Sanctifying Work of the Spirit in our Lives
It was nearing the end of Jesus’ life on earth. The disciples were still self-centered and timid. They had been with Him for three years in His ministry throughout Palestine. They had seen Him calm storms, drive out demons, heal lepers, and raise a dead man to life. It seemed to them that He truly was the promised Messiah—the One who take down the Roman Empire and establish Israel as the dominant kingdom on earth.
This is what He surely meant when He spoke of the Kingdom of God. Whenever Jesus would talk of the cross, they would put it out of their minds and focus on what their places would be in the new Kingdom. Who among them would sit at the right and left hands of Jesus?
This, however, is not what Jesus or the Father intended. In this age, the Kingdom of God would not be an earthly one. The crown Jesus was to take would not be one of gold, but a thorny one. He would be arrested and beaten. The skin would be torn from His flesh and He would be stripped naked to die a grizzly death by crucifixion—not only the most tortuous way of execution, but also the most humiliating one.
It was at His last dinner before the crucifixion that Jesus was trying to console the disciples on what was about to happen. He knew that they were going to face a crisis of faith. He knew that they were going to be confused and afraid and feel that the Father had abandoned them. He wanted them to know, however, that God would be there for them—He would send a Comforter. He knew that He would rise again and see His disciples again, but He also knew He would ascend into Heaven. He knew that the work He started would be left to these simple men. He knew they might feel abandoned. He knew they needed a word of encouragement for the dark hours that would come.
“And I pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”—John 14:16-18 (NKJV)
Many years later from that fateful night, the words of Jesus echoed in the heart of one who once scourged those who followed after His name—one now who counted himself among the scourged: the Apostle Paul. For the sake of the gospel, Paul had traveled to the ends of the empire. He had been scourged, stoned, naked, and imprisoned—all for the sake of the gospel. As Paul penned his letter to the Romans, he had his eyes fixed on Jerusalem. Perhaps he knew that this was his last season as a free man—even as a living man. As he reflected on his many journeys and years of ministry, Paul may have sensed that his journey was coming to an end. Would the Jewish leaders kill him if He went to Jerusalem?
In his letter to the Romans, he reflected on the many occasions that the Holy Spirit was there to provide comfort and aid in the fiercest storms of his life. It is this that we are going to discuss this morning. Turn if you would to Romans 8:
Romans 8
9But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. (NKJV)
I. The Spirit infuses us with the same power that rose Jesus from the dead
Consider this: The very power that enabled Jesus Christ to rise from the dead resides within us! The very dunamis that flowed within Christ is at work in us! Forget the energizer bunny—what God has placed within us will keep going and going and going. We only need to trust in Him! We only need to submit ourselves to His power source. If the resurrection power truly does reside within believers, then why is it that so many Christians often burnout? Consider the situation in Iraq today. Iraq is said to have the second largest oil reserves in the world; however, presently the country is in desperate need for foreign aid. What is the reason for this? The rule of Saddam Hussein and the chaos after the war left everything in chaos. Many of the oil wells in Iraq are in severe disrepair and therefore are unable to pump out the vast quantities of oil that could be tapped.
The reason many Christians become so weak in their walks is because they have let their wells fall into disrepair by neglecting church, prayer, and Bible study. It is only in consistent Bible study and prayer that the resurrection power of the Spirit can remain a potent force in our lives.
II. The Spirit guides us from destruction
Romans 8
13For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.(NKJV)
“Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from perilous pestilence.”—Psalm 91:3
1 Corinthians 10
13No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
Deuteronomy 30
15"Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between prosperity and disaster, between life and death. 16I have commanded you today to love the LORD your God and to keep his commands, laws, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and become a great nation, and the LORD your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy.
Sometimes it is interesting to study Greek mythology. One of my favorite epics to read about is the story about Ulysses in the Odyssey. During his journey, he was warned by Circes about the danger of sailing near the coast of the Sirens. The Sirens were sea nymphs who had such a seductive song that mariners would cast themselves into the sea upon hearing them. Ulysses was to have his men fill their ears with wax so that they would not be seduced to their destruction by the music.
Ulysses himself was to be bound to the ship’s mast and commanded his men to keep him bound no matter how much he pleaded with them. When Ulysses ship approached the coast of the Sirens he cried out to his men to set him free. The more he struggled, the tighter they bound him. It was only when the music could no longer be heard that Ulysses gave his men the signal that they were safe.
In the spiritual realm, there is the song of the world and the song of the Spirit. The song of the world is indeed seductive and seeks to lure its listeners into its perilous waters. Victory over the sirens of sin can only be achieved when we fix our ears on the voice of the Spirit and bind ourselves to the word of the Lord. It is only by remaining tuned into the Spirit that we avoid plunging into iniquity.
III. The Spirit confirms that we are the Father’s children
15For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." 16The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
Consider the character Oliver Twist from Charles Dickens. In Oliver Twist, Oliver is among a large company of destitute orphans slaving away in a 19th century English workhouse. Their reward for all their efforts is a thin bowl of gruel that only barely satisfies their gnawing hunger. One day the desperate orphans drew lots to see who would come forward to the master in charge to ask for more food. Here is how Charles Dickens presents the scene:
"The evening arrived; the boys took their places. The master, in his cook’s uniform, stationed himself at the copper; his pauper assistants ranged themselves behind him; the gruel was served out; and a long grace was said over the short commons. The gruel disappeared; the boys whispered each other, and winked at Oliver; while his next neighbours nudged him. Child as he was, he was desperate with hunger, and reckless with misery. He rose from the table; and advancing to the master, basin and spoon in hand, said: somewhat alarmed at his own temerity:
"’Please, sir, I want some more.’
"The master was a fat, healthy man; but he turned very pale. He gazed in stupified astonishment on the small rebel for some seconds, and then clung for support to the copper. The assistants were paralysed with wonder; the boys with fear.
"’What!’ said the master at length, in a faint voice.
"’Please, sir,’ replied Oliver, ’I want some more.’
"The master aimed a blow at Oliver’s head with the ladle; pinioned him in his arm; and shrieked aloud for the beadle.
"The board were sitting in solemn conclave, when Mr. Bumble rushed into the room in great excitement, and addressing the gentleman in the high chair, said, ’Mr. Limbkins, I beg your pardon, sir! Oliver Twist has asked for more!’
"There was a general start. Horror was depicted on every countenance.
"’For MORE!’ said Mr. Limbkins. ’Compose yourself, Bumble, and answer me distinctly. Do I understand that he asked for more, after he had eaten the supper allotted by the dietary?’
"’He did, sir,’ replied Bumble.
"Nobody controverted the prophetic gentleman’s opinion. An animated discussion took place. Oliver was ordered into instant confinement; and a bill was next morning pasted on the outside of the gate, offering a reward of five pounds to anybody who would take Oliver Twist off the hands of the parish. In other words, five pounds and Oliver Twist were offered to any man or woman who wanted an apprentice to any trade, business, or calling."
Fortunately, our God is not Mr. Bumble or Mr. Limbkins. He will not throw us out like unwanted orphans. He is not angry with us like the authorities were with Oliver and his friends. He is a loving Father that we can boldly approach with our needs and desires. One of the best illustrations we see of God in Scripture is that of the father of the prodigal son who ran down the road to kiss and embrace his returning wayward son. Much of the work of the Spirit in our lives is to confirm the love that God has for us—that we are no longer spiritual orphans.
IV. The Spirit causes us to long for eternity
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. (NKJV)
As I reflected on this passage, I could not help but think of the journey our founding fathers made to America. Consider the Mayflower journey. Enduring cramped, damp conditions, the pilgrims endured a sixty-six day journey over rough seas before they landed in Plymouth Harbor. The pilgrims, however, were able to endure their journey because they knew at its end lay their promised land.
In his writings, Paul reflects much about eternity. I especially like what he wrote to the church at Corinth:
2 Corinthians 5
Paul’s Hope of Eternal Glory
1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, 3if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. 4For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. (NKJV)
When Paul speaks of tents here I cannot help but be reminded of the fact that he was a tent maker. He also had in mind, no doubt, of the nomadic existence the people of Israel had before they entered the Promised Land. They lived in tents. Even their house of worship was a tent! They longed for permanent dwellings and houses of their own.
In this life people often place too much value on the temporal---too much value on the tent. We are only nomads on a journey to eternity. We are to value the Kingdom of God more than what we can gain from the kingdom of this world. Consider the words of Christ:
Matthew 6
Lay Up Treasures in Heaven
19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.(NKJV)
Part of the sanctifying work of the Spirit in our lives is to remind us not to place our joy and hopes in the things of this world, but in eternity.
V. The Spirit helps us in our weaknesses—Romans 8:26
26Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us[1] with groanings which cannot be uttered.
A. Ways the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses
1. He gives us strength
My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
—Psalm 73:6
There were many occasions that the Apostle Paul felt weak and the
Spirit was there to comfort and strengthen him. Consider what he wrote to the church of Corinth:
I was on a mission trip this summer. We drove from Greenville, Illinois to El Paso, Texas in a fifteen passenger van. It was in the desert about two hours from El Paso that the engine of our van died. Initially, we thought we had run out of gas. We decided to top off our tank. The van was running fine until we got into El Paso. Suddenly, as we were nearing our exit, our van died again—this time in the middle of a four lane city highway. I aimed the van down into the merge lane and left it drift down into our exit. I noticed a gas station to the right on the street we were merging on. The problem, however, was that there was no longer a decline and power in the van to get us there. Fortunately, however, the boys in the van jumped out and pushed us to the gas station. Later we found out our fuel pump had gone out on us.
The Holy Spirit is like that in our lives. There are times when the fuel pump goes out in our spiritual lives. It is during those times that the Holy Spirit is there to apply His strength in our lives to push us to the next filling station.
2. He intercedes for us
Another important way the Spirit helps us in our lives is that He intercedes for us. Have you ever been so emotionally numbed by a tragedy or depression that you were unable to pray? I know I have been there. It is during those times when we sit silently, unable to craft our words that the Holy Spirit is there praying the right words we need for healing. He is always there praying alongside us, praying for those areas of our life we don’t even know we need lifted up.
I am also encouraged by the words of Hebrews 7:25—that even Christ intercedes for us:
Hebrews 7
24But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. 25Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
VI. The Spirit moves us to our destiny—to be conformed to the image of Christ.
27Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
28And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
First of all, this passage says here that the Holy Spirit is making intercession for us “according to the will of God.” The Holy Spirit is thus working in concert with the Godhead that we will be conformed to the image of Christ. This passage also speaks of predestination. While Calvinists would say that this means God only chooses certain people for salvation, I believe that God has a wonderful destiny planned for everyone.
The problem, however, is that most people don’t choose it. Imagine this: Before the foundation of the world, God had a destiny planned for you! When Jesus died on the cross—He died for you personally so that you would be conformed to the image of Christ! Many people feel that their lives are without purpose—even many Christians! Nothing could be farther from the truth!
God has an amazing destiny laid out for each and everyone of you. It isn’t His will that you would spin your tires in the mire of mediocrity, but rather, that you would fully embrace His will for your life!
I heard the story once of an eagle whose egg was found and hatched among chickens. For a long time, the eagle walked about pecking the ground like chicken, then one day he saw another eagle soaring in the sky high above.
He began to flap his wings to get off the ground to no avail, much to the amusement of the other chickens who told him he could not fly. One day, however, he sprang from the top of the chicken coup, flapping his wings, and managed to lift himself into the sky. God does not desire that you would stay in the chicken coup, but rather that you would soar in the destiny that He has set aside for you!
This morning there are some of you who have never made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ. I want to tell you that you can experience a love and transformation by God that you have never experienced before. Some of you have made a profession of faith, but like the eagle in our story you find yourself penned up in the chicken coup.
You struggle with your walk with God. You feel trapped in mediocrity. I want to tell you this morning that there is hope. I want to tell you that the Spirit of God in you can transform you to become all that He has intended you to be. I believe that God is interceding for you now and that you need only respond to what He is telling you to do this morning.
