Walking in the Spirit

[kdet]

I would like some advice on living a more spiritual life. Is it enough to pray and delve into God's Word...is there more we can do?

 

[SavedByGrace3]

I would like some advice on living a more spiritual life. Is it enough to pray and delve into God's Word...is there more we can do?

These are practical things I have learned down through the years that have helped me:
1. Find out who you are in Christ Jesus. Find out what belongs to you by virtue of the gospel, the passion of Jesus, the new birth, and the Holy Spirit. Do a search for all the scriptures in the NT that have the phrases "in Christ" and "in Him". Read these scriptures and repeat them with your name in them.
Examples:
"It is no longer I that live, it is Christ that lives in me..."
"I have been made the righteousness of God in Christ..."
"There is therefore now no condemnation to me in ChristJesus"
"But of Him, I am in Christ Jesus, who was made to me wisdom from God, both righteousness and sanctification and redemption"

As you do this, they will become more real to you, and you will begin to act like it!

2. Eat, breath, and sleep the Word of God. Do no ignore the OT, but mainly stay in the NT, and specifically the epistles.
3. Learn to practice the presence of God. Do this by obeying Eph 5:18-20
Eph 5:18-20
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Compile a good collection of praise songs and choruses that you can sing all day long. Pray and sing in tongues as often as reasonable.
4. Become a virtual deacon. I do not mean an official "church" deacon, but a servant to others. This has a great effect on your faith, your boldness and will lead you to a "step up" or "grade up" spiritually:
1Ti 3:13
13 For those having served well gain a good grade for themselves and much boldness in faith, those in Christ Jesus.
This is the only thing that holds some folks back from going to a new level. They do all the "spiritual" things like Bible Study and Prayer, but they have failed to do this simple, practical thing. Serve others, and do it from the heart.
Didy

 

[kdet]

Serving others how exactly? I've been considering doing some volunteer work at the homeless shelter. How else can I serve others??

 

[BarbB]

Didy - that was beautiful! I'm printing it out.

Sweetkitty - I don't know either! I'm still in the learning stage, soaking it up, but I'm ready for a more active role. I'll keep an eye out for this thread!

 

[HumbleMan]

Jesus told us of the Greatest Commandment in Matthew 22. To love the Lord with all your heart, mind and soul, and secondly, to love your neighbor as yourself. Following these instructions will be a good place to start. Then, start daily prayer, starting in the morning in between pushing the snooze button. Remember to thank the Lord for His grace and love. Without it, life would be futile. Ask for the Holy Spirit to imbibe in you the qualities needed for your battle against the world today. Sing praises to Him whenever you get a chance, for only He is worthy of our praise. When you pray to Him, don't try to be formal, like the liturgical prayer in some mainstream denoms. Jesus is your Lord and Savior, but He also is your Comforter. Speak to Him from your heart. If you can't put it into words, don't despair, He knows what is in your heart.


Jesus also told us to feed His sheep. Volunteering in a homeless shelter is a great place to do that. In between handing out blankets and such, share the Good News! Desperate people need to hear something positive.
And once again, PRAY. Prayer is the best way to dwell in the Spirit and sing His praises.

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

Serving others how exactly? I've been considering doing some volunteer work at the homeless shelter. How else can I serve others??

I thinking doing whatever we see needs to be done and is within our power and ability to do is of service to others.

It's not always the most obvious things. Frequently it's the seemingly littlest things. Like when I was without a car, the most difficult thing for me to do was get to the grocery store. I shopped at the 7-eleven a block away, because the grocery store was too far and if I walked there, I could not walk back with all the groceries. It was amazing how many people "would not" help me. I was scrimping by on what I could and to call a taxi, which I did a couple of times, used up money that I could have used for food but did without.

Then, a friend whom I rode to church with found out about it and volenteered to pick me up every Sat to go grocery shopping with her. It was like I'd hit gold. I have a couple of friend's who volentarily clean someone's house. We can take care of children a few hours just to give mum a break, I had another friend who came by while I was at work and steam cleaned my mobile home for me. Just because he wanted to. Little things can really go a long way.

 

[BarbB]

Quaffer, I like your witness.

 

[ChristianRocks]

I thinking doing whatever we see needs to be done and is within our power and ability to do is of service to others.

I don't mean to be critical Quaffer, but I believe the use of "our power" in that sentence is misleading. It is not by OUR, or MY, power that is of service to others, but by dependance on God's power. That is the whole point of "living in the Spirit". Remember, we have 2 sources to feed off of in life, that of the Soul-life (natural), and that of the Spirit. God asks us to live from the Spirit, not of the flesh, which is linked to Adam. To live in the flesh is to derive our power "from Adam", to gain strength from that old power source that is inherited from him. Oh, yes, we know we can fully do certain things with our own natural power, but God wishes us to be dependant on him, and not what we know we can do ourselves from our natural power.

We need God to search our hearts to find if we our living by the Spirit or of the flesh. It is folly to search ourselves though. Nowhere in the Bible does it say "Search thyself." That usually leads to uncertainty and despair. Of course, self-knowledge is needed, we have to know what is going on within. But to try and pronounce whether we are living of the flesh or the Spirit by analyzing our feelings in motives only leads to confusion. God is our light, so we should let him search us! Im reminded of Psalm 36:9 which says, "For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light."
God is our light, and with it, all is made known!
I pray that God would search my heart today!

So how can I live in the Spirit, you ask? What is the trouble then? It is that I am holding the truth merely objectively, whereas what is true objectively must be made true subjectively; and that is brought about as I live in the Spirit.

Not only am I in Christ, but Christ is in me. And just as physically a man cannot live and work in water but only in air, so spiritually Christ dwells and manifests Himself not in "flesh" but in "Spirit". Therefore if I live "after the flesh" I find that what is mine in Christ is, so to say, held in suspense in me. Though in fact I am in Christ, yet if I live in the flesh -- that is, in my own strength and under my own direction -- then in experience I find to my dismay that it is what is in Adam that manifests itself in me.

Living in the Spirit means that I trust the Holy Spirit to do in me what I cannot do myself, or would want to do on my own. This life is completely different from the life I would naturally live of myself. When we are faced with a situation, we should look to God to do what He would want in us. Remember, it is not a case of trying but of trusting. We don't need to struggle with God but need instead to rest in God. I like Matt 15:13 which says, "3He replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. " As long as we live in the Spirit we are perfectly safe in God's hand. Once we start deriving our life from the flesh, our old man, that is when trouble brews. And those plans which are of the natural power will be rooted up by God. If we live by the Spirit, all is well.

Remember that origin determines destination, and what was "of the flesh" originally will never be made spiritual by any amount of "improvement". That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and it will never be otherwise. Anything for which we are sufficient in ourselves is "nothing" in God's estimate, and we have to accept His estimate and write it down as nothing. "The flesh profiteth nothing." It is only what comes from above that will abide. So, working in a homeless shelter may sound like a good idea to you, but if you are doing it on your own natural strength, it is "nothing" to God, however good your motives.

We cannot see this simply by being told it. God must teach us what is meant, by putting His finger on something which He sees and saying: "This is natural; this has its source in the old creation; this cannot abide." Until He does so, we may agree in principle but we can never really see it. We may assent to, and even enjoy, the teaching, but we shall never truly loathe ourselves.

But there will come a day when God opens our eyes. Facing a particular issue we shall have to say, as by revelation: `It is unclean, it is impure; Lord, I see it!' The word "purity'' is a lovely word. I link it with the Spirit. Purity means something altogether of the Spirit. Impurity means mixture. When God opens our eyes to see that the natural life is something He can never use in His work, then we find we do not enjoy the doctrine any longer. Rather we loathe ourselves for the impurity that is in us; but when that point is reached, God begins His work of deliverance.


Sorry Quaffer, I just had to get that out.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Serving others how exactly? I've been considering doing some volunteer work at the homeless shelter. How else can I serve others??

Anything.
Mainly just following that fruit of the spirit that says to be kind, generous, compassionate, cheerful. Sometimes it is nothing more than a smile while passing someone in the corridor. Sometimes it is a long term commitment of going to visit people in the hospital, taking on a old person who has no-one to help them, or helping someone build a house! (Gee... I am feeling more in the spirit just talking about this!!)
At first you may just be doing it because the word says to do it. But then it becomes a matter of listening to that inner leading of compassion... and doing what it says. The more you listen, the more prominent it becomes.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Q said:
Like when I was without a car, the most difficult thing for me to do was get to the grocery store.

Tell me about it!
If you have never been without a car, you would be amazed how difficult it is to do simple things like picking up a gallon of milk or getting to work every day!
One of the coolest things to do is to find someone in your congregation who does not have a car (or cannot drive), and just commiting yourself to a regular schedule of taking them shopping, dropping them off at work, or taking them to church with you!
This is such great burden off of them. It is not raising the dead or parting the sea... but it is great to those who you are helping!

 

[enoch son]

Walking in the spirit is knowing you are in the spirit. Do not let anyone tell you that you are not. (even youself) For it is a promise of God that you are. And who is God that He should lie? You do not have to do anything for it. As a matter of fact the more you try to do the farrer you will think it away from you. Just rest in it. And know that you are in it. And God will add the things He has for you to do. A peace comes when the path you walk is the one that is right for you.

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

I don't mean to be critical Quaffer, but I believe the use of "our power" in that sentence is misleading. It is not by OUR, or MY, power that is of service to others, but by dependance on God's power. That is the whole point of "living in the Spirit". Remember, we have 2 sources to feed off of in life, that of the Soul-life (natural), and that of the Spirit. God asks us to live from the Spirit, not of the flesh, which is linked to Adam. To live in the flesh is to derive our power "from Adam", to gain strength from that old power source that is inherited from him. Oh, yes, we know we can fully do certain things with our own natural power, but God wishes us to be dependant on him, and not what we know we can do ourselves from our natural power.

We need God to search our hearts to find if we our living by the Spirit or of the flesh. It is folly to search ourselves though. Nowhere in the Bible does it say "Search thyself." That usually leads to uncertainty and despair. Of course, self-knowledge is needed, we have to know what is going on within. But to try and pronounce whether we are living of the flesh or the Spirit by analyzing our feelings in motives only leads to confusion. God is our light, so we should let him search us! Im reminded of Psalm 36:9 which says, "For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light."
God is our light, and with it, all is made known!
I pray that God would search my heart today!

So how can I live in the Spirit, you ask? What is the trouble then? It is that I am holding the truth merely objectively, whereas what is true objectively must be made true subjectively; and that is brought about as I live in the Spirit.

Not only am I in Christ, but Christ is in me. And just as physically a man cannot live and work in water but only in air, so spiritually Christ dwells and manifests Himself not in "flesh" but in "Spirit". Therefore if I live "after the flesh" I find that what is mine in Christ is, so to say, held in suspense in me. Though in fact I am in Christ, yet if I live in the flesh -- that is, in my own strength and under my own direction -- then in experience I find to my dismay that it is what is in Adam that manifests itself in me.

Living in the Spirit means that I trust the Holy Spirit to do in me what I cannot do myself, or would want to do on my own. This life is completely different from the life I would naturally live of myself. When we are faced with a situation, we should look to God to do what He would want in us. Remember, it is not a case of trying but of trusting. We don't need to struggle with God but need instead to rest in God. I like Matt 15:13 which says, "3He replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. " As long as we live in the Spirit we are perfectly safe in God's hand. Once we start deriving our life from the flesh, our old man, that is when trouble brews. And those plans which are of the natural power will be rooted up by God. If we live by the Spirit, all is well.

Remember that origin determines destination, and what was "of the flesh" originally will never be made spiritual by any amount of "improvement". That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and it will never be otherwise. Anything for which we are sufficient in ourselves is "nothing" in God's estimate, and we have to accept His estimate and write it down as nothing. "The flesh profiteth nothing." It is only what comes from above that will abide. So, working in a homeless shelter may sound like a good idea to you, but if you are doing it on your own natural strength, it is "nothing" to God, however good your motives.

We cannot see this simply by being told it. God must teach us what is meant, by putting His finger on something which He sees and saying: "This is natural; this has its source in the old creation; this cannot abide." Until He does so, we may agree in principle but we can never really see it. We may assent to, and even enjoy, the teaching, but we shall never truly loathe ourselves.

But there will come a day when God opens our eyes. Facing a particular issue we shall have to say, as by revelation: `It is unclean, it is impure; Lord, I see it!' The word "purity'' is a lovely word. I link it with the Spirit. Purity means something altogether of the Spirit. Impurity means mixture. When God opens our eyes to see that the natural life is something He can never use in His work, then we find we do not enjoy the doctrine any longer. Rather we loathe ourselves for the impurity that is in us; but when that point is reached, God begins His work of deliverance.


Sorry Quaffer, I just had to get that out.

I'm curious . . .why do you think I said otherwise. You seem to have assumed quite a lot from a statement that did not deny in any form what you've said.

 

[ChristianRocks]

Sorry Quaffer, you definitely had the right idea! The use of the word "our" in that tence just bugged me that's all, I just wanted to clarify it (I have a bad case of perfectionism sometimes lol). I just wanted to try and compliment and make it clear what you were also trying to say. Sorry if i came off as snobbish, lol, I just thought it was important to distinguish between the two.. I didn't mean to spout that all out, but I just thought it needed to be said. One thing led to the next, I guess.

God Bless

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

Sorry Quaffer, you definitely had the right idea! The use of the word "our" in that tence just bugged me that's all, I just wanted to clarify it (I have a bad case of perfectionism sometimes lol). I just wanted to try and compliment and make it clear what you were also trying to say. Sorry if i came off as snobbish, lol, I just thought it was important to distinguish between the two.. I didn't mean to spout that all out, but I just thought it needed to be said. One thing led to the next, I guess.

God Bless

When I say "within our power", for me part of that power is that we are moving in the Holy Spirit when we do it. Not just doing something because we can but doing it out of the compassion and love and mercy that is flowing from the Spirit through us.

However, having said all that, in one of the situations I mentioned, how much does one have to be moved by the Spirit to take someone who can't get to the grocery store to the grocery store? How about just holding the door for the person behind us. How about seeing someone in a wheelchair or someone short trying to get something off a shelf in the store that is too high for them? How much do we need to "feel led" just to reach out? Is'nt that what "walking" in the Spirit is? Would'nt Jesus do those things?

In my church we have a plack on the back wall that has a piece of led attached to it. My Pastor alway's says, "if you can't do anything until you feel led then go feel that led on the wall and then get busy".

 

[ChristianRocks]

Point taken Quaffer, thanks!

 

[cheebo]

Quaffer, I totally sympathize/empathize with you on the car situatuion. I am 27 and have NEVER owned a car. Because of that.....I'm kinda limited in where i can go and what i can do.

In my area, you pretty much need a car to do anything. It's like a vicious cycle(of limitations) kicks in. I kinda get stuck working at a job...and pretty much just have to take what i can get. Sure, i could try to go to school to get an education for a specific trade.....,but how would i be able to get there(the college in my city is like a twenty minute drive from where i am....so imagine me walking....or bussing)? And even if i could get there....I wouldn't have time to take the bus(our city busses only run at certain hours) to work, then college...then home. The way the bus system is set up in my city, I usually have to wait 30-40 minutes between busses....the actual rides is like 20-30(if i don't transfer) just to reach my destination.

Check this out: I lived like a mile or 2 from grocery store....when i took the bus to go shopping....it took me an hour to get there and back. So, one day i decided to start walking(down this hill, across the underpass, up another hill) to the store ...it took 15 minutes both ways. It's hard to walk across what is essentially a freeway with bags of groceries in your hands. It's tiring too. I'm not saying it's impossible to do things without a car....just that it takes me 10 times as long without a car. It effects everything. My half-hour grocery hike is 5 mintutes in a car.

It's also difficult(for me) to hold a job here....cuz i'm usually late getting to work too much(busses...lol....there are late SO much). So i get in trouble a lot at work, because i have trouble just getting there most of the time. Taxis cost alot here too.
At one point, i was spending AT LEAST $50 a week just to get to a from work...because i just didn't have 2 extra hours a day to travel to work by bus.
Didn't i mention that the most i have EVER made at a job annually was like....10-1!,000 a year. I was spending most of my money just trying to get to work on time and keep from getting fired.

Now, I that have been injured at my little job and don't have it anymore....I have even FEWER choices(no trade skills), no car to even look for or get/hold down a job. With my back injured, I will have great difficulty just trying to stand for 12 hours a day(limits the already slim job pool even more). Don't get me wrong. I'm not just complaining. I have no job, no car, no house of my own, and about $10 in my pocket.(i have $25 bucks in a savings account, but i'd need $10-15 bucks for a cab ride to the bank to shut my account and withdraw it....LOL). SO i feel blessed by GOD. For the most part i have not gone hungry too much...and if i try harder i might be able to get a job within walking distance of my sister's apartment building. Really, i'm just glad that i going to church sometimes and that GOD is there to help me.

I guess i'm just trying to say," Yes. I concur. Life IS kinda hard without a car."

Oh yeah....i got my learners permit and my parents MIGHT(let's pray they do LOL) let me drive one of their cars when I get my liscence. Things are lookin up!!!! Woo-hoo!!!!!