Your Identity in Christ

                                   God's Love - God's Sonship - God's approval

We see in Luke 3:21-22 Father speaking to Jesus declaring  ' Thou art my beloved son: in thee I am well pleased'

We see three vital things in this passage.

God's Love - God's Sonship - God's approval

Our human tendency is always try to get approval from other people - This will not result in perfect peace.

Jesus is our model and sacrifice. When he walked on the earth, he did things either as a model to show us or our substitutionary sacrifice.

Ephesians 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

After this approval, we see Jesus being tempted of the devil. Father has loudly declared ‘You are my beloved Son’, but the devil is asking 'If you are the Son of God'. Jesus didn't answer to his if question. Our temptation is always targeted at our Sonship. Jesus didn't do anything to get this approval. In our life too if we want to do great things for God, be convinced on your approval from Father. The way out of temptation is to walk and stand firm in your Sonship. Your identity is always important in our christian life.

Song of Solomon 8:5 Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness leaning upon her beloved?

Colossians 2:11 When we are baptized, we are buried with him and risen with him. He has quicken us together with him having forgiven you all trespasses. He wiped out the handwriting which was against us. He nailed it to the cross, having spoiled principalities and powers. He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Old arrest warrant cancelled. Enemy cannot stand before your Sonship.

Holy Spirit

Being Filled with the Holy Spirit

“Do not be drunk with wine, which will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,” Ephesians 5:18

Today we are going to see the Work of the Holy Spirit in a different angle.

I hope this will help you understand how our Lord Holy Spirit works in us to sustain the grace given to us to live a holy life.

There are 3 Key Laws mentioned in the Bible

1.    The Law of God (10 Commandments in principle / 2 Royal Law of Love basis of all 613 Laws)
2.    The Law of Sin
3.    The Law of Spirit and Life

The Law of God

•     “So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good”

Romans 7:12

•     The Character of God or the Very heart of God

(Man can only envision God through his Laws)

•     Be holy as I am Holy – why?

•         Qadosh in Hebrew

•         Hagios in Greek

•         Nothing related to clean or pure

•         “To be set apart” or “Consecrated for”

The Law of Sin

•     “For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.”              

 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Romans 7:22-24

•     “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.” Romans 7:15-17

•     Law of God reveals the character of God.

•     Law of sin resists the Law of God.

•     “but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.” James 1:14

•     Temptation is only Temptation until it is yielded as sin

•     A man or woman committing any sin including envy, Pride, Jealousy, Favouritism is because they want to…

•     ... So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Romans 7:25

The Law of Spirit and Life

•       “because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2

•       The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:6

•       Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.               2 Corinthians 3:17

Illustration of Laws

Consider an Aeroplane – It has to go from Point A to Point B the destiny and built to carry 500 people. It has a Metallic / Composite Body. It is filled with Fuel the Spirit. It has a Pilot

Gravitational Pull acts on the Flight continuously because of the Fuel and Pilot the Passenger does not feel or think He will fall down. The steering of the Flight and all controls designed to work to take the passenger from A->B.

Qualification for receiving the Holy Spirit

•         ““Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”” Luke11:11-13

  Jesus Lives through You

•       “You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.” Romans 8:9

•       “But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.” Romans 8:10-11

•       “For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” Galatians5:17-18

Paul says in Ephesians 3:16,17,

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 

Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.

How to live in accordance with the Spirit?

•         “Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.” Romans 8:5