Your Sin is Ignoring God
The Question of Surrender
The real question is not if you have Him, but does He have you? This profound truth cuts to the heart of Christian discipleship. Having the Holy Spirit dwell within us is one thing, but surrendering ourselves completely to His leading is another matter entirely.
How Jesus Lived
Jesus demonstrated a life completely surrendered to the Father's will. Here are the key aspects of how He lived:
Complete Dependence: Jesus did nothing on His own but only what the Father showed Him
Constant Communion: "My Father and I are one" Jesus maintained unbroken fellowship with the Father
Total Submission: He came not to do His own will but the Father's will
The Practice of Self-Denial
Jesus practiced moment-by-moment self-denial. This wasn't just about big decisions, it extended to:
His words: Speaking only what the Father wanted said
His judgments: Making assessments only as He heard from the Father
His actions: Doing only what He saw the Father doing
True Intimacy with God
The goal is intimate relationship with God through His Spirit. It's not about space. It's about relating to the God who dwells in us. It's about a real, real relationship with the real Holy Spirit who actually talks.
This intimacy happens when we:
Empty ourselves of self-will
Listen for His voice
Trust His leading over our own understanding
Allow Him to guide our thoughts, desires and decisions
The Work of Relationship
Building this kind of relationship with God requires effort. It's not automatic or instantaneous. Just as human relationships take work, so does our relationship with God through His Spirit.
The sermon reminds us that "relationships are work." But this work of denying self and following the Spirit's lead results in true transformation and Christ-likeness.
The Heart of Sin
At its core, sin isn't just about external actions. Here is the essence of sin:
treating God as if he doesn't matter or doesn't even exist.
This helps us understand why constant communion with and submission to the Holy Spirit is so vital for Christian growth.
The path to walking in the Spirit begins with recognizing that we have the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwelling within us. The question is: Will we empty ourselves as Jesus did so that the Spirit can truly have all of us?
