A People Led by the Spirit

A people led by the Spirit

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Ga 5:16-26

13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Ro 8:13-14

I want to tell you about what Impact is going to look like in the fall. Changes are coming for us, and they are good changes. But before I tell you about changes that will take place, I want to tell you what I would love to see Impact be in the Fall. What is it that we as leaders are pushing Impact to become? What direction do we want it to go? I want to talk about this because I want you to hear it, and then think “yes, that is what I want too, that is the direction I want to go”, or, I want you to say “no, that is not for me. I don’t want that.” I want you to understand what you really think. I want you to see the truth of where you are with God in your walk with Him. But really I want to find those in here who are going to say “yes, I will do that with you. That is what I want.” And many of you may not. Some of you may act like you will say “yes, I will!” but your heart is far from it, and you have never joined in in what we are doing. So what are we doing?

I would summarize the direction of Impact for this next year as this- A people who gather together in the Holy Spirit.
Before I explain what that means, let me show you what I want to see happen here.
Right now this instant, I wonder if there is anything I could name that would drive all of you to be excited about it. Any one thing. Just consider this- is there one thing that all of us would be excited about together? What has the power to unite us?
What if I said let’s all have pizza?
Let’s all go to the movies?
Let’s all go on a trip to Florida?
Let’s start an orphanage?
What would unite us? And if we found something that did unite us, would we find that it is something Christian?


Having the Spirit of God
What in the world does that mean? To “Gather in the Holy Spirit”?
Let me first explain something I think is very important for us to understand. All Christians have the Holy Spirit. He indwells them.

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
Jn 14:15-17

And as He indwells them, some things happen in them. Listen, one of the best ways for us to understand, or examine, if we are in the faith is to understand this concept.
Let me say something that is going to sound weird- Every human being on earth is led by a spirit. Every one of us in this room is led by a Spirit. Does that sound crazy?
Well, read Ephesians 2 with me, and tell me if I am crazy or not.

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.Eph 2:1-10

It seems to sound like we all once were following a spirit. We were led by the spirit of the prince of the power of the air, and because of that we followed the course of this world. We carried out the desires of the flesh and the mind, we were under wrath.
But, if God has made us new, then we are no longer dead in sin. We are born again- and we now qualify as those who Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to in John 14. So we are all led by a Spirit.
Friends, what spirit are you led by today? What spirit led you to this place? What spirit led you to do what you did this week? What spirit controls you each day and help you decide what it is you do?


How can we tell what spirit we have leading us?
Turn with me to Romans 8.

14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Ro 8:14

Here we have in this verse a sure statement of how God’s children are. Those who are led by His Spirit. They are His children. So, we can say without a doubt that anyone who is led by the Spirit of God is a child of God, a believer. This is good- because it is not like other things that we often use to tell if we are in the faith. You see, there are things that believers AND unbelievers can claim. We can not say “those who are baptized as children of God”, because unbelievers do this. We can not say “those who believe in Jesus are children of God”, because many unbelievers, and even the demons, they believe in Jesus. We can not say those who God to church, or tell others about Jesus, or try and be good, or who don’t smoke, or who have certain feelings about Jesus, none of this can be used as evidence that we are believers, because even unbelievers do these things. So here we have a statement that cuts all of that out- here we have something that only is for believers. Being led by the Spirit of God. Never, ever will an unbeliever be led by the Spirit of God, because ALL who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

But what does that mean?
You see, it does us no good to hear this and then have no idea what it means to be led by the Spirit of God. And we have to be careful, because it is a bit tricky. There are those in the OT, for instance, who are “led” in a sense by God’s Spirit to do this or that, and they are not God’s children. (i.e. Balaam) So, what does this mean?
Well, do you see the word at the beginning of verse 14- “for”? That means that this thought is joined (“for” is a conjunction) to the thought before it in verse 13. So let’s look at verse 13.

13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Ro 8:13

That last part of the verse is the thought we are looking for- if by the Spirit we put to death the deeds of the body. That seems to be what is meant by being “led” by the Spirit of God in verse 14. At least we must say that, from the context, it is one big part of what it means.
So then, we can ask this- “Are we putting to death the deeds of the body”? In other words, are we making war on sin in our lives?

But again, it gets tricky- because there are unbelievers that seem to work to destroy sin in their lives. There are unbelievers who try and kill sin, aren’t there?
No.
Unbelievers never ever do this. But you might say “that’s not true! I know an unbeliever who tries to not lie, or smoke, or etc.” what do we make of this?
Listen. Unbelievers who try and do good are sinning even in the good they try and do. This is because of the motive behind why they do what they do. They are not trying to stop lying in order to glorify God, or because of any love for Christ. They do it because they don’t want to get caught. It’s selfish. They do it because they want to feel good about themselves. They do it because they want to produce their own righteousness so they can boast before God. These are all sin. This is not putting to death the deeds of the body, it is just exchanging one deed of the body for another.
Christians put to death the deeds of the body because they see Christ as more valuable than those deeds, and they want Him, not those deeds. Christians put to death the deeds of the body in order to be more like Christ, so that the world would see more of Him in us. These are things that unbelievers never do.

So now ask yourself- do you ever put to death the deeds of the body? Do you ever try and fight sin because of a love for Christ, and a desire to make Him known? In other words- does the Spirit lead you to turn from sin because its just ugly to you? Do you really feel that pull of the Spirit away from it? Or is it that your life really is not filled with turning from sin? And its not just turning from sin, but its also doing what is right!
The two lists- one that we will see less and less of- and the one we will see more and more of- are found in the text we read earlier-

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Do you see what the fruit is? No no, I mean, do you see what it comes from? It is fruit of the Spirit! Not fruit of the human! It comes from the Spirit’s work in us. Do you see this in you? Do you see a growth in love? Do you love those around you in this room? Do you love to be with them, or do you resist it? I fear there are those who do not like it. They don’t want to be like the others, the don’t want to be like “him” or “her”, and so they despise the very children of God, and in pride will not join together with other believers, even if that means casting aside God’s purpose for them. is that you? Do you actually have hate toward believers?
What about joy? Or peace? Do you bring peace with you were you go? Or do you simply criticize and bring up what is wrong? Kindness? Do you see what I am getting at here? I am not saying that you have to live a perfect life to prove you are a Christian. Not at all. I am saying this;
1- if you are led by the Spirit of God you will be being led to put to death the deeds of the flesh
2- if you are led by the Spirit of God, you will see more and more of His fruit in your life as you grow.

Do you see either of these things? How is your life different from an unbeliever? Because you talk about Jesus? Because you know certain facts? Because you read certain books? Because your music is different? Or are you led by the Spirit?


Where do the spirits lead?

The spirit of the world leads to death. Do you understand that? The spirit of the world is leading those we love, those around us, toward eternal death.

The Spirit of God leads to life- and more. He leads us to groan inwardly for that day when Christ returns. He leads us to want to fight. He gives us a common theme- a common thing that will excite us.
For instance- the mercy of God. Look at the display of God’s mercy in John 8 with the woman caught in the act of adultery. Does anyone here see such beauty in that mercy that they think “I want the world to know about that”? that is the Spirit working in you to want to make that known. And it is that that we must focus on and let unite us.


What results this should have at Impact
Now, my point in all of that is to explain that not all have the Spirit. Some are led by the spirit of the world, and so they do what the world does. I want impact, the leaders here are leading impact, to be a place where we do what those who are led by the Spirit do. This is the direction we are going to for the next year. Living together being led by the Spirit. Because when those who have the Spirit of God in them gather together, that Spirit leads them together as well!
Who leads you when you gather? What Spirit? When you gather are you led by the Spirit of God or the Spirit of the world? What does your time together look like? The world? Or something else?
Now, I know what often is thought when I say that- isn’t it ok to sometimes gather like the world? Ok, listen. I don’t even want to debate that- I don’t think it is good to gather in the spirit of the world, ever- why? Do you know who the Spirit of the world is? The Bible tells us- the prince of the power of this age. The enemy. But let’s just say its ok to sometimes gather in a worldly way. It’s ok to sometimes act like they act, and joke like they joke, and laugh at what they laugh at, and do the same things they do. Lets say its ok- now, let me ask you, if you do gather in that way and feel like it’s ok- do you ever- EVER- gather in any OTHER Spirit? And, can THIS be the place that happens? Or do you find that all you ever want to do is gather in a worldly spirit, and do the things of the world?

I want this to be a place where those who are led by the Spirit of God can be led by the Spirit of God together. No matter what differences we may have, no matter how different we are personally. No matter what differences there are in what we like to do, or what we like to eat, or what we like to listen to, or what we like to do in our spare time- if we are led by the same spirit, we will find a unity when we gather together.

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Php 2:1-2

You see- participation in the Spirit, this is the reason for one mind, same love, being in “Full accord.” That means being in harmony. If I played three notes in a piano and they did not go together, there would not be “accord.” But if I play the three that compliment, that go together, though they are different, they agree- they are “in accord”- or in a chord! This agreement is what all Christians do have when they gather.


14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
2 Co 13:14

This is what Paul wished for the believers. This fellowship of the Holy Spirit. This is what I want for us- the same Spirit leading us all. Fighting together for the same cause. Dancing for joy together because of the same truth. Loving the same God together, shining the same light together.

Now, I know for a fact that there are believers in this room. And so I say to you believers- you have the same Spirit- stop resisting that Spirit, and join together in that same Spirit, and fight together!
What would that mean?

-It would mean spending time together.
-It would mean talking together about what He is saying to you.
-It would mean serving together to show Him to the world.
-It would mean enjoying one another so much more than you do.

How would Impact serve you in these ways?
1- It would continue to serve you with pictures of Christ’s beauty, that we could all grow more and more in love with Him.
2- it would provide for you other like-minded believers to fight along side you and encourage and equip you.
3- it would provide a place to fight, and to reach out to others.