Southside Church Ballarat

Have you ever considered the power in our Desires. We hear many sermons on Faith and prayer but when was the last time you heard a sermon on God Given Desire. When we deal with our desiring we are dealing with the foundation of mountain moving faith and a powerful prayer life. God Given Desire is what brings true spiritual revival. Revival starts with each and everyone one of us as individual belivers and then as we are one in Spirit that Revial overflows in to out local church and coommunity. Praise God

Grace Versus Law Part 2 Love for God and love for one's neighbour. This new relationship with God means that a Christian is dead to the Law (the Law has no power over a dead man!) and, as it were, MARRIED to Christ. A Christian was once bound to the Law, but is free to " marry" Christ now that he is dead to the Law. Because of this " marriage" he now lives motivated by love. (Rom. 7:I-6).   Moreover, this new life of LOVE ac­tually FULFILS the Law. Paul says: "…whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. ..whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbour as yourself.". (Rom. 13:8-9).   Therefore. a Christian's motive for conduct is now the "Law of love." All that he does is now done in a spirit of love to his neighbour. He ref uses to steal, not just because it is said to be wrong, but because it is not a fruit of love. So with murder, hatred disobed­ience to parents, coveting, adultery. bearing false witness. and so on. These things are not acts of love, so they are not part of a Christian`s conduct.   So for the Christian, the Old Law in all of its aspects is completely done away, and we have come under a new commandment (Matt. 22:37-40) (Rom. 5:5 13:8-10) (Gal. 5:14).

Part 1 Grace Vs Law  Love for God and love for one's neighbour. This new relationship with God means that a Christian is dead to the Law (the Law has no power over a dead man!) and, as it were, MARRIED to Christ. A Christian was once bound to the Law, but is free to " marry" Christ now that he is dead to the Law. Because of this " marriage" he now lives motivated by love. (Rom. 7:I-6).   Moreover, this new life of LOVE ac­tually FULFILS the Law. Paul says: "…whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. ..whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbour as yourself.". (Rom. 13:8-9).   Therefore. a Christian's motive for conduct is now the "Law of love." All that he does is now done in a spirit of love to his neighbour. He ref uses to steal, not just because it is said to be wrong, but because it is not a fruit of love. So with murder, hatred disobed­ience to parents, coveting, adultery. bearing false witness. and so on. These things are not acts of love, so they are not part of a Christian`s conduct.   So for the Christian, the Old Law in all of its aspects is completely done away, and we have come under a new commandment (Matt. 22:37-40; Rom. 5:5; 13:8-10; Gal. 5:14).

The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

We now come to the very heart and practical manifestation of our Christian life. That is walking in the Spirit. It is by the fruit of our Character which should the visible evidence of the reality of the life of Christ which is within us. Matthew 7:16-20 We Read ......  “16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” The Fruit of the Spirit is the true characteristic of our Christian life. The main purpose for a tree is to bear fruit. Jesus want us to be Fruitful he is the Gardner that tends to all of needs and when we are in relationship with Him God the Father prunes off the bad, so we can be more fruitful. SO, Lets JUST remind ourselves again what the fruit of the Spirit is: Galatians 5:22-23 ..... “22 the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.” Our true Christian qualities are the fruit of the Spirit NOT THE FRUIT OF HUMAN EFFORT. We have the fruit of the Spirit when we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. We can only achieve true fruit bearing when we work in co-operation with the indwelling fruit bearer the HOLY SPIRIT. The fruit of the Spirit is the character of CHRIST produced by the Spirit of Christ in the believer of CHRIST. Only when we are indwelled by the the Holy Spirit do we begin to exhibit the true qualities of the fruit of the Spirit. Do you have questions about Jesus, Faith The Holy Spirit  Please CONTACT US