They are the efforts of man, who in faith puts his flesh to death and obeys the word that was spoken through the spirit. Therefore, they are spiritual works
Hearing From The Holy Spirit
- Thread starter Albert
- Start date
-
Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.
If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!
To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
They are the efforts of man, who in faith puts his flesh to death and obeys the word that was spoken through the spirit. Therefore, they are spiritual works
For me, I went through life in belief to God. Got messed up in tragedies, it started with my youngest sister dying at age 18, I was 14. That threw me, and I stood to believe God, yet got messed up in alcohol. Then my Dad dies when I was 17, dad was 63.
Confused, I Joined the service at age 18. Got more messed up there. Then at age 21, my Eldest Brother died on Campus Crusade for Christ. Further confusion, yet had been taught to just move forward, move on and trust God by my Mom, who died in 2002
Those events turned out to work towards the good of God for me and others as well, what? Now accepted and no more rejected.
Yep, From my eldest brothers death on Campur crusade for Christ in 1978. I heard from the manger then, Bill Bright that Autopsies had gotten done on his death. that no physical cause was found and wanted to do more to be sure.
I stood up and said go ahead, do as many as you want. I now know.
They replied know what?
God is real, Jesus is alive, and that is when my life started changing. It took till I was 27 to stop the drinking. Then married and have been married to my wife since, Married to God first of all though
I read and read and read and read from Genesus through out to the end. With only one purpose
To know this God of Son Jesus, to hear from God and not self or anyone else anymore. Yet Listen to all, yet take all to Father in prayer and one day whether sooner or later I hear the truth over error, I still stand in trust to hear when Father decides to let me know, me, not have to know anymore.
Finally, I got in 2012 "God just loves me" and everyone else the same also. That is when I got what my brother John said to my eldest sister
God just loves me: and three days later was found dead, in 1978
God is good all the time as good is God all the time. I see why free choice is in place for us all to choose?
With free choice taken away, can anyone truthfully love anyone else?
Build off of God just loves us all and has forgiven us all through Son that is done for us all to see new in new life given freely to us who ask in sincerity and not care to use it to get over on anyone else as if better than others ever Luke 18:9-14 to me at least
Then I got caught up in religion, I got condemned over any sin I ever might commit again.
I got OCRD= Obsessive Compulsive, Religious Disorder
I saw to not lust of the flesh, Saw I had , have a drive in my first born flesh to have sex. I set out in awareness to not have that!
What happened, anyone else go, going through this also or have? I did/ yet I could not ever go any further than masterbation, or just in thought while having sex with my wife. Anyone else? relate? moo one hads to answer that, each person knows. God does and has forgiven us. so we can learn how to say No! by Faith and not of work(s)
I got caught up under Law, the curse of the Law. My first birth of in flesh and blood. I saw Romans 7 vehemently
Guilty, was or is not even a close enough word. I saw and see what Paul was saying in Romans 7 about how sin takes over we the people here on earth those that try to not sin, Sin takes occasion by the command to not sin
My earth church became my leader. I got even more messed up listening. to flesh and blood people that I put my hope in
Oh boy, I messed up, No flesh, not even my own can please God.
Church buildings became for me not a good fit. I still stand in God, belief to God anyways. I asked God, you know I have messed up, I know you know I have messed up and got worse trying to not be messed up
I asked, why God are you not condemning me, like other people have and do?
I heard from God, because I just love you. That is when change began in me to leave lust behind me, and fear of death as well
Pride tried then to enter as well. I saw this as in Luke 18:9-14. Passed that now, always standing aware of the guilt and pride now, Seeing to stay in prayer between God and me, learning what feed my sheep means
Love overcame evil by Son first, who loved all the way to physical death, then risen and seen by over 500 witnesses as risen 1 Cor 15'
Saul who became Paul on that road to Damascus
Amazing, God is good all the time as good is God all the time, even in tragedies.
A new view from God's view, not my view or others views anymore Romans 12:2
Start at God just loves you too, then see accept forgiven by God through Son and then begin to learn new in love and mercy too
It is a long bumpy ride, yet worth going through it willingly to God not self or anyone else at least this I finally see as Matrtin Luther said "I see the Light"
I truly appreciate your testimony....I ask in kindness and humility, Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior? After reading your testimony you never mentioned you accepted Jesus. This topic is How we can get closer to The Holy Spirit by our walk with Jesus. I encourage you to include How you hear specifically the Holy Spirit speak to you. YES. The Holy Spirit speaks to us in good times and bad. He is with us always and Leads us out of darkness and dark times. The Lord Jesus Christ bless you!
If they are the efforts of man, then man can rightly take credit for them and for their results. Do you mean to imply that?
It would be wise for a person to never adopt that attitude with God. One should rejoice and be humble and thankful for being able to work righteousness, attributing no merit to oneself.
That's the right attitude, but your reasoning doesn't get you there.
Sure it does. I practice what Jesus said to do and he reveals himself in me. And scripture witnesses to this
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. John 14:21
Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he [Jesus] is righteous. 1 John 3:7
But the opening post is about "how we can get closer to The Holy Spirit". The post seems to be about efforts on our part.
I don't see a problem with taking credit for obedience when God gives us credit for obedience. If God gives me credit for helping the little old lady across the street, then I'll happily take that credit.
We don't get closer to the Holy Spirit through good works originating in the flesh... no matter how good they are.
True. I'm not sure what the OP's "closer to" even means. But we do get filled with the Spirit by obeying the command to be filled with the Spirit. That doesn't require the flesh as a resource.We don't get closer to the Holy Spirit through good works originating in the flesh... no matter how good they are.
We don't get closer to the Holy Spirit through good works originating in the flesh... no matter how good they are.
Good works don't originate in the flesh. They originate in the spirit and worked outward by the body.
To be specific about the word "Closer" is pretty much every definition of the word Closer. Closer to him in relationship and to get to know him better. Closer- to fellowship with The Holy Spirit in friendship. Closer- to have the Holy Spirit sanctification wash us and quicken is. Closer- The Holy Spirit is God and we are to draw Close to God. Closer- We are to walk in step with the Spirit and not the flesh to keep from sin so that would mean we would be close to The Holy Spirit...so close that he leads every part of our life.
Recently the Holy Spirit explained the parable of the sower to me in a whole new light. He linked the parable to Paul's words to the Ephesians -
Eph 3:16
That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
Eph 3:17
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Eph 3:18
May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
Eph 3:19
And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Eph 3:20
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Eph 3:21
Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Paul prays that we experience the love of God in its length. The path of tradition is long and narrow and compacted by many feet. Jesus Himself incarnated into and was part of a long line of tradition. It is easiest to love people who are like you and do things the same way and have the same opinions. But even so, many cannot even love those following in the same tradition. Watch Jesus befriending and loving His people, the Jews, whether they loved Him back or not. God loves those walking in a tradition, but if the word/seed coming to our rigid hearts jars with our tradition, many of us reject it in favour of what we, and those on our path, already believe and practise.
Paul prays that we experience God's love in its breadth. This is the remedy for closed-minded prejudice: forming relationships with people outside your own worldview. Watch Jesus being hospitable and welcoming and generous like Jesus was to all kinds of different people, including Samaritans, Romans, Syro-Phoenicians. The field is wide on either side of the path. Jesus incarnated into the world, the field. He loved all and called us to love all, even those outside our traditions. We are called to love those different from us . The call to love everyone resonates with many, and we try to love everyone, even those outside our own culture, like Jesus did. But, if our heart/soil is shallow, when we receive indifference, betrayal and violence in response to our kindness, we can become cynical and decide we really need to put ourselves first. Jesus' teaching seems impractical, and we turn from the "love the stranger" message.
Paul prays that we experience God's love in it's depth. This is the remedy for the temptation to cynicism due to being betrayed and wounded. Watch Jesus dealing with ungratefulness and betrayal - not complaining and reviling back, but dying to self in the expectation that God's life will be manifested, not just in Himself but also in others, through His patient bearing of shame and ignominy. We are called to love those who do not appreciate our service. The call to take up our cross, deny ourselves and serve sacrificially appeals to some, but they can still become dejected and miserable. We can become focused on our negative experiences and self-pity, and may distract ourselves with worldly pleasures and a quest for earthly wealth as compensation for our suffering.
Paul prays that we experience God's love in its height. This is the remedy for despondency and discouragement that comes from the seemingly interminable suffering from daily self-denial for the sake of others. This is the focus that will deliver us from temptations to worldly pleasures and earthly wealth. Watch Jesus rejoicing in anticipation of the heavenly prizes stored up in heaven, that He would gain through remaining faithful and faith-full in His long-suffering. We are called to a destiny in which we inherit all things with Him. We are called to partake of and express that divine life even now as spiritual gifts and fruit. We v=can cast all our cares on Him beciuse he cares for us. We can have perfect peace by staying our mine on Him. In Him we have His great and precious promises by which we escape corruption, and all the treasures of wisdom. And at His right hand there are pleasures forevermore.
How does this relate to the OP?
God is love and the Holy Spirit is God. The more we comprehend of the love of God the more of the Holy Spirit we comprehend. Meditating on Jesus' way - His way of dealing with with the Jews, His way of dealing with gentiles, His way of dealing with self-denial, persecution and suffering, and His way of dealing with temptation and distractions from His mission - and rely on the Holy Spirit to inspire and empower us to walk in the same Way, in all the dimensions of love, is a good way to become more filled with the Holy Spirit more consistently.
I could add, that it is often not difficult to gauge from what people write here, in which dimensions posters are ignorant of or are resistant to receiving and giving God's love.
Jesus has already explained the Sower and the seed parable. I think it's the only parable he actually explained personally to us, his disciples and their is a very good reason he explained it. Nothing Jesus Does or says is superficial but has deep meaning, direction, purpose, and Good reason for him to do so. Their is Good reason why Jesus Explained this parable.
I'm not coming against your testimony rather adding that the seed that falls on good ground PRODUCES!
This a heart, in my opinion full of Christ Jesus's love and devoid of all darkness..
I'm not coming against your testimony rather adding that the seed that falls on good ground PRODUCES!
This a heart, in my opinion full of Christ Jesus's love and devoid of all darkness..