Deepening Our Relationship with God Through the Spirit

 

Summary

In our gathering, we explored the profound nature of our relationship with God, emphasizing the importance of a deep, personal connection with Jesus. We began by reflecting on the beauty of creation and how it serves as a testament to God's creative power and holiness. This beauty is a mere glimpse of His greatness, inviting us to long for a deeper understanding and relationship with Him. We were reminded of the importance of nurturing our spiritual lives, ensuring that our love for God remains vibrant and central to our existence.

The message challenged us to evaluate our lives and question whether we are truly in love with Jesus. In the busyness of life, it's easy to lose sight of our first love and become distracted by the demands and pressures around us. We were encouraged to strengthen what remains of our faith, to rekindle our passion for God, and to return to the boldness and courage we once had in our spiritual journey.

We also delved into the significance of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The Spirit empowers us, providing everything we need for life and godliness. This divine power enables us to live a life that is truly alive in Christ, free from limitations. We were reminded that our faith places us on equal standing with the apostles, and we are called to make every effort to grow in character and godliness.

Finally, we were urged to live with an eternal perspective, understanding the urgency of our mission and the reality of standing before a holy God. Our lives should reflect a high view of God, and our actions should prepare us and those we love for the moment we meet Him face to face. This is not just about doing more but about truly knowing and loving God, allowing His Spirit to transform us and guide us in all we do.

Key Takeaways:

- Longing for God: Our hearts should be filled with a deep longing for God, recognizing that everything we see in creation is a mere glimpse of His glory. This longing should drive us to seek a closer relationship with Him, understanding that our ultimate fulfillment is found in His presence. [03:27]

- Strengthening Our Faith: In the midst of life's distractions, we must strengthen what remains of our faith. This involves returning to our first love, rekindling our passion for God, and embracing the boldness and courage we once had in our spiritual journey. [16:24]

- Empowered by the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit provides us with everything we need for life and godliness. We are on equal standing with the apostles, and through His divine power, we can live a life that is truly alive in Christ, free from limitations. [33:22]

- Living with an Eternal Perspective: We must live with the awareness that we will one day stand before a holy God. Our lives should reflect a high view of God, and our actions should prepare us and those we love for that moment. This involves understanding the urgency of our mission and the reality of His holiness. [22:47]

- Growing in Character: Our character is crucial to a fruitful ministry. By making every effort to grow in virtues such as self-control, perseverance, and love, we ensure that our lives are effective and fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. [42:05]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:06] - Introduction of Francis Chan
- [00:59] - Reflecting on Past Experiences
- [02:08] - Rachel's Song and God's Beauty
- [04:35] - Prayer and Worship
- [09:20] - Longing for Jesus
- [11:20] - The Challenge of Staying in Love with Jesus
- [15:39] - Strengthening What Remains
- [19:23] - The Reality of Meeting God
- [23:00] - The Holiness of God
- [29:30] - Belief in the Holy Spirit
- [33:22] - Equal Standing with the Apostles
- [38:11] - Making Every Effort
- [42:05] - Growing in Character
- [47:46] - Living a Life That is Truly Life
- [49:23] - Closing Prayer

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Revelation 3:2-3 - "Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God."
2. 2 Peter 1:3-8 - "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence..."

Observation Questions:
1. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between the beauty of creation and our understanding of God's greatness? [03:15]
2. How does the sermon describe the role of the Holy Spirit in empowering believers? [33:22]
3. According to the sermon, what are some distractions that can cause us to lose sight of our first love for Jesus? [11:20]
4. What does the sermon say about the urgency of living with an eternal perspective? [19:23]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the passage in Revelation 3:2-3 relate to the sermon's call to "strengthen what remains" in our faith? [16:24]
2. In what ways does 2 Peter 1:3-8 challenge believers to grow in character and godliness, according to the sermon? [38:11]
3. How does the sermon interpret the significance of having a faith of "equal standing" with the apostles, as mentioned in 2 Peter 1:1? [30:26]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the importance of understanding God's holiness and how it should impact our lives? [23:00]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current relationship with Jesus. Are there specific distractions in your life that are hindering your love for Him? How can you address these distractions this week? [11:20]
2. The sermon emphasizes the need to "strengthen what remains" in our faith. What practical steps can you take to rekindle your passion for God? [16:24]
3. How can you actively rely on the Holy Spirit to empower you in your daily life and spiritual journey? Identify one area where you need His strength. [33:22]
4. Consider the urgency of living with an eternal perspective. What changes can you make in your daily routine to reflect a high view of God? [19:23]
5. The sermon challenges us to grow in character and godliness. Choose one virtue from 2 Peter 1:5-7 to focus on this month. What specific actions will you take to cultivate this virtue? [38:11]
6. How can you prepare yourself and your loved ones for the moment you stand before God? What conversations or actions might be necessary? [22:47]
7. Reflect on the idea of having a faith of "equal standing" with the apostles. How does this perspective change the way you view your spiritual potential and responsibilities? [30:26]

Devotional

Day 1: Longing for God's Presence
Our hearts should be filled with a deep longing for God, recognizing that everything we see in creation is a mere glimpse of His glory. This longing should drive us to seek a closer relationship with Him, understanding that our ultimate fulfillment is found in His presence. The beauty of creation is a testament to God's creative power and holiness, inviting us to long for a deeper understanding and relationship with Him. In the busyness of life, it's easy to lose sight of this longing, but nurturing our spiritual lives ensures that our love for God remains vibrant and central to our existence. [03:27]

Psalm 42:1-2 (ESV): "As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?"

Reflection: What is one way you can intentionally seek God's presence today, allowing His creation to remind you of His greatness and draw you closer to Him?


Day 2: Rekindling Our First Love
In the midst of life's distractions, we must strengthen what remains of our faith. This involves returning to our first love, rekindling our passion for God, and embracing the boldness and courage we once had in our spiritual journey. It's easy to become distracted by the demands and pressures around us, but we are challenged to evaluate our lives and question whether we are truly in love with Jesus. By doing so, we can return to the vibrant faith we once had and ensure that our love for God remains central to our existence. [16:24]

Revelation 2:4-5 (ESV): "But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first."

Reflection: Think of a time when your love for God was most vibrant. What specific steps can you take today to rekindle that passion and return to your first love?


Day 3: Empowered by the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit provides us with everything we need for life and godliness. We are on equal standing with the apostles, and through His divine power, we can live a life that is truly alive in Christ, free from limitations. The Spirit empowers us, enabling us to grow in character and godliness, and to live a life that reflects the greatness of God. By embracing the power of the Holy Spirit, we can overcome the limitations of our human nature and live a life that is truly alive in Christ. [33:22]

2 Peter 1:3-4 (ESV): "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire."

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to rely more on the Holy Spirit's power? How can you invite Him to empower you today?


Day 4: Living with an Eternal Perspective
We must live with the awareness that we will one day stand before a holy God. Our lives should reflect a high view of God, and our actions should prepare us and those we love for that moment. This involves understanding the urgency of our mission and the reality of His holiness. By living with an eternal perspective, we can ensure that our lives are aligned with God's purposes and that we are prepared for the moment we meet Him face to face. [22:47]

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (ESV): "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

Reflection: What is one practical way you can shift your focus from the temporary to the eternal today, ensuring that your actions reflect a high view of God?


Day 5: Growing in Godly Character
Our character is crucial to a fruitful ministry. By making every effort to grow in virtues such as self-control, perseverance, and love, we ensure that our lives are effective and fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The call to grow in character is a call to reflect the nature of Christ in our daily lives, allowing His Spirit to transform us and guide us in all we do. By doing so, we can live a life that is truly alive in Christ and free from limitations. [42:05]

2 Peter 1:5-8 (ESV): "For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Reflection: Identify one specific virtue you need to grow in. What steps can you take today to cultivate this virtue and ensure your life is fruitful in the knowledge of Christ?

Quotes



"and through nature i feel like we see a part of him i feel like that's the closest i get to understanding um how holy he is how incredibly creative he is and so this song um it just comes from that desire that longing that we should all have deep in our hearts of knowing that everything we see here as you just look outside look at all of us here we're all beautifully and wonderfully made as we look at each other it's all just a glimpse of who god is in his greatness his glory" [00:03:04]

"you want your people to be able to have this relationship with god where they're just gonna die without him but they can do without you because you've trained them you've taught them how to study the word they know how to go out and make disciples they can stand on their own two feet but too often we do the opposite we get people dependent on us and they can do with or without god and suddenly they they move away to another place and they just go man i can't find a church out here i i don't know what to do i miss you" [00:10:05]

"i really want you to evaluate your life tonight and does that describe you that song where you're longing for him man i know we're all supposed to be you know in ministry somehow here at this conference but seriously in your heart right now are you in love with jesus does that really describe you because i'm finding it harder and harder to stay in love with jesus i just feel like everything's getting busier and busier and times moving faster and faster" [00:10:47]

"god help me i want that boldness back i don't want to water down your message i want to say whatever this book says but i notice it just by reading old sermons but then you know what killed me was i started reading these old messages and there was this one there was this one message where it was a it was when my son was born i had already had three daughters and my son was born that week and i was describing his birth to everyone in the church because i was pretty excited about it" [00:12:43]

"god i think i used to love you more and i didn't ever want those words to come out of my god mouth think i used to love you more and as i'm just wrestling with those thoughts you know i i heard just this verse just kept coming to my head and i don't know if it's the holy spirit just speaking it to me or if god brought it to my mind it depends if you're charismatic or not okay if you're charismatic i heard this from the lord and if not it just came in my head for some reason it's just" [00:15:42]

"strengthen what remains and is about to die strengthen what remains and is about to die what he said to that church and and and charges you've got this reputation for being alive but you're really dead and yet he also says this phrase strength and there's something in there still strengthen what's left and it was a wonderful word from the lord i just really felt like god was incur it wasn't like condemning it was just francis i know who you are i know it's still in you now strengthen it back up" [00:16:24]

"what would i say like what would i say to you where i go i don't care i'm not going to see you in 30 minutes ever again it doesn't matter what you think of me after this i'm going to face god like you understand like like in a few seconds i'm going to stand before this being who's sitting on the throne where revelation 4 says there's going to be lightning and thunder and fire this being who gave me my whole life and i'm going to stand before him" [00:18:38]

"and i think if i love you i'm not just gonna you know kind of say a few nice words and sit down and hopefully you clap and this what kind of love is that like i want to prepare you for that moment and make sure you really get what he is like and going man that's cool that's all that matters it's all about having a high view of god and understanding who he is some of you in this room man i know some of you are lying right now about your relationship with god" [00:20:34]

"do you believe that about yourself gosh maybe i maybe i would take you to second peter second peter one i mean a passage it's been in my head a lot it's been on my mind a lot second peter chapter one whereas simon peter a servant and apostle of jesus christ to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of god of our god and savior jesus christ where paul says peter says look to those who've obtained a faith of equal standing with ours" [00:29:55]

"his divine nature has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence it says his divine nature his divine power has granted us all things that pertain to life and godliness do you do you get that that right now if you believe in the word of god he's given you every single thing that pertains to life and godliness he didn't give me extra life extra godliness he gave us all everything all things that pertain to life and godliness" [00:31:37]

"make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue virtue with knowledge knowledge with self-control self-control is steadfast and steadfastness with godliness godliness with brotherly love and brotherly love or brotherly affection with love he says make every effort isn't that crazy he says because you've been given this now this word means to pursue diligently like make every like i have to work at these things you got to understand what's going on here god says i'm going to give you everything you need for life and godliness" [00:38:11]

"if these qualities are yours and are increasing they will keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our lord jesus christ maybe this is i don't know what i would end on you know i got six minutes 59 seconds you know but i i go you know what this is worth talking about verse eight if these qualities are yours and increasing they'll keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful listen i think a lot of you are here at the hymn conference because you want fruitful ministry right" [00:42:05]

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Transcript
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