Daily Archives: August 22, 2016

Weekly Devotional 9-5-16 It Is Absolute Foolishness

Weekly Devotional 9-5-16 It Is Absolute Foolishness

The Lord Jesus promised His followers that after His departure into heaven He would give them His Spirit. He would be given to come alongside of them and not only come alongside, but indwell them. We read of this promise from John 14:16-18 NKJV) “15If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”
We should note that this promise was not to every person of the world, but to Jesus’ disciples; to those who loved Him. This promise came to fruition shortly after His resurrection when appearing amongst them He blessed them with these words and bestowment; “21 Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you 22And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’” (John 20:21-22 NKJV).

God intended, however, that this promise and bestowment would transcend those few disciples to all persons who would come to love Jesus having placed their faith in Him for their salvation. This includes you and me if indeed we have trusted in Him. What a blessing! Although one might ask, “What about those who will not repent of their sin and turn to Jesus for their deliverance?” The Apostle Paul, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, answers; “Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His” (Romans 8:9b NKJV). In that the Holy Spirit is given to the believer by promise and bestowment of God, why wouldn’t one want to have Him in their lives especially when considering His works in the believer’s life?

Consider the blessing of being in Christ and the condemnation of those who will not turn to Him. “1There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 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.12Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 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. 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” (Romans 8:1-17 NKJV).

Given that the Holy Spirit possessing person is a child of God, that he has been given eternal life, is at peace with God, and is led through life by the Spirit, it is absolute foolishness to deny Him.

stevelampman@comcast.net stevelampman.com
Transforming Power; The Work of God on Behalf of Man

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