The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit lesson 30 cont
Mike Doyle · Jul 17, 2022
Holy Spirit (2021-23), No. 70
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/49261927447671

Transcribed from the recording by SermonAudio, so expect the occasional misheard word.

I think we are. I tried to sneak it in last week, but it didn't quite work. Trying to get in about what does it mean to walk in the spirit. And so this is also lesson 30 in the person work of the Holy Spirit. And question 12, and what does it mean to walk in the spirit?

I put this in there in that we use a lot of terms, and what does it really mean? So I put this in, it's a common term used by Christians to walk in the spirit. What does it really mean in common or layman's terms? What does it mean or how do you do it? We say it a lot, walk in the spirit, but what does that mean and how do you do that or how do you explain that to somebody in layman's terms?

It's the exercise room and sauna. I don't know why that's a... Oops. What's that, Reed? So, anybody? See, this is what, you know, I kind of... We use this term, but nobody explains it. Who's got a good definition of what it means to walk in the Spirit? Maybe we can start with what does it look like to not walk in the Spirit? Yeah. Okay. So, Dave, what is the flip side or the contrasting side of not walking? I'll go there.

So, having been born and inherited the sin nature, the sin position, and that practice of Adam, we walk according to our nature in Adam. We can't do anything but produce. Sin, there's not a fruitfulness concept with those walking in sin. So what's required and what what does the Holy Spirit do in our role of Mission role of walking by faith, right? So what is what does the Holy Spirit do? That's now the question Yeah, it's his role in producing a life of righteousness in us Though So the flip side is that we revert or respond in our life as we go down each and every day. We can either respond in the flesh, which is contrary to everything that is in our new nature of the spirit. What does it mean, I guess I'm trying to, we use that term walk. What does it mean to walk? So you kind of put it as what the flesh is, we respond, but what does it mean for a believer to walk in the spirit? What does it mean to walk in?

I think the word dependence maybe is helpful. Does that make sense? Okay, so what it, how did, How do you depend on, okay, it's Sunday and it's, you know, seven o'clock here. What does it mean to depend on him? I would say, Courtney, that walking is the word peripeteo, which means wherever you're going, whatever you're doing, a walk about, you're daily just moving around. And it isn't that it's a specific, rigid, well, I'm gonna walk in the spirit from 715 to 746.

The other part of that is that you have to know, I think, and understand what the job of the Holy Spirit is in the believer's life. And that's to make Christ the object of everything you do and see and are. And so walking in the spirit, is best described as having Christ as your options. I think that's it. In Miles, you said depend upon and I'm like, well, I depend upon him all the time. What does that mean to just depend upon him? I think it's just, to me, after when I'm writing this up, it's basically manifesting Christ.

And it's not, I guess it's not like a conscious thing. I guess what I was trying to get at, it's not like I'm gonna purposely, maybe Mike, what you said, between 7.25 and 9.30, I'm gonna walk in the spirit. I'm gonna purposely walk in the spirit. And I think it's just a manifestation which comes as an outgrowth or the spiritual growth of a believer. That it becomes a life, not a purposeful pursuit, I guess is the way I wanted to put it. And that's really where I kinda, when you say we walk in the spirit, I'm gonna walk in the spirit today. And I don't think it's as much, a conscious effort to do something, I think it's really, it's just the outgrowth of your life.

That's really kind of what, you know, we use this term, and I just think, you know, many terms we use in the Christian walk or in Christian life, and what does it really mean? And I, you know, right out puts it this way, and I think this is, kind of the way I was looking at it.

The walk in the spirit is what characterizes the Christian and is in contrast with the walk in the flesh. So that's JD. It's the flip side of the flesh, but it characterizes the Christian. What is the characterization of a Christian is Christ. And so the walking in the spirit is just manifesting Christ, manifesting the life in you. And when you succumb to the flesh, you're not acting as who you are in Christ. You're not walking or walking in the spirit. You're not manifesting Christ when you rely upon the flesh or you manifest that life in you. And so I think the walk is just, again, the manifestation of Christ.

So, and I, yeah. Out of right out, I thought, in the latter, we have the surrender, but it is not to get or attain. It is because he has entered into what is his. He has accepted the precious and wondrous fact of his death with Christ and of the Spirit's presence and power. A crucified man has no experience to speak of. To him, Christ is all.

I thought that was a pretty good suggestion of walking in the Spirit. Yeah, I think that's really, really good. Again, it's kind of just, I guess I want to give my whole thing when I wrote this was, it's not a purposeful thing, kind of, and that's what, it's more just, as you say, what he said, it's just a manifestation of a life, and it's the life of Christ, and it's not like a today I'm gonna walk in the spirit. You know, it is just the manifestation of who I am in Christ. And when that's being manifested, I'm, quote, walking in the spirit.

And that's his job, as Mike said, too. That's his job is to, you know, what we've gone through all these lessons already is to convict us of the truths of who we are in Christ and what we have in Christ. We've been studying the gospel of John on Wednesday nights. I'm struck by, you know, the Lord said, I only do what I see my father doing. Yeah.

So here he is. He's walking in the spirit, you could say, and he's keenly aware of the direction that he's dependent on the spirit and his father for what he's supposed to do. And all these events are happening. And he seamlessly moves in and out of them, like the fishes and the loaves and the miracle of Canaan and things like that. He just, there isn't any stress, or he doesn't have to say, give me 15 seconds to check with the Father. He seems to know.

I think that can be parallel to us walking in the Spirit, that the Spirit makes Christ manifested to us in all facets of my life every day. And I see, you see, as you grow, I think you just refer to him more all the time. You say, well, I, you know, maybe I don't understand the circumstances are right in front of me. But, you know, like Miles says, I'm dependent on you. And so we'll, you know, got to make a decision or I'm here's something I should do or do you want me to do it or not do it, all these things that come up, I refer less and less to my own Adamic instincts and more and more to the Lord Jesus Christ. And it's not what would Jesus do, it's the manifestation of his life, every circumstance that the spirit of God brings us into.

And dependency on him is the key from our side of the street. You know, and I think it goes back to just what we've said in a lot of this, it's to know Him. I mean, you know, 2 Peter 3, 18, to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. As we do that, we will manifest Him more because that's who we are.

And I guess kind of what Donna read out and write out and all this, the point is, the walking is walking in who we are in Christ. It's not a conscious, determined, purposeful thing. It's as you know him more intimately, and as the Holy Spirit convinces you of all the truths of who you are in Christ, and the 33 things, and all the different things, that just becomes more of a war, or a manifestation of Christ in our life, as we realize those truths. And that's the war, is just where we understand just by the conviction of the Holy Spirit within us is who we are. And that's the walk. And we look at like Romans, I have a couple of verses, Romans 8, 5. For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the spirit the things of the Spirit.

I think that's just when you focus on, you know, we're focusing on things that the Lord's in control of all these things. You know, all these medical issues, all these different things. He's 24-7, every second of every life, the Holy Spirit and the Lord are working in our lives. And it's that realization that gives us the peace that surpasses all understanding, the understanding that we can never be separated from His love, all those different things. As you come to know that, I think that gives us the war, that we realize who we are in Christ. And it's as you know him more and more, that's who you are. And so the other, which is Romans 8, 14, for all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. So as we're led by the Spirit, we are sons of God. Take that in and think about it. Only sons are led.

That's the better way. I was going to say, one thought that comes to mind is oftentimes where the rubber meets the road on our walk, kind of reminds me of how I talk to the kids sometimes when things are going a little bit down the wrong path and I ask, are you walking with the Lord? And to them, that has a distinction in their mind as to whether or not I'm in fellowship or I'm out of fellowship. And so that was a word that really came to mind. There's the dependability.

There's the manifestation. But like you said, Courtney, that Walking with the Lord is not always manifested to others. Sometimes it's in the quietness of your walk. Christ is being conformed, you're being conformed to that image, right? And therefore manifest Christ. But that fellowship aspect of the walk is a real clear way for me to understand, am I walking with the Lord or not? And we're pretty binary about that because it's scripturally binary.

Are you trusting the Lord or are you trusting another source of authority around this subject or this thinking or this this idea. And so, anyway, I just thought that that was, it does get practical in that sense that we know when we're walking in the flesh and we're walking in the spirit. And it's the spirit's role to convict us of that, that spiritual insanity, right? And the opposite of spiritual insanity is what? So walking with the Lord or walking in the spirit is spiritual sanity by definition of Courtney.

So, you know, I think the other thing that not, not that, it's a metric, I think I use it more, is peace. If I have peace, that's from Him. The world does not offer peace. And I think when there's that peace that surpasses all understanding, that in any situation, in anything in life here, if there's peace, I think there's more that it's from the Spirit rather than either fleshly or self-interest or self-response, that the world does not offer us peace or rest. And as I am rest, I think that's when I am relying upon, depending upon walking with the spirit. And that to me is more of, I don't know, an indicator that I'm walking in the spirit to me, because I can't get peace from the world.

I was going to say, sometimes in my life, there'll be a situation where I actually don't mind bad drivers, typically. But as an example, if someone cuts you off and you about get killed, your old man raises up and just wants to scream and say mean things to that person, but there's something always in me that pulls that back, like, no, no, no. I don't know if it's like what it says, take every thought captive. If that's just the spirit inside, I don't know if anybody else has had that where something makes you really angry and your dead animal thing is Let's get this guy, and in a nanosecond, it's no. Russ, we don't feel that way. This is new information for us. Yeah. Yeah, it's so foreign. I don't know what you're talking about. That's a good point. I've used this, and I think Bob, Echol, have talked a lot about this, and I've said it here too.

I think of those, when you choose to be offended, you're making the choice to be offended, and that's the flesh. The flesh is the one that chooses to be offended, and it's a conscious effort to be offended. When you realize that, that's you responding, that no matter what, it's a personal choice to be offended. And so when a guy cuts you off, you're offended.

But the caveat to that is that it's okay to have an offense against you. It can't be an offense and not be offended. Well, you know, I guess, again, You make the choice to make it an offense. Only because, well, in the case of a bad driver, he breaks the law. That's an offense. You may choose not to be offended, but it doesn't change the fact that he produced an offense against you. Well, see, if he's breaking a law, yes. But I mean, in any situation, You still, you know, I take it from your personal side, no matter what, yeah, there could be a legal offense, true, and there'll be consequences. But again- Could it not be a personal offense?

What it is, is you make the choice to be offended. You slap me, you kick my dog, you yell at my wife, you do whatever. I choose to be offended. Now, that has helped me in life immensely, because when I realized that it's my personal choice, and this is what I think the old man does, is he wants to be offended because he wants to respond. And when you realize that any offense to you is a personal, I mean, when you choose to be offended, it's your choice.

And there are times- Is there any such thing as a righteous offense? Well, again, from your side, I'm saying from a personal side, it's your choice to be offended. That's all I'm saying. Whether it's righteous or not, it is a personal choice of yours to be offended. Because you come up and slap me, you come up and punch me, you come up and kick my dog, you do whatever. It's still my choice to be offended. Now, there are things that may be right to be offended, but all I make the distinction is that it's a personal choice.

We're way off on a rabbit trail. This is just something that's helped me through life immensely, is that whenever I'm offended, that's my personal choice. And there may be things that I've chosen to be offended. But again, this is way off track, but that's where it's really helped me, is that I realize that any time I'm offended, that's my personal choice. And that helps me through an immense amount of things, when I realize it's my choice. So I have a lot more peace in my life because I realize it's my choice.

And a lot of times when the thing is, somebody offends you, I always say this, they go off and they're fine. They have a great time. But you're sitting there, I realize the person who's offended is sitting there stewing and mad and angry and getting angrier for what he did, or he or she did to you. But the person who offended you walked off and they're fine. So I take it as a personal victory that I don't get offended. They don't win. But this is way offline, way offline. But that's just something I, you know, it's helped me in life immensely, is that I don't take, I realize it's my choice to be offended.

But anyway, let's move on to chapter four of the Holy Spirit. Now, the first three chapters, or lectures, by right, we looked at how the Holy Spirit works in individuals. By the time it gets to chapter four, we're changing over. Now we're looking corporately, how the Holy Spirit works corporately or within the church body as a whole.

So I guess the first thing is to find what is and what is not the church. So let's start with what is not the church. Buildings. That's right, if you remember the song I played, we can't go to church because the church is us, by the acapella vocal band, ABB. A lot of times we refer to the church as the building, but it's not, it's, you know, or we use it as kind of a silent group name of people. So again, you can't go to church because the church is you. So what is not the church is buildings or a societal group. So now what is the church? We'll go to the good side. What is the church?

The body of Christ. The church is us, as the song said. So we can look at that by associating Christ with the church in Ephesians 1, 22 and 23. And he's put all things in subjection under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. So direct correlation there. The church is his body. And his body is us. So again, the church is us, the believers, his body, all the believers form the church.

We also see that in Colossians 1.18. He is also the head of the body, the church, and he is the beginning of the firstborn from the dead so that he himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in him. So that's, again, he's the head of the body, which is the church. So again, direct correlation that the church is his body. He's the head and we are the body.

We also see this in Colossians 1.24. Now I rejoice in my suffering for your sake and in my flesh, I do my share on behalf of his body, which is the church. So again, three direct correlations that the church is his body. So when we refer to the church, it's his body.

It's all of us as believers are the church, not a group, not First Baptist, not just Holly Hills, not whatever societal distinction we bring on it. The body or the church is every believer. Every believer is part of the church. So, um, right, right out suggests the three ways of looking at the body of Christ are as linked with Christ.

We are members of his body. Um, and from Ephesians 5 30 B, we see that because we are members of his body. And then as linked with all saints, we are members one of another. That's Romans 12, five and six or five. So we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of another. So we have the linkage to Christ. We have linked with all saints and then individuals. So we see that we're individual members and that's in first Corinthians 12, 27. So, the church is composed of us. That is, when we refer to the church, it's all of us as believers, and it's clearly linked to Christ. So, any other thoughts on the church as far as what is the church?

What do you mean by linked? That was right out, and I think that's just, we are members of his body, so the, I guess the description of the body is associated with Christ. The linkage, we're associated with Christ as members of his body. That was all those verses about the church is his body. That's the link or the association with Christ. It's like a literal connection Yeah, I think, you know, I think of it as, you know, not only linked, I mean, we are, you know, we can't go to church because the church is us, you know, and I think it's the link or the association is just, we are members of one body, the body of Christ. Individual members of it, but a body, and the linkage or the association is that body is Christ. It's a living organism, which is his body, which is Christ, associated with Christ, the manifestation of his life.

I think the word linked has a different connotation today. Like I could say to you, I'm having a meeting, I'll send you a link. And so you can tune in. And I really think that that's the mindset of a lot of believers is that they have a a link that they can tune into, and they have no concept of the unity and oneness of what a body united to the head who is Christ really is, and how it functions, or how it's supposed to function, and why it's unique in all of history. Yeah, I think that was, you know, that's a good point. I mean, I, this was at a write out, you know, he put his link, but that's a good point, Mike.

And I think it's not like we're just a. an appendage that's kind of tacked on to the body, we are the body. And that's different than just being linked. We are the body of Christ. Yeah, I'm not out there running around with a USB cord from my brain to God's brain. That's not how it works. Exactly. Right. That's a good distinction based on today's lingo as well. It's not just a corded connection. We are the body of Christ. So, all right.

The question 14, what is the baptism of the spirit and who is it for? So of course, I'd like to try and define the terms. So what does baptism mean? To be placed in and never to be taken out. Yep. The, you know, play, I think I got this from, from Zodiac is placed into dipped identified with never, you know, and I think didn't, uh, I think Hal had the thing that he did the cloth and into the red dye and it, you're permanently stained or permanently identified with, never to be changed. So I think the baptism means placed into, I like that.

So we're placed into the body of Christ, which we just, you know, just went over that we're in the body of Christ, and then we're identified with that. So that's the baptism. We're placed into and identified with. So, I would add to that that not only are we placed into the person, but we're placed into his work. You know, that which, which we know is identification truths. John 17 talks about that they may be one as we are one father.

Well, the oneness, because it's an eternal union includes my having been crucified, buried and resurrected with him in him. because the spirit placed me in him in Romans 6.3 says that the time in which he died is this time in which I was separated from Adam. I often use that term placed into the history of Christ because it encompasses the person and the work.

Yeah. Yeah, everything, the history, you know, that was what I was saying, how it kind of helped me, like, what does it mean to be, you know, have that history? And I, you know, it's like walking through the door, like I said, it was in that classroom when we were studying with Mike originally, kind of the identification through this.

And what does it mean? You walk through the door, you believe in Christ and you shut the door and you look back and all your history is his now. and you have that entire history of being in Christ, which is kind of mind-blowing when you think about all that, that we have all of that life now in us, indwelling in us. So it said, so what does the baptism by the Holy Spirit do? If we know what baptism is, so what does the baptism of the Holy Spirit do?

Well, it places us in Christ and his work. And it automatically suits us out for, for lack of a better word, occupation in him. What am I going to do as a member of the body of Christ? Well, the spirit of God suits me out perfectly for what he has determined. is the perfect role for me to play in the body of Christ. If I'm, put it in a medical term, if I'm going to be a knee, I'm perfectly suited out to be a knee.

Yeah. You know, my, my neighbor would try to get us with the baptism of what the word means and that we are permanently placed into and identified with the body of Christ. Yeah. You know, I'm sorry, Corey. Oh, no, I just, you know, it's just where we are now. The church, his body.

Yeah, I was just going to say that the visual of baptism really takes us through the first three identification truths. And that transition period of being cut off from our old history to our new history is baptism. It's pictured in baptism, the death, the burial, and then the new resurrection life. But death and burial are essential. And baptism is a picture of what spiritually the Holy Spirit does to us in our position. Yeah, water baptism is a representation of what really happens to us. Death, burial, the co-crucifixion, and then the more important thing is coming up out of the water, the resurrection, newness of life.

And so, I said, is the baptism of the spirit for everyone? Yes, every believer. That's the distinction. It's just for those who are placed into Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. So again, it's for us as believers. That's an incredible position to be in. that we who believe are placed into Christ, and the baptism of the Spirit, which forever identifies us with Him, and the other is that we have the Spirit permanently placed in us. And so, again, that's just a thought, just to wrap your head around, that's an amazing thing. forever identified, forever placed into Christ, and to forever have the Holy Spirit placed within us, forever. And when we shirk these shells and step into eternity, that's hard to even imagine, without the encumbrance of the flesh, that we'll have the permanency of being in Christ, permanently indwelled by the Holy Spirit, without the hindrance of the flesh.

You know, so it's for all those who are believers. So in 1 Corinthians 12, 13, for by one spirit we were all baptized or placed into, identified with, into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, we were all made to drink of one spirit. And then Rite Out puts it this way. Baptism by the Spirit then is universal for all saints.

It is immediate upon believing. That's another thing. The immediacy of when that happens. When we believe, we're immediately placed into baptized, identified with Christ. The instant we believe. And so it's immediate and it's universal for all saints.

So any other thoughts? Thanks. Do you want to chase a rabbit for a minute? For a minute. But then, yeah, I guess I was trying to help Miles. I guess we still have two questions I'll get when I get there. Well, actually, we got two. Actually, you're down to one.

When the Lord Jesus was water baptized, and baptized by the Spirit for his ministry. That differentiates from part of our baptism because he not placed in himself, but he has been, how would you say, given the life to carry out the ministry that God had called, that he had agreed to do. The point I'm trying to make is that the dependency of Christ on the Holy Spirit and the Father was absolute. And I think that that same dependency is incorporated into our baptism in the Spirit because the Lord Jesus said over and over again, he didn't do anything of himself. And he never entertained a thought, you know, God help me do this. He never did that. And so everything, including the cross, was something that he did voluntarily, but it was through the power of the Spirit that he did it.

Yeah, you know, the amazing part to me is the three aspects of the triune God. You know, you have the Holy Spirit and Christ, all part of the triune. you know, Godhead, except how they work independently or in different ways. And, you know, the Holy Spirit is the one that, the power and the, you know, the power to resurrect and the power to bring forth, and all three were involved in, you know, the death, burial, and resurrection. You know, that to me is amazing. It goes back to that song that J.D., whoever knows the one, you know, it's the same power that dwells us. That's the one that just is mind-blowing to me. The power that resurrected Christ lives inside of me. You know, that's, that's, that was Jeremy camp by the way. Yeah, no, I think I was, I was going to say that, but I didn't, I know you don't have that same power. So, um, yeah.

All right. Well, um, looks like the, uh, the kids have woken up, at least the younger ones. So we will, that, that means the class is over. Otherwise they're going to come tearing in here. So that's okay. I have three of the grandkids looking at me through the doors here. So let's close and we will finish up the last couple of questions next week. And then Miles will be able to take over on the next as we get into chapter five. So let's close. Father, we thank you.

We thank you again, just for again, the wonder of your plans that uh... that we have been placed into the body of christ those who believe and the finished work of your son on the cross uh... we have been placed into the body of christ and not only that but we have the indwelling of the holy spirit not only in us individually but corporately as we've uh... looked at here that uh... the corporate uh... church the body of christ and uh... what a wonder that is what a the light that is to be placed into the body of Christ. And again, as we study more and more about the person, work of the Holy Spirit, what that means in an individual and just the fantastic place that you have us. And we just, we thank you again for all your truths as the Holy Spirit convinces us of these truths of who we are in Christ, that begins to manifest in a walk, in a walk that is representative of who we are in Christ. And we just thank you again, just for the time we have together and studying your word and just a fellowship we can have in your word. And we just pray for the next meeting down there that again, you'll prepare our hearts for all of us to receive that word. We pray in Jesus name. Amen.