Today the focus of the lesson was on the nature of man. The NATURAL man is lost and without Christ. The CARNAL man has been born again into Christ, but chooses to live in sin. The SPIRITUAL man is confessed of all sin and surrendered to the Holy Spirit.
The containers below represent man's spirit. The two votive candles represent the Holy Spirit. The one flame represents a believer who is confessed of all sins and is allowing God's Holy Spirit to control his soul and body.
The Holy Spirit comes into man's spirit and quickens it as though kindling a lamp, equipping it to regain control over the soul and, through the soul, to govern the body. But, the soul must choose to allow it.
God's children already have the Holy Spirit abiding in them, but they may not recognize Him or obey Him. They must realize that this indwelling presence is a Person, One Who teaches, guides, and communicates the reality of Christ to them. Until they are willing to be taught, they block the way of this Person. Knowing He indwells us helps us as Christians to overcome our carnal condition.
"Do you not know that God's Spirit dwells in you?" 1 Corinthians 3:16The communication, intimacy, and peace we desire in our relationships begins when we individually seek Total Oneness with God. This is only possible through our spirit. Oneness with God is the ultimate path to Oneness in our relationships--especially in our marriages.
"In order that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit...those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit...the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace." Romans 8:4-6In our study of Gary Chapman's The 5 Love Languages, we identified that the 5 love languages are primarily aimed at our emotions--the soul of man. That being the case, unless we are walking in the Spirit, the love languages are, at best, only able to temporarily satisfy. Complete satisfaction occurs when two spirits are joined through the love of God.
"The only thing that counts is FAITH expressing itself through LOVE." Galatians 5:6
The slides from today's lesson are below. The spotlighted couple was Ray and Holly Rollins. Their featured video is below the lesson slides.
Ray & Holly Rollins
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