From The Inside Out
Our hangups are always a symptom of a deeper, unresolved issue.
Jesus’s answer to fix our behavior is always to transform our hearts.
1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NIV) May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
If the spirit is the more ‘God-conscious’ part of the human, the soul appears to be the part that is more ‘self-conscious.’ Obviously, the body is the ‘world-conscious’ piece.
“It appears that God’s plan was to influence us in our spirits by His Spirit and then, through the thoughts, feelings, and actions of our souls, prompt the body to behave in a way that glorified Him and accomplished His purposes.” —David Legge
Matthew 4:1-2 (AMP) Then Jesus was led by the [Holy] Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After He had gone without food for forty days and forty nights, He became hungry.
Matthew 26:38-39 (ESV) Then He said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with Me.” 39 And going a little farther He fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
Luke 23:44-46 (NIV) It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” When He had said this, He breathed His last.
Romans 5:12 (NLT) When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.
Romans 3:23 (NLT) For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
Romans 6:23 (NLT) For the wages of sin is death…
Romans 5:8 (NLT) But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
Romans 6:23 (NLT) the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 3:16 (NLT) “For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”
Romans 10:9-10 (NLT) If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.
Romans 10:13 (NLT) For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Acts 4:12 (NLT) There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.
Salvation is a personal decision to…
-believe in Jesus as the Son of God
-put faith in the work of atonement through the Cross
-confess your sins
-ask for God’s forgiveness
-commit your life to Him as your Lord and Savior
Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NLT) And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow My decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.
Romans 7:15-19 (NLT) I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 18…I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
1. Spent years formulating response patterns
2. Are in a daily conflict between our flesh and spirit
Galatians 5:16-17 (NLT) So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.
Galatians 5:19-21 (NLT) When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasure, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these.
Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT) But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control.
Galatians 6:7-9 (NLT) Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. 8 Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature [flesh] will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature [flesh]. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. 9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessings if we don’t give up.
Philippians 4:8-9 (NLT) Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned…
We have…
-consistent prayer life
-private times of worship
-studying the Word of God
-listen for and obey the voice of God
-hanging out with godly people
-being a part of a faith-filled community
Galatians 5:16, 24-25 (NIV) So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. …24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.