“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.” -John 15:2 NLT In order to have life, we must… STAY CONNECT TO THE SOURCE: GOD IS THE PRUNING CUTS AWAY THE AND TRIMS THE PRUNING IS “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” -Proverbs 4:23 NLT “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.” -Proverbs 4:23 GNT ROMANS 8 – LED BY THE SPIRIT “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.” -Romans 8:1-2 NLT “Jesus did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.” -Romans 8:4-5 NLT The Results of this kind of pruning… the Sinful Nature “So, letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.” -Romans 8:6-8 NLT By Holy Spirit “But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you.” -Romans 8:9 NLT WE HAVE A CHOICE We Must The Spirit to Lead “…you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” -Romans 8:12-14 GETTING IN LINE WITH THE SPIRIT IN OUR THOUGHTS Trust the Spirit’s “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.” -Romans 8:26-27 NLT Like Jesus “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” -Romans 8:29 NLT “What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?” -Romans 8:31 NLT ! “I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” -Romans 8:38-39 NLT