What’s the drumbeat of your life?
Did you know that the Spirit-filled life is the normal Christian life? Clint Adams wrapped up our four-week sermon series on the Holy Spirit by reminding us that God intends to live in and through each Christian as they seek and submit to the Holy Spirit. In fact, being filled with the Spirit is:
- Commanded (Ephesians 5:18)
- Essential (Romans 8:6-8)
- Normal (Romans 8:9)
The Bible uses phrases like “walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16), “live by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25), “abide in Christ” (John 15:4-5), “live by faith” (Galatians 2:20) and “walk in the light” (1 John 1:7) that suggest a continuity to our walk with the Spirit. Clint said it’s a rhythm, a drumbeat that orders every part of our life, and he used chocolate milk to illustrate this (watch the video below if you missed it!).
Our “default setting,” as those who follow Christ, is to be filled by the Spirit. That’s the “normal” Christian life – for God, through His Spirit, to be literally living in and through us!
So how are we filled? There aren’t step-by-step instructions for this, but Clint shared four lifestyle characteristics with us that illustrate the rhythm of life he discussed.
In the center of this wheel is Salvation, the hub of it all. Our salvation is where we find our identity (John 3:6-8), which is foundational to this cycle.
At the top of the wheel is Confession, where we acknowledge our sinfulness (1 John 1:9) and God’s Lordship in our lives (Psalm 86:10).
Next is Desire, where we must answer what’s in our heart (Psalm 86:11-12). Do we want God’s will for our life or do we want our own?
In Submission, we release control in favor of total dependence on his power and leading (James 4:6-10).
Finally, we GO with Expectation, in faith that we are filled based on the promises of God’s Word (Galatians 2:20).
The challenge for us all is, do we really want the Spirit-filled life? Are we willing to make confession part of our everyday rhythm? Will we seek His will for our lives or continue chasing our desires? Are we willing to submit in desperate dependence? And will we GO where He leads, when He leads?