The Promise, Power & Purpose of God's Spirit – The New Creature [4]

And that ye put on the new man, which after God is 

created in righteousness and true holiness.  

Ephesians 4:24

Today we’re talking about the new creature that we’re to be after accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  We’re to put off the "old self" or old man. 

regarding our previous way of life, put off our old self [completely discard our former nature], which is being corrupted through deceitful desires, Ephesians 4:22

Apostle Paul explains this as the deceptive, corrupting influence of sin which marks our life before Christ. It doesn’t matter who we were, who we thought we were or who or what others thought we were; before Christ we were dead in our sins.  The only way to be quickened to life is by making this change. 

Putting off the old man is impossible without knowing God and having His Holy Spirit dwelling on the inside.  We have to be renewed in our mind

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.   And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:1-2;

- renewed in knowledge after the image of our Creator

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:  Colossians 3:10

 In other words, our new self is the life which transforms us to become more like Christ; that’s "created after the likeness of God."  Scripture explain how the new self is created as a reflection of the Creator.  Our new self is being created like God in "holiness." We’re to control our bodies "in holiness and honor"

That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;  Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.  For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.  1 Thessalonians 4:4-7

We are to live holy lives as followers of Christ.

The "old man" refers to the flesh or self-nature. Apostle Paul writes:

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.  Ephesians 4:22-24

And this is where the problem exists; because the old man wants to continue as what it was rather than be what we’re called to be.  Enter God’s spirit.  He knew we can’t do this on our own.  It’s only through the power of the Spirit, we’re saved, filled, sealed, and sanctified. God’s Spirit reveals His thoughts, teaches, and guides us into all truth. His Spirit helps us in our weakness and intercedes for us.

The word of God tells us after we have surrendered our lives to God we become new creatures.  Old things pass away.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.   2 Corinthians 5:17

It’s God’s spirit that activates the process within us by cleansing us spiritually.  He doesn’t fill us with His spirit to compensate us in our weakness; that’s like giving the paralytic a wheelchair or a seeing eye dog to someone blind.  Thank God that we have ways that can compensate for our infirmities!  But when it comes to our soul, to being holy, we can’t view God’s spirit in that light.  He fills us with His power to allow us to be victorious over every single ungodly negative thing.  In this vein of speaking, the Holy Ghost is not a compensator but the power that energizes us to victory; to be victorious, to be overcomers!  But there’s some things that we, being born again, must do with the energizing power of God’s Spirit:

 ¨     The first thing we must do is:  PUT OUR FLESH TO DEATH:

 The flesh must be crucified. It will not die a natural death. We must crucify it by refusing to be controlled by it:

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Romans 6:6-7

For I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.   Galatians 2:20

And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.  Galatians 5:24

¨     Secondly, we must WALK IN THE SPIRIT:

Our daily walk (how we live) can be controlled by Satan working through our flesh, the world, or demon powers if we permit it. We don’t have to be controlled by the world, the flesh, or the Devil. We must learn to walk in the Spirit:

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.  Galatians 5:25 

To walk in the Spirit means to let God's Spirit control our conduct and life.

Though at times it seems like it, the flesh is not more powerful than the spirit. If we let the God’s Spirit manifest His power in us, He will quicken our mortal body of flesh. To "quicken" means to endue with life.  We don’t have to live in the bonds of sin. God can quicken our spirit to new life:

Now Christ lives his life in you! And even though your body may be dead because of the effects of sin, his life-giving Spirit imparts life to you because you are fully accepted by God.  Yes, God raised Jesus to life! And since God’s Spirit of Resurrection lives in you, he will also raise your dying body to life by the same Spirit that breathes life into you!  So then, beloved ones, the flesh has no claims on us at all, and we have no further obligation to live in obedience to it.  For when you live controlled by the flesh, you are about to die. But if the life of the Spirit puts to death the corrupt ways of the flesh, we then taste his abundant life.  The mature children of God are those who are moved by the impulses of the Holy Spirit.  Romans 8:10-14

 To be led by the Spirit we must have the Holy Spirit within us. 
We must be born again by the Spirit

 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit’s spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.  John 3:6-7

                                            We must also be filled with the Holy Spirit. 

 

It’s God’s Spirit who gives us power to walk in His spirit rather than the flesh. It can’t be emphasized enough the importance of His Spirit in overcoming the world, the flesh, and the Devil. Through His Spirit, we are led by the Spirit instead of the flesh.

¨     Thirdly, we must LET OUR SPIRIT SPEAK BY THE HOLY SPIRIT:

 God communicates to our spirit by His Spirit:

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.  Romans 8:14

It’s a 2-way street.  We communicate directly to God from our spirit through His Spirit:

For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.   1 Corinthians 14:2

When we speak in an unknown language, which is the physical evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2), our spirit’s communicating directly to God. When this happens, one of the important functions of the Holy Spirit’s to pray according to the will of God:

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is in the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.  Romans 8:26-27

¨     Forth, we must DEVELOP THE FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:

The enduement of power also enables us to live a Christ-like life. This is accomplished through qualities God’s Spirit develops in our life. These qualities are called spiritual fruit. The fruit of God’s Spirit refers to the nature of God’s Spirit being evident in our life. God desires that all the fruit be evident in our life. 

In contrast to the works of the flesh, develop the fruit of the Holy Spirit. This includes:

. . . love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith. Meekness, temperance. . . Galatians 5:22-23 

¨     Fifth, DON’T LIVE IN CONDEMNATION:

Satan uses the weaknesses of the flesh to make us live in condemnation. But Apostle Paul said:

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.    Romans 8:1

If we fail and engage in fleshly conduct, don’t remain in condemnation. Repent and ask forgiveness:

For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.  2 Corinthians 7:9

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  1 John 1:9

Sermonette