What Spiritual Things Do We Have as Christians?
Galatians 5:16
DATE: 16 Sep, 2007 AM
PLACE: BBC Ballincollig
I. Introduction (Galatians 5:16,17)
A. The Christian leads a double life – one that is both Physical, and one that is Spiritual
B. The two lives are against each other – they go in exactly opposite directions
C. They both want their own way – but only one is best for you!
1. The Physical life is visible, emotional, mental, tangible and temporary – the flesh
2. The Spiritual life is invisible, yielded, trusting, intangible and eternal – the Spirit. To be led of the Spirit is much more than just emotional feelings and mental understanding. It is being led by the Holy Spirit, not your own thinking, feelings, or habits!
3. Before a person is born again, their physical life is in full operation, but their spiritual life is dead and empty of God - filled with only drink, and drugs and demons and death!
4. That’s why a person desperately needs to become born again – with eternal life put into that Spiritual part of their life!
D. We easily understand THIS world we live in – we see it, hear it, taste it, feel it. We KNOW what we see!
E. But then, there is another dimension – another realm
1. As kids we heard stories of ghosts, and spirits
2. Teens open themselves up to another dimension through drugs, and glue and aerosol sprays
3. Adults play with Tarot cards, and Ouija boards, and palm readers, and horoscopes and hypnosis
4. They are playing with fire! There really ARE other spirits out there!
5. Most people end up missing the real life that is “there,” just beyond our touch and hearing and feeling! It’s called the Christian’s Spiritual Life
F. I want to talk for the next few weeks about the Christian’s Spiritual life – the OTHER Life! That part of our life that makes our physical, and emotional burdens a whole lot easier to bear!
1. People have so many problems with their health, homes, minds and their hearts – and no amount of drugs or drink will repair any of it
2. We need to take a good look at that part of us that is eternal, and much more important than how we look, or feel, or where we live, so that, when yielded to, our Spiritual life will strengthen our Physical life
G. That part of our life is just as real as what you see, and feel in this realm – but the truth is, they are far more powerful and helpful than anything in this world!
1. A Spiritual Birth (John 3)
2. A Spiritual Mindset (1Cor 2:14)
3. A Spiritual Warfare (Eph 6:12)
4. A Spiritual Rest (Heb 4:9,3)
5. A Spiritual Worship (John 4:20-24)
6. Spiritual Strengths (Gal 6:1,2)
7. Spiritual Food (John 4:32,34; Job 32:12; Ps 119:23)
8. Spiritual Laws (Rom 7:14)
9. Spiritual Blessings (Eph 1:3; Matt 6:19,20)
10. Spiritual Gifting – Abilities (1Cor 12:1)
11. Spiritual Songs (Col 3:16)
12. A Spiritual Church (1Peter 2:5)
II. Message – Our Spiritual Mindset (1Cor 2:14,15)
A. A way of thinking that is based on the mind of the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:27)
1. It is not always logical, or rational, or something that just “feels right”
2. It is spiritually understood – i.e., understood in our spirit
3. Not talking about vague things like ESP or channelling or crystals or various forms of sorcery or witchcraft or out-of-body experiences or reincarnation – all of which are an abomination to God
B. How did Jesus think about things? THAT is how our minds should begin to think!
C. A spiritual mindset is a mind that…
1. Trusts the Lord when NOTHING makes sense
2. Sees the promises of God when there is only a storm, or even a wall ahead!
3. Waits and stays when everyone else has given up and gone home
4. Prays instead of worrying
5. Praises instead of complaining
6. Gives when the pocket is almost empty
7. That loves when the heart doesn’t want to
8. All because you are yielding to that part of you that is governed by the Holy Spirit of God, and not by your own will!
D. Let me show you how valuable your Spiritual mindset is:
1. The physical mind can act religious and still be lost (Mt 23:25)
2. Only the Spiritual mind can enjoy the presence of almighty God in your life – He is only spiritually discerned!
3. The spiritual mind can look beyond your problem and see Jesus (Heb 12:2)
4. The spiritual mind leads to life and peace (Rom 8:5,6)
E. A Christian cannot FEEL a truth, they must first believe it and hold to it
F. THEN that truth, when believed will allow you to experience all that God gives!
1. That’s how a person gets the free gift of eternal life (Rom 6:23)
2. They first believe it, and then they receive it, and THEN they feel it!
3. That’s how you start enjoying all of the Christian life – by yielding to the Holy Spirit in your life
G. Did you know…
1. God doesn’t tell us to change our behaviour so we can become something new
2. He makes us something new at salvation, and calls us to focus on that SPIRITUAL reality (forgiven by God, name written down in heaven, no more condemnation by God, etc) by faith until our behaviour is affected
3. You CAN have that spiritual mindset as a gift from Christ – just by getting born again (Rom 8:9)!
4. And you CAN yield to that spiritual mindset, if you just start believing it is there for you to lean on as you learn this Bible (Prov 3:5) – lean on your SPIRITUAL mind, not on your normal, way of thinking!
H. What everyone in this room needs is a better way to think about things, and a better mind than they currently have – we have too many troublesome imaginations, and evil surmisings, and wicked thoughts running through there, that it would be nice to have a clean mind and right thoughts!
I. Well, you got it at the cross! You got the mind of Christ. It’s time to start rejecting what your mind normally tells you, and start believing what GOD tells you – in His word! It will change your life folks! Totally!
III. Concluding Thoughts – there is more to come!
A. The Christian leads a double life – one that’s both Physical, and Spiritual
B. These two lives are against each other – they go in exactly opposite directions
C. They both want their own way – but only one is best for you!
D. We easily understand THIS world we live in – we see it, hear it, taste it, feel it. We KNOW what we see!
E. But then, there is another dimension – another realm – a spiritual realm
F. “Walking in the Spirit” makes our physical, and emotional burdens a whole lot easier to bear!
G. What Spiritual Areas can we become more aware of that will help us actually “walk in the Spirit?”
1. A Spiritual Mindset (1Cor 2:14)
2. A Spiritual Warfare (Eph 6:12)
H. Spiritual growth occurs when any of the above increases
I. Without any focus on growth in those areas of our life that are spiritual, then the physical, and emotional areas are going to take over – like weeds take over a garden that is not tended to!
J. It all Only Begins with A Spiritual Birth (John 3)
1. Everyone is born physically
2. Evidently, everyone needs a second “birth” – according to Dr. God!
3. The first birth that we all have is only physical – of the flesh! It cannot get into heaven (1Corinthians 15:50). It is sinful, temporary, and it is faulty!
4. The second birth is spiritual – of God’s Spirit
5. It can only come from God. John 4:24 says that “God is a Spirit.” He is not flesh like we humans are. According to John 3:6, His Spirit will produce SPIRITUAL life in a sinner if they would just fully believe on God’s Son, Jesus Christ!
6. No good works, prayers, money, etc can get you into heaven – only a spiritual birth can make you fit!
7. How do you get this second birth?
a. By faith alone (John 3:16-18) in Jesus as your Saviour and Lord
b. The second birth involves trusting God’s word to be true (1Peter 1:23). You can fully and completely trust the death of Jesus Christ to be payment enough for your sin, because God said in His word you could, and that He would give you as a free gift, eternal salvation - eternal life!
c. By repenting of your sinful flesh – it is what keeps getting us into trouble with God!
d. Ask God in prayer for this great gift of eternal life (Romans 6:23)
Craig Ledbetter
Bible Baptist Church, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland