1 John 5:13 "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life."
"What does it mean to walk in the Spirit?" asked a young man in our small group. Many relegate this concept to the charasmatics and pentecostals, but if you have been born again, the Spirit of Christ lives in you and wants you to walk in Him.
I'm not a theologian, but I have lived and walked with the Spirit of God for over 40 years. This is my definition.
If we are born again we have the witness of the Spirit. Who is He a witness to? Himself? God? NO! To US! We should have the assurance of salvation not just because we prayed a prayer but because we are aware of the Spirit in us, in our reality. "His Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God." Rm. 8:16 This is how we walk in the Spirit, because He is in us. So many think life in the Spirit is by some outside force, but it is not. It is by who dwells within us. Because of this, we have fellowship with the Spirit on a continual basis. Oh, to live with the reality that He lives in us-daily, minute by minute! That is life in the Spirit!
We can be aware of His presence all day long! His Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we belong to Him. Being aware of His Spirit in us is the first step to walking in the Spirit. I don't have to "believe" through mental ascent, that I have right standing with God because of some decisions I made or prayer I prayed. I can experience the peace of my salvation because I sense and know His presence in my life. I can know and hear the voice of His Spirit as I acknowledge His presence in my body, day in and day out. This is fellowship with the Spirit, as He goes where I go, because He is IN me!
I heard a preacher say once that he had never once felt the Spirit, His religion was not based on feeling as if feelings in religion are a bad thing. His religion is all in His head, an egg head Christian. I can't remember ever feeling more sorry for anyone as I did for him when I heard that. Are all of his realtionships devoid of feeling? How terrible that would be. Friends, if we should have feelings in any relationship, it should be with the one who gave His life for us and who loves us with a perfect love.
There have been times of distress where I have felt the peace of God literally flood over me like a warm giant wave enveloping me. Other times when His presence has been so sweet, I could do nothing but cry. Still other times, His Spirit has risen up in me in boldness and strength and given me a rebuke for the enemy who was trying to kill, steal, and destroy! These times are precious to me because they solidify and reinforce to my heart and mind the constant presence & indwelling of His Spirit in my life! And there have been times in my life where His presence and glory have been so strong that I could not stand, and I was awed by His power. Still other times when I did not know what to say and the Spirit's voice spoke out and it surprised even me and I wondered where it came from. But in every instance the Word accomplished what it was sent to do in spite of circumstances. I am constantly in awe of life in the Spirit, that the Holy Spirit of God has chosen to live in me, to be with me.
All the things in 1 John were written to us THAT WE MIGHT KNOW that we have eternal life. That life is not something in the future. It is eternal, so it has to be now too! Our life with God begins when His Spirit comes to live inside of us! Our eternity has already begun.
This is life in the Spirit. I have eternal life through the Spirit but I live that life IN the Spirit. Christian, acknowledge the Spirit that lives in you! Talk to Him. Listen for Him. Receive His witness. Live in fellowship with Him. Walk in the Spirit! It is why Jesus left the earth - to live with us by living IN us. He desires to have continal fellowship and relationship with us and we can have that by walking in the Spirit.
"What does it mean to walk in the Spirit?" asked a young man in our small group. Many relegate this concept to the charasmatics and pentecostals, but if you have been born again, the Spirit of Christ lives in you and wants you to walk in Him.
I'm not a theologian, but I have lived and walked with the Spirit of God for over 40 years. This is my definition.
If we are born again we have the witness of the Spirit. Who is He a witness to? Himself? God? NO! To US! We should have the assurance of salvation not just because we prayed a prayer but because we are aware of the Spirit in us, in our reality. "His Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God." Rm. 8:16 This is how we walk in the Spirit, because He is in us. So many think life in the Spirit is by some outside force, but it is not. It is by who dwells within us. Because of this, we have fellowship with the Spirit on a continual basis. Oh, to live with the reality that He lives in us-daily, minute by minute! That is life in the Spirit!
We can be aware of His presence all day long! His Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we belong to Him. Being aware of His Spirit in us is the first step to walking in the Spirit. I don't have to "believe" through mental ascent, that I have right standing with God because of some decisions I made or prayer I prayed. I can experience the peace of my salvation because I sense and know His presence in my life. I can know and hear the voice of His Spirit as I acknowledge His presence in my body, day in and day out. This is fellowship with the Spirit, as He goes where I go, because He is IN me!
I heard a preacher say once that he had never once felt the Spirit, His religion was not based on feeling as if feelings in religion are a bad thing. His religion is all in His head, an egg head Christian. I can't remember ever feeling more sorry for anyone as I did for him when I heard that. Are all of his realtionships devoid of feeling? How terrible that would be. Friends, if we should have feelings in any relationship, it should be with the one who gave His life for us and who loves us with a perfect love.
There have been times of distress where I have felt the peace of God literally flood over me like a warm giant wave enveloping me. Other times when His presence has been so sweet, I could do nothing but cry. Still other times, His Spirit has risen up in me in boldness and strength and given me a rebuke for the enemy who was trying to kill, steal, and destroy! These times are precious to me because they solidify and reinforce to my heart and mind the constant presence & indwelling of His Spirit in my life! And there have been times in my life where His presence and glory have been so strong that I could not stand, and I was awed by His power. Still other times when I did not know what to say and the Spirit's voice spoke out and it surprised even me and I wondered where it came from. But in every instance the Word accomplished what it was sent to do in spite of circumstances. I am constantly in awe of life in the Spirit, that the Holy Spirit of God has chosen to live in me, to be with me.
All the things in 1 John were written to us THAT WE MIGHT KNOW that we have eternal life. That life is not something in the future. It is eternal, so it has to be now too! Our life with God begins when His Spirit comes to live inside of us! Our eternity has already begun.
This is life in the Spirit. I have eternal life through the Spirit but I live that life IN the Spirit. Christian, acknowledge the Spirit that lives in you! Talk to Him. Listen for Him. Receive His witness. Live in fellowship with Him. Walk in the Spirit! It is why Jesus left the earth - to live with us by living IN us. He desires to have continal fellowship and relationship with us and we can have that by walking in the Spirit.
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