Last week we began our
series on the results of using the five tools to maturity: praise, prayer, fellowship,
outreach and receiving teaching to cultivate the results of Biblically based well-being
in our lives. We discussed initially four of these results: forgiveness, hope,
empathy and thankfulness. An important verse with additional results of
Biblical living is Galatians 5:22 which denotes the ‘fruit of the Spirit’; love,
joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, humility and self-control.
What role does the Spirit play?
This is an important issue to understand how the Spirit works in
conjunction with the tools to maturity to produce good results in our lives. Consider
that the five tools represent the motor for maturity. The Spirit acts as the
gasoline, enriching us with power to drive the engine. Both must be present and
work in conjunction to each other to create movement.
The Spirit is often misunderstood and Christians are often unclear
how it works in their lives in a Biblically based way. We can summarize the Christian's
relationship to the Spirit in three basic ways:
1.
Non-variable actions of the Spirit: These include: convicting
the world of sin (John 16:9), regeneration to life of new believers (Titus 3:5),
indwelling believers from the time of salvation onwards (Ephesians 1:13-14) and
praying for believers (Romans 8:26).
2.
Variable actions of Christians: As believers we can
influence our relationship with the Spirit and so we are told not to quench or
grieve the Spirit (I Thessalonians 5:19 and Ephesians 4:30 respectively) but to
walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16) and be filled (mature) in the Spirit (Ephesians
5:18).
3.
Variable actions of the Spirit: If the Christian, being
indwelt by the Spirit, allows Him to act then the will teach us (I John
2:20,27, John 16:13), put to death the deeds of the flesh, lead us based on the
word of God, comfort us that we are His sons and daughters (Romans 8:13-16) and
act to empower our lives through the word of God (Ephesians 6:17).
It is impossible to overestimate importance of the Spirit in our
lives. He has given us new life through our faith in Christ and lives in us
permanently, making available the full power of God for us based on his Word to
mature us providing the fruit of the Spirit and the enhanced well-being of our
lives.
Indeed it is the Spirit that fuels the engine of our growth as an
obedient Christian to God’s word.
That is all for now. We return to results of a Biblically based
life next week based on the incredible promises of God.
What can make a Christian lose the Spirit? To participate in our latest poll question - please visit our
website at http://teleiosresearch.com/#anchorpoll
WC Stewart
http://teleiosblog.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/TeleiosResearch/
@TeleiosResearch
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