Sermons

Summary: Message 5 in our exploration of the basic elements of a healthy walk. This message focus on the neccesity to access His power in order to cultivate our relationship with Him.

Chico Alliance Church

Pastor David Welch

“CPR for a Healthy Walk Part 5

Live in the Power or the Holy Spirit

REVIEW

I. Cleave to and continually cultivate Relationship with Christ

A. Humbly Connect to Christ

B. Gratefully consecrate (present) your members to His service.

C. Continually renew our thinking or perception

D. Sincerely draw near to God

• Seek Him

• Move close to Him

• Communicate with Him.

Talk – Invite – Meditate – Embrace - Submit

God invites us to a special meal of honor and communication with Him. What keeps us from that dinner date?

“The greatest enemy of hunger for God is not poison but apple pie. It is not the banquet of the wicked that dulls our appetite for heaven, but endless nibbling at the table of the world. It is not the X-rated video, but the prime-time dribble of triviality we drink in every night. For all the ill that Satan can do, when God describes what keeps us from the banquet table of His love, it is a piece of land, a yoke of oxen, and a wife. Luke 14. (Quote from John Piper “A Hunger for God”).

E. Live in the Power of the Holy Spirit

INTRODUCTION

This morning we come to a fifth element absolutely necessary to restore a spiritual focus in life and escape the destructive effects of a fleshly focus.

A spiritual outlook comes from a spiritual energy or power granted only by God on his terms. A spiritual focus comes from the Holy Spirit Himself.

All through Scripture we are called to be rightly related to the Holy Spirit. Walk in the spirit, be controlled by the Spirit, the baptism of the Spirit, the leading of the Spirit, the anointing of the Spirit, the power of the Spirit. All of these and others focus on a right relationship with the Holy Spirit. Right here in Galatians, Paul emphasizes the place of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life. In fact, in regards to victory over a fleshly focus and walk, Paul instructs us to “walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lusts or desires of the flesh.” We have grown accustomed to powerless living. It is a phenomenon of a fleshly focus. Our spirit cries, “There must be more!” Our flesh shouts, “Everything is fine!” “Don’t go overboard.” Christianity is more than embracing a new belief system. The New Testament is full of passages holding out hope for a transformed life both here and hereafter. You can’t read through the Acts of the early church without stirring a longing for a fresh manifestation of the power of God in our life and church. What in our life can only be attributed to the power of God in our life? We cry out for God to do something and show His power. There is a familiar passage that has taken on a fresh perspective for me.

Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. Ephes. 3:14-21

God does in time (point time action) exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we continually as or continually think according to His power that continually works within us.

God does not act by some power surge from above. We need not cry for some special anointing from above. The things done in the world that exceed our grandest requests or wildest dreams come about by the power of God working WITHIN us! Beyond a solid connection or submission to Christ, a consecration of every member of our being, a continually renewing of our perception, a sincere drawing near to God in communion, we must live by the power of God. I want to search the Scriptures for answers to the basic questions concerning this power. What, who, when, why, where, how????

What is the power of God?

The word used here in this passage is the Greek word “dynamis”. Our English word dynamite comes from this word. The Greeks employed this word in a variety of ways.

Ability or capability, be able, possibility, power both physical and intellectual and even spiritual. It referred to anything from explosive ability and great might to a simple ability or talent. We find that word used in reference to the ability of God especially as manifested through Jesus. In reference to Jesus it indicated supernatural ability in many areas.

• Power to heal and cast out evil spirits

And immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My garments?” Mark 5:30 faith as made you well

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