Welcome to the Believers Bible Assembly My name is Doctor Mike Jackson and I'm so

glad that you joined us today as we continue our study of the spirit-led life

In our previous lessons we talked about what is a spirit-led life being spiritually connected We talked about

the tripartite man made up of spirit soul and body We talked about the benefits of

a spirit-led life and we talked about the evidence the fruit of a spirit-led life Today I want

to talk to you about the practice and the application of the spirit-led life It's one thing to know

about what it is it's another thing to put it into application James chapter 1 verse

doers of the Word All the things that we talked about that pertains to the spirit-led life we have

to be doers of the Word We have to actively and continually obey God's word We have

to actively and continually be led by the Holy Spirit and we're not to be hearers only

one who hears the word but fails to internalize the word and its meaning James says if you

don't do these things you are deceiving yourself and that's not what we want to do

So we have to take these principles of a spirit led life and we have to put them into application

and that's what I want to talk about today Just knowing the principles of the

spirit-led life will not cause us to become mature in Christ but regular practice of these

principles will There's no magic formula or religious rituals to follow It is a consistent practice a

consistent application over time of these principles in the power of the Spirit which will accomplish God's purpose in our

lives and enable us to grow spiritually This process has to be consistent and we must be faithful in the

practice of them Now the scripture has a lot to say about the process being consistent being steadfast reliable and

faithful in the practice of a spirit-led life Number 1 it's a race It's a process It's a

course that has to be finished Hebrews chapter 12 verse 1 and 3 encourages believers to persevere in

their spiritual journey by removing all distractions and the sin that weighs us down And it

encourages us to fix our eyes on Jesus who is the example of endurance and faith

It also reminds us that Jesus endured the cross and by reflecting on his faithfulness we can find

strength and avoid growing weary and losing hope and losing heart 2 Timothy chapter 4

verse 7 reveals the apostle Paul's conclusion to his life and his ministry In these verses he declares that

he has fought the good fight of faith that he has finished the race and he has kept

the faith Philippians chapter 1 verse 6 encourages us that he who has begun a good work in us will

carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ So this is a race This is a

course that we have to finish and like Paul we must finish well We have to stay faithful to

our calling We have to stay faithful to our assignment even when the path is hard

or unclear Like Paul we have to keep the faith in all situations We have to guard

that which we know to be true We have to guard our beliefs in what Christ has done

and we have to do this with courage and consistency no matter what the obstacle may be Like

Paul we have to look forward to the reward and the reward is eternity with Christ So we

have to live with an eternity mindset knowing that God will honor those who remain

faithful Number 2 we have to continue walking in the spirit This is the lifestyle of a

believer Romans chapter 8 verse 5 highlights a contrast between living according to the flesh and living according

to the spirit It teaches us that those who follow the flesh focus on worldly desires While

those who are led by the spirit set their minds on spiritual things and when you do this this will

reflect a life that is aligned with the will plans and purposes of God Romans

chapter 8 verses 12 to 14 emphasizes that the believer's responsibility is to live by

the Spirit and not by the flesh It also teaches us that those who are led by the

Spirit put to death those sinful behaviors and are empowered to live in freedom and in alignment with His

will The third thing that we have to do to practice the spirit-led life we have to live

a life of faith in God Colossians chapter 2 verse 6 to 7 urges believers to continue living in Christ

just as they received Him It teaches us that we have to be rooted built up and strengthened

in our faith It emphasizes that spiritual growth is deepened through our trust our alliance in Christ

and it encourages us to have a life of gratitude as we live move and have our being

in Christ rooted and grounded in the faith 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 7 teaches us that as believers we

are to live by faith and not by sight Trusting in God's promises and guidance when circumstances are unclear or

challenging It calls for a life that is anchored in faith and what is faith

The unseen realities of life rather than a life that is guided by physical visible evidence which is temporary

Galatians chapter 2 verse 20 reveals the transformative reality of our union with Christ It declares that our old

self has been crucified with Christ and that we now live a life of faith through Him who loved us

and gave Himself for us These verses call for a life of surrender where Christ becomes the center of

our identity the center of our purpose and the center of our daily living We're talking about

the process today How do we put into practice the principles found in God's word

that's going to help us live a spirit-led life Number 4 we have to understand God's

role in this process God plays an active role in the spirit-led life of a believer He initiates our

relationship with Him through Christ He revealed Himself to us through the scripture and he empowers

us through the Holy Spirit Therefore he expects believers to live out their identity in Christ by obeying his word

and relying on his divine strength that comes through the Holy Spirit So the question

is how does the believer put into practice the principles of the spirit-led life There's 4 things that I

want to talk to you about this morning that's going to help us 4 things that's required of

every believer Number 1 they must know the truth of who they are in Christ John chapter 8 verse 31

to 36 teaches that true disciples are those who abide in Christ and allows His word

to abide in them thereby knowing the truth that will set them free We have to know the truth

that comes from the word that will set us free 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 16 to 17 states that

in Christ we no longer live by worldly standards Instead we have become a new creation in Christ

Our old ways our old identities are gone and a new transformed life has begun So

we have to know the truth of who we are in Christ Number 2 we have

to accept by faith the truth of who God is and what His word says Romans chapter 1 verse

transform lives However faith is the key to a right relationship with God We have

to accept by faith the truth of who God is and it's by faith that we

do that Two familiar passages of scripture Hebrews chapter 11 verse 1 and verse 6 these verses define the essence

and the necessity of faith that without faith it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to

God first must acknowledge that he is God and that He is a rewarder of those who

diligently seek Him So faith is the foundation of a true and genuine relationship with God You cannot

say that you love God You cannot say that you serve God and you don't have faith

So we have to accept by faith the truth of who God is and what his word says Acts chapter

in God's divine assurance even in the face of overwhelming danger Faith is not tested

is not faith Anyone can say they have faith and everything is going well It's only when obstacles

comes only when challenges come that test our faith Can we truly know if our

faith is genuine or if it's counterfeit God wants us to know God wants us to be assured

of our faith even in the face of overwhelming danger obstacles and situations And as a believer we

cannot practice and receive the benefits of what God has to offer if we don't walk

by faith if we don't really believe that God is who He says He is We have to accept by

faith the truth of who God is and what His word says about Himself and about who we

are in Christ Faith is simply believing the truth and taking God at His word We're talking about 4

essential things that are required of a believer in order to live a spirit-led life Number

Lord that means that you have surrendered your life You have yielded your life to Him Thereby being

able to be led now by the Spirit Romans chapter 12 verse 1 says that as believers

we are to offer our bodies our entire being our spirit our soul and our bodies as living sacrifices

as our spiritual act of worship It calls for a life of total dedication where our everyday actions reflect

and are in alignment with God and His will We have to yield to the

lordship of Jesus Christ 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 15 says and he Christ died for all That those who

live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for us and was

raised again The life that we used to live we no longer can live it because

our life now is in Christ Our lives are hidden in Christ Christ is the one that died

for us Therefore he now becomes our life and if we continue to live in

His will plans and purpose for us we'll be able to live a spirit-led life John chapter

increase in our life He has to have total preeminence in our life and in order for

him to have that we must decrease We must become less important That doesn't mean our life doesn't

have any value That doesn't mean our life doesn't have any purpose That means that Christ is number

one in our life Because he is the head of my life because he is the Lord of

my life I must decrease so he can increase So before we can live out the spirit-led life

we must willingly surrender ourselves daily let me put emphasis on this daily to the lordship of Jesus Christ recognizing

his authority his superiority recognizing his sovereignty to lead guide and transform our lives In alignment with

his will plans and purposes So the third thing that we need to do is we have to yield to

the lordship of Jesus Christ And number 4 We have to act on the truth of the Bible and the

power of the Holy Spirit The title of this message today is A Spirit-led Life

in Practice Hebrews chapter 11 verse 8 states that by faith Abraham responded to God's call

by leaving his homeland trusting God's promises without knowing the destination And this demonstrates that true faith acts

even when the outcome and final destiny is unsure That's why Abraham is listed in the

hall of faith Abraham trusted God He believed in God He relied on him And he went where God desired

him to go even without knowing his final destination This is what it means by walking by faith and

not by sight God wants to lead us to a place that he desires for us to be But in

order for us to get there we have to rely on him we have to depend

on him We have to be led by his spirit even when we don't know where we're going

That's faith So we see that faith believing and acting on the truth of God's word putting it

into practice is the evidence the proof of a spirit led life So let me sum up this teaching

today The spirit-led life is to transform believers into the image of Christ in our character our

conduct and our conversation That's the goal of the Spirit-led life Romans chapter 8 verse

conformed to the image of His Son Jesus Christ and this is accomplished by our total

dependence on the Holy Spirit This is accomplished by our obedience to the scriptures This

is accomplished by having an awareness of who we are in Christ which is our true identity And

this is accomplished by consistent practice of the spiritual principles which produce in us spiritual fruit

which is the very essence in life of Jesus Christ So I pray that this

teaching has been a blessing to you and that you have been empowered and equipped to

live a spirit-led life Be blessed