The Interior Life – Maintenance of the Inner Man -- Part 6: The Spirit

The Interior Life – Maintenance of the Inner Man -- Part 6: The Spirit

MESSAGE SUMMARY: Introduction from Part 4 – We must take responsibility for our own emotions and stop blaming others. Emotions are the color of our inner life, but we must control our emotions, or our emotions will control us. Constantly remember God’s presence is with us. What would happen if we really lived our lives knowing that God is always with us?

Today’s Message – It is important to understand the Spirit in our inner beings. The Spirit is that part of us which enables us to commune with the Lord – it is that part of us in which the Holy Spirit indwells when we become a Christian and through which God speaks to us. Paul, in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, describes the characteristics of the inner life and the maintenance of the inner man: “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.". Without Jesus, we are not fully alive because, without Jesus one has a dead Spirit.

It is by Grace that we are saved and that our faith in Jesus awakens our Spirit. In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus tells us that we are to assist in awakening the Spirit in others – discipleship. We can nurture our Spirit through: 1) daily Bible reading; 2) daily prayer – talking to and listening to God; 3) Worship, both corporate and individual; 4) partaking of Holy Communion; 5) abiding, John 15:4 – “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.”; 6) obeying God; 7) fellowship with like-minded believers; and 8) witnessing and sharing Jesus with others.

TODAY’S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus’ name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. 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! Luke 11:13

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Matthew 28:18-20; Ephesians 2:1-10; John 5:24; 1 Peter 1:3. (Click the blue below to read the full Bible text for these scripture references in BOLD.).

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