Walking According to the Spirit

This morning is going to be a generic overview of walking according to the Spirit, but in the weeks to come, we are going to look at what the Holy Spirit does in our lives.

Let’s begin with this question:

“Are you satisfied with the level of the empowerment and encounter with the Holy Spirit [that you have], beyond doxological theology: ‘I believe in the father, son and holy ghost?’” - Dr. Mark Rutland

Basically, are we satisfied with what we see and experience of the Holy Spirit?

Many of us don’t know much about the Holy Spirit outside of the apostles creed:

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic* church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Or, even simpler “I believe in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”

At least, that is what the pastor said who baptized me.

Maybe some of us know more, maybe we can articulate that the Spirit is God who lives inside of every believer.

Maybe we have heard that the HS sanctifies us - meaning to set us apart, or make us Holy.

So, could we be challenged to know more about the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is a person. He is fully God and He lives in each believer.

So, if He is fully God and lives in us, as a person, not a fleshly person, then we could have a relationship with Him.

Acts 15:28 NIV

28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements:

He can be grieved

Ephesians 4:30 NIV

30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Isaiah 63:10 NIV

10 Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. So he turned and became their enemy and he himself fought against them.

Lied to

Acts 5:3 NIV

3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?

We are to listen to and obey

Acts 10:19–21 NIV

19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for you. 20 So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.” 21 Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?”

Acts 8:29 NIV

29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

So, the question for today is how much do we know of the Spirit?

And, how much do we desire the Spirit?

One more thing to note as we dive in is:

Don’t measure yourself against other - the question is: is there more for you?

So, this morning, let’s look at what it means to walk according to the Spirit, one of the persons of the Trinity.

“Walking with the Spirit means that I am going to position my life in a way that I need the Spirit.” - Elijah Stephens

Many of us live as if we don’t need Him.

But, for this morning, let’s position ourselves as if we need Him.

We are going to look at the three main focuses of walking according to the Spirit.

We are going to look at how to walk according to the Spirit in how we think, what we say, and what we do.

As we look at these three areas of walking according to the Spirit, we will look at the example of Jesus

Jesus walked according to the Spirit

Acts 10:38 NIV

38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

1. Think According to the Spirit

To begin, Jesus says:

John 5:30 NIV

30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.

Judgment is in the mind. Just means decisions. So, Jesus models that He only makes decisions based on what the Father desires

So, if Jesus only makes decisions based on the father, we too, should only make decisions based on Him.

If begins in the mind..

Paul tells us:

Colossians 3:1–2 NIV

1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Our focus should be on thinking the way of the kingdom

Romans 12:2 NIV

2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Our minds should be renewed into the likeness of Christ!

We allow the Word and the HS to challenge out thinking

Maybe this means we pause

We pause to hear what Jesus wants us to think

2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV

5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

every thought…

what does this imply?

That not every thought is of Christ…

But, that every thought should be

So, again, maybe we pause and think about our thoughts.

Challenging, but rewarding.

Romans 8:5–6 NIV

5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.

Romans 8:7–8 NIV

7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

And, we have help with the Spirit

1 Corinthians 2:15–16 NIV

15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

We have the Spirit to help us to think like Christ…

So, to walk according to the Spirit, we first focus our minds.

2. Speak According to the Spirit

Ephesians 4:29 NIV

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Matthew 12:36 NIV

36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.

James 3:5 NIV

5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.

Proverbs 18:21 NIV

21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

John 12:49–50 NIV

49 For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. 50 I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”

1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV

17 pray without ceasing,

Our conversations should always include two people. The other and the Holy Spirit. What if the Holy Spirit wanted to speak through you?

Maybe we allow the Holy Spirit to speak through us to others…

We also may allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us…to build us up…

Jude 20–21 NIV

20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

We pray in the Holy Spirit and it builds us up…we already looked at where Paul says to pray without ceasing

Echoed again in:

Ephesians 6:18 NIV

18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Help of the Holy Spirit

Romans 8:26 NIV

26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

So, to walk according to the Spirit means that we are going to speak according to the HS, allowing Him to speak.

We have to slow down!

Listen for what He wants to say to us and through us.

And finally,

3. Act According to the Spirit

John 5:19 NIV

19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.

James 1:22–23 NIV

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror

James 1:24–25 NIV

24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

To be doers of the word, we need to know the word. In a couple weeks, we will look at one of the things the HS does is remind us of the words of Jesus.

You see, when we know the word, then the HS reminds us of the word, and we can walk according to it.

So, to sum it all up, how do we walk according to the Spirit?

We think according to the Spirit

We speak according to the Spirit

We act according to the Spirit

This means we know the word, and we listen to and for the Spirit?

It is hard! But is God worth my time?

If He worth my patience?

And I truly believe, and we will look at this in the weeks to come, that if we take the time to know the Word and to listen to the Spirit, we will see more of the things of God!

Worship Team and Deacons

The way that this is all possible, is through the work that Jesus did on the cross.