In America we often confuse “intellectual consent” [I “believe” in Jesus] – with being a Christian James 2:19 (GN) “Do you believe that there is only one God? Good! The demons also believe—and tremble with fear.” Biblical faith involves 3 aspects: Head, Heart, & Hand Jesus constantly asked people to “follow” Him (not to intellectually believe in Him) Matthew 9:9 (NIV) “As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow Me,” He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him.” Choosing to follow Jesus is a personal & deliberate choice each person must make for him/herself When you make the decision to follow Jesus, four (4) things happen: My sins are forgiven You are adopted into God’s family – you are now His child God places His Spirit inside you God’s Spirit begins a life-long process of changing you from the inside out to make you more like Jesus Galatians 5:22-23 (NAS) “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.” John 15:5 (NIV) “[Jesus said] I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” Bible Tells Us There Are 3 Kinds of People 1. Natural Person (One who has NOT received Christ) 1 Corinthians 2:14 (NAS) “But a natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 2. Spiritual Person (One who is directed & empowered by the Holy Spirit) 1 Corinthians 2:15-16 (NLT) “Those who are spiritual can evaluate [discern] all things… we have the mind of Christ.” 3. Worldly (Carnal) Person (One who has received Christ, but who lives in defeat because he/she is trying to live the Christian life in his/her own strength) 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 (NIV) “Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food,for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? How to Live the Spirit-filled Life 1. God has provided for us an abundant & fruitful Christian Life John 10:10 (GN) “I have come in order that you might have life—life in all its fullness.” The degree to which these traits are manifested in the life depends on the extent to which the Christian trusts the Lord with every detail of his/her life, and on his/her maturity in Christ 2. Worldly Christians cannot experience the abundant and fruitful-Christian life The worldly (carnal) person trusts in his/her own efforts to live the Christian life 3. Jesus promised the abundant & fruitful life as the result of being filled (directed & empowered) by the Holy Spirit . Though all Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, not all Christians are filled (directed & empowered) by the Holy Spirit on an ongoing basis 4. We are filled with the Holy Spirit by faith; then we can experience the abundant and fruitful life that Christ promised • Sincerely desire to be directed & empowered by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 5:6; John 7:37-39) • Confess your sins. By faith, thank God that He has forgiven all your sins –past, present,and future – because He died for you (Colossians. 2:13-15; 1 John 1; 2:1-3; Hebrews 10:1-17) • Present every area of your life to God (Romans 12:1-2) • By faith claim the fullness of the Holy Spirit, according to: His command: Be filled with the Spirit Ephesians 5:18 (GN) “Do not get drunk with wine, which will only ruin you; instead, be filled with the Spirit.” His promise: He will always answer when we pray according to His will. 1 John 5:14-15 (NIV) “14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.” (see “Prayer Card”) How Can I Know I Am Filled (Directed & Empowered) By the Holy Spirit? Do NOT depend on feelings!!! Depend upon the trustworthiness of God Himself and His Word!!! Spiritual Breathing If you retake the throne of your life through sin – a definite act of disobedience – breathe spiritually: (Exhaling the impure and inhaling the pure) 1. Exhale: Confess your sin – agree with God concerning your sin and thank Him for His forgiveness of it, according to 1 John 1:9 & Hebrews 10:25. 2. Inhale: Surrender the control of your life to Christ, and receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit by faith. Trust that He now directs and empowers you, according to the command of Ephesians 5:18 and the promise of 1 John 5:14-15.