Below are notes to a sermon preached Sunday morning, Oct. 22, 2000, at Gospel Light Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia. For more outlines, including a zipped file of all of my 1999 sermon outlines, click on the link at the bottom of this note, and go to our website:

IF GOD'S SPIRIT IS IN YOU

By Michael D. O'Neal Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church Albany, Georgia

Scripture Reading: Romans 8:1-9

Text: Romans 8:9

Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Introduction: It's what's INside that counts! What you are INside is what makes you what you really are!

Our text mentions the Spirit of God. There is much confusion over the Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost. First of all, He is a Person. The Godhead is one God made of three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The Spirit of God is just as much God as is the Son or the Father.

After He ascended into heaven, Jesus sent the Holy Ghost to abide with believers forever. In the Old Testament, the Spirit of God came in and on people and left them. In the New Testament, he comes in to dwell in believers and stays with them until death.

Now, according to Rom. 8:9, EVERY believer HAS the Spirit of God. The believer is born again by the Spirit of God (John 3:1-8), and he is baptized into Christ by the Spirit of God (1 Cor. 12:13). He is saved, sealed, sanctified, secured, and a son by the Spirit of God!

IF GOD'S SPIRIT IS IN YOU,

I. YOU CAN LEARN THE CONTENTS OF GOD'S WORD

1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

A. The Spirit of God inspired the Bible

B. The Spirit of God instructs the Christian

C. The Spirit of God illuminates the study

IF GOD'S SPIRIT IS IN YOU,

II. YOU CAN LIVE IN THE CENTER OF GOD'S WILL

Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

The Spirit of God will lead you to

A. The companion God wants you to marry

B. The career God wants you to have

C. The church God wants you to join

IF GOD'S SPIRIT IS IN YOU,

III. YOU CAN LABOR THROUGH THE CHURCH IN GOD'S WORK

1 Corinthians 12:4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

Ephesians 3:16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

Ephesians 3:7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

A. The Spirit of God gives the task

Saul's first question upon conversion was,"Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?"

B. The Spirit of God gives the territory

Jonah disobeyed God by going to the wrong place.
Paul disobeyed God by going to the wrong place.
It is not enough to do the right task. You must do God's task in the PLACE to which God assigns you!

C. The Spirit of God gives the tools

He will equip you to do His work

D. The Spirit of God gives the technique

We must do God's work GOD'S way, not the way of the world!

E. The Spirit of God gives textbook

God has specified in scripture how His work is to be done.

F. The Spirit of God gives the time

You have all the time you need!
The time to serve God is NOW -- not when you retire ... not when your health is better ... not when you have earned more money and paid off bills ... not when you get the kids grown ... you should serve God NOW ... TODAY!

IF GOD'S SPIRIT IS IN YOU,

IV. YOU CAN LAUGH IN CONTENTMENT IN GOD'S WAY

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

A. The Spirit of God provides clean fun

The believer's heart can be merry without jokes that mock holiness.

B. The Spirit of God provides complete fulfillment

God causes us to laugh by providing every need.

C. The Spirit of God provides a constructive future

We can laugh because of our future -- here on earth and later in heaven.

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