What is the Victorious Christian Life?
Intro:
1. According to the Bible there are 3 different types of people in the world - the non spiritual person, the spiritual person & the world oriented Christian person.
2. How does God’s word describe each? Which one are you?
I Corinthians 2:14-3:3
I. 2:14 - The Non Spiritual Person
A. This is you if you don’t have a personal relationship with the Lord.
1. You can’t understand spiritual things - they are, in fact, foolishness to you. Why?
2. ILL: You need a microscope to read a microchip (773,746 words) or a telescope to read the sky. To understand spiritual things you need the help of the Holy Spirit!
3. The ways of the world & the ways of the Spirit are contrary to one another. (Gal 5:17)
4. The only way to really understand the spiritual is to destroy your old orientation. Rom 6:6 - For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.
B. If you are a non spiritual person, at least 13 sins come from your heart. Mk 7:20 - What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean’.
C. If you are a non spiritual person, you have at least 4 characteristics found in Eph 2:1-3 & Jer 17:9.
1. Eph 2:1 - You are dead in trespasses & sins.
2. Eph 2:2 - You are disobedient to the real will of God.
3. Eph 2:3 - You crave the things of this world rather than the things of God.
4. Jer 17:9 - Your heart is deceitful & beyond cure.
D. If you are a non spiritual person, this is your fate.
1. You have become objects of God’s eventual wrath. (Eph 2:3)
2. You will not see real life. (Jn 3:36)
II. 2:15-16 - The Spiritual Person
A. This is what you want to be!
1. Your life has been exchanged for a new one. Gal 2:20 - I have been crucified with Christ and I no lon- ger live, but Christ lives in me.
a. Recognized by the spiritual fruit your life is producing. Gal 5:22-23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self con- trol. Against such things there is no law.
b. Received the power of the Holy Spirit to live your life victoriously. Phil 4:13 - I can do every- thing through him who gives me strength.
2. You now understand spiritual things because you have the mind of Christ. (I Cor 2:16)
B. This life is not only hard to live - it is impossible to live by your own efforts!
1. Only Lord Jesus successfully did it.
2. His promise, however, is to live His post resurrection life in & through you if you let Him!
3. He lives His life through you by His Holy Spirit. Rom 8:9 - You, however, are controlled not by the sin- ful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spir- it of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
III. 3:1-3 - The World Oriented Christian
A. Who is this person?
1. A Christian who is more world oriented than Christ oriented.
2. You live an inconsistent Christian life because you try to live it on your own efforts.
3. 3:1 - You are spiritually immature.
4. 3:3 - Your life may not be different enough from the world to be recognized as a Christian. If you were to go on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
B. Why is this is the most dangerous type of person to be?
1. Because many of you are in this position much of the time.
2. Because you think you’ve arrived with no desire to mature in your Christian walk.
a. You were baptized & attend worship regularly.
b. You support the ministry financially & participate in work days & social events.
C. But God’s word says you have a poor relationship with God. Rom 8:7-8 - The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
1. v7 - Your mind is against God’s will.
2. v7 - Your mind is disobedient to God’s real law.
3. v8 - Your mind doesn’t please God.
D. How can you change from being a world oriented Christian to being a spiritual person?
Practice Spiritual Breathing!
1. Take yourself off the throne of your life by confessing your sins to God.
a. Prov 28:13 - He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
b. I Jn 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
2. Yield yourself again to Jesus as Lord! Rom 12:1-2 - Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.
a. Ask the Lord in prayer to come back into your life (fill you with His Holy Spirit) & take over.
Lk 11:13 - 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.
b. Then - trust that He has! It’s a promise! (I Jn 5:14-15)
3. Then - continue to walk with the Lord by faith as a way of life as consistently as you can!
Colossians 2:6-7 - So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
That’s the picture of a victorious Christian life!
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