WE ARE A FAMILY THAT LIVES BY THE SPIRIT

Romans 8:12-14
We are called as "brothers," i.e. family, to live by the Spirit.

1. KEEP IN STEP WITH THE SPIRIT

Genesis 5:24-26
"Keep in step with the Spirit," i.e. run to the same rhythm, dance to the same music, fight the same battle. You can't be off "doing your own thing."

Keeping in step requires discipline, determination, focus and stamina. You've got to know what you want and then go after it.

If you are to keep in step with the Spirit, you have got to want to. You've got to want spiritual maturity, spiritual effectiveness and true spiritual living in all aspects of your life.

You must know what the Spirit wants and where the Spirit is going, e.g. band members must keep in step with the band master, soldiers at war must keep in step with their commanding officer, payers on a team must keep in step with their coach, knowing what their leader wants and how he wants it accomplished. To know what the Spirit wants you must be in the Bible.

Q. Are you studying the Bible every day?
Q. Are you enjoying studying the Bible every day?
Q. Are you learning and growing from what you study every day?

Jesus was full of the Spirit but needed Scripture in order to to be guided and directed by the Spirit, and needed to pray in order to unleash the Spirit to act and work in his life.

Verse 26 is what happens when we do not keep in step with the Spirit - conceit, provoking instead of protecting each other, envy. Where these sins exist there can be no family. When those who feel they have less feel envious of those who have more and those who have more feel conceited, it creates division. We must, instead, be a people who care and share.

Q. Do you share?
Q. Do you sacrifice of your time and energy to encourage others?


2. KEEP YOUR SPIRITUAL ZEAL

Romans 12:11
A great example of one who kept his zeal is Caleb - Numbers 13:26-32 Despite the negative attitude of those who had accompanied him to spy out the land, Caleb was zealous and faithful about the Israelites taking over the Promised Land.

Joshua 14:6-12 Forty-five years later, at the ripe old age of eighty-five, Caleb is still full of zeal and spiritual fervour.

In many cases we lose our zeal because of having been disciples for a long time. Zeal that comes from keeping in step with the Spirit does not fade with time, just as was the case with Caleb.

Some of the things that zealous disciples do are to:
-Contribute ideas for the running of the church and activities within the ministry, rather than just sitting back and waiting for events to be announced.
-Enjoy being discipled rather than look for ways and reasons to avoid being discipled.
-Be involved in church activities even after marriage, rather than constantly opt out of events simply because you have a spouse and children.
-Desire, aim and work at helping non-disciples get baptized, rather than be content with lack of fruit and growth in the ministry.

Isaiah 6:8
This is the attitude of the zealous. We need to rally to the cause of making disciples. We must be those who say, "Here am I, send me," and not of those who say, as Moses did in Exodus 4:13, "Send someone else."

Acts 17:10,11
For those aiming to become disciples, you must have the eagerness (zeal) of the Bereans and make yourself available to be helped. Get some spiritual zeal.

Let us be the family of God, a family that lives by the Spirit.