If you are filled with the Holy Spirit you are/will experience joy in living.1 Jesus gives the Holy Spirit to us. When our lives are changed by having the Holy Spirit, this give glory to Jesus for it is His will for us.
Do not snuff out the Spirit
Paul told us to not to snuff out what the Spirit is doing. Do not snuff out what the Holy Spirit is doing in the life of the church and in the life of its’ members.The members of the church are members of the Kingdom. As members we are tod to expect suffering and opposition from the enemy. This suffering comes from and is directed toward us because of our faith in Christ. 2
Your attitude is everything
Attitudes affect the work. Your attitude reveals the real you and what is inside you. Your attitude can snuff out the work of the Spirit wherever the Holy Spirit is found to be at work. Your attitude is completely under your control. You can control your attitude in such a way that the Holy Spirit can no longer influence your life.3
As Christians, we are to test everything that is preached to us so to determine the truth.4
Salvation
The overriding theme of the message from God to all Christians everywhere is salvation.5
God has a plan for us. Gods plan for us is that everyone possible join in to salvation and fellowship with Him. The result of this good news in salvation involves being dedicated and consecrated to God by doing the work of the Spirit and the will of the Spirit.
Received Through Faith
Salvation does not depend on one’s own effort. Salvation does not come about through our own effort. Salvation is by no means earned. It was Jesus who paid the price and who satisfied the law. Jesus willingly gave His life and suffered for our sins . The sinless One gave up life and suffered what we deserved. That alone is sufficient for salvation. The Holy Spirit was given to us to understand salvation and as a director of mission work. 6
The existence of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is not like a puffy cloud in the distant sky. The Holy Spirit is not like a think vaper seen drift across a graveyard at dusk. The Holy Spirit is not a vague, abstract, indefinite experience. The Holy Spirit is real. The Holy Spirit is a huge impact on the christians life.7
What is the key?
The key to being a christian, the key to being in possession of the Holy Spirit, the key to pleasing God is :Faith and submission. The same thing that justified Abraham is what justifies us: Faith.8
Jesus is our Father
God sent Jesus, as a man, to live under the law. To live under the law and satisfy all demands of the law. Because of what Jesus accomplished in and with His life, we can experience to be adopted by God.9 It is a privilege to have this kind of relationship with the Father. As our earthly parent have taught their children, having privilege brings responsibilities. 10
By faith comes righteousness
Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit to be our guide and to give us comfort. Sometimes we simply overflow with the Spirit. God’s Holy Spirit shows that we are His sons. Nothing else is needed for our support. God made provision for us. Our hope is in this provision.11 Our faith will work through love.12
Walking in the Spirit
We must walk in the Spirit, faithfully. We are not free to do what we want. We have given our so called freedom to be controlled by the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. We no longer exist to indulge ourselves. Christians lives their lives in the life of the Spirit. Christians live to serve one another in love and to spread the message of salvation throughout the world.13
Victory over “the flesh”
Walking in the Spirit simply means having control of our desires, impulses, and wants of the flesh. The christian is in a constant state of denying desires of the flesh. On the other hand the christian is in constant state of cultivating the fruit of the Spirit. The saving “ God is not finish with me yet”, illustrates the constant struggle christians have with the flesh. However victory comes even if victory comes in tiny steps. 14
Trademarks of a life controlled by the flash
The trademarks of the flesh are:
- Immoral ways
- Filthy thoughts
- Shameful deeds
- Worship of idols
- The practice of witchcraft
- Hate of others
- Hard to get along with others
- Jealously
- Anger
- Selfishness
- Argumentative
- Troublemakers
- Envious
- Drunkers
- Wild partiers
- Do evil things to others 15
On the other hand..
Trademarks of the Spirit controlled life:
- Loving
- Happy
- Peaceful
- Patient
- Kind
- Good
- Faithful
- Gentle
- Self-controlled 16
There is joy in the Lord
The non-christian world knows nothing about the concept of joy, Joy is not found the pursuit of pleasure. Pleasure may bring momentary measure of happiness or satisfaction. However the momentary measure of happiness or satisfaction is nothing like the deep, continuing joy that is the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit makes the work of Jesus and the offer of salvation more and more real to our hearts. This causes rejoicing 18
This should be the watermark of the christians life.