Session One: Keeping In Step With The Spirit
In Unit Three we are looking at how we live as members of the Kingdom of God. We will begin by looking at the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and then go on to look at some famous sayings from Jesus’ longest sermon. This first session might take you a bit longer, that’s okay, don’t rush it, it’s really important!
In this session, we’ll explore:
What it means to be free in Christ
How the Holy Spirit guides us
What the Spirit wants to do in our lives
‘The word of God is our only standard, and the Holy Spirit our only teacher.’
George Muller
1. Reflect
Jesus is often spoken of as our Saviour. What do this title, and the idea of salvation, mean to you?
2. Read
2 Timothy 3: 14-17 We looked at this passage in Unit One. As a reminder, what do these passages tell us about the usefulness of scripture?
Read Galatians 5: 13-26
In Galatians Paul wants his readers to understand that obeying the Old Testament Law is not the way to salvation. How does loving your neighbour sum up the essence of the Law? Why doesn’t obeying the Law make us right with God?
What does is the difference between living by the Spirit and living according to our human nature? Is everything about our human nature wrong? How can we tell?
What is the fruit that the Holy Spirit produces in our lives? How do we grow this fruit? What does Paul mean by crucifying the flesh?
How do we keep in step with the Spirit? How does this relate to what we read earlier in 2 Timothy 3?
How do we know if the Holy Spirit is speaking to us? What should we do if he is?
Need help? Here are some hints…
1. It’s important not to separate this passage from its context. Paul is writing to show the foolishness of those who want Gentile Christians (non-Jews) to convert to Judaism first. Jesus is the one who fulfils the Law by living a sinless life. He does it for us because we’re not capable of keeping it perfectly. The Law is always about pointing us to God’s perfection and reminding us of our imperfection. His love takes Jesus to the cross to pay for our sin. He calls us to live for Him. Loving as Jesus did is His call on our lives.
2. Paul compares living by our own desires with living the way that God wants us to.
When Paul speaks of the flesh or our human nature, he is speaking about that which is fallen within – everything in us that is disobedient to God.
The works of the flesh that Paul outlines are all destructive. They all put God aside from the centre of our lives and break fellowship with each other.
3. Paul lists the qualities that the Spirit wants to produce in our lives in vss 22-23.
It is the work of the Holy Spirit is to grow this fruit in our lives. This is not all that he does but it is not something that we can do ourselves. This is not a self-improvement plan it is about letting God take control of our lives.
These qualities are the qualities that Jesus displayed in His life and they restore us to the way we are meant to be.
Whilst we cannot produce these qualities ourselves, we can choose daily to take up a cross and step away from the things that are destructive and towards the things the Spirit tells us to do.
4. The Word and the Spirit work together. If the Holy Spirit prompts us to do something it will never be in contradiction to scripture. We know that what the scripture tells us to do is always what the Spirit wants for us.
5. We should expect the Holy Spirit to speak to us. These are more likely to be whispers than visions - although both are possible. We know it is Him when what He tells us is in line with scripture and matches up with a particular situation that we face.
Is there an opportunity to show God’s love that comes to your attention? Then do it.
Are you praying about something and you feel you have an answer? Then listen. NB if you have a big decision that you’re trying to make then it’s a good idea to check that out with someone that you trust to be able to listen to the Spirit, just to affirm what you are doing.
Is there something on your conscience that concerns you? Don’t ignore the voice that tells you what to do.
3. Act
What can you do to make sure that you are hearing God speak to you week by week?
If you have begun to keep a journal, then make a note of occasions when you felt that the Spirit was speaking to you. If you haven’t… why not start this week!
4. Pray
Give thanks for occasions when you have heard God speak to you.
Pray for the nation and the world as we think about its need to hear God’s voice.
Pray especially for situations of injustice.
Pray for ways to be involved in helping others to hear God’s word to them.
