CGMI ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL 23rd JUNE 2024| Topic: FOCUS ON CHRIST FOR SUPERNATURAL MANIFESTATION: ALIVE IN THE SPIRIT 1
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CGMI ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL
CENTRAL THOUGHT:
Being alive in the spirit is a life lived in obedience to the Holy Spirit
SUNDAY, 23rd JUNE 2024.
HYMN: S.S & S 201 “Spirit Divine! Attend our prayer”
TOPIC: FOCUS ON CHRIST FOR SUPERNATURAL MANIFESTATION: ALIVE IN THE SPIRIT 1
TEXT: Rom 8:1-17; 12:9-12; Gal 5:16-18
INTRODUCTION:
There is a life in the Spirit which is unmistakably different from the life in the flesh. It is a life of faith and absolute dependence on the Holy Spirit, for guidance and His leading. Being alive in the spirit, meant that we are in continual and uninterrupted fellowship with the Lord. Being alive in the Spirit does not mean that we are always speaking in tongues, but tongues helps to boost the life in the Spirit (1Corin 14:2). He does not necessarily mean jumping frantically in every worship service but that could well be a part of it, if it is done from a deep love for the Lord.
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
The objectives of this stuff udy are to:
- Comprehend what it means to be alive in the Spirit
- Understand how one begins the life in the spirit
- Contrast the life in the Spirit with that in the flesh
BIBLE TRUTH:
QUESTION 1. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE ALIVE IN THE SPIRIT ?
Being alive in the Spirit is to be led by the Holy Spirit. The world cannot be led by the Holy Spirit because “the world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him” (Jn 14:17a NIV). But those who have received Jesus Christ into their hearts and repented of sins are the sons of God, to be led by the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:14). The experience of the new birth by an individual, therefore marks the beginning of the work of the Holy Spirit (Jn 3:3-5). Therefore, the Lord continues His work of grace in that individual with the experience of the Holy Spirit baptism that is accompanied with the tongues(Acts 2:17-21). Deeper work of grace by the Lord could involve impartation of gifts of the Holy Spirit (1Corin 12:1-11), which could enable such an individual occupy an office of ministry. As all these landmark experiences are taking place, the Holy Spirit forges His nature and character in such an individual, such that the fruit of the Holy Spirit becomes evident (Gal 5:21). We may point out that these landmark experiences may take place in this sequence for some believers, while in others they may coalesce into one where at the new birth they are also baptized in the Spirit. Whichever is the case , these experiences bring an individual into a unique walk of faith in which one is very deeply conscious of the leading of the Holy Spirit upon one’s life. What weust not fail to mention here, which is the crux of this lesson, is that there is the need on a regular basis “to fan into flame the gift of God” or be refilled with the Holy Spirit so that one continues to be agloe in the Spirit (2Tim 1:6). It is a common experience of most believers for the flame of the Holy Spirit to smoulder, and in that case, it can be fanned back when we go to seek the Lord in prayers with a desire for a new and fresh visitation from His presence. With such refreshing we are kept alive in the Holy Spirit, to walk in holiness, express the character and nature of God with the fruit of the Holy Spirit being evident in our dispositions, interactions and relationship and zealously do the work of the Lord in His vineyard. Being alive in the Holy Spirit offers the surest way to avoid doing God’s work by the arm of flesh. The arm of flesh distorts and corrupt the excellent work of the Holy Spirit through a believer, amongst the body of believers and in the proclamation of the Gospel to unbelieving folks. Time and time again we witness how a good work of grace is corrupted by a believer who switches from being alive in the Spirit to been led by the arm of flesh. What is readily noticed under such circumstance, is that the glory that used to be ascribed to the individual. The only remedy for this kind of situation which every believer experience at one time or another and in one shape or form, is for the individual to be humble enough to seek the Lord for a fresh anointing and visitation. Our loving Father is most willing to correct that child of His and set him back on the track.
QUESTION 2. HOW DOES THE LIFE IN THE SPIRIT BEGINS ?
We had touch on this when we discussed what it meant to be alive in the Spirit. We had also indicated earlier than an individual who lives in the flesh is a slave to sin and the devil, sold to sin and unable to live out the righteousness of God. However,
such an individual is redeemed from slavery in encountering the Lord in what is commonly referred to as the new birth experience. Here, that individual acknowledges being a sinner, who is unable to deliver himself from the grip of sin and the devil and then seeks the help of the Holy Spirit pleading for forgiveness of sin and cleansing by the shed blood of Christ on calvary. Thereafter, the individual enters into a life in the Spirit, an adventure of faith, a walk with God.
QUESTION 3. CONTRAST THE LIFE IN THE SPIRIT WITH THE LIFE IN THE FLESH
We could have followed the approach taught in school when contrasting, to itemize the issues in a tabular form. However, we will slightly modify that approach by itemizing the contracts of both lives in the following paragraphs. “Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires, but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires” (Rom 8:5NIV). The individual who lives according to the flesh has a mind set to do what his sinful nature dictates, but an individual in the spirit has a mind set to do what the Holy Spirit would want him to do. What are the dictates of the sinful nature ? “Sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits if rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy, drunkenness, orgies and the like” (Gal 5:19-21NIV).
What is characteristics of the life in the Spirit ? ” But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law”(Gal 5:22-23NIV). ” The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God “(Rom 8:7-8NIV). In contrast, those controlled by the Spirit live a life of faith and do those things that are pleasing to God. In order words, those who live in the flesh are enemies of God, but those who live in the Spirit are friends of God (James 4:4). Those in the Spirit are alive because they have been quickened to righteousness by the power that Jesus from the dead, but those who are in the flesh are dead in sin (Rom 8:9-11). Those who are alive in the Spirit are spiritual and have the capacity to live out their heart desires, but those who live in the flesh are slaves to sin and therefore incapacitated to do any good they intended to do any good they intended to do (Rom 7:14-17)
DAILY LIVING APPLICATION
The normal Christian life is being alive in the Spirit. This kind of life is not designed for some special christians but for all who have come into a saving knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is for all christians because it is the only one that allows for unfettered fellowship with God and the brethren. No believer can afford not being alive in the Spirit. It is a life of faith that keep alive the flames of love for God and the brethren. It is a life of complete surrender to the leading of the Holy Spirit. It is a life that puts the devil and his kingdom in constant terror.
MEMORY VERSE
Galatians 5:16 “[This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh”
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