Embracing the Complete Gospel: Freedom Through the Spirit

Devotional

Day 1: The Complete Gospel: From Condemnation to New Birth

Every person is born into a nature that is contrary to God, unable to control sin or earn righteousness by their own efforts. The law simply reveals this fallen nature, showing us our need for a Savior. But God, in His great love, sent Jesus so that we could be born again—transferred from Adam’s world into God’s kingdom. The complete gospel is not just about believing in Jesus for eternal life, but also recognizing our desperate need for Him because, apart from Him, we are already condemned and powerless to change ourselves. [01:02]

John 3:16-18 (ESV)
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

Reflection: In what area of your life are you still trying to “do enough good” to overcome your struggles, instead of admitting your need for Jesus and surrendering that area to Him today?

Day 2: Walking in the Spirit: The Only Way to True Freedom

Many believers struggle with addictions and desires of the flesh, thinking that repentance alone will bring lasting freedom. But the Bible teaches that only by walking in the Spirit can we avoid fulfilling the lusts of the flesh. Temptation will still come, but the power to resist and not give in comes from living daily in the Spirit, not from our own willpower. God has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to live victoriously over sin. [09:25]

Galatians 5:16 (ESV)
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

Reflection: What is one practical way you can intentionally “walk in the Spirit” today when you feel tempted by an old habit or desire?

Day 3: The Power and Purpose of the Holy Spirit

Jesus did not leave us alone after His resurrection; He sent the Holy Spirit to fill and empower us. The Holy Spirit is not just a comforter, but the very power of God living inside believers, enabling us to do the works of Jesus and even greater things. This power is not just for church services, but for every day, everywhere we go. When we believe and walk in this truth, we can confidently face any challenge, knowing that God’s Spirit is with us and in us. [25:49]

Acts 1:8 (ESV)
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Reflection: Where in your daily life do you need to rely on the Holy Spirit’s power, rather than your own strength, to be a witness for Jesus?

Day 4: Faith Over Unbelief: Receiving All God Has Promised

Even after seeing Jesus’ miracles, the disciples struggled with unbelief, and Jesus rebuked them for it. The Holy Spirit also convicts us when we doubt, but He doesn’t leave us there—He gives us the gift of faith to believe for more. God wants us to walk in the fullness of what He has promised, not in a “short” or incomplete version of salvation. When we truly believe that the power of God lives in us, our confidence grows and we begin to walk in victory and boldness. [14:17]

Mark 16:14-18 (ESV)
“Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.’”

Reflection: What promise of God have you doubted or hesitated to believe is for you? How can you ask the Holy Spirit to help your unbelief today?

Day 5: Surrendering Control: Letting God Break the Chains

True freedom comes when we stop lying to ourselves about being in control and admit our need for God’s power. As long as we try to manage our struggles in our own strength, the enemy keeps us stuck. But when we confess our weakness and believe that the Holy Spirit can break every chain, we begin to experience real transformation. Just as we first believed in Jesus for salvation, we must also believe and confess that He can empower us to walk in victory over every addiction and stronghold. [37:37]

2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV)
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Reflection: What is one area where you need to stop pretending you have control and instead admit your weakness to God, inviting Him to break the chain and fill you with His power?

Sermon Summary

The call today is to embrace and proclaim the complete gospel—a gospel that does not stop at forgiveness, but leads us into true freedom and power through the Holy Spirit. From the moment we are born, we inherit a nature that is contrary to God, a nature we cannot control or overcome by our own strength. The law simply reveals this reality, exposing the sin that already lives within us. But God, in His great love, sent Jesus not just to forgive us, but to make us new, to give us a new nature, and to fill us with His Spirit so that we can live in victory.

Many sit in church, forgiven but still bound, struggling with addictions and shame, believing that repentance alone should be enough to set them free. Yet, the truth is that while repentance brings forgiveness, it is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that brings power to overcome. Jesus did not leave us alone; He sent the Comforter so that we could walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Walking in the Spirit does not mean the flesh stops lusting, but it means we are no longer slaves to those desires. The Spirit empowers us to live out the righteousness that Christ has given us.

Faith is not just believing in Jesus for salvation, but also believing that the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in us and enables us to do the works of God. Too often, we settle for a partial gospel, content with forgiveness but missing out on the power and purpose God intends for us. The Holy Spirit is not just for a select few, but for all who believe, for us and our children and all who are far off. When we walk in the fullness of the gospel, we become vessels of God’s power, able to minister, to heal, and to stand firm against temptation.

It is time to stop lying to ourselves about our ability to control sin. True freedom comes when we surrender control, admit our need, and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us daily. The complete gospel is not just about being saved from something, but being empowered for something—empowered to live, to love, and to walk in victory every day. God has given us everything we need for life and godliness, and it is all wrapped up in the good news: we are born again, we are not alone, and we have power through the Holy Spirit.

Key Takeaways

1. The Inherited Nature and the Need for New Birth Every person is born into a nature that is fundamentally opposed to God, a nature that cannot be tamed or managed by human effort. The law does not create sin, but exposes the reality of our condition and our need for transformation. Only by being born again—receiving a new nature through Christ—can we escape condemnation and enter into God’s kingdom. [01:02]
2. Repentance Brings Forgiveness, but the Spirit Brings Freedom Repentance is the first step, opening the door to forgiveness and reconciliation with God. However, many remain bound by addictions and struggles because they stop at repentance and do not move into the fullness of life in the Spirit. True freedom from the power of sin comes only as we learn to walk daily in the Spirit, relying on His strength rather than our own. [07:53]
3. Walking in the Spirit: The Key to Overcoming the Flesh The promise is not that the flesh will stop lusting, but that as we walk in the Spirit, we will not fulfill those desires. Temptation is not a sin; it is yielding to temptation that leads to bondage. The Spirit empowers us to say no to the flesh, to break cycles of addiction, and to live in the victory Christ has won for us. [10:28]
4. The Power and Purpose of the Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit is not an optional extra for the Christian life, but the very power and presence of God within us. He equips us not only to resist sin, but to minister to others, to walk in faith, and to do the works of Jesus. When we believe and receive the Spirit, we are enabled to live out the “such as I have, I give unto you” kind of faith, impacting the world around us. [27:18]
5. Surrendering Control and Embracing God’s Power Freedom begins with honesty—admitting that we cannot control our sin or save ourselves. As long as we cling to the illusion of control, we remain stuck and the enemy keeps us from moving forward. When we surrender, confess our need, and believe that the Spirit can empower us, we step into the fullness of the gospel and experience the life and godliness God has promised.

** [37:37]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:02] - The Nature of Sin and Condemnation
[02:27] - The Law Reveals Our Condition
[03:16] - The Powerlessness of Human Effort
[05:17] - Christ: The Foundation and the Rock
[06:22] - Repentance and Hitting Rock Bottom
[07:53] - Repentance and the Need for the Spirit
[09:12] - The Promise of the Holy Spirit
[10:28] - Walking in the Spirit vs. Fulfilling the Flesh
[13:10] - The Complete Gospel and Perfect Salvation
[14:17] - The Holy Spirit Rebukes Unbelief
[18:47] - The Danger of Self-Confidence in the Flesh
[21:42] - Jesus Does Not Leave Us Alone
[25:49] - Born Again and Filled with the Spirit
[27:18] - Living and Ministering in the Spirit’s Power
[30:05] - Walking in the Spirit Every Day
[33:43] - Breaking Addictions by the Spirit
[36:47] - God Has Given Us Everything We Need
[37:37] - Surrendering Control and Walking in Freedom
[39:43] - Prayer for the Filling and Power of the Spirit

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

John 3:16-18 (ESV) — > “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

Galatians 5:16 (ESV) — > “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

Acts 2:38-39 (ESV) — > “And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.’”

Observation Questions

According to John 3:16-18, what is the reason people are already condemned before believing in Jesus? ([01:02])
In Galatians 5:16, what is the promise given to those who walk by the Spirit?
What does Acts 2:38-39 say is the result of repentance and baptism in Jesus’ name?
In the sermon, what is described as the difference between repentance and walking in the Spirit? ([07:53])

Interpretation Questions

The sermon says that many people in church are forgiven but still bound by addictions and shame. Why does the pastor say repentance alone is not enough for freedom? ([07:53])
What does it mean to “walk in the Spirit” according to the sermon, and how is this different from just trying harder to be good? ([10:28])
The pastor mentions that the Holy Spirit is not just for a select few, but for all who believe. How does this challenge the way some Christians view the Holy Spirit’s role in their lives? ([09:12])
Why is it important to admit that we cannot control our sin on our own, according to the message? ([37:37])

Application Questions

The sermon says, “It is time to stop lying to ourselves about our ability to control sin.” Is there an area in your life where you have been trying to manage sin on your own? What would it look like to surrender that area to the Holy Spirit this week? ([37:37])
The pastor shared that many people stop at repentance and never move into the fullness of life in the Spirit. Have you ever found yourself stuck in this place? What steps could you take to begin walking in the Spirit daily? ([07:53])
Galatians 5:16 promises that if we walk by the Spirit, we will not gratify the desires of the flesh. What are some practical ways you can “walk by the Spirit” in your everyday routines—at work, at home, or with friends? ([10:28])
The message says the Holy Spirit empowers us to minister, to heal, and to stand firm against temptation. Is there someone in your life who needs you to minister to them or pray for them this week? How can you step out in faith and do that? ([27:18])
The pastor talked about the danger of thinking we are in control and how that keeps us stuck. What is one area where you need to let go of control and trust God’s power instead of your own strength? ([37:37])
The sermon says, “God has given us everything we need for life and godliness.” What is one resource or promise from God that you need to start believing and using more fully in your life? ([36:47])
The message challenges us to believe that the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us. How does this truth change the way you see your struggles, your purpose, or your daily life? ([32:23])

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Transcript

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