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By Rick Sibert September 2007 |
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Success God’s Way, Part 2
In the last issue, we began a two part series on how to live a successful life. The world has it’s own definition of success, but I believe God has ordained for us – as he does for any situation or circumstance in life – what a successful life looks like and how to achieve it. What is God’s prescription for success? Walking in the Spirit!
We began the series by defining success. There are four other questions we will answer in this issue: Who is this “Spirit?” What does it mean to “Walk in the Spirit?” How do I Walk in the Spirit? And lastly, what will my life look like as I am Walking in the Spirit?
The Spirit of God So who is this Spirit? Is it an impersonal “force” with good and evil flowing through it? (ala Star Wars) Is it something that we can just tap in to? Is it something that we conjure up? Our own new age spirit? Our own god within us?
I read a summary of this humanist belief system recently by an anonymous author. It nails it so well, I can’t improve upon it. It reads, in part:
“Those who have accepted the New Age agenda believe that mankind is the solution to his own problem ‑ that one needs no authority beyond himself. As the Secular Humanists have taught for decades, ‘man is the measure of all things.’
Secular Humanists do not believe in life after death and certainly do not believe in the supernatural. Therefore, God does not represent a viable option for man; if he is in need of salvation, he will have to save himself. The New-Ager sees man's problem as being one of separation, not from a personal God, but from one another and the knowledge of who he is - god.”
So is this the “Spirit” we are trying to walk in? Our own filthy rags? Thank God the answer to that is “no, a thousand times, no!”
The Bible tells us that the Spirit we are to walk in on a daily basis is the Holy Spirit, the third person of God, who has distinct personality and function.
Jesus told us that when He left the earth He would leave another “comforter” with us:
And I will pray the Father and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him for He dwells with you and will be in you. (John 14:16,17)…These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. (John 14:25,26)
The word Jesus uses, “helper” (or “comforter”) means one who walks alongside. You see, the great news is that we aren’t left to walk in our own strength. He promises to never leave us or forsake us – through thick and thin as the saying goes. Through good times and bad. Through our triumphs and our failures. All the while molding and shaping us so we can walk - not in our own strength - but in His.
Walking in the Spirit To walk in the Spirit is to live in the Spirit, to live a life seeking after sanctification. The goal of every believer should be a daily conforming into the image of Christ. Walking indicates a pace by pace process, one foot after the other – continually moving forward. God doesn’t want us to stand still in our walk with Him!
The noted Bible teacher and pastor, John MacArthur, writes, “Paul gives us a present-tense command: Continue to walk by the Spirit. The Christian walk is a daily routine. It isn't something you come to at one point in your life and say, ‘From now on I commit myself to walking in the Spirit.’ No. It's not a once-for-all event. You must be walking continuously by the Spirit so that you do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Even a new Christian has the wherewithal to completely fulfill God's requirements for holiness. You say, ‘But he doesn't know anything.’ He only needs to know one thing: Keep on walking by the Spirit and the Spirit will produce in him the things that God desires.”
What are God’s desires for us? That we be conformed in the image of His dear son! As we walk with Him this will naturally happen. But remember – the war is on, so you have to stick close to him and persevere!
Walking in the Spirit means you are an open vessel for the Holy Spirit to take up residence within you and guide you into all truth. (Jn 16:13) You aren’t clogged up with the things of this world and your own selfish interests and desires. He has room to flow freely and mold you and shape you into the person He desires you to be.
How to walk in the Spirit So how to do it? How to become this open vessel? How to begin this walk? Take that first step - Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Luke recounts for us an episode in Paul’s ministry when he was in Ephesus.
Finding some disciples he (Paul) said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ And they said to him, ‘we have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.’ And he said to them, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’ So they said, ‘Into John’s baptism.’ Then Paul said, ‘John baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.’ When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. (Acts 19:1-6)
Scripture seems to point to a progression in our walk of faith. For some people, such as the believers in the passage above, there is a conversion that takes place without the complete knowledge of the fullness of the power in the Holy Spirit. For others I know it takes place instantaneously. Regardless, one has to be filled with the Spirit before you can begin to then walk in the Spirit.
And then, as you keep walking in the Spirit – day by day – reaping the benefits of living a life holy and pleasing to God, it becomes your pattern for life. When stumbling blocks get in your way, keep walking. Your spiritual eyes have been opened! Look past those roadblocks to your glorious eternity with the Lord who is preparing a place for you!
What does a Spirit Filled Life look like? And now that you are on this walk, and living this spirit-filled life what can you expect your life to look like?
To begin with, if you are walking in the Spirit your thought life will begin to transform. Things you used to dwell on will disappear. You will begin to meditate on things that are pure and lovely and praiseworthy (Phi 4:8).
Old habits will also wither away and die. When I gave my heart to Christ in my mid-twenties and began Walking in the Spirit he took numerous things away from me – from simple things such as my desire to go the racetrack to deeper hindrances such as my growing fascination with astrology. My heart was being changed, and when your heart is being changed you will lose the interest in the things that aren’t in God’s plan for your life. Your tastes for the things of this world will turn bitter. Your attitudes and actions will refocus, and your priorities will reshape!
Paul sums up his thesis we began with in the first issue by contrasting the attitudes and desires of the flesh (carnal man) with those of the Spirit (spirit filled man):
Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in the time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Gal 5:19-26)
Most people desire happiness and success. They don’t want to live meaningless lives filled with fear, doubts, and misery. God gives us the formula! And the great thing is – it doesn’t come by checking off a list - even the lists Paul gives us in Galatians (more of a spiritual barometer). The key to living a successful life is getting close to God! Be filled with the Holy Spirit and then begin taking those steps to walk in that newness of life. It might take time, don’t get discouraged. Remember – He is walking right beside you.
Next Issue: Unlocking the MysteryLast Issue: Success God's Way - Part 1
Editor’s Note: Eternal Perspective is a monthly feature of Calvary Chapel Columbus and the commentary of Pastor Rick Sibert, focusing on living a Godly life in the midst of an ungodly world.
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