Podcast Episode Details

 

Life in the Spirit: Beyond the Obvious

This week, Andy continued our series on "Life in the Spirit," diving deep into what it truly means to be led by the Holy Spirit. He challenged our common assumptions, moving beyond ideas of just "hearing God" or "experiencing the Holy Spirit" to uncover a more foundational truth found in Paul's letter to the Romans. Andy opened with a vivid story from his recent trip to South Wales, where he and Angie encountered an ultra-marathon photographer. This photographer was positioned near the end of a gruelling 100-mile race, ready to capture the exhausted but exhilarated runners. He highlighted the crucial role of arrows pointing the way to the finish line, but more importantly, the extensive training the runners undertook to even begin such a race. This analogy set the stage: while guidance and exciting experiences are part of the Spirit's work, there's something far more fundamental – the "training" that equips us for the long haul of faith. Turning to Romans 8:12-17, Andy explained that Paul, despite his own profound encounters with the Holy Spirit (like on the road to Damascus, Acts 9), doesn't focus on visions or gifts when describing being "led by the Spirit." Instead, he points to a radical, daily transformation. The context of Romans 8, Andy reminded us, is the tension of living in the "now, but not yet." As Christians, we've inherited a glorious future free from pain and death, yet we live in a present reality filled with challenges. The Holy Spirit, he explained, is actively at work in this tension, helping us navigate it. Andy then broke down several key works of the Holy Spirit mentioned in the earlier verses of Romans 8:

• Freedom from sin and death (Romans 8:2): The Spirit sets us free from the old law of sin and death, establishing new consequences for our lives.
• A new mindset (Romans 8:4-5): We are called to live according to the Spirit, having our minds set on what the Spirit desires, not on our sinful nature's desires. This is a profound shift from a self-centred life to a God-centred one.
• Life and peace (Romans 8:6): A mind controlled by the Spirit leads to life and peace, in stark contrast to the death that comes from a sinful mind. Andy emphasized the ongoing "war" within us, urging us to choose to follow the Spirit's leading.
• Life for our mortal bodies (Romans 8:11): If the Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us, He will also give life to our mortal bodies – a stirring promise of hope and resurrection power at work within us now.

The core of Andy's message, drawn from Romans 8:13, revealed what it truly means to be led by the Spirit: "If by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live." This is strong language. It's not about tolerating sin, burying our heads in the sand, or just "putting up with" our sinful nature. It's about actively, with the Spirit's power, killing off those self-centred desires and actions that cut us off from God's plan and the fullness He has for us. Once something is dead, it's dead. This is the "engine room" of our spiritual lives, the foundational work that enables us to grow and develop. Andy then linked this to Romans 8:12, explaining our "obligation." Before Christ, we were obligated to our sinful nature, driven by selfish desires. But now, having surrendered our lives to Jesus and with the Spirit at work, we have a different obligation: to live according to the Spirit. This isn't about rules or duty, but about responding to God's love and His desire to bring joy, peace, love, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and faithfulness into our lives. The glorious outcome of being led by the Spirit in this way, as highlighted in Romans 8:14-17, is th

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Published on 4 months, 1 week ago