We are committed to developing personal and corporate habits for a dynamic relationship with God. We emphasize prayer and the study of the Scriptures

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2 Central Pathway

3 We are committed to developing personal and corporate habits for a dynamic relationship with God. We emphasize prayer and the study of the Scriptures as critical habits that help us discern the plans and purposes of God for our lives.

4 ebooks centralwesleyan.org/withgod Questions

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6 The Difference Between the Indwelling of the Spirit and the Filling of the Spirit

7 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink, Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. John 7:37-39

8 And hope does not put us to shame, because God s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Romans 5:5

9 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

10 Indwelling vs Filling: Three Differences

11 Indwelling vs Filling: Three Differences 1. Indwelling is true of only believers in Christ (Eph. 1:13-14). The only condition for indwelling is the obedience of faith in Christ whereas the filling of the Spirit requires dependence upon the Spirit for His control.

12 Indwelling vs Filling: Three Differences 2. Though all believers are indwelt regardless of their spiritual state, all believers are not filled with the Spirit.

13 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

14 Indwelling vs Filling: Three Differences 3. There is debate about the indwelling as permanent, leading to the teaching of eternal security, or conditional, - leading to the teaching of conditional security.

15 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17

16 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30

17 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. Matthew 24:11-13

18 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. Romans 8:12-14

19 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to t h e wo rd I p re a c h e d to yo u. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:1-2

20 Verses emphasizing conditional security are as present in the New Testament as verses emphasizing eternal security.

21 Verses emphasizing conditional security are as present in the New Testament as verses emphasizing eternal security. How do you deal with this tension?

22 My responsibility to live with God through the Spirit affects me now before it affects me for eternity. If I concentrate on today, tomorrow takes care of itself. Eternity starts now.

23 The Difference Between being Filled with the Spirit and Walking by means of the Spirit.

24 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Galatians 5:25

25 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. Galatians 5:16

26 The verb walk is written in the continuous present tense, which stresses a continuous, moment-by-moment responsibility and need.

27 Walking by the Spirit is a conscious determination to rely only on the resources of the Spirit in us for strength to obey God. We are to do what s right and resist what s wrong. To walk has a negative, we turn away from, and a positive, we turn ourselves towards.

28 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance,

29 k i n d n e s s, g o o d n e s s, f a i t h f u l - ness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. Galatians 5:18-26

30 The filling of the Spirit initiates the Spirit s control through submission, whereas walking by the Spirit maintains the Spirit s control through step-by-step dependence. In filling we submit to the Spirit in walking we depend on the Spirit.

31 Filled is the passive voice while walk is active. The idea of filled meaning control, together with the passive voice suggests the concept of submission or being yielded. We are to continue voluntarily releasing control of our lives to the Spirit. In the filling of the Spirit, we give up the right to run our lives; we submit to Him.

32 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. Romans 6:12-14

33 Walk is written in the active voice placing the emphasis on actively choosing to take each step by faith in the Spirit as the means of walking. The goal is to maintain the Spirit s control.

34 How do we Walk by or Be Filled With the Spirit?

35 Putting it All Together. A. The filling of the Spirit is not a matter of securing more of the Spirit, nor of gaining His presence again after some sin. Being filled with the Spirit is a matter of submitting to and being properly alligned with the reality of His presence.

36 Putting it All Together. B. The filling of the Holy Spirit is a momentby-moment relationship that may be hindered at any time. We hinder the relationship by failing to trust and live by the Scriptures that tell us how to be properly attuned to the Spirit s presence.

37 Putting it All Together. C. Walking by the Spirit has both an unconditional and a conditional component. As to fellowship either we are under His control, enjoying His fellowship, or we are controlled by the flesh, grieving the Spirit. That s unconditional. The conditional relates to the maturity of the believer. Growing in our dependence on the Spirit is the conditional aspect.

38 Challenges to Walking by the Spirit. A. The two pulls legalism and license. I. Legalism is doing God s will the devil s way (week 1). It s doing good deeds without inner relationship. Legalism reduces Christianity to a set of rules and laws with no daily walk.

39 Challenges to Walking by the Spirit. A. The two pulls legalism and license. II. License is the tendency of those who ve experienced God s grace and freedom to abuse it for self-centered reasons. This is the opposite of love and an indicator that this person is really not walking by the Spirit.

40 Challenges to Walking by the Spirit. B. The three powers trying to control us i. the world around us (Rom. 12:2),

41 Challenges to Walking by the Spirit. B. The three powers trying to control us i. the world around us (Rom. 12:2), ii. the flesh (self-dependent living) within us (Gal. 5:16-17), and

42 Challenges to Walking by the Spirit. B. The three powers trying to control us i. the world around us (Rom. 12:2), ii. the flesh (self-dependent living) within us (Gal. 5:16-17), and iii. the devil who is always against us (Eph. 6:10-18).

43 I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, dear children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

44 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever each other. 1 John 2:12-17

45 Challenges to Walking by the Spirit. C. Four problems hindering growth and spiritual transformation by the Spirit

46 Challenges to Walking by the Spirit. C. Four problems hindering growth and spiritual transformation by the Spirit i. ignorance of God s Word (Rom. 6:1f),

47 Challenges to Walking by the Spirit. C. Four problems hindering growth and spiritual transformation by the Spirit i. ignorance of God s Word (Rom. 6:1f), ii. bias: preconceived ideas that block out the truth of Scripture (Mark 7:6-13),

48 Challenges to Walking by the Spirit. C. Four problems hindering growth and spiritual transformation by the Spirit i. ignorance of God s Word (Rom. 6:1f), ii. bias: preconceived ideas that block out the truth of Scripture (Mark 7:6-13), iii. unbelief and a spirit of self-reliance (Jer. 17:5; cf. Gal. 3:3, 5; with 5:1-5), and

49 Challenges to Walking by the Spirit. C. Four problems hindering growth and spiritual transformation by the Spirit i. ignorance of God s Word (Rom. 6:1f), ii. bias: preconceived ideas that block out the truth of Scripture (Mark 7:6-13), iii. unbelief and a spirit of self-reliance (Jer. 17:5; cf. Gal. 3:3, 5; with 5:1-5), and iv. dishonesty: our ability to rationalize our sin rather than confess them in a biblical manner (Ps. 32:3-5; 51:6, 10, 16).

50 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

51 Challenges to Walking by the Spirit. D. Desires through which we seek to find significance, satisfaction, and security:

52 Challenges to Walking by the Spirit. D. Desires through which we seek to find significance, satisfaction, and security: i. position, ii. possessions, iii. wealth, iv. power, v. praise, and vi. pleasure.

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