Submitting to the Spirit of God

Paseo Christian - Greg and Neill - Submission

As we study Luke, we need to see that Jesus is inviting us to submit to Him as He makes these Gospel accounts living and active in our lives

Submission is a choice.

Submission
- Posture to listen, humble acceptance
- without rank, mutual submission
- pushes us outward, heaven on earth

What will submission cost you?
- pride, time, but not joy

How do you need to submit to God?
- marriage, parenting, career

2 Cor. 5:14-15 - death for us so that we can live in Him

every man's battle - walking by the Spirit

Gal 5

¹⁶ So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ... ¹⁹ The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity ... ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

I'm not sure that I have appreciated the importance of verse 16 before.  (I usually just jump to verse 22.)  And I think it is interesting that the bad list in verse 19 begins with sexual sin.  Certainly common to man.

 

It seems to me that the key here is to walk by the Spirit - live by the Spirit, and keep in step with the Spirit.

 

Heavenly Father, please help me walk by the Spirit.  I want to live by the Spirit and keep in step with the Spirit.  Lord, please produce the fruit of the Spirit in me.  I love you, and I ask in the name of Jesus Christ.

 

sonship

Gal 4

⁴ But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. ⁶ Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." ⁷ So you are no longer a slave, but God's child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

This is a powerful reminder of how expensive our freedom is.  Not only are we free, but we have been adopted as children of God.  How great is His love, that we should be called the children of God.

 

And if I am a child of God, then what does that mean for daily living?  It means I should abide with Him.  I should walk with Him.  I should dwell in His presence.  It means I should know Him and obey Him.  I should be attentive to His Spirit within me.

 

Heavenly Father, I want to abide with you.  Holy Spirit, I want to follow you and listen to you today.  Lord, please help me obey!  I love you, and I pray in the name of Jesus Christ.

Believe and obey

Gal 3

²² But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

On my walk this morning, I asked the Lord, "Why am I so busy?"  I didn't get an audible answer, but I did get the sense that at least part of why I am busy is from pride, guilt, or lack of focus with respect to over-committing myself.  As I read the Scriptures this morning, I am reminded that I do not have to work for God's favor, only believe in Jesus.  Believe and obey.  Listen and obey.  Actions apart from obedience are a waste of time and a distraction from building the Kingdom.

Heavenly Father, I love you, and I want to listen to you and obey you.  I believe in Jesus, and I want to walk with you and follow you.  Holy Spirit, I want to walk in your way and hear you guide me.  Please lead me, and I will obey.  Please deliver me from my own way, and lead me to walk in the Way of Jesus.  I ask in the name of Jesus.

celebrating life

Gal 2

Sunday was Jude's first birthday!  It has been amazing to see him learn and grow.  And in the last week or so, he has really made a lot of progress in walking on his own.  He is such a blessing and such a joyful person.  I pray that the Lord will continue to grow him and use him to advance the Kingdom.

Yesterday evening, our pastor's son had an emergency appendectomy.  As we were sitting with them in the surgery waiting room last night, I was impressed with how fragile life is and how important it is to enjoy life with those God has brought into our lives.  We are walking with Christ with those who call on the Lord with a pure heart.

Heavenly Father, thank you for life, and thank you for the lives of those around us.  Thank you for opportunities to enjoy your Life with others.  Lord, I pray that our enjoyment of you will be like abiding in the vine.  I love you, and I pray in the name of Jesus Christ.

warfare

2 Cor 10

³ For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. ⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. ⁵ We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ

As I think about these verses along with Eph. 6, it seems to me that the Sword of the Spirit is the principal weapon.  It is through a growing understanding of God through His Scriptures that we wage war against the enemy spiritual forces.  Thoughts and arguments are critical battles within the battlefields of our minds.  Transforming our minds into obedient Minds of Christ is the mission.  This is accomplished through a daily, hourly, moment-by-moment humble submission to the authority of Scripture and application to the details of our lives.  Consistent and daily reading, meditating, and discussing of Scripture is critical.  Personal meditation, as well as groups of disciples.

Heavenly Father, please help me submit to your Word and respond in obedience.  On a daily basis, I need to humble myself before you through the reading of your Word, and I need to listen to you and obey.  Please help me learn the discipline of responding in specific obedience.  I love you, and I want to know you and walk with you.  I want to be useful to you.  Please use me.  I ask in the name of Jesus Christ.

giving

2 Cor 9

¹¹ Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. ¹² So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.  ¹³ As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. ¹⁴ And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you. ¹⁵ Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!

God blesses us.  We bless others.  Others bless God.  We all bless God.  God uses all of this blessing to propagate the Good News of Christ.

Heavenly Father, please use me as a blessing to others and a blessing to you.  Please help me live generously.  I love you, and I pray in the name of Jesus Christ.