Main Idea:

What you CULTIVATE determines what GROWS

Galatians 5:16 NET

Galatians 5:19-21NET

Takeaway

1. The flesh ROTS whatever it RULES

Galatians 5:22-26 NET

Galatians 5:24 NET

Takeaway

    2. The Spirit TRANSFORMS whatever we SURRENDER

Application

1. The fruit of the Spirit CREATES a new COMMUNITY

Application

   2. Spiritual Fruit nourishes Spiritual Values.

NEW NLCC VALUES

1. We will submit to God’s Word
2. We will love strangers
3. We will seek justice and love mercy
4. We will follow the Spirit’s leading
5. We will value every generation

Application

   3. The Spirit moves us from Rot to Fruitfulness.

1. But I'd rather GO with GOD than ANYWHERE else
2. God may not show you the WHOLE ROAD, but He will not ABANDON YOU on the road.
3. The Spirit did not send us to POLICE grace, but to PROCLAIM grace.

Main Idea: Those who WORSHIP God hear GOD.

Competing Voices

• We cannot hear God clearly when FEAR NARRATES.
• We cannot hear God clearly when RESENTMENT is SHOUTING in our souls.
• We cannot hear God clearly when the voice of ACCUSATION forces us into HIDING.

Holy Listening

• We can hear God in spiritual FRIENDSHIPS
• We can hear God in spiritual DIRECTION.
• We can hear God in spiritual GROUPS.

Takeaway

• QUIET the noise, WORSHIP deeply, and stop WALKING alone.

The problems in Acts 6:

1. ADMINISTRATIVE problems

2.  CULTURAL problems

The Apostles' solution:

1. Seek JUSTICE

2. Love MERCY

3. Walk HUMBLY

For us today:

1. Pursue UNITY through HOSPITALITY

2. FORGIVE the CHURCH when it FAILS at being the CHURCH

3. Love GOD by loving OTHERS

The main idea:

When the church follows the SPIRIT TOGETHER, the church moves FORWARD TOGETHER.

- He is our advocate

1. The Spirit CONVICTS us through LOVE.

- He is our teacher

2. The Spirit GUIDES us in FAITH.

- He is our comforter

3. The Spirit TRANSFORMS us with HOPE.

We are not alone!

1. We remain FAITHFUL to the FATHER by TRUSTING the SPIRIT.

2. Life in the Wilderness exposes how we

          A. Use POWER to SATISFY APPETITE apart from trust.

          B. Grasp PREMATURELY what God has PROMISED in his TIMING.

          C. Try to SEIZE AUTHORITY rather than RECEIVE it.

3. What the spirit FORGES in the WILDERNESS, he launches into MISSION. 

Are we settling for “better” or are we desperate for life?

Wandering into…

Waiting in…

Walking out…

Ezekiel 36:16-21 NET

The path to sin is a four-phase journey:

1. Acquainted with sin
2. Abandoning God to hide from him
3. Anger over your position because of your sin
4. Apathy, no longer caring about sin.

1. Sin goes farther than you INTEND, stays longer than you ALLOW, and costs more than you EXPECT.

Ezekiel 36:25-27

Philippians 1:6

1. The valley is not God’s ABSENCE: it is often God’s PREPARATION

Ezekiel 37:1-3

1. Where we see an ENDING, God sees a BEGINNING. Even death is not final in his hands. 

“If we aren’t connected to the Spirit, we just walk in circles.”

1 Samuel 3:10 NET

1. The Spirit Speaks more than we hear. Spiritual leaders desire to listen.

1 Samuel 10:6-10 NET

1 Samuel 16:14 NET

1 Samuel 15:28 NET

1. Spiritual listening not only leads us to light, it guards us from darkness.

1 Samuel 16:13 NET

2 Samuel 12:13 NET

Psalm 51:4 NET

1. It's not about who fails. It's about who follows the Spirit home. 

I. The Spirit doesn't just EMPOWER YOU to defeat enemies OUT THERE - He confronts the IDOLS IN HERE.

II. The Spirit is not waiting on you to become STRONG ENOUGH - He is waiting on you to become SURRENDERED ENOUGH.

III. The Spirit's RULE looks like PEACE in your LIFE.

Luke 6:46 NET