The Role of the Holy Spirit in Abiding

Message in Print
Scripture: Jn 14:15-27
Abide 05 – The Holy Spirit in Abiding – Jn 14:15-27
 
I don’t know of a committed Christian
        who does NOT want to Abide in Christ
 
I don’t know of a committed Christian – who does NOT want;
        to Experience that ABIDING COMMUNION with Christ
        to Truly REST in Him,
        to Truly allow Jesus to WORK in their lives
 
But so often - we feel like that Abiding (resting) in Christ
        is just too difficult – as if it’s somehow far beyond us
 
& so - to the Christian – who desires to Truly ABIDE in Christ
        but thinks it’s too far beyond them . . .
 
let me say very clearly - - & please listen very clearly
 
It is IMPOSSIBLE to Abide in Christ
        without the power of the Holy Spirit
 
The ONLY way to experience
        the REST that comes from Abiding in Christ . . .
 
is by letting the Holy Spirit do His full work IN us, & THRU us
 
In order for us to Abide in Christ - we must learn;
        1) HOW to allow the Holy Spirit to Work in us
        2) HOW to Live in His Divine Power
 
& THAT – is what we’re going to try to “unfold” today
 
Let’s Pray
 
We’ve done a lot of teaching on the Holy Spirit around here
 
I counted 24 msg’s we have on CD - specifically regarding;
        1) WHO the Holy Spirit IS
        2) WHAT His ROLE is - &
        3) WHY we NEED to be continually FILLED with His POWER
 
& So - if you really want to understand
        WHO the Holy Spirit IS & what His ROLE is - in your Christian Life
 
Ask Word-By-Mail
        for the Complete Holy Spirit collection - 24 MSG’s
 
Alright - Let’s start today - by looking at just a “portion”
        of the ROLE of the Holy Spirit - - - turn over to JOHN
 
& again - I have to apologize to the WED Night group
 
This past Wed we looked at a Msg called “God Speaks”
        from the Experiencing God Study
 
& the process of learning how to HEAR GOD SPEAK –
& the process of learning how to ABIDE in Christ – are THE SAME
 
& so we DEALT with these SAME scrips last Wed night
 
AND – for the guys at the Men’s Breakfast yesterday – you’ll notice, 
        this is the SAME subject - that was on Pastor John’s heart
 
To start – Just write down Jn 14:15-31
        I wish I could teach this entire passage (so, dig in later)
 
In the Vs’s JUST BEFORE
        our central “ABIDING in Christ” text in Jn Ch 15
 
Jesus FIRST begins teaching His disciples
        about their critical NEED, for The Holy Spirit (Jn 14)
 
IN FACT – Jesus teaches about The Holy Spirit – Jn 14
        Then about our need to ABIDE in Him – Jn 15
        Then BACK to The Holy Spirit – Jn 16
 
We can only survey it today (so I hope you’ll dig in later)
 
Jn 14:15-17 – ESV
15 If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,
17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
 
the words “Another Helper” introduce us – to The Holy Spirit here
 
DEF of GREEK for “Another Helper” - One of the same kind &
        quality (as Christ), called alongside to HELP    
 
Which EXACTLY what we need - in order to ABIDE
 
& Jesus makes it clear in V.17
Unbelievers (The World) CANNOT receive Him,
        Because He is GOD
 
But – Jesus says: You (Disciples),
        You KNOW Him – He dwells WITH you - & will be IN you
 
Now - skip down to V.20 -
        & LOOK at the ROLE of the Holy Spirit in our ABIDING in Christ
 
Jn 14:20 - ESV
20 In that day (the day the Holy Spirit comes) you will know (ginosko) that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.
 
BEFORE Jesus talks about our great need to ABIDE in Ch 15
        FIRST – He says . . .
 
When the Holy Spirit comes INTO your life
        you will have an intimate, experiential knowledge (ginosko)
 
that I am in my Father, - That you [are] in me,
        and that  I [am] in you
 
That “Lays the Foundation” – for the CRUCIAL ROLE
        the Holy Spirit has – in our ability to ABIDE in Christ
 
Jesus says - When your life is FILLED with the Holy Spirit,
        you will have an Intimate Knowledge
 
That Jesus & the Father are ONE
That You are “IN CHRIST”
That Christ is in YOU
 
Do you see that – here in V.20 ?
 
Skip down to Jn 14:25-26 – ESV
25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you.
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name (AMP = to represent Me, to act on My behalf) , he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
The Holy Spirit’s role – is to TEACH us all things
 
Back in V.17 Jesus called Him the Spirit of truth because;
        1) He will teach us all things
        2) He will “bring to remembrance” the Word of God
 
We can’t even BEGIN to Live the Christian Life
        without the POWER of the Holy Spirit living in us
 
Because HE’s the One Who TEACHES us
        & He’s the One Who RENEWS our mind with the Word of God
 
& then – in the Very NEXT VS.
        there is that Great PROMISE that comes from ABIDING
 
Jn 14:27 – ESV
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. (still talking about the Holy Spirit) Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
 
This promise is CENTRAL - to the life of ABIDING in Christ
 
Jesus says Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you
        (talking about the Holy Spirit).
Not as the world gives do I give to you
        (it’s NOT a natural peace, it’s a supernatural peace).
Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid . . .
This could be a DEFINITION – of what it LOOKS LIKE
        when we are Resting & Abiding in Christ
 
& it’s GIVEN in the context - of being FILLED with the Holy Spirit
 
WHY ?? - - Because;
        1 - (v.20) Thru the Holy Spirit we intimately know what it is to Abide
       2 - (v.26) The Holy Spirit teach us & renews our mind
        3 - (v.27) Thru the Holy Spirit comes the Peace of Jesus
 
Let’s look at Another Reason why we NEED
        the LIFE & the POWER of the Holy Spirit in us, in order to ABIDE
 
Turn over to 1 Corinthians 2:9-10   (ESV)
9 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—
10 these things (that God has prepared) God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.
 
Do you see – we can’t even know what God has prepared for us,
        except thru the Holy Spirit ?
 
Then - the Next Vs explains WHY the things of God
        MUST BE revealed to us THRU the Spirit of God
 
1 Corinthians 2:11-12   (ESV)
11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, (why?) that we might understand the things freely given us by God.
 
THAT – is SO HUGE !
 
We’ve been GIVEN the Spirit of God,
        so that we can UNDERSTAND the things of God
 
Because WITHOUT the Holy Spirit
        We CAN’T even Understand the Things of God
 
Just look down Two Vs’s – at V.14
 
1 Corinthians 2:14  (ESV)
14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
 
We cannot Understand or Accept the “Things of God”
        On our OWN – in our own “NATURE”
 
It is only the Spirit of God that LIVES in us
        that can RECEIVE the things of God into our lives
 
The Revelation - & the Power - of ABIDING in Christ
                & the PEACE & REST that comes with that
 
comes THRU the Person of the Holy Spirit
        Who lives in every True Believer – for THAT exact purpose
 
& so - We desperately NEED – to learn HOW
        to ALLOW the Holy Spirit to LIVE in our Lives
        & to have FREE REIGN in our Lives
 
We need to TRUST HIM - &
We need to SURRENDER CONTROL of our lives – to HIM
 
Alright – One more scripture
 
Let’s Turn over to Rom Ch 8
 
The TITLE at the beginning of Rom Ch 8 in the ESV – is
        “Life In The Spirit”
 
& down in V.26 – we find out - that we can’t even PRAY correctly
        without the LIFE of the Holy Spirit Living in us
 
Romans 8:26–27   (ESV)
26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought,
        (not WHEN, not IF, but we DO NOT know)
but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words
        (Notice, He doesn’t show US how to pray - He prays FOR us).
27 And he who searches hearts (Father) knows what is the mind of the Spirit (He’s One w/ the Spirit), because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to (in harmony with) the will of God.
 
This is such a CRITICALLY IMPORTANT Scripture to understand
 
How BAD do we need the Life & Power of the Holy Spirit ??
We CAN’T even PRAY right – without Him !!
 
But Ohhh . . . We HATE to surrender this control - don’t we ??
 
But, but, but . . . what if the Holy Spirit prays for something
        that I DON’T WANT ??
 
Yeah . . . Ummm - - THAT would be the OPPOSITE
        of ABIDING in Christ
 
THAT – would be the OPPOSITE of what we taught last week . . .
That IF we will REST in Christ – God will WORK in our Lives
 
Remember – we said the Definition of RESTING in the Lord was;
        Freedom from human striving & anxiety
        Relinquishing self-assertion
        Letting go of human control,
        & Trusting in God
& I Promise you – that can ONLY be done
 by the POWER of the Holy Spirit LIVING in us . . .
 
& by US giving Him FREE REIGN to;
        Lead us, to Guide us
        & even to PRAY FOR us (in our place)
in order to align our prayers with the Will of God
 
It is ONLY by the Power of the Holy Spirit
        that we can Truly SURRENDER . . .
All of our striving,
All of our struggling, &
All of our futile attempts - at controlling our own life
 
& it is THEN – that we begin to LEARN
        How to ABIDE in Christ
        How to REST in Him
 
It is THEN – that we begin to TAKE ON the Life
        that He has hand-crafted for us
 
& it is THEN – that we will find REST for our souls
 
Just as we said last week – in Mat 11:29  –  ESV
29 Take my yoke (my hand-crafted life) upon you, and learn from me (become my disciple), . . . and you will find rest for your souls.
 
The Power Source – that Supernaturally ENABLES us to do this
        is in the Person of the Holy Spirit
 
Now – you may by saying . . .
 
OK – so if The Holy Spirit is the Power Source . . .
        Then give Him to ME – so I can get - what I WANT
 
Ohhh . . . - & therein lies the Problem, doesn’t it ??
 
SO MUCH – of Learning to ABIDE in Christ,
        has to do with the TOTAL SURRENDER of SELF
 
In my experience - Learning to Abide in Christ comes most often
        thru the doors of Brokenness & Complete Surrender
 
& So – as we look – for the next 3 WEEKS – at the “BIG HOW”
 
as we look at HOW to grow
        into an ABIDING relationship with Christ
 
Over & Over we will return to this Foundation . . .
 
That we must SURRENDER our own Will, & our own Strength -
        to learn to Abide in the Life of Christ
 
& even that POWER – to SURRENDER our Own WILL
        COMES thru the Holy Spirit living in us
 
We CAN become a Living Sacrifice !
We CAN Renew our Mind
 
We CAN YEILD to the Leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives
        without demanding our own WILL - or our own OUTCOME
 
I know that sounds a VERY SCARY to the “SELF-Nature”
        But THAT is where ABIDING – BEGINS
 
The Branch doesn’t really get to do anything on its own
        in fact – it doesn’t really have a say in the matter
 
The LIFE of the VINE flows THRU the Branch
 
The Branch is simply the CONDUIT
        for the Life of the Vine to Produce Fruit
 
& while the Life of the Vine (Christ)
        is flowing thru the Branch (Us) . . .
 
The Vinedresser (The Father) – is always pruning the branch
        to enable it to produce a higher & higher quality FRUIT
 
& guys - THAT is CONTRARY
        to EVERYTHING in our Flesh – EVERYTHING in our Nature
 
Which is why we cannot approach ABIDING
        like we try to approach so much in the Christian Life . . .
 
IN OUR OWN STRENGTH !!
 
Abiding is ALL ABOUT - Surrender
 
& the only way we can Surrender
        our desire for SELF–CONTROL . . .
 
is for us to have COMPLETE FAITH in God
        to Lead us & Guide us & Care for us
 
ALL of which He does, THRU the POWER of the Holy Spirit
        Living in us
 
We MUST Learn about - the Holy Spirit in our lives - &
We MUST Practice - Constant Surrender to Him
 
Because if we DON’T
        Abiding will ALWAYS be “just outside” our Reach
 
In his book – Abiding in Christ – Andrew Murray writes
 
Andrew Murray
Above all, He (The Holy Spirit) is the bond of fellowship between Christ and individual believers; He is the life-sap through which the Vine and the branch grow into real and living oneness: By Him (The Holy Spirit) we are one.
 
The Holy Spirit is the AGENT,
        Thru Which - we become ONE with Christ
 
He is the Bond of our Fellowship with Christ
 
He is the Life-Sap – Thru which we grow into
        a real & living oneness with Jesus
 
Murray goes on to say – In Essence . . .
 
If we will learn to Trust –
        the Holy Spirit’s presence - & His working in our Lives
 
If we are careful NOT to grieve Him by our Sin
 
If we will learn to WAIT, & PRAY, & be FILLED with the Spirit
 
Then the Holy Spirit will Lead us & Teach us . . .
He will ENABLE us - - to ABIDE
First – He will Lead us to a Whole-Hearted clinging to Christ
Then – He will Energize our Faith,
                        to Trust God – in EVERY area of our Lives
Finally – He will bring to our hearts,
                        the PEACE & JOY that passes understanding
 
He will BE our Supernatural Power
        to ABIDE in Christ – & to REST in Him
 
“It is impossible to live the life of Abiding in Christ,
        without being CONTINUALLY FILLED with the Holy Spirit”
 
Which is Exactly why Paul tells us in Eph 5:18
        “Be constantly being filled with the Spirit” – LIT Translation
 
In the next 3 weeks – we’re going to look at 3 practical ways
        to “Be constantly being filled with the Spirit”
 
But for today – We NEED to know
        We are CRACKED & LEAKY Vessels . . .
 
& so - we need to develop a habit
        of DAILY “being constantly filled with the Spirit”
 
WHY ??
 
Because- He is the Bond of our Fellowship with Jesus
 
He is the Life-Sap (as Murray says) – Thru which we grow
        into a Real & Living ABIDING in Christ
 
& so -       We must ASK, & Keep Asking
                 We must SEEK, & Keep Seeking
                 We must KNOCK, & Keep Knocking . . .
 
To “be constantly being filled with the Holy Spirit”
        not because God is Hesitant to GIVE us His Spirit
        but because we must “be constantly being filled His Spirit”
 
Turn over to Luk Ch 11
 
Luk 11 begins w/ Jesus’ teaching on Prayer
 
& re: prayer, Jesus says - in Luk 11:9-10 - ESV
9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
 
These 3 words – ASK , SEEK , KNOCK
        Are all - in the GREEK Present, Active, Imperative Form
 
Imperative means - IT’S A COMMAND
Present & Active mean – TO DO . . . & KEEP ON DOING
 
here is the “Expanded Translation” from the GREEK
        By the respected GREEK Scholar – Kenneth Wuest
 
Luk 11:9-10  –  N.T. Expanded Translation
I am saying to you, Keep on asking for something to be given, and it shall be given you. Keep on seeking and you shall find. Keep on reverently knocking, and it shall be opened to you. For everyone who keeps on asking for something to be given, keeps on receiving, and he that keeps on seeking, keeps on finding, and to the one who keeps on reverently knocking, it shall be opened.
Remember – Jesus is teaching about PRAYER here
& what is it - that Jesus encourages us to KEEP ASKING for  . . .
 
Luk 11:11-13 - ESV
11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent;
12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?
13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
 
This famous Vs – About Asking, Seeking, Knocking
        is about RECEIVING the Holy Spirit !!
 
& the REASON Jesus says; KEEP Asking, Seeking, & Knocking . . .
 
IS NOT because the Father is Hesitant to give us His Spirit
 But because we need to “be constantly being filled with the Spirit”
 
Do you see that ??
 
You & I - MUST “be constantly being filled with the Holy Spirit”
 
So we Must;
        Keep on ASKING – So we will Keep on RECEIVING
        Keep on SEEKING – So we will Keep on FINDING
        Keep on KNOCKING - & the door will continue to be OPENED
 
Guys – That is a LIFE-STYLE
        of Total Dependence on the Holy Spirit
 
Who is the AGENT – Thru Which
        the Life of Christ - Flows THRU us
 
So – We Previously Defined ABIDING IN CHRIST as
        Being Constantly, Vitally, United to Jesus, as our Life Source
 
Today – what I really want you to know is . . .
 
The ONLY way we can ever hope to do that
        is THRU the POWER of the Holy Spirit living in us
 
& so - All that we’ll discuss in the Next 3 weeks . . .
 
Re: us ENTERING into, & REMAINING in,
        an Abiding relationship with Jesus Christ
 
Can only be done - IN & THRU the Life & Power
        of the Holy Spirit living - with FREE REIGN in us
 
My entire purpose in this message
        is to make sure we understand . . .
 
we CANNOT approach “ABIDING in Christ” - in our own Strength
 
Abiding in Christ - & Resting in Him
        is a Supernatural Transformation of our Lives
 
& it CANNOT be done - in our OWN STRENGTH
        there is just not enough TRY in us
 
We need to be “constantly being filled with the Holy Spirit”
We need to be “constantly surrendering to HIS will”
 
So – let’s practice that right now
 
If you’ve NEVER asked God to FILL YOU with His Holy Spirit -
        NOW would be a great time to do that
 
& If you’ve NEVER SURRENDERED your SELF-WILL to God,
        & Truly asked Him to take control of your life . . .
 
NOW would be a GREAT TIME to do that
 
Let's Pray