The Holy Spirit #4 – By Pastor George Lehman
Self-control is not control by oneself through one’s own will power but rather control of oneself through the power of the Holy Spirit. – Jerry Bridges
2 Timothy 1:7(NIV) – For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline. (self-control)
The Holy Spirit is not just an add on extra which we tap into once in a while.
The Holy Spirit doesn’t need to equip you for what you’re NOT going to do, so if you’re in rebellion, compromise or lukewarm against Jesus – refusing His right to be Lord in your life, He doesn’t need to send the Holy Spirit to equip you for service and tragically you miss out on the joy and completeness He brings. So let the Holy Spirit deal with anything that’s keeping from putting your feet to obedience. – Henry T. Blackaby
The Holy Spirit breaths inspiration, enthusiasm, and boldness into our lives while our soulish, carnal mind breeds compromise, comfort and seeks convenience!
We need to be so cautious for a decline from our spiritual life to end up earthly to soulish to demonic.
James 3:13-14 (NIV) – Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.
A spiritual man declining!
James 3:15 marks the steps of the decline of wisdom.
This decline allows demons to infiltrate the work, of God, the people, and the church of God.
James 3:15 (NIV) – Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual ’soulish’, demonic.
Being earthly (People say I’m just human) it may sound or seem innocent enough, but it takes very little time for a lack of interest and enthusiasm to take root.
Jesus did not save you to be a weak soulish Christian.
This will drag you down to the soulish realm.
And perhaps further still into the realm of the demonic.
An earthly Christian is someone who expects God to provide blessings for this lifetime only – prosperity, healing, power, success, comfort, ease, feather my nest in this world.
1 Corinthians 15:19 (Amp) – If we who are [abiding] in Christ have hope only in this life and that is all, then we are of all people most miserable and to be pitied.
If the purpose of your Christian faith is to receive blessings and comfort in this earthly life alone, you are to be pitied and you’ll be miserable.
So many Christians forget that this world is not our home, we are foreigners passing through this world.
1 Peter 1:17 (NIV) – Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.
That’s why so many Christians are earthly and become soulish.
A soulish man cannot discern spiritual truth because he must do so with the Spirit.
And when you are tuned solely to soulish appeals to your emotions, then it becomes:
All about me, myself and I. My will, I want, I think – these are not controlled by the Holy Spirit.
When it comes to our lifestyle of worship
Soulish people worship God in order to have a good time.
People say, “What wonderful worship service”.
The purpose of worship is not for us to have a good time.
Rather the purpose of worship is just what it says – WORSHIP!
Proper worship praises God. It does not seek to elevate our emotion or to thrill our senses.
I’ve seen people moved by emotions, even to tears, and yet they never change.
A step down from the soulish is the demonic.
The pattern of progression from earthly to soulish to demonic is best illustrated in the Old Testament by Aaron who made a golden calf, an idol.
Exodus 32:1-6 (Amp) – When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, [they] gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, Up, make us gods to go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him. 2 So Aaron replied, Take the gold rings from the ears of your wives, your sons, and daughters, and bring them to me. 3 So all the people took the gold rings from their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 And he received the gold at their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made it a molten calf; and they said, These are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt! 5 And when Aaron saw the molten calf, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord. 6 And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.
Note verse 1 – they credited Moses for their deliverance instead of recognizing God’s providence[voorsiening].
Their focus on human leaders lead to idolatry.
It says they, “The people … rose up to play”.
What is incredible about the backsliding of Aaron and the people is how suddenly it occurred.
2 months before Aaron designed the golden calf, Moses received the Ten Commandments from God. The people responded in awe and reverence.
Exodus 20:18-21 (NIV) – When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.” Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.” The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.
Within 2 months, the people had abandoned their attitude of fear and reverence and replaced it with an attitude of indifference and idolatry.
Once their physical needs had been met, their appetites satisfied their bodies sufficiently clothed they backslid.
Hebrews 12:28-29 (NIV) – Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”
The New Testament example of God’s holy judgment when He struck Ananias and Sapphira dead when they cheated with offerings.
Acts 5:11 (NIV) – Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.
The question is – how much awe do you have for God in your life?
We must never lose a sense of awe of God’s Holiness and greatness.
Ephesians 4:30 (NIV) – And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Too often the lack of seriousness of awe gives way to unscriptural frivolity and flippancy.
Frivolity = lacking seriousness, silly, oppervlakkig/onbelangrik
Flippancy = treating serious matters lightly, disrespectful, ligsinnigheid/onverskillig.
One ministry of the Holy Spirit is convicting us of sin.
Where conviction is lacking, the work of the Holy Spirit is mostly lacking as well.
Too many Christians are trying to serve God in an earthly, soulish even demonic way.
You will always have time for what you make time for.
You are right now only as obedient and committed to God as you are allowing the Holy Spirit to have you.
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