“Five Signs You Are Spiritually Alive”
“Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross." Colossians 2:13-15
Intro: How do you know if someone is spiritually alive or spiritually dead? An artist was hired by a church to paint several pictures of dying churches. After several weeks he returned with his work. The first picture was of a stately building with a large towering steeple. There was a large crowd of lavishly dressed people entering the doors. In another painting he depicted the interior of a church as being expensively furnished with chandeliers costing thousands of dollars hanging from the ceiling. In the lobby there was a display of youth meeting, and a recreation room with kids playing games. He had another painting of a “fellowship hall” with tables of food and desserts and people sitting with their plates filled to capacity.
When the elders saw the paintings they protest. “We asked you to paint pictures of dying churches. We expected to see a run-down building with the weeds growing up all around and churches with windows broken out. We expected to see an interior of drab, lifeless and unkempt rooms. We expected to see sanctuaries abandoned with no one inside the buildings.
The artist opened up a bible and turned to Revelations 3:1 and read the letter to the church at Sardis. “I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead.” He concluded from reading what Jesus said about the church of Sardis: That a dying church would be dying a spiritual death. A dying church could have the outward appearance of life. Its building could be one of the prettiest buildings in town. Its crowd of members could be clothed in the finest apparel. Its youth and children could be having fun and playing games. Its fellowship hall could be filled with food and desserts. But on the inside “A spiritual autopsy would reveal whether or not the church is Alive or a Dead Church.”
Let me be clear “Alive doesn’t mean the doors are open. Alive means the hearts are open.” So we are going to look today at “Five Signs You Are Spiritually Alive”
I. Forgiven of all our sins.
"13 Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins." Colossians 2:13
Forgiveness is the first sign of life in you.
Sin is a poison, a toxin, venom, a contaminant, a disease. But forgiveness is a salve, an ointment, a balm, a prescription, an anointing of healing. Instead of living in bitterness---we can learn to live in "betterness." Instead of living a life trapped by resentment---we can live a life of righteousness. Instead of letting anger be in control ---we can learn to remain calm. Instead of being prideful--- they know the joy of generous giving. Instead of being miserable and always complaining---we have discovered how to be content. Instead of having a heart full of hatred---we can have a heart filled with love. Instead of gossiping and judging others---we can look someone straight in the eye and say let’s get down on our knees and prayer for one another. We all put our left shoe on our left foot and our right shoe on our right foot. Being forgiven takes away the malice, mean spirited, uncaring, and selfish
and gives us of a life of being thankful, counting our blessings, being satisfied with what we have, being in unity and love, and peace. I will choose the lifestyle of forgiveness over the lifestyle of sin every time.
There are a lot of things out there that are spiritual killers. But forgiveness is the first step to spiritual healing.
How do you get forgiveness? You talk to Jesus.
There was a high school football team getting ready to play one of the most vicious rivals of all time. I’m talking about the kind of game where police had to escort the buses to and from the county line. The last time these two teams met: One player got his leg broke, another player got a concussion, two others players got ejected from the game. There were fights in the stands and parents were geared up for another nasty game.
The team Chaplin was sick with appendicitis and could not be there so the coach knew one of the players on the team was named Jeffery was a Christian. So right before they left the locker room the coach brought the team into one final huddle and asked Jeffery to pray.
Jeffery started out, “God this is Jeffery.” Some of his team mates snickered. He said it a second time, “God this is Jeffery.” A few more of his team mates chuckled. He said it a third time, “God this is Jeffery.” Now the whole team was straining to hold back laughter. But then Jeffery put his shoulders back and spoke up above the noise. He talked to God just like he would have been talking to me or you. It’s me again lord. I've got a prayer that needs an answer I've got a problem I can't solve I don't mean to worry you but here we are facing something bigger than us. I need help that only comes from You. It's me again Lord it is Jeffery. You could have heard a pin drop when Jeffery’s prayer came to an amen.
That’s what prayer is. It is Jeffery talking to God just like he would talk to you or me. Prayer is you talking to God just like you and me are face to face, eye ball the eye ball. So spiritual life begins with prayer. Our prayer must include words of repentance. God I have problem. It is a problem bigger than what I can handle alone. I need the kind of help that comes from only you. Lord I repent of my sins and ask your forgiveness. That is all it takes to begin a new spiritual life. Spiritual life begins with forgiveness.
II. Record and charges against us cancelled.
"14 He canceled the record of the charges against us." Colossians 2:14
Spiritual life means all the record and charges of sin against you have been cancelled. What does this mean to you?
Sin leaves a record. An indictment has been made against you. The devil has made a charge and a claim for your eternal soul. The bible teaches us that there is a great gulf between heaven and hell and since heaven is a place prepared for God’s people there is no pain or suffering, or sorrow. There is no grief, there is sickness, and there is no death. The music is of trumpets, and harps and the choirs of heaven. It is called paradise.
Revelations 21 gives us a picture of heaven. It is a place of light and the glory of God. Walls made of jasper, the streets of purest gold. It is garnished with precious stones, sapphires, emeralds, topaz, and diamonds. Its 12 gates are made of pearl. Its water is clear as glass. It is a perfect place that Jesus has gone to prepare for you.
I don’t know how, but God will not allow you to suffer or remember the lost family and friends who did not make it into heaven. For there is a gulf. One which the saints in heaven cannot look down into hell. For we will not grieve for those who did not make it into heaven. We will not know or suffer for people we once knew here on this earth that are not there, but as in the Gospel of Luke tells us the story of Lazarus and rich man . The rich man in hell was able to look up into heaven. From hell he was able to see across the mighty gulf and into the realm of Heaven and in hell he lifted up his eyes and did see Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom.
The person in hell was tormented by what he saw. The person in hell was in agony. The person in hell could see the people in heaven. Forget about the fire and forget about the flames, imagine seeing your family, a father or mother in heaven and you are lost and undone and cannot cross that great divide.
"13 Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us” Colossians 2:13-14
You don’t have to be a Pentecostal, Holy Roller, Charismatic, “If you don’t get this you are dead spiritually.” Raise your hands in thanks, my record is clean. Stand up for joy, my charges have been dropped. Clap your hands in gratitude, I have been set free. Weep in happiness, my hands are washed innocent. Shout in praise, I have been pardoned. Laugh with pleasure, I am guilt free. Worship in delight. Kneel in humble appreciation. Sing in adoration. Jump for gladness. You are spiritually alive because your sin record and charges against you have been cancelled.
III. Sins Nailed to the Cross.
"14 took it away by nailing it to the cross." Colossians 2:13-14
One day years ago, I got a call from my District Superintendent who said he had received a complaint from a dear sweet lady who was a member of my church. I asked what the problem was and was told that she said, “I got too excited when I preached. I got too loud. I moved around too much. She said, We don’t express our salvation with such emotions here.” I asked the Superintendent what was his advice? He said, “Just keep doing what you are doing. Don’t ever quit being enthusiastic about the Gospel.”
Let me tell you how God expressed it. God took his son, and God took my sin, and they crucified Jesus and nailed Jesus to the cross. Jesus died that I can live! That gets me excited! If you don’t get excited about that you are spiritually dead. God has made you alive in Christ. Let me say it again, “If you don’t get excited about this you are spiritually dead!!!
The Methodist were made fun of because they practiced their religion with such joy. Frontier Americans cracked jokes about the "shouting Methodists," but the Wesleyans wore that label as a badge of honor. They felt their own joy was one of the best advertisements for the truth of the message they preached.
Proverbs 17:22 says a cheerful heart is good medicine. To be cheerful means ready to welcome others. To speak a word of encouragement. To be enthusiastic about your faith. To have a positive outlook on the future. Let me give you five words right now that should make every one of you the most cheerful people. “Nailed---It---To---The---Cross” FIVE WORDS. When your sins were nailed to the cross…, His death made you alive!
IV. Enemies and spiritual rulers and authorities disarmed.
"15 In this way, he disarmed[d] the spiritual rulers and authorities." Colossians 2:15
Now you have got to really pay attention to get understand and get this point. Look up here and listen closely. Have you ever been out somewhere…, minding your own business…, and look around…, And right there in front of you was someone you simply (I want say “hate,” because that’s a pretty bad word.) But here are some synonyms: Dislike, detest, can’t stand, disgust, repulsed, or if you are a person of high dignity you might say, “I find them insufferable.” You get the idea???
If you were a spiritually dead person, you might think, I’m going to give them a piece of my mind. I’m not talking about the cheerful piece of your mind. I’m talking about the loathing, lashing, words that would make your mother blush piece of your mind. “Somebody better hold me back, there is about to be pouring out of the “wish they had never got out of bed kind of day.”
But suddenly, the spiritual life in you starts to wake up. The Christ in you comes alive. The Holy Spirit in you starts to disarm you. God will disarm you and stop you from letting anger drag you down into sin. Being nice to your enemies and someone who has hurt you is a process that starts with a decision that I’m going to let God live every moment in me. God is not something that you just let out of the box for an hour on Sunday morning and then you just put him back in His box to sit there until again next week. No God has to be alive in your life Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. When God is alive in you, He disarms the spiritual enemies. He defuses your angry temper. He turns “escalating confrontation” into “defusing, disarming, opportunities” to turn the other cheek. When you can walk away from a fight and have showed the love of Jesus to your enemy and to people who are wicked rulers of authority. Christ is spiritually alive in you.
V. We have Victory by the Cross.
"15He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross."Colossians 2:13-15
The wick rules thought they had defeated Christ. He was dead. But by his resurrection Christ has stripped away their temporary power to defeat him. Learn this lesson: There will be times when you will think all is lost. Hope is gone. Confusion may seem stronger than your will. You will be scared. (If you are like me you may even be scarred by some things that will happen to you in this life.) If you are expecting defeat then most likely that is what you will plan for and when you plan on losing most of the time you lose.
One of the signs that you are spiritual alive is that you are expecting a victory. You are planning for a win. You are preparing for good. Your forecast is for sunny weather. You are predicting things are going to get better in your life. Why? Because you already know His victory on the cross. Victory is not something God wants to make difficult for you to have in life. Victory is something God wants you to have. Victory cost God his Son so he wants to give it away to you freely. It cost God everything. But it cost you nothing. Accept believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, repent and confess your need for him.
Closing: Are you spiritually alive or spiritually dead? Have you asked God to forgive your sin? Are you happy Christian? Is your spiritual life full of joy and celebration because you know the value of your sins being cancelled? Have you let Jesus nail your sins to the cross? Is Christ alive in you so that you don’t go around talking about people behind their backs or letting them steal your joy when you meet them on the streets? Do you let the living Holy Spirit disarm you and keep from being controlled by negative passions? Have you decided to claim the victory of the cross in your life and be alive with Jesus?
