Tag: led by the Spirit
The working of the Spirit!
Scripture reading for July 23rd: Romans 8:9-23
The Holy Spirit works within the believer to produce life and peace. (Romans 8:6) One of the first things that He does is help each person who trusts Jesus Christ to know that they are a child of God. “because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of son-ship. And by Him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” (Romans 8:14-16)
Before we were saved, we had an underlying fear of death. We knew that those who sinned deserved to die and would be judged. God made this evident to Jew and Gentile alike through the law and conscience. But in Christ, the fear of death is removed by the Spirit of Life. We are now adopted into God’s family through the Spirit and have an inner knowledge of God as our true Father in Heaven. We can even call him “Abba”, the Aramaic word for “Daddy”! We have two witnesses, our spirit and the Holy Spirit that we belong to God. This brings great joy and peace! Not only are we children, but heirs and co-heirs with Christ in the kingdom of our Father!
Suffering is in the package, however. If we belong to Christ, we will share in His sufferings while here on this earth as we await our full redemption. (Romans 8:17-18) In fact, Paul tells the Roman believers and us that all of creation is awaiting this future redemption. It is groaning in pains like that of a woman giving birth. “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” (Romans 8:22-23)
This suffering is nothing compared to the glory that is to be revealed in us! The best is yet to come! The Spirit is helping us and leading us to this time of complete redemption. He reassures us that we belong to God and encourages us in our suffering, revealing Christ’s glory and a vision of this glorious freedom when we receive our redeemed body!
Led by the Spirit!
Scripture reading for January 4th: Matthew 4, Psalms 3, Proverbs 1:20-21
“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. The tempter came to Him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” (Matthew 4:1-4)
Jesus, Himself, was filled with the Holy Spirit at His baptism. (Matthew 3:16-17) The Holy Spirit came in the bodily form of a dove and rested on Him after His baptism by John. Jesus was baptized to fulfill all righteousness and to identify with sinners that He came to save. Jesus was a human man and yet was God. He was empowered by the Holy Spirit to begin His life of ministry at the age of 30.
The Holy Spirit is God’s Spirit living in us. God’s Spirit is a person, not an impersonal force or some creepy presence. The Holy Spirit came upon Jesus and immediately began to lead Him into God’s will and purpose for His life. It is interesting to note that the first place the Holy Spirit led Jesus was into the desert for testing. He led Jesus to a forty day time of fasting in that desert where He underwent a series of temptations from the devil. We have a record of three of these temptations, but the Scriptures imply that there were many more.
What is fasting all about? We all have flesh that likes to call the shots in our life. Fasting is a willful denial of the rule of our flesh and a purposeful recognition that we want to live by God’s will and word. We recognize that we need the rule of God’s Spirit to help us in life more than we need bread or sleep! We tell the flesh “no” and say “yes, Lord” to God. Jesus was tempted to turn stones into bread to satisfy His hunger. Jesus spoke Deuteronomy 8:2-3 to Satan, countering the temptation with God’s word! Satan was trying to get Jesus (and us today) to live for Himself and His appetite instead of God’s will! As we continue our journey through 2013, let’s ask the Lord for victory over our flesh and the devil’s temptations!
Led by the Spirit!
Scripture reading for January 4th: Matthew 4, Psalms 3, Proverbs 1:20-21
“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. The tempter came to Him and said, “If you are the Son of god, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” (Matthew 4:1-4)
Jesus, Himself, was filled with the Holy Spirit at His baptism. (Matthew 3:16-17) The Holy Spirit came in the bodily form of a dove and lighted on Him after His baptism by John. Jesus was baptized to fulfill all righteousness and to identify with sinners that He came to seek and save. Jesus was a human man and yet was God. He was empowered by the Holy Spirit to begin His life of ministry at the age of 30.
The Holy Spirit is God’s Spirit living in us. God’s Spirit is a person, not an impersonal force or some creepy presence. The Holy Spirit came upon Jesus and immediately began to lead Him into God’s will and purpose for His life. It is interesting to note that the first place the Holy Spirit led Jesus was into the desert for testing. He led Jesus to a forty day time of fasting in that desert where He underwent a series of temptations from the devil. We have a record of three of these temptations, but the Scriptures imply that there were many more.
What is fasting all about? We all have flesh that likes to call the shots in our life. Fasting is a willful denial of the rule of our flesh and a purposeful recognition that we want to live by God’s will and word. We recognize that we need the rule of God’s Spirit to help us in life more than we need bread or sleep! We tell the flesh “no” and say “yes, Lord” to God. Jesus was tempted to turn stones into bread to satisfy His hunger. Jesus spoke Deuteronomy 8:2-3 to Satan, countering the temptation with God’s will and word! Satan was trying to get Jesus (and us today) to live for ourselves and our appetites instead of God’s will! As we continue our journey through 2011, let’s ask the Lord for victory over our flesh and the devil’s temptations!