{"id":3595,"date":"2015-09-25T00:22:37","date_gmt":"2015-09-25T07:22:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/?p=3595"},"modified":"2015-09-25T20:25:34","modified_gmt":"2015-09-26T03:25:34","slug":"925-spirit-filled-living","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/2015\/09\/25\/925-spirit-filled-living\/","title":{"rendered":"9\/25: Spirit-Filled Living \uff08\u7bb423:19-28 \u5f174:1-16 \u8d5b60:1-62:12\uff09"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>\u8bfb\u7ecf\uff1a\u7bb423:19-28 \u5f174:1-16 \u8d5b60:1-62:12<\/h2>\n<h2>Spirit-Filled Living<\/h2>\n<div class=\"bioy-body\">\n<p>\u2018I felt ablaze with a desire to go through the length and breadth of Wales to tell of the Saviour: and had it been possible, I was willing to pay God for doing so.\u2019 So wrote Evan Roberts, the man at the centre of the Welsh revival of 1904\u20131905. He spoke about how the Spirit of God gave him an overwhelming experience of God\u2019s love. He was filled with compassion and a desire to tell others about Jesus.<\/p>\n<p>We live in the age of the Spirit. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit came on particular people at particular times for particular purposes. We see an example of this in today\u2019s reading in Isaiah, when the Holy Spirit comes upon the prophet (Isaiah 61). This event was a foretaste of the Holy Spirit coming upon Jesus (Luke 4:14\u201318), as well as of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all Christians, from the day of Pentecost onwards.<\/p>\n<p>The book of Proverbs anticipates what Spirit-filled living should look like. Then, in the New Testament, we see the fulfilment of Spirit-filled living.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bioy-body\">\n<h2>1. A wise life<\/h2>\n<p><a class=\"inline-reading\" href=\"http:\/\/classic.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Proverbs%2023:19-28&amp;version=NIV&amp;interface=print\" target=\"_blank\">Proverbs 23:19-28<\/a>What does a wise lifestyle look like? How do you \u2018become wise\u2019 and point your life \u2018in the right direction\u2019 (v.19, MSG)? The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of wisdom (Isaiah 11:2, Ephesians 1:17). Living according to the Spirit of wisdom and understanding means taking care over:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What you eat and drink<br \/>\n\u2018Don\u2019t drink <em>too much <\/em>wine and get drunk; don\u2019t eat <em>too much <\/em>food and get fat\u2019 (Proverbs 23:20, MSG). We are to be neither \u2018drunks\u2019 nor \u2018gluttons\u2019 (v.21, MSG).<\/li>\n<li>Whom you listen to<br \/>\n\u2018<em>Listen<\/em> with respect to the father who raised you, and when your mother grows old, don\u2019t neglect her\u2019 (v.22, MSG). Respect for parents is the mark of wisdom. Wise children should make their parents proud of them (vv.24\u201325, MSG).<\/li>\n<li>How you learn<br \/>\nAn inquisitive mind is the mark of the Spirit of wisdom: \u2018Buy truth&#8230; buy wisdom, buy education, buy insight\u2019 (vv.23, MSG). The Spirit of wisdom gives you a hunger for truth and knowledge.<\/li>\n<li>What you think about<br \/>\nWhat you think in your heart you become. \u2018My child, give me your heart\u2019 (v.26a) \u2013 this is where everything starts. Guard your heart and your mind.<\/li>\n<li>What you look at<br \/>\n\u2018Let your eyes keep to my ways\u2019 (v.26b). Watching what you look at is one of the ways to guard against promiscuity and immorality (vv.27\u201328).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Lord, fill me today with the Spirit of wisdom. Help me to be careful about what I eat and drink, whom I listen to, how I learn, what I think about and what I look at. May my life be honouring to Jesus.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bioy-body\">\n<h2>2. A \u2018healthy\u2019 life<\/h2>\n<p><a class=\"inline-reading\" href=\"http:\/\/classic.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Ephesians%204:1-16&amp;version=NIV&amp;interface=print\" target=\"_blank\">Ephesians 4:1-16<\/a>What are the characteristics of a healthy church? Paul tells us how the church can grow up \u2018healthy in God\u2019 (v.16, MSG).<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Unity<br \/>\nUnity is not simply the work of the Holy Spirit but the very instrument through which the Holy Spirit works.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"rteindent1\">The Holy Spirit unites the church (v.16). The church is one: \u2018There is <em>one<\/em> body and<em>one<\/em> Spirit \u2013 just as you were called to <em>one<\/em> hope when you were called \u2013 <em>one<\/em> Lord,<em>one<\/em> faith, <em>one<\/em> baptism; <em>one<\/em> God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all\u2019 (vv.4\u20136).<\/p>\n<p class=\"rteindent1\">Unity is relational. All Christians are sons and daughters of the \u2018one God and Father of all\u2019. Therefore we are brothers and sisters. We all love \u2018one Lord\u2019 Jesus. We all have the Holy Spirit living within us. Ultimately, it is our relationship to God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit that unites us.<\/p>\n<p class=\"rteindent1\">And yet, unity is so hard in practice. It is easy to argue. It\u2019s easy to split. It\u2019s easy to start our own group with people who agree with us. Unity requires great effort. Paul urges us to \u2018<em>make every effort <\/em>to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace\u2019 (v.3). We need to spare no effort to make the invisible unity of the one church visible at every level, within local churches, between churches and amongst all denominations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"rteindent1\">Before he went to the cross, Jesus prayed that the church would be one in order that the world might believe (John 17:21\u201323). This unity is founded in God\u2019s unity, so it can never be at the expense of truth (vv.17,23). We must continue to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). As John Stott writes, \u2018Truth becomes hard if it is not softened by love; love becomes soft if it is not strengthened by truth.\u2019 However, the visible unity of the church should always be our aim.<\/p>\n<p class=\"rteindent1\">Paul describes characteristics that help this unity: \u2018Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love\u2019 (v.2).<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Diversity<br \/>\nUnity does not mean uniformity. The Holy Spirit brings both unity and diversity. Paul goes on to say, \u2018But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it\u2019 (v.7).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"rteindent1\">Jesus has \u2018ascended higher than all the heavens\u2019 (v.10). But he has also returned to the earth in the person of the Holy Spirit, through whom different gifts are now given to each of us in the church (vv.10\u201312).<\/p>\n<p class=\"rteindent1\">Every single person in the church is a minister (vv.11\u201312). You are a minister. The word for service means \u2018ministry\u2019. We are all given different gifts.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Maturity<br \/>\nThe purpose of these gifts is that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach <em>unity<\/em>in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, becoming <em>mature<\/em> as we attain the complete measure of the fullness of Christ.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"rteindent1\">It is not enough to get older; we need to grow up in spiritual maturity through growing in our relationship with Jesus.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Growth<br \/>\nHealthy children grow. Healthy churches grow in depth and in number. Church growth should be natural. This is a beautiful picture of how we each play our own part in the growth of the body of Christ: \u2018Speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work\u2019 (vv.15\u201316).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Lord, help me to exercise the gifts that you have given me and to be released into the ministry to which you have called me. Help me to grow into a mature knowledge of Jesus in a healthy, united and growing church.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bioy-body\">\n<h2>3. An anointed life<\/h2>\n<p><a class=\"inline-reading\" href=\"http:\/\/classic.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Isaiah%2060:1-62:12&amp;version=NIV&amp;interface=print\" target=\"_blank\">Isaiah 60:1-62:12<\/a>Jesus announced his manifesto for his ministry and kingdom by reading from Isaiah 61. It is an audacious and revolutionary manifesto \u2013 and you have a part to play in bringing it about.<\/p>\n<p>Jesus went into the synagogue in Nazareth and was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling it, he found the place in today\u2019s passage where it is written, \u2018The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has<em> anointed me <\/em>to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord\u2019s favour\u2019 (Isaiah 61:1\u20132; Luke 4:18\u201319).<\/p>\n<p>He said to those there, \u2018Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing\u2019 (v.21). What does Jesus\u2019 manifesto involve?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Transforming lives<br \/>\nWhen you encounter Jesus, a great exchange takes place in your life. He takes your sin and gives you his righteousness. He gives freedom to the prisoners, sight to the blind and release for the oppressed (Isaiah 61:1\u20133). He bestows on you \u2018a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair\u2019 (v.3).<\/li>\n<li>Transforming relationships<br \/>\nJesus uses the analogy of marriage: \u2018As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you\u2019 (62:5b). Marriage is meant to point people to the close, intimate and loving relationship God desires to have with us. A strong society is built on strong families. Strong families are built on strong marriages.<\/li>\n<li>Transforming culture<br \/>\nCities tend to be the source of culture. Isaiah declares, \u2018They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations\u2019 (61:4). The manifesto of Jesus involves the transformation of the mountains of influence: the market place, government, education, media, arts and entertainment.<\/li>\n<li>Transforming society<br \/>\nA transformed society will involve dealing with issues of poverty. Jesus came to preach good news to the poor (v.1b). It will also involve issues of justice. So much of the world\u2019s suffering is caused by injustice. \u2018For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity\u2019 (v.8a).<\/li>\n<li>Transforming leadership<br \/>\nLeadership is key in any society: \u2018You\u2019ll have the title \u201cPriests of God,\u201d honoured as ministers of our God\u2019 (v.6, MSG).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Lord, anoint me today with your Holy Spirit to bring good news to the poor, to bind up the broken-hearted, comfort those who mourn and to see lives transformed from ashes to beauty, from mourning to gladness and from despair to praise.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"bioy-body\">Pippa Adds<\/h2>\n<div class=\"bioy-body\">\n<p><strong>Ephesians 4:2<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u2018Be <em>completely<\/em> humble&#8230;\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Now there\u2019s a challenge.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>\u8bfb\u7ecf\uff1a\u7bb423:19-28 \u5f174:1-16 \u8d5b60:1-62:12 Sp <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/2015\/09\/25\/925-spirit-filled-living\/\" title=\"9\/25: Spirit-Filled Living \uff08\u7bb423:19-28 \u5f174:1-16 \u8d5b60:1-62:12\uff09\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":148,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3595","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bibleinoneyear"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3595","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3595"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3595\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3596,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3595\/revisions\/3596"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/148"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3595"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3595"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3595"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}