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The Indwelling Gift And Work of the Holy Spirit
(1) Lets study Rom. 8 and see what we can learn about the indwelling gift of the Holy Spirit
1Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
9However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. 10If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11But 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.
12So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh- 13for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
18For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, £in hope 21that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 24For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. 26In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
28And we know that £God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 33Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; 34who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was £raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35Who will separate us from the love of £Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Holy Spirit: * is the Spirit of life in verse 2. The mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. Verse 5 says,” 5For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.” We either live according to the flesh or according to the Spirit! If we live according to the flesh, we can not and do not please God! (v.7)
* If we do have the Spirit of God (the Spirit of Christ), then we belong to God (Christ). As we talked in the last question of lesson 2, we are `sealed' and `recognized' by the indwelling Spirit. (v. 15 says we have a spirit of adoption) (Verse 23 refers to the “firstfruits” of the Spirit, or the `downpayment' of the Spirit.
* In verse 11 we read that, the indwelling Spirit gives us life. How does He give us life? Verse 13 tells us that “by the Spirit” we put to death the deeds of the flesh. The Spirit `helps' us to overcome sin!
* The indwelling Spirit `leads us', we find in verse 14. (We must allow Him to lead us! We must allow Him to show us the way of life through the written inspired Word!)
Verse 26 talks about the Spirit helping our weaknesses by `delivering our prayers' to God. I think of a passage of Scripture in Isaiah 55:8,9 that says,” 8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts..” God is so Divine, Spiritual, Omniscient, Holy, Pure, …………,we are unable to speak His language. The Holy Spirit speaks the language of our Father and helps us to pray as we should, even though often we don't understand how or what we should pray.
(Pay special attention to vs. 6, 9, 10, 14, and 26)
(2) Compare Rom. 8: 2-13 to Gal. 5: 16-25. (See Jude 19-21)
Gal. 5:16-25 16But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. 19Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.
Jude 19-20 These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit. 20But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life
Along with the 8th chapter of Romans, we read in these verses in Galatians and Jude that the Christian, who HAS the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, is recognizable by the fruit that he produces. (Not unlike Jesus' teaching in Matthew 7:15-29 (5“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16“You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17“So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18“A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20“So then, you will know them by their fruits.)
If we allow the indwelling Holy Spirit to lead us as He is intended, we will produce the fruit of the Spirit: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-contro
If we ignore the leading of the Holy Spirit (A good start to that is not `studying' our Bible.) then we will find our fruit listed in the fruit of the flesh. (He is speaking of continuous fruit, and an ongoing lifestyle.) Are we divisive, worldly, immoral, impure, led by sensuality, jealous or proud? Then we perhaps need to do as Paul writes in 2 Cor. 13:5, “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you-unless indeed you fail the test?” We ALL need to do that every day of our lives, and if we find ourselves not passing the test, we need to get on our knees and pray for God's forgiveness and help in overcoming the temptations that we have continuously given in to. Perhaps, some may need to ask our brothers and sisters to help and pray for us.
(3) Also read the following passage of scripture. What does it tell us about the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Christians?
Eph. 2: 18 “for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.” Here we AGAIN see that `unity' is achieved through or in the Spirit, just as in Eph. 4:3: “being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Unity in or through the Spirit is achieved by following the Way of the Spirit, and UNITY can only be achieved through the following of God's Word by God's people. In other words, when we accept Christ and receive the gift of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and know and obey God's Word, we will all be one.
“41So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand £souls. 42They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
43Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. 44And all those who had believed £were together and had all things in common; 45and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. 46Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
(4) How does the Holy Spirit produce Christian behavior and fruit in the lives of the Christian?
I believe that we have already covered this! What He doesn't do is: “Stop us in our tracks, turn us around and SAY, “Go over there!” He doesn't: Make us do good things. He doesn't: fill our minds with information about God's will.
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