Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20060305.htm

THE BIBLICAL SPIRITUAL CHRISTIAN LIFE
Part I: Taking Advantage Of The Holy Spirit's General Biblical Ministries Toward Us Believers
  1. Introduction
    1. Much has been written about and precious little has been Biblically reported on what constitutes a true, Biblical Christian life that is marked by involvement with the indwelling Holy Spirit of God.
    2. Accordingly, we begin this series on the Biblical Spiritual Christian Life with a focus on the wonderful ministries the Holy Spirit administers to the believer in a general way (as follows):
  2. Taking Advantage Of The Holy Spirit's General Biblical Ministries Toward Us Believers.
    1. Scripture reveals the Holy Spirit performs a wide range of remarkably helpful ministries for the Christian.
    2. Naming these ministries encourages and motivates us to seek to relate well to God the Holy Spirit:
      1. The Holy Spirit provides us believers practical assurances in our Christian lives:
        1. He assures us in the role of being our Divine Parent in spiritual matters we face, John 14:16-18 NIV.
        2. He assures us regarding our salvation: (1) He spreads abroad God's love in our hearts, supplying us evidence of the reality of the Christian faith, Rom. 5:3-4, 5. (2) He causes us to acknowledge the truth that Jesus is God Incarnate, giving evidence we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and are saved, 1 Cor. 12:3. (3) He reveals we are God's true sons when He leads us in our lives, Romans 8:14. (4) He convinces our inner human spirits that we are God's true sons, Romans 8:16.
        3. He assures us that we are in fellowship with God when we walk with Him, 1 John 3:24.
        4. He assures us we will be raptured by way of the Earnest evidence of His presence, 2 Cor. 1:22; 5:5.
      2. The Holy Spirit enables us for effective Christian living and service:
        1. He enables us in the role as our Divine Parent in matters of life and service, John 14:16-18 NIV.
        2. He positions us in Christ to be able by His power to live victorious over our sin natures, Rom. 8:1-4.
        3. He supplies us with His attitudes of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and self-control for life and service when we rely on His power, Galatians 5:16-23.
        4. As we rely on Him, He supplies us discernment of the spiritual states of others, 1 Cor. 2:14-15.
        5. He helps us be effective in life and service in the face of mortal weaknesses, 1 Cor. 2:1-4.
        6. He helps our prayers be effective as we do not know how to pray as we ought, Romans 8:26-27.
        7. He gifts us for specific roles and functions of effective Christian service, 1 Corinthians 12:4-13.
        8. To help our witnessing efforts, He convicts the unsaved world of sin, righteousness and judgment to prepare them for the impact of the Gospel we give, John 16:7-11; Revelation 22:17.
        9. He gives us words to say when we are under persecution, Matthew 10:18-20; Acts 6:8-7:60.
        10. He reminds us of Christ's words taught to us in the past for our edification, John 14:26.
        11. He unites us to the rest of the Body of Christ, the Church, Eph. 4:3; 2:11-22; B.K.C., N.T., p. 633.
        12. He strengthens us spiritually in the inner man, Ephesians 3:16.
        13. He provides us access to the Father for the purpose of fellowship, Ephesians 2:18 (with 2:19-22).
        14. He causes Scripture to be an effective sword for our victory as we face angelic conflict, Eph. 6:17.
        15. He gives us victory over timidity in supplying us love, power and good sense, 2 Timothy 1:6-7.
      3. The Holy Spirit leads us:
        1. He leads us in the role as our Divine Parent in matters of Christian life and service, John 14:16-18.
        2. He leads us to be appointed by duly appointed leaders to positions of service, Acts 13:2.
        3. He leads us to geographical locations of Christian service, Acts 16:6-7.
        4. He leads us into positions of service in the local church, Acts 20:28.
        5. He leads us into all of God's truth in Scripture, John 16:13a.
      4. The Holy Spirit teaches us:
        1. He teaches us in the role as our Divine Parent in matters of Christian life and service, Jn. 14:16-18.
        2. He teaches spiritual truth to us as believers, 1 Corinthians 2:13.
        3. He teaches with a focus on the Lord Jesus Christ, John 16:13-14.
      5. The Holy Spirit as the Seal of God protects the believer's salvation to the rapture, Eph. 1:13; 4:30.
Lesson Application: (1) May we APPRECIATE the Holy Spirit's general ministries unto us (2) that we YIELD to God's will in OUR RESPONSIBILITIES unto Him (that we will study in coming lessons)!