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BECOMING THE SPIRITUAL
PERSON YOU WANT TO BE
Think of someone in whom you see Christ. Why does that person come to mind? What about that person reminds you of Christ?
· I (Dave) received the compliment of a lifetime when the Kenyan soldiers told their commander they saw Christ in me. What does it take to be a Christian in whom others can see Christ daily?
· What will move us away from selfishness and fleshly desires to loving service to God and others?
· Any ideas at this point?
If people are to see Christ in our lives, we first need a firm grip on our identity in Christ We need to accept the reality that, since we are in Christ, His divine nature is part of us. Second, we must begin to renew our minds and retrain the flesh. This living out our true identity in Christ is called walking in the Spirit. Let’s look at some of Scripture’s guidelines for doing so.
THREE PERSONS AND THE SPIRIT
In 1 Corinthians 2:14–3:3, Paul talks about three kinds of people: (1) the natural person, (2) the spiritual person, and (3) the fleshly person. Let’s look at each closely.
The Natural Person. The natural person is spiritually dead, separated from God, living independently from God. The natural person can’t help but sin.
· Review the description of the natural person and the accompanying chart. Where do you see your old self under the old skipper?
· List some of the specific changes in your body, emotions, will, mind and purpose since you named Jesus as Lord. What have you left behind? What don’t you struggle with as much anymore? Thank God for His transforming work in your life.
The Spiritual Person. The spiritual person has been transformed. When he accepted Christ, his spirit was united with God’s Spirit. He now enjoys forgiveness of sin, acceptance in God’s family and the knowledge that he is worth something.
· How did you react to the description of the spiritual person?
· Was it encouraging? Discouraging? Both? Why?
List some of the specific characteristics of body, emotions, will, mind and purpose that you want God to bring about in you. Ask Him to show you how to cooperate with Him in His transforming work so that you can become more mature in Christ and make better choices more consistently.
The Fleshly Person. The fleshly person is a Christian—spiritually alive in Christ and declared righteous by God—but that’s where the similarity ends. Instead of being directed and controlled by the Spirit, this believer chooses to follow the temptations of his flesh.
· Where, if at all, do you unfortunately see yourself in the description of the fleshly person?
· Why do so many of us believers live so far below our potential in Christ?
· Many of us forget who we are in Christ, so we don’t actively apply that truth to our daily walks. Also, we don’t realize how much Satan tries to block our growth and maturity as God’s children. Which of these reasons—and maybe some others as well—contribute to your tendencies to be a fleshly person? Confess those aloud to God and ask for His help.
GUIDELINES FOR THE SPIRIT-FILLED WALK
Know at the start that there isn’t any magic formula for walking in the Spirit. Walking according to the Spirit is more like a relationship with a good friend than a list of dos and don’ts.
What the Spirit-filled Walk Is Not. The Spirit-filled walk is neither license (totally disregarding God’s loving guidelines and doing whatever you want) nor legalism (obeying a bunch of dos and don’ts). Being led by the Spirit means you are free to do the right thing and to live a responsible life.
· First, consider the results of license. When have you learned from experience that God’s loving guidelines exist to protect you?
· Asked differently, when have you made a poor decision and been in bondage to the consequences of your choice?
God’s laws are designed to protect you, not tie you down and strangle you. Your real freedom is your ability to choose to live obediently within the protective guidelines God has given.
· Now think about legalism. When has your response to someone laying down the law been the immediate desire to cross that line and perhaps actually crossing it?
· When it comes to a Spirit-filled walk, demanding good things (Bible study, prayer, regular church attendance and witnessing) is no more effective than forbidding bad things. What’s happened when you’ve approached these good things as “shoulds” or “have tos” rather than as the means to a closer relationship to Jesus?
God’s law—those rules for behavior we find in the Bible—is a necessary, protective standard and guideline. When we live within that law, we are free to develop a spirit-to-Spirit relationship with God (see 1 Corinthians 6:17; 2 Corinthians 3:5-6).
What the Spirit-filled Walk Is. Again, the Spirit-filled walk is neither license nor legalism but liberty. It’s the freedom to be who we already are in Christ: loved and accepted children of God. And our freedom in Christ is freedom to choose whether to walk according to the Spirit or according to the flesh.
· Why is it key that we are to walk in the Spirit and not sit?
· Why is it key that we are to walk in the Spirit and not run? What does the action of walking as opposed to sitting or running suggest to you?
We are to walk, not be sitting in idle and letting our mind coast in neutral. And we are to walk, not be running in an effort to achieve the Spirit-filled life through endless, exhausting activity.
· When are you tempted to sit back and not move?
· In what circumstances do you tend to run ahead and try to achieve the Spirit-filled life through lots of activity?
· Read Matthew 11:28-30. In your own words, explain what this image says about the Spirit-filled life, its pace and how to live it. Comment, too, on what this image says about how God chooses to get things done in the world.
The yoke that Jesus offers means a restful walk with Him. And that picture of walking in the Spirit with Jesus points out that God has chosen to work in partnership with you to do His work in the world today. As remarkable as it sounds, neither Jesus nor you will accomplish much unless both of you pull your side of the yoke.
Walking by Being Led. Walking according to the Spirit is also a matter of being led by the Spirit (see Romans 8:14). Consider the following two-part truth and what it means for you.
· “God won’t make you walk in the Spirit.” What does this statement say to you about your freedom and your responsibility as a child of God?
· “The devil can’t make you walk in the flesh.” What does this statement say to you about your freedom of choice and your ability to stand strong against Satan’s efforts to draw you away from God?
The Spirit-filled walk is one of being led, not driven, and it is your choice to follow either the leading of the Spirit or the desires of the flesh.
The Proof Is in the Fruit. How can you know if you’re being led by the Spirit or the flesh? By looking at your behavior, and Galatians 5 gives us some standards by which we can evaluate our attitudes and actions.
· Read Galatians 5:19-21. What kinds of attitudes and behaviors suggest a person is walking according to the flesh?
· Read Galatians 5:22-23. What kinds of attitudes and behaviors suggest a person is following the Spirit’s leading?
Walking according to the Spirit is a moment-by-moment, day-byday experience. When you step off the path of the Spirit, confess and renounce your sin to God and anyone you may have offended, receive forgiveness, and return to the right path.
· To whom do you need to confess when you’ve made a wrong choice?
· How does confession model and even encourage growth?
In Christ, you are free from the power of sin. But if Satan can convince you that you’re not free, you’ll remain in captivity. The more you walk in step with Jesus, the better prepared you’ll be to recognize Satan’s deception and disarm his strategy.
START STOMPING!
Grab Those Scissors! It’s time to be creative! Make a collage, a drawing or a poster that will remind you of what a Spirit-filled walk is and maybe even isn’t. Illustrate the truth of Matthew 11:28-30. Draw a slash through those words and/or pictures that communicate what the Spririt-filled walk is not. Make it a powerful encouragement to live the kind of life you want to be living.
Yep, It’s a Step of Faith. Find a blindfold and a friend. Cover your eyes with the blindfold and have your friend lead you around for five minutes. Pay attention to what you’re thinking and feeling as you walk along. After five minutes, switch roles. Now as you lead your blindfolded friend along, notice again your thoughts and feelings. What does this exercise teach you about walking the Spirit-filled walk? What do being led and leading help you understand about God, the One who wants to lead you?
Get Those Hands Dirty. There’s something awesome about watching something grow—and there’s also much to be learned. So plant something—a single seed, a row of vegetables, a tiny plant. As you work to keep it growing, think of yourself as the seed and God as your gardener and let your little plant encourage you in your own growth in the Lord. He’s doing the work for your growth. Like your little plant, you just need to receive all He wants to give you that will help you grow in Him.
God, I get uncomfortable looking at the kind of person You want me to be and realizing the kind of person I usually am. That description of the spiritual person seems pretty unreachable, and the description of the fleshly person sure makes me squirm. I’m glad You give me guidelines for how to live the kind of life I want to live for You. It helped me to see that walking with You isn’t license or legalism. Help me get to know Your voice better so that I can recognize it easily, and give me the strength I need to make the right choice to follow Your Spirit’s leading and not the desires of the flesh. Amen.
STRENGTH GIVERS
These words are for you and about you! As you read each day’s verse, ask yourself, “How would my life be different if I could live this truth?”—and ask God to help you do so.
| Monday: | 1 Corinthians 2:16 |
| Tuesday: | 1 John 5:18 |
| Wednesday: | Colossians 1:14 |
| Thursday: | Colossians 1:27 |
| Friday: | 2 Timothy 1:7 |