Well, to get us started, I have a video I'd like to share, but also, I just want to encourage
! any of you who have not gotten a study guide to pick one up, but I also want to encourage you that,
you know, it can be a little overwhelming. There's a lot in here, and this isn't meant to make you feel
overwhelmed, or to make you say, I've already missed so much, I won't be able to catch up,
so I guess I'm just not going to do it at all, okay? The point of this is to be a resource for you,
and to provide some helpful suggestions on how to put it to work in your life, but also
lead you in a study through preparation and preparing yourselves for Sunday. So, don't let it be
a prison, meaning don't let it be your taskmaster that says, if you haven't measured up, then
there's no sense trying, okay? I want you to feel encouraged by this, not bound by this.
So, pick one up if you haven't already. If we need to print some more, we can always do that, but
this is meant to be a resource for you, and I trust that you'll be encouraged through your study
in the week in preparation for Sunday morning. But before we start this morning's message,
I want to begin with a short video.
The Big Red Tractor and the Little Village
Once upon a time, in a little field, in a happy little village, lived a big red tractor.
Every morning during plowing season, the village people, no, not those village people,
would come out and start the red tractor. Everyone loved the tractor and the powerful noises it would
make. They would cheer for the big red tractor because he would help them through plowing season.
The people worked together to move the tractor. Half of the villagers would push from behind,
while the other half would pull. They had been doing it this way for many generations.
Some days they moved the tractor 10 feet. Some days they moved it 20. They did this for three whole months every year.
Because of their hard work, the villagers always managed to plow the field, just in time to plant,
and just before the rainy season. The rains would come to water the field. Then the sun would come out
to make the crops grow. And then the people would come out and harvest all the new crops.
It was just enough food to feed the entire village.
One day, Farmer Dave was cleaning out his attic. To his surprise, he found an old book
tucked beneath his great grandpa's belongings. It was the owner's manual to the Big Red Tractor.
This book told about how the tractor was made and all the great things it could do.
Farmer Dave studied the book all night. He was shocked by what he was reading.
According to the book, if the Big Red Tractor was running properly, it could plow the whole field in just one day.
Early the next morning, Farmer Dave gathered the villagers to tell them the good news.
But nobody believed him.
There's no way that tractor can move on its own, some said.
One lady said, it sounds like you're reading a fairy tale.
The people laughed at him.
This made Farmer Dave very sad.
This didn't stop Farmer Dave from believing what he read.
Every night, while the other villagers were asleep, Farmer Dave spent time repairing the Big Red Tractor.
One night, Farmer Dave fixed the tractor completely.
He jumped on the tractor and had so much fun driving it, he ended up plowing the whole field in one night.
The next morning, the villagers woke up and were in shock.
The whole field had been plowed.
It's a miracle, one man said.
Maybe aliens came down, said an old woman.
No, look over there, a little boy shouted.
It was Farmer Dave sleeping on the tractor.
It was then the people shouted.
He was right.
The tractor book is true.
The villagers ended up plowing many fields that year and harvesting way more food than they could ever eat.
They had so many leftover boxes of food that they began taking the boxes to other villages where food was scarce.
The Big Red Tractor and his little village soon became famous throughout the land.
They became known as the most generous and life-giving people in the whole wide world.
The Big Red Tractor and his little village soon became famous throughout the land.
Of course, it's not about plowing fields.
It's not about pushing tractors.
Really, it's an analogy for what God desires to do in the hearts of his people
and what God desires to do in the life of this church, this body.
And if all of us were to dream a little bit about what we wanted God to accomplish through us and for us,
it would be maybe similar to what we would see in this illustration.
That there would be worldwide impact.
That there would be far-reaching touch from this church to the lives of the people,
not only in Columbus and not only in Ohio, but to the uttermost parts of the earth.
But I think so often what we find ourselves doing is we find ourselves pushing the tractor
because it's just what we've been taught to do.
It's what we have learned to do all along.
It's what we know.
It's the systems that we've become familiar with.
And if we just look into the rule book, the manual, as it were, for life,
if we look into the Word of God and find what does a spiritual life look like,
then God will begin to not only change those externals about us
so that there's enough for the year and enough for us in terms of spiritual sustenance,
but there is enough to share.
There's enough for us to have an impact in these ever-growing circles of individuals
and communities and nations around us.
What does it take to be that kind of people?
What does it take to be world changers?
Well, it begins with you individually.
It begins as God begins to change your heart personally.
And as we'll see this morning in our passage,
we'll see that great changes can happen not because of your greater efforts,
but great changes happen because of a greater yielding,
a greater surrender,
and then a greater power that fills you for greater work.
Not that you are doing greater work on your own,
but that God is doing greater work through you.
I like what Phillips Brooks says.
I'm remembering this, so I might not get it right.
It says,
Phillips Brooks says,
Pray not for easy lives.
Pray to be stronger men.
Pray not for tasks equal to your strength,
but pray for power equal to the task.
Pray not for easy lives.
Pray to be stronger men.
Pray not for tasks equal to your power.
Pray for power equal to the task.
That's the kind of prayer we need to have.
God, fill us with the power of the Spirit
so that you can set us on the track of accomplishing your work in this world.
Now that work, from a human standpoint, may seem kind of small
because we're pretty limited in our perspective of how God is going to use these things into the future.
So don't get this notion that we're going to be starting to do great things as a people,
but we're going to be aligning our hearts to a great God
and expecting God to do great things in His time and in His way.
Turn with me, if you would, then, to 1 Thessalonians as we begin to look at this.
The Apostle Paul and Silas and Timothy had spent some time in this church,
the church of Thessalonica.
It was an abbreviated time.
It wasn't the kind of time that Paul wanted to spend in this church
because he was ousted due to persecution.
But through the sovereignty of God, we understand that it was enough,
at least for the moment.
And now Paul is writing to this church this little letter of 1 Thessalonians,
probably within 10 months to a year of having been in this place.
They're still spiritual babies.
They're still small in number,
experiencing a great deal of opposition and adversity as a church.
They don't have a pastor that we could identify, at least, from the passage.
And there are a lot of things that are kind of broken about this place,
certainly not the place, the church, that you would expect God to do great things through.
And yet, as we have looked briefly last week at the end of chapter 1,
and we'll take a longer look at it next week,
and as we saw the touch, the reach of this church in terms of loving their community in chapter 4,
we notice that God was doing extraordinary things through an unexpected group of people.
As any pastor would be concerned, Paul is greatly concerned,
or at least was greatly concerned about this church.
Greatly concerned about their longevity, their ability to endure.
And especially since he didn't have a chance to be there,
he was concerned about their ability to survive and to thrive as a church.
And so he's identified several things about them that have encouraged his own heart.
Things that have identified them as a people of God.
And because they're a people of God,
he understands that what God has initiated,
God will continue to accomplish and to work in sustaining that ministry.
We saw last week that they have a work of faith and a labor of love and a steadfastness of hope.
Three core characteristics of any true spiritual people.
And this morning, we're going to look at a church that demonstrates spiritual power.
Let me read for us, beginning in verse 3, and I'll read through verse 7.
And we'll concentrate our time on verses 4 to 7 today.
It says this,
We give thanks to God always for all of you,
constantly mentioning you in our prayers,
remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love
and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you
because our gospel came to you not only in word,
but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.
You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake?
And you became imitators of us and of the Lord.
For you received the word in much affliction with the joy of the Holy Spirit,
so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.
Here we find a church that is continuing to demonstrate spiritual fruit.
Now, this morning, the work of the Holy Spirit in their life creating spiritual power,
producing an energy that can only come from God.
This happens, as we find from our passage this morning,
because they were a word-filled church.
What does a word-filled church look like?
Well, we begin to fill this description out for us as we continue to look this morning.
A word-filled church will be a church that is filled with the Holy Spirit.
They didn't know much, but what they knew, they applied.
And it produced a spiritual people.
A spiritual people is a spirit-filled people.
Not a people that is producing a certain set of actions,
a certain set of standards that are marking their life,
but a spiritual people are a people who are filled by the Holy Spirit.
That should be obvious to us.
And certainly that was true of this church.
I want to look, first of all, at the work of the Holy Spirit in saving this people.
When Paul is addressing this group of individuals,
he begins where it all starts.
He says there in verse 4,
For we know, brothers loved by God, that He has chosen you.
Because our gospel came to you,
not only in word, but also in power,
and in the Holy Spirit.
So when Paul is talking about power,
what is he referring to?
What is he talking about?
What is important to him?
What are the marks of spiritual power
and the spirit-filled life that he is looking for?
The gospel accompanied with power.
And by the way, the Greek term here is the word dunamai,
which is the word we get dynamite from.
That's the kind of explosive power
that was beginning to show up in the midst of this church.
Jesus, of course, is interested in this same kind of power,
and Jesus' life demonstrated this kind of power.
Jesus also, in communicating to His disciples,
He wanted them to understand the significance of the Holy Spirit's power
in the work of salvation.
And if you remember, in the first chapter of Acts,
Acts chapter 1,
Jesus has risen from the dead,
and it's the time between His resurrection and His ascension.
And there He is with His disciples,
having a conversation with them,
and they have received instruction from Jesus for three years,
they have observed His life,
they have witnessed His teaching,
they have seen the evidence of God's power working through Him.
He's even sent them on at least a couple of different occasions
to go out and to be part of gospel ministry.
But there in chapter 1,
instead of Jesus sending His disciples directly into Jerusalem
to get busy with gospel proclamation,
He tells them it needs to begin a different way.
He has commissioned them to ministry,
and to preach throughout the nations,
but there was something that needed to happen first.
He tells them in Acts chapter 1,
He says,
while He was staying with them,
He ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem,
but to wait for the promise from the Father.
because as we find in Acts chapter 1,
Jesus goes on to explain,
you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you,
and then you can be my witnesses.
But you must first wait in Jerusalem
for the Spirit to come,
and then you can begin this work
of gospel proclamation and kingdom building.
Jesus wanted to reinforce to His disciples
the significance of the Holy Spirit's work
in this initial,
even the initial phases of church planting.
because the Holy Spirit is instrumental
to lead us to salvation.
And I want to talk about just,
I think there are five things here
that address the specific work of the Holy Spirit
in relationship to salvation in our lives.
That's why Paul is convinced
that they have the Spirit living within
because of seeing His work,
His power showing up in them and for them.
First, His work of illumination.
His work of illumination.
Now this is all in addition to our message this morning.
And so I want to help inform our hearts,
kind of give us the theology
of the power of the Holy Spirit
as we're working through this study together.
First, I want us to understand
the Spirit's work of illumination
from 2 Corinthians 4, verses 3 to 6.
I would encourage you to turn there.
Those of you who have a hard time turning pages,
I put it up there on the board too.
It may be difficult to read,
but here it is.
Paul is speaking to the church of Corinth,
and he says,
And even if our gospel is veiled,
it is veiled to those who are perishing.
In their case, the God of this world
has blinded the minds of unbelievers
to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel
of the glory of Christ,
who is the image of God.
There is a war that is taking place in this life.
It is a cosmic battle, as it were,
between the forces of Satan
and the forces of God.
And the blindness that is settled on the hearts of the world
is a blindness that is created
because Satan has blinded the minds of those who believe not.
But for this church of Thessalonica,
those, as he describes in verse 4,
as those who have been chosen by God,
God does a work in their life
to shine the light of the gospel into their hearts
so now they can see the glory of Christ.
Now they can begin to understand
the significance of the gospel.
It is a serious problem that we face.
Paul describes this in other places.
He says we're dead in our trespasses and sins.
He says our hearts are darkened without understanding.
We're full of ignorance.
We have hardness of heart.
It is not just a dilemma that becomes difficult to overcome.
It is impossible without the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit
shining the gospel light into our hearts.
The Holy Spirit is the one, through his power,
to shine the light of the gospel into our hearts.
Second, it's a work of regeneration.
Not just a work of illumination,
but a work of regeneration.
We find in the account of Jesus speaking with Nicodemus
there in John chapter 3,
we see this exchange between this scribe,
a leader of the Pharisees there in Jerusalem,
and Jesus having this conversation.
And in this conversation, Jesus says,
Truly, truly, I say to you,
unless one is born again,
he cannot see the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh.
That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Do not marvel that I say to you,
you must be born again.
Regeneration is just a big word for being born again,
being renewed, rebirthed.
There is a spiritual birth that takes place,
but there's also, excuse me,
there's a physical birth that takes place,
but also a spiritual birth that happens
only because of the Holy Spirit's work in a heart
in creating spiritual life.
Titus 3.5 explains it this way,
not by works of righteousness which we have done,
but according to his mercy he saved us
by the washing of regeneration
and renewal of the Holy Spirit.
That makes sense, right?
Because according to the words of Jesus,
you can't create in human terms spiritual life.
Spiritual life can only be created
by the Holy Spirit,
by a divine work on a life
to produce rebirth,
new birth, spiritual life.
We also see the work of conviction.
Work of conviction.
We find that in John chapter 16,
7 to 11.
Jesus is spending the final moments of his life
before his crucifixion with his disciples,
and he wants them to understand,
guys, just because I'm going away,
this is good for you.
I'm going to die.
I'm going to rise again,
and I'm going to depart from you,
but that's good for you.
Here's why.
He says in verse 7,
Nevertheless, I tell you the truth.
It's to your advantage that I go away,
for if I do not go away,
the helper will not come to you.
But if I go,
I will send him to you,
and when he comes,
he will convict the world concerning sin
and righteousness and judgment.
Concerning sin,
because they do not believe in me.
Concerning righteousness,
because I go to the Father,
and you will see me no longer
concerning judgment,
because the ruler of this world is judged.
See, the Holy Spirit is also responsible
for convicting hearts
in helping to confront us
with our own wickedness,
our own ungodliness,
how far away we are
from the absolute standard
that God has set for us,
the mark of purity and holiness.
And the convicting work
of the Holy Spirit
challenges our hearts
to see it for what it is.
And that is accompanied then
by the work of repentance,
which comes next.
The work of repentance.
You see,
just because conviction is in place,
it needs to be accompanied
by the work of God
in leading us to repentance
for salvation to actually occur.
2 Timothy 2,
verses 24 to 26
help us with this.
And the Lord's servant
must not be quarrelsome,
but kind to everyone,
able to teach,
patiently enduring evil,
correcting his opponents
with gentleness.
God may perhaps grant them
repentance,
leading to a knowledge
of the truth.
and they may come
to their senses
and escape
from the snare of the devil
after being captured
by him to do his will.
Make no mistake,
repentance happens
in the work
of an individual
because of the work
of the Holy Spirit
that's conditioning their hearts
in giving them
the gift of repentance.
That God may perhaps
grant them repentance.
If you have come
to the point this morning
where the convicting work
of the Holy Spirit
has challenged you
about sin
and then led you
to a place of repentance
and asking for forgiveness,
that is a work of God
in your life.
You can praise him
for that
because that's the Holy Spirit
working in you.
And that's why
the Apostle Paul
is so ecstatic
at this point
because he sees
the mark of God
in leading a group
of individuals
to a place
not only of conviction
but a place of repentance.
And he realizes
only God can do that.
There are several examples
throughout the New Testament
where we find conviction
show up
but no repentance.
For example,
in Acts chapter 7
we see this martyrdom
of Stephen
and it says
as Stephen was speaking
to the people
in his hearing
and confessing
who Jesus was,
when they heard
these things
it says
they were cut
to the heart.
And that word,
that phrase
cut to the heart
is the same phrase
that's used
of those
on the day of Pentecost
who having been
convicted of sin
then actually
also received
the gift
of repentance
and became
converted
and experienced
new life
but not here
in chapter 7.
In chapter 7
they're convicted
of sin
but instead
of repenting
it says
they gnashed
at him
with their teeth.
They cried out
with a loud voice
and stopped
their ears
and rushed
on him
and cast him
out of the city
and threw stones
at him.
Just because
conviction
is present
doesn't mean
repentance
will be present.
In Acts chapter 24
and 25
we see
the story
of Felix
and of King Agrippa.
Felix
who would often
listen to the apostle
Paul
when Paul
was a prisoner
there in Caesarea
and it says
Felix and his wife
Drusilla
would send for Paul
and hear him
concerning the faith
in Christ
and Felix
was afraid.
There was
a sense
of awe
and
pressure
this burden
that he felt
this convicting
work
that
was taking place
in his life
but it never
led him
at least
as far as we know
to a place
of repentance.
And then finally
there is a work
of sealing
a work
of sealing
in Ephesians
chapter 1
verse 13
the work
of sealing
it says this
in him
you also
when you heard
the word of truth
the gospel
of your salvation
and believed
in him
were sealed
with the promised
Holy Spirit
who is the guarantee
of our inheritance
until we acquire
possession of it
to the praise
of his glory.
You see
the Holy Spirit
also comes
and marks
a life
of every convert
every follower
of Jesus
who has
repented
of their sin
who has
trusted in
Jesus
through faith
believes that
he is the only
way of salvation
the Holy Spirit
comes
marks their life
stamps them
with a new
identity
and seals
them
till the time
that Jesus
comes
to receive
them to glory.
All of the things
that the Holy Spirit
does
as a work
of God
for us
in salvation.
I want to spend
some time
now transitioning
to his
sanctifying
power
the sanctifying
power
of the Holy Spirit
we see that
now in the
following verses
verses
six
and seven
it says
and you
became
imitators
of us
and of the
Lord
for you
received
the word
in much
affliction
with the
joy
of the
Holy Spirit
the sanctifying
work
of the Holy
Spirit
is the work
of God
in us
this would
differentiate
itself
from what
we're going
to look at
next
the strengthening
power
of the Spirit
which is
the work
of God
through us
for others
okay
we'll get there
in a moment
but I want to
focus on the
sanctifying work
of the Spirit
sanctifying power
of the Spirit
which is the
power of God
for you
what does
God do
for you
in sanctification
the work
of sanctification
is the work
of making
you look
more
like Jesus
it's really
this work
of becoming
imitators
not only
of those
who represent
Christ
and speak
for Christ
but especially
as Paul points
attention to
you became
imitators
of us
and of
the Lord
the supreme
example
that we look
to is the
example
of Jesus
the supreme
pattern
for righteousness
the supreme
example
of how we
should live
as people
is found
in him
but we know
something
about the
advantage
of personal
life examples
people
right in our
context
that God
has used
to help us
see Jesus
better
so who has
done that
for you
who has
been
this replica
of Jesus
for you
who has
God
used
through the
course
of your
life
to help
emulate
the beauty
of the
gospel
right there
in front
of you
perhaps
your parents
your grandparents
maybe an aunt
or an uncle
for me
personally
of course
it was
my mom
and dad
who had
a tremendous
influence
in my life
but I think
of
three
specific
names
first I
think of
Jean Fisher
was a
professor
at
Cedarville
College
she was
teaching
in the
Christian
education
department
but she
was also
the
superintendent
of my
Sunday
school
class
from ages
first
through
third
grade
how is
it
possible
for a
college
professor
to humble
herself
enough
to come
down
to the
level
of a
first
through
third
grader
and to
speak
life
into
them
speak
gospel
truth
into
their
lives
Jean
Fisher
for 30
years
faithfully
consistently
loved
on
the
students
that she
was
teaching
and through
Jean
Fisher's
example
I came
to love
Jesus
more
what a
great
example
to me
I
also
think
of
someone
named
Mr.
and Mrs.
Durham
I called
them
Grandpa
and Grandma
Durham
because
I was
in a
church
play
with them
and they
were my
grandparents
in the
play
and then
from that
point on
they were
my
adopted
grandparents
for life
well
Grandpa
Durham
was also
a college
professor
he taught
Greek
there at
Cedarville
University
very
brilliant
man
but also
tremendously
humble
I would
often go
over to
their home
I would
often
have
conversations
with
Grandpa
Durham
about
life
and
learning
from his
example
and learning
from his
encouragement
I can
remember
the first
message
I preached
there
at
Grace
Baptist
Church
and it
was a
it was a
dud
to say
the least
but you
wouldn't have
known that
from talking
with Grandpa
Durham
because of
his
encouragement
for me
and his
his
the way
that God
used him
to direct
me into
ministry
it was
life
it was
life
changing
and then I
think about
Frank
Young
again
a guy
who
was
instrumental
in planting
a significant
church
in the
Chicago
area
a man
who
was
involved
in the
community
served
at a
homeless
shelter
and again
oversaw
the
children's
ministry
at the
church
that I
attended
while in
in Aurora
Illinois
a man
with incredible
wisdom
incredible
godliness
incredible
humility
I'm
sure
God
has
used
individuals
like that
in your
own
life
those
who
you
can
begin
to
emulate
those
who
you
can
see
Jesus
show up
in them
and begin
to
harmonize
your own
life
with
the
portraits
of
Jesus
in them
that you
see
you have
the same
opportunity
the same
opportunity
to
emulate
Christ
for those
around
you
how many
times
have we
actually
corrected
our
children
and said
hey
where did
you get
that
and then
realize
that the
things
that we
saw
in
that
little
transaction
were
the
similar
things
that
were
happening
earlier
in the
week
in our
own
life
and
we
realize
oh
that's
where
you
got
that
you
got
that
from
me
God
has
given
us
the
privilege
and
the
responsibility
of
making
him
known
in the
world
around
us
and
only
through
the
power
of
the
Holy
Spirit
can
that
work
of
imitating
God
be
a
work
that
is
truly
representative
of
him
how
do
we
find
ourselves
similar
to
this
video
that
we
watched
a
church
that
is
unstoppable
a
people
that
are
productive
and
fruitful
maybe
a
help
for
that
is
found
in
Galatians
chapter
3
so
keep
your
finger
there
in
1st
Thessalonians
I
want
to
briefly
go
to
Galatians
chapter
2
verses
2
and
3
and
I
want
to
draw
your
attention
to
a
similar
issue
that
Paul
was
dealing
with
in
this
church
of
Galatia
Galatians
chapter
2
verses
2
and
3
I'll
actually
back up
to
verse
1
it
says
oh
foolish
Galatians
who
has
bewitched
you
it
was
before
your
eyes
that
Jesus
Christ
was
publicly
portrayed
as
crucified
let
me
ask
you
only
this
did
you
receive
the
spirit
by
works
of
the
law
or
by
hearing
with
faith
are
you
so
foolish
having
begun
by
the
spirit
are
you
now
being
perfected
by
the
flesh
did
you
suffer
so
many
things
in
vain
if
indeed
it
was
in
vain
does
he
who
supply
the
spirit
to
you
and
work
miracles
among
you
do
so
by
the
works
of
the
law
or
by
the
hearing
with
faith
what
Paul
is
trying
to
address
in
this
church
of
Galatia
is
this
idea
this
notion
that
they
could
work
out
their
own
spirituality
that
they
could
practice
a
little
bit
more
discipline
that
they
could
work
out
and
have
the
right
kind
of
conditions
in
their
life
so
they
could
be
more
spiritual
people
and
Paul
is
saying
now
wait
a
second
here
how
you
began
the
spiritual
life
is
how
you
need
to
continue
it
you
began
with
the
Holy
Spirit
with
the
power
of
God
doing
a
work
in
your
life
the
only
way
for
you
to
continue
to
be
spiritual
people
!
is
not
by
working
harder
!
more
of
yourself
to
him
and
letting
him
work
out
his
salvation
through
your
life!
We find
in Galatians
chapter 4
that
they were
observing
days and
months
and seasons
and years
they had
all the
externals
all the
accoutrements
of things
that looked
very spiritual
they had
put it
together
the right
programs
the right
activities
but
Paul says
you're
doing
this
for
all
the
wrong
reasons
it's
driven
by
all
the
wrong
power
it's
self
incorporated
power
rather than
spirit
filled
power
and he
gives
them
the
answer
to
how
to
have
the
right
kind
of
life
in
Galatians
chapter 5
turn
the page
Galatians
chapter 5
beginning
in
verse
16
but
I
say
walk
by
the
spirit
and
you
will
not
gratify
the
desires
of
the
flesh
for
the
desires
of
the
flesh
are
against
the
spirit
and
the
desires
of
the
spirit
are
against
the
flesh
for
these
are
opposed
to
each
other
to
keep
you
from
doing
the
things
you
want
to
do
to
boil
it
down
in
its
simplest
form
Paul
says
essentially
you don't
need
the
right
activity
you
just
need
the
right
heart
you
don't
need
the
right
externals
you
need
the
right
desires
it
all
starts
with
the
right
affection
have
the
right
affection
for
Jesus
have
the
right
satisfaction
for
him
and
then
you
begin
to
walk
like
he
walked
you
begin
to
imitate
his
pattern
of
life
if
you
have
a
similar
desire
if
you
walk
in
the
spirit
and
desire
the
things
of
the
spirit
then
you
be
walking
in
obedience
to
him
let's
turn
back
to
1st
Thessalonians
and
we'll
look
at
our
last
point
together
!
growing
in
spiritual
maturity
as you
find
there
in
letter
B
is
a
walk
that
happens
because
of
having
the
right
affections
not
the
right
externals
finally
Paul
is
encouraged
by
the
power
that
he
sees
the
power
of
the
Holy
Spirit
showing
up
in
their
lives
power
that
strengthens
them
for
ministry
they
had
seen
the
pattern
of
Paul
and
identified
and
knew
the
pattern
of
Jesus
they
emulated
that
pattern
and
now
look
what
happens
at
the
end
of
verse
6
you
became
imitators
of us
it says
and of
the
Lord
for
you
received
the
word
in
much
affliction
with
the
joy
of
the
Holy
Spirit
so
that
you
became
an
example
to
all
the
believers
they
had
so
patterned
themselves
after
Christ
so
harmonized
their
life
with
the
affections
of
God
that
now
they
are
the
ones
as
spiritual
babes
in
manner
of
speaking
as
a
very
young
immature
church
that
are
now
setting
the
example
for
the
rest
of
the
world
at
least
in
Macedonia
and
Achaia
example
to
the
believers
a
pattern
to
emulate
!
because
of
the
presence
of
the
spirit's
power
in
their
life
how
important
is
this
power
how
accessible
is
this
power
looking
at the
time
we have
a few
minutes
I want
to take
you on
a tour
a quick
tour
turning back
to
Ephesians
I want
you to
see
the
significance
of
power
that
must
mark
the
Christian
life
Ephesians
chapter
1
if you
have your
pen
it might
be
beneficial
to
just
grab
it
and
underline
I
want
to
take
you
to
some
passages
that
help
you
see
the
power
that
you
have
and
the
significance
of
that
power
in
the
Christian
life
Ephesians
chapter
1
beginning
in
verse
15
Paul
is
praying
for
the
church
he
says
for
this
reason
because
I've
heard
of
your
faith
in
Lord
Jesus
and
your
love
towards
all
the
saints
I
do
not
cease
to
give
thanks
for
you
remembering
you
in
my
prayers
now
jump
down
to
verse
19
he's
praying
now
that
they
would
understand
what
is
the
immeasurable
greatness
of
his
what
is
that
word
power
towards
us
who
believe
according
to the
working
of his
great
might
that
he
worked
in
Christ
when
he
raised
him
from
the
dead
and
seated
him
at
his
right
hand
in
the
heavenly
places
that
is
the
power
that
Paul
is
praying
for
the
church
Holy
Spirit
power
that
raised
Christ
from
the
dead
you
have
access
to
as
a
believer
in
Jesus
Christ
turn
now
to
chapter
3
chapter
3
beginning
in
verse
14
for
this
reason
I
bow
my
knees
before
the
father
from
whom
every
family
in
heaven
and
earth
is
named
that
according
to
the
riches
of
his
glory
he
may
grant
you
to
be
strengthened
with
power
through
the
Holy
Spirit
in
your
inner
being
turn
to
chapter
6
chapter
6
verse
10
finally
be
strong
in
the
Lord
and
in
the
strength
of
his
might
put
on
the
whole
armor
of
God
and
it
goes
for
the
next
several
verses
to
talk
about
the
armor
that
we
have
available
to
us
as
believers
and
now
in
verse
18
praying
at
all
times
in
the
spirit
with
all
prayer
and
supplication
to
that
end
keep
alert
!
with
all
perseverance
making
supplication
for
all the
saints
you could
go on
this
tour
through
Philippians
and
through
Colossians
and
through
1st
Thessalonians
and
through
1st
Timothy
where
Paul
says
to
Timothy
God
has
not
given
us
a
spirit
of
fear
but
of
power
but
power
to
do
what?
Maybe
that's
the
question
power
to
do
what?
God
has
given
you
power
to
overcome
to
overcome
the
fleshly
tendencies
that
you
have
and
to
begin
to
put
on
the
fruit
of
the
spirit
and
to
put
on
the
marks
of
God
in
your
life
you
can
find
that
in
so
many
places
we
don't
have
time
for
this
morning
but
to
begin
looking
like
Christ
in
this
dark
world
that's
what
was
happening
in
Thessalonica
the
power
of
God
was
so
!
changed
their
life
we'll
look at
this a
little bit
more
next week
that
they
became
become
this
explosive
testimony
going out
from
Thessalonica
that
there
are
examples
to
all
of
Macedonia
and Achaia
of
what
God
can
do
in
a
life
that
is
surrendered
to
the
spirit's
indwelling
control
to
close
!
maybe
the
greatest
way
you can
begin
to
gauge
whether
or not
the
spirit's
power
is
active
in
your
life
is
by
taking
a
look
now
at
1
Thessalonians
chapter
1
verse
6
at
the
very
end
you
receive
the
word
in
much
affliction
with
the
joy
of
the
Holy
Spirit
when
the
spirit's
power
is
working
in
a
life
it
creates
a
person
that
is
marked
with
joy
you
have
a
life
that
is
marked
by
joy
rejoicing
in
every
circumstance
only
a
life
that
is
indwelt
by
the
Holy
Spirit
can
have
that
kind
of
joy
the
peace
of
God
that
passes
all
understanding
begins
to
mark
our
life
and
to
fill
us
with
hope
and
confidence
in
what
God
will
do
and
then
that
will
lead
us
to
joy
as
we
realize
that
God
is
helping
us
look
more
like
him
and
helping
us
be
a
better
testimony
to
the
world
around
us
may
God
help
us
to
have
a
life
that
is
marked
by
the
indwelling
power
of
God
let's
pray