John 1; 2:1-3; Hebrews 10:1-17).
  • Present every area of your life to God (Romans 12:1, 2).
  • By faith claim the fullness of the Holy Spirit because God has commanded you to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians     5:18) and He has promised to fill you with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38-39).

“Dear Father, I need You. I acknowledge that I have been directing my own life and that, as a result, I have
sinned against You. I thank You that You have forgiven my sins through Christ's death on the cross for me. I now invite Christ to again take His place on the throne of my life. Fill me with the Holy Spirit as You commanded me
to be filled, and as You promised in Your Word that You would do if I asked in faith. I now thank You for directing my life and for filling me with the Holy Spirit.”

To see the illustrations mentioned in this sermon go to this website http://www.billbright.com/spirit/2.htm