Do You Know How to Live in the Spirit?

Paul reminds these followers in Galatia who had stopped living in the Spirit’s power and had started to depend on themselves how foolish that is, and then he makes it clear what they need to do (Galatians 5:25).

The picture is of someone walking, and every step they take in the Spirit.  You can’t live by the Spirit if you only acknowledge his presence one day a week when you come to church.

– Idleman, Kyle; Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus; Zondervan; copyright 2011; Grand Rapids, MI; Kindle Edition; page 95

Transparency is the Key to That Kind of Power

Being filled with the power of the Spirit begins with an honest acknowledgement of our own weakness.

The truth is that most of us go to great lengths to disguise our weaknesses.

– Idleman, Kyle; Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus; Zondervan; copyright 2011; Grand Rapids, MI; Kindle Edition; page 93

That’s Not the Question

When you become a Christian you receive from God the gift of the Holy Spirit.  That’s his promise to all who put their faith in him.  So it’s not a question of whether or not you have access to this power of the Holy Spirit; the question is, have you accessed it?  Fans may have received the gift of the Holy Spirit but they aren’t being filled with the Holy Spirit.

– Idleman, Kyle; Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus; Zondervan; copyright 2011; Grand Rapids, MI; Kindle Edition; page 92

It Doesn’t Work Without The Power of the Spirit

Fans trying to follow without being filled with the power of the Holy Spirit become overwhelmed by life’s circumstances.  They seem to be following Christ, but then something in life goes wrong and they don’t have the power to overcome it.  Instead of following Christ and sticking close to him in the storm, they become discouraged and keep their distance.

Eventually something happens and you can’t get through it on your own.  Followers have discovered that it doesn’t work without the power of the Spirit.

– Idleman, Kyle; Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus; Zondervan; copyright 2011; Grand Rapids, MI; Kindle Edition; page 89

The Problem is not Enough Learning…

It is impossible to know too much about God and his love for us in Christ.  If someone is into theology and not into loving others, the problem isn’t that he’s spent too much time learning about God; it’s that he never took to heart what he learned.  In fact, I John warns he may not even be a believer at all.

– Dever, Mark & Jamie Dunlop; The Compelling Community: Where God’s Power Makes a Church Attractive; Crossway; Wheaton, IL; Copyright 2015; Kindle Edition; Page 48

What Are You Following?

Maybe you grew up in a home where you were taught all about Jesus.  Through fear and guilt you learned to keep as many of the rules as possible, hoping it would be enough to keep you out of hell.  You were taught to observe different religious traditions and rituals in an effort to appease God.  Instead of becoming a follower of Christ, you become a follower of religion.

– Idleman, Kyle; Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus; Zondervan; copyright 2011; Grand Rapids, MI; Kindle Edition; page 82

You Can Always Count on Guilt

When following the rules becomes the principal focus of a church, then you can count on guilt being the primary motivator.  Jesus speaks of guilt as a weight that these religious leaders forced people to carry by making a relationship with God all about the rules.

– Idleman, Kyle; Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus; Zondervan; copyright 2011; Grand Rapids, MI; Kindle Edition; page 79