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Online Bible Study
Lesson 2 Walking in the Spirit
How To Walk In the Spirit>
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Revelation 3:14-22
14 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the
faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says
this: 15 `I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish
that you were cold or hot. 16 `So because you are lukewarm, and
neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. 17 `Because you
say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of
nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable
and poor and blind and naked, 18 I advise you to buy from Me gold
refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so
that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness
will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you
may see. 19 `Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore
be zealous and repent. 20 `Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if
anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him
and will dine with him, and he with Me. 21 `He who overcomes, I will
grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame
and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22 `He who has an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.' "
Someone was once told by an agnostic: "I think I would be a
Christian [if it were not] for the Christians." Another man, of
communistic views, is reported having said to a pastor: "I have a
regard for your Jesus, but I am sure I see no connection between
Him and the life of your church." Two powerful quotes that haunts
the modern church today. They are looking for a Jesus, a real
Jesus and most of the time all they are seeing is us. I refer to us as
just that, us, without the presence and powerful display of Christ
living through us. Jesus refers to this church as being lukewarm.
Listen to some of these words which describe the condition of a
lukewarm person.
Luke warmness, self-satisfaction., half-heartedness, backsliding,
formalism, indifference, self righteousness, greed for gold,
worldliness, pride, self-deception, spiritual destitution, blindness
and lack of vision, easily-seen-through--these are the
characteristics of Laodicea, and these are the characteristics
abounding today.
What would anyone think of an individual who possessed all these
characteristics ...surely the greatest backslider living! But examine
the position collectively. Are there any lukewarm Christians in your
church ?
Any self-satisfied ?
Any indifferent ?
Any self-righteous ?
Any backsliding?
Any formalistic ?
Any half-hearted ?
Any greedy after lucre ?
Any worldly ?
Any proud ?
Any self-deceived ?
Any spiritually destitute ?
Any without vision ?
Any shameless ?
I. The Sin Nature Will Control You-You CAN NOT CONTROL SIN!
Sin is very deceptive. The backslider or backsliding Church makes
all the excuses possible for the deplorable state of backsliding and
powerlessness. There may be a noticeable amount of energy--that
is all part of the pretence. Backsliders see so few better than
themselves that they begin to feel secure--they lull themselves to
sleep, and snore so loudly that they cannot hear the call "Awake."
But many individuals feel a sense of disappointment and failure.
Their hearts are hungry for deeper blessing. Many more pretend
that their lives are all right, when they are not all right. They are more
dangerous than conscious backsliders, for they are always praying
for blessing upon ' somebody else', ignoring their own greater need.
Paul writes in chapter 7 of the condition of a wretched person
relying on themselves or things a person could do to get control of
the sin nature. The results of this is always failing. You CAN NOT
live the Christian life in your own strength. You could not have your
sin removed by things you could do, why are you trying to control
your sin nature in your natural power. You will never succeed!
Listen to the condition of a person controlled by the sin nature.
Romans 7: 14 - 25
14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into
bondage to sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I
am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very
thing I hate. 16 But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree
with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. 17 So now, no longer
am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 18 For I know that
nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is
present in me, but the doing of the good is not. 19 For the good that
I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. 20
But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one
doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 21 I find then the principle that
evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. 22 For I joyfully
concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23 but I see a different
law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my
mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my
members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from
the body of this death?
25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the
one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on
the other, with my flesh the law of sin.
14 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the
faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says
this: 15 `I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish
that you were cold or hot. 16 `So because you are lukewarm, and
neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. 17 `Because you
say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of
nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable
and poor and blind and naked, 18 I advise you to buy from Me gold
refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so
that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness
will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you
may see. 19 `Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore
be zealous and repent. 20 `Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if
anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him
and will dine with him, and he with Me. 21 `He who overcomes, I will
grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame
and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22 `He who has an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.' "
Someone was once told by an agnostic: "I think I would be a
Christian [if it were not] for the Christians." Another man, of
communistic views, is reported having said to a pastor: "I have a
regard for your Jesus, but I am sure I see no connection between
Him and the life of your church." Two powerful quotes that haunts
the modern church today. They are looking for a Jesus, a real
Jesus and most of the time all they are seeing is us. I refer to us as
just that, us, without the presence and powerful display of Christ
living through us. Jesus refers to this church as being lukewarm.
Listen to some of these words which describe the condition of a
lukewarm person.
Luke warmness, self-satisfaction., half-heartedness, backsliding,
formalism, indifference, self righteousness, greed for gold,
worldliness, pride, self-deception, spiritual destitution, blindness
and lack of vision, easily-seen-through--these are the
characteristics of Laodicea, and these are the characteristics
abounding today.
What would anyone think of an individual who possessed all these
characteristics ...surely the greatest backslider living! But examine
the position collectively. Are there any lukewarm Christians in your
church ?
Any self-satisfied ?
Any indifferent ?
Any self-righteous ?
Any backsliding?
Any formalistic ?
Any half-hearted ?
Any greedy after lucre ?
Any worldly ?
Any proud ?
Any self-deceived ?
Any spiritually destitute ?
Any without vision ?
Any shameless ?
I. The Sin Nature Will Control You-You CAN NOT CONTROL SIN!
Sin is very deceptive. The backslider or backsliding Church makes
all the excuses possible for the deplorable state of backsliding and
powerlessness. There may be a noticeable amount of energy--that
is all part of the pretence. Backsliders see so few better than
themselves that they begin to feel secure--they lull themselves to
sleep, and snore so loudly that they cannot hear the call "Awake."
But many individuals feel a sense of disappointment and failure.
Their hearts are hungry for deeper blessing. Many more pretend
that their lives are all right, when they are not all right. They are more
dangerous than conscious backsliders, for they are always praying
for blessing upon ' somebody else', ignoring their own greater need.
Paul writes in chapter 7 of the condition of a wretched person
relying on themselves or things a person could do to get control of
the sin nature. The results of this is always failing. You CAN NOT
live the Christian life in your own strength. You could not have your
sin removed by things you could do, why are you trying to control
your sin nature in your natural power. You will never succeed!
Listen to the condition of a person controlled by the sin nature.
Romans 7: 14 - 25
14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into
bondage to sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I
am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very
thing I hate. 16 But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree
with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. 17 So now, no longer
am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 18 For I know that
nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is
present in me, but the doing of the good is not. 19 For the good that
I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. 20
But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one
doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 21 I find then the principle that
evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. 22 For I joyfully
concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23 but I see a different
law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my
mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my
members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from
the body of this death?
25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the
one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on
the other, with my flesh the law of sin.