REDEMPTIVE REVELATION



REDEMPTIVE REVELATION: Where there is no vision (redemptive revelation), the people perish... Proverbs 29:18

            Tonight we’re going to talk about necessary ‘revelation’ of God’s Word in order to walk worthy of our calling!

WALKING IN THE SPIRIT: FILLING


Eph 5:18 (NKJV) AND DO NOT BE DRUNK WITH WINE, IN WHICH IS DISSIPATION; BUT BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT

The NLT says it this way:

DON’T BE DRUNK WITH WINE, BECAUSE THAT WILL RUIN YOUR LIFE. INSTEAD, LET THE HOLY SPIRIT FILL AND CONTROL YOU.


To be filled with the Spirit is to be controlled by the Spirit and is, therefore, crucial to successfully living the Christian life. Unlike the “indwelling of the Spirit” (which is the Baptism of the Holy Ghost), “filling” is a repeated experience! This is underscored by the use of the present tense (“be filled”) as well as by Biblical examples of Christians who were filled more than once (see Acts 2:4; 4:31). Just as important, we must observe that ‘filling’ is a command to be obeyed, not an option!

            .........So, the question is: “How can someone be ‘filled’ with the Spirit?”

ANSWER: (1.) Simply confess your sin and yield to God. In other words, turn your life over to God through salvation; and dedicate your live into His hands. As a believer chooses to obey in these areas, he is ‘filled’ with the Spirit of God and is enabled to manifest Christ-like character.


(2.) You must believe God’s Word that meeting the conditions will result in the filling. The Spirit-‘full’ person will exhibit the Christ-like character described in Gal 5:22-26 (NLT) BUT WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT CONTROLS OUR LIVES, HE WILL PRODUCE THIS KIND OF FRUIT IN US: LOVE, JOY PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL. HERE THERE IS NO CONFLICT WITH THE LAW. THOSE WHO BELONG TO CHRIST JESUS HAVE NAILED THE PASSIONS AND DESIRES OF THEIR SINFUL NATURE TO HIS CROSS AND CRUCIFIED THEM THERE. IF WE ARE LIVING NOW BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, LET US FOLLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT’S LEADING IN EVERY PART OF OUR LIVES. LET US NOT BECOME CONCEITED, OR IRRITATE ONE ANOTHER, OR BE JEALOUS OF ONE ANOTHER.


            You see, these are qualities Christians are EXPECTED to exhibit!

This is NOT something “super-spiritual”...This is EXPECTED! We are admonished to act like; look like; imitate the Lord Jesus’ example. That’s not being “spooky-spiritual” – that’s being REAL!

---------------------------------

UNDERSTANDING GOD’S ‘BEING’

            The Bible reveals the Nature of God as ‘Spirit’, Unity, and Trinity. He is Spirit - a personal, infinite Being (John 4:24). He is One - One in Substance or Nature and incapable of being divided into separate parts (Deut. 6:4); and He is Three----eternally existing in Three Co-equal Persons (Matt 28:19).

            God’s attributes are merely words we use to describe how God IS and how He ACTS toward us! Among these attributes are Love, Holiness, Constance, Justice, Truth, Eternal, Omniscient (all-knowing), Omnipresent (everywhere, all the time!), and Omnipotent (all-Powerful). That we can grasp and understand this much about our God (through His Word) is evidence of God’s desire that ALL people may know Him!

----------------------------

The word Father is applied in various ways in the Bible. When God is spoken of as the Father of all men, it is as Creator.

As the Father of Christ, it expresses an eternal, unique relationship

As the Father of believers, it denotes a relationship established by GRACE!

 As the Father of Israel, it means a ‘bond’ established by Covenant!

            However “Father” is used, it is a deliberately chosen word to communicate to men one of the primary ways God wants us to perceive Him!

----------------------------

The Title, Son of God:

John 10:24-30 (NLT) THE JEWISH LEADERS SURROUNDED HIM AND ASKED, “HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO KEEP US IN SUSPENSE? IF YOU ARE THE MESSIAH, TELL US PLAINLY.” JESUS REPLIED, “I HAVE ALREADY TOLD YOU, AND YOU DON’T BELIEVE ME. THE PROOF IS WHAT I DO IN THE NAME OF MY FATHER. BUT YOU DON’T BELIEVE ME BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT PART OF MY FLOCK. MY SHEEP RECOGNIZE MY VOICE; I KNOW THEM, AND THEY FOLLOW ME. I GIVE THEM ETERNAL LIFE, AND THEY WILL NEVER PERISH. NO ONE WILL SNATCH THEM AWAY FROM ME, FOR MY FATHER HAS GIVEN THEM TO ME, AND HE IS MORE POWERFUL THAN ANYONE ELSE. SO NO ONE CAN TAKE THEM FROM ME. THE FATHER AND I ARE ONE!

            This Scripture shows us the Son of God! Jesus often referred to Himself as “the Son”.

How significant is this term to the Christian?! It’s very important because it helps establish our relationship with God, the Father, through the Son!

            Our relationship with the Son determines whether we will become Christians! Our relationship with the Spirit of God determines what kind of “Believers” we will be!

------------------------------

BEGINNING THE NEW LIFE

            Mankind is - by nature - sinful and needs the Righteousness of God. We must be separated from sin and set apart to righteousness. If we are to approach God, we must do so on God’s terms: WE MUST HAVE NEW LIVES IN WHICH OUR SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN AND OBLITERATED!

            It is one thing to be convinced of the need for the “new” life; but it is an entirely different thing to ACQUIRE the ‘New’ life!    When we’re “saved” we are said to be ‘new’ creatures (2 Cor.5:17); to have passed from death to life (John 5:24); to have been transferred from the rule of darkness to the Kingdom of God’s Son (Co. 1:13); to have been born again (John 3:3); and to have been adopted by God (Gal.4:4-5). These are all the ‘parts’ that sum up the ‘whole’! And all of this is by trusting Jesus Christ for salvation, and being covered by His Precious Blood.

            One of the most exhilarating benefits of finding new life in Christ is ETERNAL LIFE!

We enter a new, personal relationship with God that gives us a fullness of spiritual vitality; and this new life is a ‘gift’ that will never die! God actually brings about a life-changing transformation that embraces us forever!!

REMEMBER: TO BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT IS A COMMAND - NOT AN OPTION!

-------------------------------

 

GROWTH IN THE ‘NEW’ LIFE

            There is an old adage: “SIN WILL KEEP YOU FROM GOD’S WORD; AND GOD’S WORD WILL KEEP YOU FROM SIN!”

Here are seven organizational skills you must develop in order to maintain a close walk with our Lord:

1. BIBLE STUDY - Memorize God’s Word; meditate on His Word; READ His Word; OBEY His Word.

 

2. PRAYER - praise, confession, petition, thanksgiving, COMMITMENT!

 

3. Stewardship - Use the Spiritual gifts; SERVE, GIVE!

 

4. WORSHIP - 1 Chr.16:29 (NKJV) GIVE TO THE LORD THE GLORY DUE HIS NAME; BRING AN OFFERING, AND COME BEFORE HIM. OH, WORSHIP THE LORD IN THE BEAUTY OF HOLINESS!

Express Worship (Heb. 13:15): THEREFORE BY HIM LET US CONTINUALLY OFFER THE SACRIFICE OF PRAISE TO GOD, THAT IS, THE FRUIT OF OUR LIPS, GIVING THANKS TO HIS NAME.

Reasons for Worship: 2 Chr 7:3: WHEN ALL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SAW HOW THE FIRE CAME DOWN, AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD ON THE TEMPLE, THEY BOWED THEIR FACES TO THE GROUND ON THE PAVEMENT, AND WORSHIPED AND PRAISED THE LORD, SAYING: “FOR HE IS GOOD, FOR HIS MERCY ENDURES FOREVER.”

 

5. Participation in the Local Church: Rom. 26:5: PLEASE GIVE MY GREETINGS TO THE CHURCH THAT MEETS IN THEIR HOME....”

Why do we ‘participate’? Heb 10:25: AND LET US NOT NEGLECT OUR MEETING TOGETHER, AS SOME PEOPLE DO, BUT ENCOURAGE AND WARN EACH OTHER, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT THE DAY OF HIS COMING BACK AGAIN IS DRAWING NEAR.

Benefits: Acts 2:42-47: THEY JOINED WITH THE OTHER BELIEVERS AND DEVOTED THEMSELVES TO THE APOSTLES’ TEACHING AND FELLOWSHIP, SHARING IN THE LORD’S SUPPER AND IN PRAYER. A DEEP SENSE OF AWE CAME OVER THEM ALL, AND THE APOSTLES PERFORMED MANY MIRACULOUS SIGNS AND WONDERS. AND ALL THE BELIEVERS MET TOGETHER CONSTANTLY AND SHARED EVERYTHING THEY HAD. THEY SOLD THEIR POSSESSIONS AND SHARED THE PROCEEDS WITH THOSE IN NEED. THEY WORSHIPED TOGETHER AT THE TEMPLE EACH DAY, MET IN HOMES FOR THE LORD’S SUPPER, AND SHARED THEIR MEALS WITH GREAT JOY AND GENEROSITY - ALL THE WHILE PRAISING GOD AND ENJOYING THE GOOD WILL OF ALL THE PEOPLE. AND EACH DAY THE LORD ADDED TO THEIR GROUP THOSE WHO WERE BEING SAVED.

 

6. Why Share your Faith? Because Jesus said to! (Matt. 28:19).

How? Through your personal testimony, remembering that God CHOSE us!! (1 Thess 1:5)

When? ALL THE TIME! (2 Tim.4:2): PREACH THE WORD OF GOD. BE PERSISTENT, WHETHER THE TIME IS FAVORABLE OR NOT. PATIENTLY CORRECT, REBUKE, AND ENCOURAGE YOUR PEOPLE WITH GOOD TEACHING.

 

7. Walk in the Spirit: Psa. 73:1: TRULY GOD IS GOOD TO ISRAEL, TO THOSE WHOSE HEARTS ARE PURE.

Rom 12:1-2: I BESEECH YOU THEREFORE, BRETHREN, BY THE MERCIES OF GOD, THAT YOU PRESENT YOUR BODIES A LIVING SACRIFICE, HOLY, ACCEPTABLE TO GOD, WHICH IS YOUR REASONABLE SERVICE. AND DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD, BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND, THAT YOU MAY PROVE WHAT IS THAT GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE AND PERFECT WILL OF GOD.

 

----------------------------------

 

            Consider yourselves fore-warned:

1. Jesus is coming soon!

2. Prepare yourself.

3. If you hold something against your brother or sister - DEAL WITH IT! Forgive them and ask God to forgive you, as well!

 

 .....and remember: it’s not how you started the ‘race’ that counts anymore. That’s over; and you’re in the NEXT race for the High-Calling. We are “ONE” in the Spirit. We are Family.

AND we are ALL Children of the Most High God!