12/02/09 “The New Nature” Series – Power, Places and Practices
The New Nature Series –
Power, Places and Practices!
12 2 09 HT WednesdayPM
John 3:1-8 NKJV
Write down on a piece of paper three key words for tonight, POWER, PLACES and PRACTICES.
Tonight we continue our journey of discovery of what it means to be a new person in Christ. Our faith if often challenged because our old man so often seems to over power the new man.
POWER
Question: Where do we obtain our power to become this new person?
John 3:1 NKJV
There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
John 3:2
This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
John 3:3
Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:4
Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
John 3:5
Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
John 3:6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
John 3:7
Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
John 3:8
The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Jesus uses the birthing analogy here to describe our movement from the old man to the new man.
TABLE TALK: What is your current plan for empowering your new nature in Christ?
- Two facts:
- You cannot birth yourself NATURALLY
- You cannot rebirth yourself SUPERNATURALLY
1 Peter 1:3 NLT
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation,
1 Peter 1:4
and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.
1 Peter 1:5
And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.
1 Peter 1:6
So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.
The power to become the new person comes from Christ.
Places we look
1. Behind Us (old man – past)
Philippians 3:13 ESV Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,
2. Around us (old man – people)
James 4:4 NKJV
Adulterers and adulteresses (?)! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
James 4:5
Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?
James 4:6
But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:
“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.” ◙
James 4:7
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
James 4:8
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
- Adulterer
- Double-minded
3. Above us (new man – Heaven)
Hebrews 12:2 NKJV
Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
1 Peter 1:6 NLT
So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.
Table Talk: How does where you look impact where you end up?
When you sum up your life – how often does looking back keep you from moving forward? I think here of Lots wife…. Looking back cost here, and her family!
Orrin Woodward a leadership guru and author made this statement – Your past cannot stop you from a bright future, but an improper interpretation of your past can be fatal to your future.
Practices we leave
2 Timothy 2:22 NKJV
Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
- Fill the voids you create…
- Its equally important what choose to do, as it is what you choose NOT to do!
Galatians 5:16 NLT
So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
Galatians 5:17
The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.
Galatians 5:18
But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.
Galatians 5:19
When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,
Galatians 5:20
idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division,
Galatians 5:21
envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:22
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Galatians 5:23
gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
Galatians 5:24
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.
Galatians 5:25
Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
Galatians 5:26
Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.
When you talk practices, we are talking about what a person does in their life. In Gal 5 we see the contrast of the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. Presented to us, as a bit of a comparative, we simply have to choose which side we are going with.
The works of the flesh are broken down into four parts
Sexual Religious Temper Conduct
Every one of these are tied to our sin nature, simply eliminating them will not empower the new nature – YOU MUST add the proper things in their place.
The new nature is NOT something you live out by abstaining, its something you experience in engaging Gods plan for your life! On our graph in front of you, write what you plan to replace this area of sin with!