Romans 8:9-11

I am usually behind the guitar, and it's kind of a security blanket for me, so I hope that you'll be in prayer for me, even as I speak.

I appreciate Alex's encouragement, that song, words of power that can never fail. Let their truth prevail over unbelief.

My prayer is that that's exactly what would happen today prevail over my unbelief and yours.

Our text is Romans chapter 8, verses 9 through 11.

Romans 8:9–11

Now, a couple of weeks ago, John said he felt like the varsity was winning, so now the JV team was stepping in.

That was two weeks ago, so I don't know what that says about me exactly.

But I am really excited to get to talk with you about this text.

Even this morning, I was trying to find things that I could take out of my sermon, because I don't want to take all of your whole afternoon.

There's just, as we begin to talk about the Spirit, there's more than we could possibly cover in a morning or a week.

So I hope that this will be a foundation and a catalyst, and that you'll want to get more acquainted with the Spirit in your own personal studies as a result of this.

So let's read together Romans chapter 8, verses 9 through 11.

Romans 8:9–11

You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you.

Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

So there are three things that I want you to see, one from each verse.

Paul is making some pretty strong claims here, and he uses this big if a couple of times.

He's basically making logical assertions.

He says, if this is true, then this also is true.

And those three things, I'll go ahead and give them to you, and then I'm going to fill in the blanks.

In verse 9, he says, if the Spirit of God is within us, then we belong to Christ.

Verse 10, he says, if the Spirit is in you, then you have life because of righteousness.

So there's a spiritual life that's in us if the Spirit of God is in us.

And then finally, if the Spirit is in us, then we will be resurrected from the dead one day.

We're going to spend most of our time on that second point,

because Clay and John have done a great job of building us up into verse 9.

Paul certainly is not presenting a new idea here when he says that we belong to Christ,

if the Spirit of God is in us.

Verse 7, he said, the mind set on the flesh is hostile towards God.

But now he's made this case that our minds are not set on the flesh, they're set on the Spirit.

We're no longer enemies of God, but we're actually his children.

We belong to him because we're not in the flesh any longer.

Second Corinthians 6.16 says, we are the temple of the living God.

As God said, I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,

and I will be their God and they shall be my people.

So did you catch that?

God said, I will make my dwelling among them.

I will be their God and they shall be my people.

So when the Spirit of God comes into us, we become his.

He then owns us.

Now the inverse, which is what Paul actually highlights in this verse,

certainly true, if we don't have the Spirit of Christ, we don't belong to Christ.

You see that?

You are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit.

In fact, the Spirit of God dwells in you.

Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

So let that resound with you.

If you fall into that category, then all of the good things I'm about to describe are not yours.

Not yet.

So the inverse is true.

And then the final way to look at this verse, okay, if the Spirit dwells in us, then we belong to Christ.

If we don't have the Spirit, we don't belong to Christ.

And then finally, if we belong to Christ, we have the Spirit of Christ.

It's inseparable from the idea.

You couldn't be his and not have the Spirit any more than you could have the Spirit and not be his.

And that's the foundation, kind of the springboard that we're moving into this next idea from,

is that if we are Christ, if we call ourselves Christians, and we are,

then we do have the Spirit of God dwelling within us.

Okay?

So the next verse, verse 10, if we read that together, it says,

But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

And that's an interesting word.

Is life.

It's not the Spirit brings life or gives you life, but is life.

Okay?

The Spirit is within us.

So what I want us to see, and we're going to spend a great deal of energy sort of wrapping our minds around it,

is that we have abundant spiritual life in Christ.

In spite of death, which is brought on by sin, when the Spirit of God comes into us, he brings abundant spiritual life.

2 Corinthians 5.17 says,

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.

The old has passed away.

Behold, the new has come.

A couple of verses later in 2 Corinthians 5.21,

Paul says,

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

So look what happens there.

There's an exchange.

Martin Luther is famous for saying, talking about this great exchange of our sin for Christ's righteousness in this exchange.

What Paul is here highlighting in verse 10 is that while we retain physical death, we retain our sinful desires,

we also receive spiritual life.

When we receive new righteous desires, there's not only an exchange of our sin for his righteousness,

but there's a turning over of desires, a displacement of desires.

So we gain his desires and we do away with our desires.

Now, the major difference is that when we receive his righteousness for our sin, that happens instantly.

But the process of gaining his desires happens over the course of our life as we're sanctified.

Our desires decrease and his increase within us.

And the key is that whereas we once were dead and we could do no righteous act whatsoever by nature of being dead,

we now are truly and fully alive and we can do what he wants.

And in fact, we will find the longer we spend time with God and we live according to the spirit,

we'll be able to do more and more works according to his desires.

We will want more and more what he wants as we as we walk with him.

So what I want to do then is to step back from this verse just a little bit and talk about the spirit,

kind of lay a foundation because we throw this phrase around the Holy Spirit a lot.

And I think that we all have a pretty decent theological understanding of it.

But our practical understanding of the Holy Spirit is very weak.

Mine is the same.

I've grown up in the same types of churches that you have.

Well-meaning churches that use the phrase Holy Spirit,

but don't get down to the meat of what that means and how it actually impacts our living.

So I want to ask the question first, what is spirit?

And then more specifically, what is the Holy Spirit?

So that we can get into a discussion of who the Holy Spirit is.

So what is spirit?

Just generally, it's a specific, identifiable substance, but it's non-material.

I think we all are like, okay, Wes, I'm there with you.

We can't define spirit in the sense that we can't box it into anything.

It's non-material.

It is, however, describable.

It's just as real as matter.

It just exists in another mode of being.

Does that make sense?

You can see me, touch me.

You can't see and touch spirit because it's in a different mode of existence altogether.

As such, it has the ability to penetrate.

It can penetrate matter and spirit.

Spirit can penetrate spirit.

Spirit can penetrate personality.

And so there are all types of spirits in the world, which we're sometimes aware of and sometimes not.

And they have the ability to penetrate things like our thoughts.

People who are lost, we've heard of spiritual demon possessions.

Demons are spirits.

And they have penetrated the minds and the bodies of people who are under their possession.

So spirit can penetrate.

And that's going to be really key as we move forward.

And we talked about the Holy Spirit because we're going to be talking about things that we can't quite touch.

But they're just as real.

The spirit is just as real as matter.

So what is the Holy Spirit?

How is that qualified from just spirit in general?

First, and it should be the most obvious, is that the Holy Spirit is God.

And Psalm 139.7 ascribes omnipresence to the Holy Spirit.

In Hebrews 9.14, it's said that the Holy Spirit is eternal.

Just like any other spirit, the Holy Spirit is a being which dwells in another mode of existence.

But he is a person, not a human person, but he has qualities and powers of personality.

He's not matter, but he's substance, is the way to think of that.

He has a will and intelligence.

He has feeling and knowledge and sympathy.

He can love and see and think.

He can hear and speak.

He can desire.

Okay?

So we have to start thinking about the Holy Spirit as a being with personality

and not as some vague, ghostly figure like you would see in a movie.

Everything that Jesus is, the Holy Spirit is.

Everything that the Father is, the Holy Spirit is.

They all are one in the Trinity.

The churches always believe that.

We just, I don't know, we just don't think about it, I guess.

If we look at the ancient creeds, the Nicene Creed from 381 A.D.

It says,

We believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and giver of life,

who proceedeth from the Father,

who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified.

And then the Athanasian Creed from the early 5th century

says,

But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is all one.

The glory equal, the majesty co-eternal.

Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost.

So when we talk about the characteristics of the Holy Spirit,

the characteristics of Christ are the characteristics of the Holy Spirit.

The personality of the Father is the personality of the Holy Spirit,

because they're one.

Okay?

And that's,

it's really foundational and maybe even a bit academic,

but it's essential to our understanding of what the Spirit does.

So, as we're thinking about what the Spirit does,

we have to remember that He's a person

who dwells within us,

because He's in another mode of existence.

Turn to Acts chapter 2.

Acts 2 · chapter mention

I want to shift

to talking about

what the Spirit

has done,

and then to talk about what the Spirit does.

Okay?

Because when the Spirit

initially came

and

came into Christians,

was at Pentecost,

after Christ's resurrection

and His ascension,

the disciples are all basically

just hanging out together.

Jesus had told them,

be still,

don't do anything

until you receive power

from the Holy Spirit.

Okay?

So that's what they're doing,

and the Bible tells us

that they were all of one accord

or of one mind.

So there was unity

among the disciples,

and there was waiting

and expectation for the Spirit,

but other than that,

they're just kind of

hanging out and waiting.

All right?

And then the Spirit comes

and a bunch of

really crazy stuff happens,

which we're going to discuss,

but I want to read together

Acts 2,

starting in verse 1.

When the day of Pentecost

arrived,

they were all together

in one place,

and suddenly

there came from heaven

a sound like a mighty

rushing wind,

and it filled the entire house

where they were sitting,

and divided tongues

as a fire appeared to them

and rested on each one of them,

and they were all filled

with the Holy Spirit

and began to speak

in other tongues

as the Spirit gave the mutterings.

Now there were dwelling

in Jerusalem Jews,

devout men from every nation

under heaven,

and at this sound

the multitude came together,

and they were bewildered

because each one

was hearing them

speak in his own language.

And they were amazed

and astonished,

saying,

Are not all these

who are speaking Galileans?

And how is it

that we hear,

each of us

in his own native language,

Parthians and Medes

and Elamites

and residents

of Mesopotamia,

Judea,

Cappadocia,

Pontus in Asia,

Pergia and Pamphylia,

Egypt and the parts of Libya

beyond belonging to Cyrene,

and visitors from Rome,

both Jews and proselytes,

Cretans and Arabians,

we hear them telling

in our own tongues

the mighty works of God.

And all were amazed

and perplexed,

saying to one another,

What does this mean?

But others mocked,

saying,

They are filled with new wine.

So,

a few things

that I want to see,

three actually,

that the Spirit

brought at Pentecost.

The first

was a new kind of evidence.

A new kind of evidence

for the reality

of their faith.

See,

Christ's evidences,

these people already believed

that Christ was the Messiah,

but his evidences

were all external.

And he cites

four different types of

proof

that he is who he says he is.

Both the

witness of John the Baptist

and the testimony

of the Father.

Remember,

when Jesus was baptized,

a dove came down

from heaven

and there was a voice

that said,

This is my Son

in whom I am well pleased.

Jesus' works,

he cites his miracles

and his teaching

and says,

I am

who I say I am.

The Father has sent me.

The works that I do

are proof of that.

And then finally,

he references the Scriptures

and says,

Look,

they say

that I am

who I say that I am.

But these are all

external proofs.

They're external evidences.

The Spirit comes in

and we immediately

have an inner

evidence

which supersedes

logic even.

We know that we've

been made alive

by the Spirit

the same way

that we know

that we're physically

alive right now.

Nobody's sitting around

thinking,

Am I alive?

Am I not alive?

We just know it.

We take a breath.

That's external evidence.

You don't have to take a breath

to know that you're alive.

I can hold my breath

and still know that I'm alive

because it's an internal

proof.

It supersedes me

having to take in

observe my surroundings

and make an assessment

of whether I'm alive or not.

If I'm thinking,

Rene Descartes said,

I think,

therefore I am.

Okay?

So,

we know that we're

physically alive

and when the Spirit

comes into us,

we know that we're

spiritually alive.

We're instantly assured

that our Savior

is a real Savior

when the Spirit

enters us.

Just as we're

instantly aware

that we're alive

the moment we consider

the question of our own

existence.

And the important thing

here is that

that changed everything.

When,

I feel like Steve Jobs

on that.

More than the iPhone,

the Spirit

changed everything.

Christ

completely changed

the rules

of religion

altogether

when the Spirit

entered into the hearts

of his saints.

Okay?

Religion

used to be

almost entirely

external.

There were

internal facets

to religion,

but for the most part

the way that we

pleased God

was by our actions.

Now,

religion,

if you'll allow me

the term,

religion

is as basic

as life itself.

Don't miss that.

It is fundamental.

It's a part

of who we are.

What had been

about activity

became about identity.

God had said

under the Old Covenant,

live this way

and you'll be

my people,

but he says to us

in the New Covenant,

you are mine,

so you will

live this way.

Instead of

a certain type

of living

getting us

to God,

God got to us

and then he gets us

to a certain type

of living.

And the Holy Spirit

is his means

to that end.

So the Spirit

inaugurated a new

type of evidence

for the reality

of our faith.

New evidence.

The second thing

is that he

inaugurated a new

kind of excitement.

There's an emotion

that's associated

with what happens

to the apostles.

And you can see

that people

at the end

of our text,

people accuse

these folks

of being drunk.

Paul later

actually instructs

Christians,

don't be drunk

with wine,

but be filled

with the Holy Spirit.

Now,

I don't know

how many drunk

people you've

been around,

but usually

there's

either some

excitement

or fighting

and yelling.

Our neighbors,

our neighbor

just got a new

roommate

and they party

a lot now.

So when they're

not fighting

and yelling,

we can hear them

making a big

commotion,

like last night

about 1230,

right outside

of our bedroom.

But when

you're possessed

by a substance

such as alcohol,

one of the effects

can be

excitement,

albeit fading

and not satisfying.

It is exciting.

And people

were accusing

these early Christians

of being drunk

because they didn't

know how to explain

what was going on.

There was

a new emotion.

I mean,

there wasn't

fighting or yelling.

We don't see that

in the text.

So probably

they were having

a pretty good time

and that's why

people ascribe

drunkenness

to them

now they were

speaking in new

languages,

which had to have

been pretty,

pretty crazy,

pretty exciting.

It says that people

were all filled

with wonder.

And then after that,

Peter stands up

and gives the sermon

and 3000 people

are saved.

Now,

you could,

you could cite

Jonathan Edwards

and say,

look,

Jonathan Edwards

is the most boring

preacher.

And look,

you had the great

American awakening.

It is my firm

belief that God

acted in spite

of Jonathan Edwards'

personality,

personality,

not,

he didn't use

Jonathan Edwards'

personality to reach

those people.

He acted in spite

of it.

The spirit

produces a kind

of vibrant

new emotion

within us

and it's

contagious

and it's

exciting

and we see

that happening

at the time

of Pentecost.

We have got

to stop trying

as Baptists

to dampen

that vibrance.

At every turn

we do it,

both in our

gatherings

and in our

own lives

we want

to lead

these quiet

and boring

lives.

And that's

just not

what the spirit

does for us.

It's exciting

when the eternal

and all-powerful

God invades

our hearts

and starts

doing things.

God's not a

boring God,

is he?

And he dwells

within us.

So there's

a new evidence

within us

of the reality

of our faith

and there's

a new

excitement

within us

which was

just not

possible

before

the ever-present

self-existent

one

entered into

our hearts.

And then

finally there's

a new energy,

a new evidence,

a new excitement,

and a new energy.

What happens

is that

these disciples

gained a

direct

spiritual

authority.

Their fears,

their questions,

their doubts,

these things

go away

because now

they have

an authority

within them

which is

founded on

life itself.

I mentioned

just a second

ago that

God

is self-existent.

Life emanates

from him

and now that

life-emanating

power resides

within us.

Acts 1.8

Jesus makes

a promise

before Pentecost.

He says,

but you will

receive power

when the Holy

Spirit comes

upon you.

So there's

a new evidence,

a new excitement,

and a new

energy

which

were

completely

foreign,

at least

in this

degree.

We're

completely

foreign

to religion,

to the people

of God

until this

point.

And then

everything

changes.

Now if we

believe in

Christ,

then we

know that

we have

the Spirit

of God

within us.

That's a

whole other

discussion.

I think

that we've

covered

we've

covered

that pretty

well here

before.

That in

order for

you to

believe in

Christ and

to be

saved,

the Spirit

of God

has to do

something to

you,

has to

make you

alive and

come into

your heart.

But if we

believe in

Christ,

we already

have all

of the

Spirit.

And there's

not anything

more to be

gained as

far as the

Holy Spirit

is concerned.

He doesn't

parse out a

little part of

himself.

He's a

person.

If I said,

hey, I'm

going to come

give you a

hand doing

your lawn,

I'm not going to

cut my hand

off and

give it

to you.

I'm going

to come

help you

do your

lawn.

And the

Spirit is a

person.

He's not

matter, but

he's a

whole,

complete

package.

So if

there's no

more Spirit

to be

gained within

us, then

what's

lacking is

a realization

of his

fullness.

Some

pastors

have

cited

Ephesians

5.18,

which is

where Paul

says,

don't be

drunk with

wine,

but be

filled with

the Spirit.

They use

that phrase,

be filled

with the

Spirit,

to talk

about this

idea that

they've

called

leaking

the

Spirit,

which is

a really

ridiculous

idea,

but it's

the idea

that when

we're

saved,

we're

filled

with

the

Spirit,

but then

as we

live,

we get

less and

less of

the Spirit

within us,

so we

have to

do

things

to

fill

ourselves

back

up.

Well,

that's

only

true

in our

experience.

The

Spirit

of God

is not

literally

draining

out

of

Christians.

We

have

all

of

Him.

We

just

neglect

to

realize

that the

Spirit

is

within

us,

and we

neglect

to

live

according

to

it.

We

miss

a great

many

opportunities

for joy

and for

fullness

when we

fail to

see the

Spirit's

action

in us

and

through

us

and

around

us

and

even

for

us.

So

how is

it that

we

learn

to

see

Him?

It's

by

learning

what

He

is

like,

learning

what

He

desires,

what

He

does.

We're

going to

talk more

about that

in just

a second,

but just

as a

final,

covering

my

logical

basis

here,

the

fullness

of the

Spirit

in the

disciples

at

Pentecost

was

not

a

one-time

occurrence.

It

was the

first-time

occurrence.

He

filled

up those

Christians

the same

way that

He

fills

us.

We

have

the

same

Spirit

who

never

changes.

So

people

want to

make

the

argument

that

what

happened

at

Pentecost

was

a

special

event.

And that

doesn't

happen in

Christians

anymore.

But I

would

submit to

you that

if the

same

Spirit

resides in

us

and never

changes

who

resided

in them,

then those

same

types of

things will

still be

happening

because God

cannot

change.

So it's

not that

He's

failed us,

it's that

we have

failed to

recognize

His

presence.

Listen to

what A.W.

Tozer said

about that

point.

And by

the way,

A.W.

Tozer's

Life by the

Spirit is

an incredible

book.

I would

really

commend it

to you

if you

want to

learn more

about this

as well as

Henry Blackaby's

Experiencing God.

Great resources.

But listen to what

Tozer says.

Our Father

who is in

heaven raised

certain high

expectations of

what He was

going to do

for His

redeemed

people.

He's referring

to prophecies.

When His

Son came to

redeem those

people, He

heightened those

expectations,

raised them,

clarified them,

extended them,

enlarged them,

and emphasized

them.

He raised an

expectation that

was simply beyond

words, too

wonderful and

beautiful and

thrilling to

imagine.

I want to

ask you,

is this level of

Christianity which

we fundamentalists

in this city now

enjoy, what He

meant by what

He said?

So did you

catch that?

He said,

God, for all of

redemptive history,

has been raising

expectations of

what it would be

like when the

Spirit came.

And then Jesus

comes onto the

scene and He

raises those

expectations even

more.

And then Tozer

says, so is the

Christianity that

you're living out

today, does it

meet those

expectations?

He says, no,

there certainly

has been a

vast breakdown

somewhere between

promise and

fulfillment.

That breakdown

is not with

our Heavenly

Father.

So if we're

asking ourselves

then, okay,

Wes, I'll

concede that

there is a

deeper level of

spiritual living

that we're just

not reaching

to.

The question

should be,

how do I

get there?

How can I be

filled with the

Spirit?

And I want to

give you some

advice, but

please hear me

say this is not

a how-to guide.

If you do

everything that I'm

about to say,

you will have

just taken

half of your

first step

towards living

a Spirit-filled

abundant life.

It is going

to be for us

just as C.S.

Lewis wrote

in the last

battle, we

will be

continually drawn

higher up and

further in,

higher up and

further in.

There's an

infinite God

who wants to

know us for

eternity, and

we're going to

continually get to

know Him

better and

get to live

better according

to His

promises and

the fullness

that's in

Him.

So, with

that said

then, go

ahead and

turn to

Romans 12.

We're not

going to get

there just

yet, but

you can have

your finger

there.

A few

things that

we have to

accept before

we can begin

to do

anything.

Okay, so

we've got to

make some

mental ascent

to some

truths before

we can do

anything in

order to be

filled with

the Spirit.

The first, we

have to

accept or

believe that

there is

fullness in

the Spirit,

and we all

seem to

kind of

believe this,

but so few

of us

experience it

that I

throw it in

here because

I'm inclined

to wonder

whether we

really do

believe it

or not.

But we

have to

believe that

there is a

fullness of

the Spirit,

that there's

a level of

living according

to the power

of the Spirit

that we

haven't yet

reached.

And then we

have to

accept, and

this is the

one that

hurts, but

we have to

accept that

Spirit-filled

living as a

Christian is

normal Christian

living.

It's not the

deluxe edition

of Christianity,

but living by

the power of the

Spirit is

Christianity 1.0.

They're not

going to roll

out any

updates to

that app.

It's done.

It's the

original, it's

the one and

the only, if

we want to

follow that

analogy.

We have

been neglecting

some special

features, but

they were

already there.

In John

15.5, Jesus

says, if you

abide in me

and I in

you, you

will bear

much fruit.

So if we

want to bear

much fruit,

it's by

abiding in

Christ, it's

by dwelling

with, remaining

with the

Spirit.

and then

he's going

to produce

that fruit

through us,

just like

fruit grows

on the

branches, but

the energy

for that

fruit is

supplied by

the vine.

Before you

can be filled

with the

Spirit, you

have to

desire it.

So that's

a tough one.

If you've

thought about

desires and

actions,

any, you're

going to

go, well,

how can I

make myself

desire anything?

I would

just beg you

to not follow

me down that

path.

If you

are asking

yourself that

question, it's

proof that you

already desire

it at least a

little bit, so

act on that

desire.

But you do

have to desire

to be filled

with the

Spirit, and

you have to

let yourself

want that,

and then

acknowledge that

if the Spirit

possesses you,

he's going to

have all of

you.

He will be

Lord.

He's the

Lord of the

universe.

We cannot

expect him

to come into

our hearts

and not be

Lord of us

as well.

It's not his

nature to

share authority

or glory

furthermore, he's

not going to

tolerate our

sin, especially

those, what

toes are called

self-sins,

self-love or

self-pity.

God is not

concerned with

us in that

regard.

He's concerned

with him.

We should

love him.

We should

pity those

without him.

So if we're

going to have

the Spirit

fill us, we're

going to have

to get very

serious about

our sin.

extremely

serious.

How on

earth could

a holy

God indwell

with people

who want

both holiness

and sin?

They're

opposite.

You can't

be hot and

cold.

A cannot

be non-A.

So if we

want the

Spirit to

fill us

up, then

we're going

to have to

get really

serious about

our sin.

and if

we're

finding

ourselves

continually

in the

same

sins,

then it's

proof that

we're not

serious about

our sins.

Proof that

we're not

taking as

drastic a

measure as

we can

to root it

out.

And then

finally, we

have to

accept and

acknowledge that

if the

Spirit indwells

us, he's

also going to

bring us into

opposition with

the world.

The world

hates the

Spirit just

as much as

they ever

hated Jesus.

They're one

and the same.

I will

submit to

you, though,

that the

rewards of

being filled

with the

Spirit far

outweigh the

costs.

So if we

can accept

all those

things together,

then what are

we going to

do?

And the

first is

found in

Romans 12,

Romans 12:1

verses 1 and

2.

Paul writes,

I appeal to

you, therefore,

brothers, by the

mercies of God,

to present your

bodies as a

living sacrifice,

holy and

acceptable to

God, which

is your

spiritual

worship.

Do not be

conformed to

this world, but

be transformed

by the renewal

of your mind,

that by testing

you may discern

what is the

will of God,

what is good

and acceptable

and perfect.

Right?

So, we're

to present our

bodies as the

first step to

being filled

with the

Spirit.

And what

does that

mean?

Because I

don't believe

that Paul is

here saying

wherever your

body goes,

let that be

where God

wants you

to go,

because God

considers

ourselves to

be much more

than just our

flesh and our

blood, but

things are a

part of us,

such as our

thoughts, our

mind, our

personality.

Man, that's a

huge one,

personality.

We've got to

stop hiding

behind this

idea that our

personality can't

be changed,

that the Spirit

of God can't

invade our

personality.

It does and

probably is the

central facet of

who we are.

But listen,

apart from the

Spirit of God,

who we are is

sinful.

We're his

enemies apart

from him.

So we want him

to change who

we are.

We want to

give up our

personality for

the sake of

his personality

being infused

into ours.

We can't keep

using this

excuse of,

well, yeah,

I like to love

people from a

distance because

it's not my

personality to be

a people person.

Well, it's

baloney.

Because if the

Holy Spirit is

within us,

that's the

Spirit of

Christ.

And he got

to know

people.

And there's

so much more

we could say

about that

point.

But if you

ever find

yourselves

hiding behind

the lie

that your

personality

somehow hinders

you from

being obedient

to God,

strike it

as sin.

Other things

that are a

part of our

bodies are

ambitions.

our desires.

Everything

that makes

us who we

are will

have to be

literally

sacrificed,

killed,

in order

that we

might make

more of

him and

be made

more like

him.

So the

first thing

is to

present our

bodies to

him.

The second,

and I'd like

you to turn

here, is

Luke 11,

9-13.

we have

to present

our bodies

to the

spirit.

We also

have to

ask him.

Jesus says,

I tell you,

ask and it

will be given

to you.

Seek and you

will find.

Knock and it

will be open

to you.

For everyone

who asks

receives.

And the

one who

seeks finds.

And to

the one

who knocks

it will

be open.

What

father among

you, if

his son

asks for

a fish,

will instead

of a fish

give him

a serpent?

If he

asks for

an egg,

will give

him a

scorpion?

If you

then, who

are evil,

know how

to give

good gifts

to your

children,

how much

more will

the heavenly

father give

the Holy

Spirit to

those who

ask him?

So, it

just seems

that God

operates this

way, that

he invades

our hearts

with the

Holy Spirit

and we

believe in

him and

we're saved.

But if we

want to be

filled with

the Spirit

and we

want to

live according

to the

infinite power

of the

Holy Spirit

within us,

we have to

ask him

for it.

And we

can come

up with

all kinds

of theological

objections to

that point,

but it's

right there

in the

word.

If we

ask, we

receive it.

He even

goes so

far as

to say,

how much

more will

the heavenly

father give

the Holy

Spirit to

those who

ask him?

There's no

way to

wiggle around

that.

So, you

guys know

what I

believe

soteriologically

and I'm

not a very

good Calvinist

when I say

this, but

if you want

the Holy

Spirit to

fill you

up, you

have to

ask him

to do

it.

I'd

rather be

a good

Christian

than a

good

Calvinist

any day.

If we

want the

Spirit of

God to

fill us,

not just

be in

us, but

to fill

us up,

then we

have to

ask for

it.

And then

we can

thank God

afterward for

putting the

desire in

us to

ask if

that helps

us sleep

better.

So, we

have to

ask.

Next, in

Acts 5.32,

we read,

and we are

witnesses to

these things,

and so is

the Holy

Spirit whom

God has

given to

those who

obey him.

So, God

has given

the Holy

Spirit to

those who

obey him.

the next

point is,

if we want

the Holy

Spirit to

fill us,

we have to

be obedient

to him.

We have

to obey

God.

That's a

simple but

revolutionary

idea, that

we would

do what

God says.

We ask

God to

be filled

with the

Spirit, and

then we

get up,

and we

follow him.

We say,

God, give

me the

ability to

be obedient

to you,

and then

we get

up, and

we obey

him.

The Spirit

will find

the Spirit

enables us

to be

obedient, to

be successful

in following

God, in

new and

deeper ways,

but we

ask, and

we obey.

And there's

an idea that's

connected with

obedience, which

is found in

Galatians 3.2.

I'd love for you

to turn there.

And that's to

have faith.

Faith and

obedience always

work hand in

hand.

Paul strongly

here, writing to

the Galatians,

he says,

O foolish

Galatians,

who has

bewitched

you?

It was

before your

eyes that

Jesus Christ

was publicly

portrayed as

crucified.

Let me ask

you only

this.

Did you

receive the

Spirit by

works of

the law,

or by

hearing with

faith?

So you

see here,

he's establishing

where they

were saved,

and they

received the

Spirit by

faith.

And then

in verse

3, he