Surrounded by Treasures: Living Beyond Yourself, Week 2: The Practicalities of Living in the Spirit

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Saturday, April 08, 2006

Living Beyond Yourself, Week 2: The Practicalities of Living in the Spirit

I'm actually on time. Wow. (I took notes while I watched the session and took a few minutes before heading for our Awana car race day to fill in gaps and post them.)

Being filled with the Spirit is practical in two different ways. First, being on fire for God changes your life. Living the Spirit-filled life is a completely different experience than living in the flesh.

Conversely, a life in the Spirit *requires* some practical differences. I can't be filled if I don't actually take the time and make the effort to allow that to happen. God will fill me -- that's His job and not mine -- but I have to let Him. I have to make it a priority for myself.

How do we get filled?

First, you can't be indwelt by the Holy Spirit without trusting in God, accepting his Son's sacrifice, etc. That's the indwelling of the Spirit.

The filling is a slightly different concept. That's a day-by-day thing. As Beth Moore put it so simply and eloquently, you have to have a pouring out (essentially confession), a pouring in (asking the Lord to fill me with Himself), and a pouring forth (going about living the Spirit-filled life). Practically. Daily. Without this, the Spirit still lives in me -- I can't shake Him -- but trust me I know from much experience that a life without this sort of daily interaction is a life where the life of the Spirit is on the back burner at best. It's rockier, emptier, more trying, more hectic. And far less fulfilling.

A couple other things Beth Moore said in this session that stood out to me:

Nothing that sin can give us is worth what it takes from us.
Rather than spending our lives 'squashing' desires, if we let the Lord, he will change our desires.

Also, I have to say, this getting-in-the-Word-every-day thing is doing me a world of good. It truly is. I've tended to stay away from "fill in the blank"-style studies, but this one really has you turning pages, and as I told my husband, it's almost like having a discussion. The book talks and I answer and then the book talks again. I can recommend it, even though chapter summaries have generally spoiled me for this method. :)


Addie	Heather*	Carol
M	Rach	Jeana
Jenn	Amanda	MamaB
GiBee	Boomama	Maria
Blair	Heather	Nancy
Janna	Flipflop	Robin
Sherry	Patricia	Tara
Lauren	HolyMama!	Faith
Christy	Eph2810	Karin
Leann	Rachel	Janice
This is a list of the women participating in the study and the links to their blogs. New postings on the study will be published for the next ten weeks, between Friday 8pm - Saturday 8am. Please feel free to visit each of us and comment. Everyone is welcome to participate in this discussion as we seek to live beyond ourselves. May God bless you richly from the hearing of His word.

Posted by Rachel on April 8, 2006 07:28 AM in Living Beyond Yourself study

Comments

I really identified with the two points you bulleted - especially the first one. Very humbling.

Your comment about how this study really has you turning pages reminds me that Beth does such a great job of making a study about Him - not what SHE thinks about Him. It's encouraging, isn't it?

Posted by: boomama at April 8, 2006 07:41 AM

Yeah, I agree...It is very easy for me because it tells you where to look for the answers and therefore forces me to learn. I have a little trouble keeping up with the constant bouncing back and forth from book to book, but it does keep me on my toes! I like Beth, she's funny and quirky - makes me feel comfortable ;)

This is a perfect summary of week 2.

Posted by: jenn at April 8, 2006 12:25 PM

Great summation of some key points. It all sounds so simple, but we are so good at making it so difficult! It's almost like we're afraid of what will happen if we live in the Spirit. Like e're going to turn into freakazoids or something. The truth is, it's the most incredibly fulfilling thing that can ever happen. It's how we were made to live.

Posted by: Carol at April 8, 2006 05:09 PM

Yes, God will change our desires. I really liked what she said about trying to squash our desires. Sounds like trying to change by the flesh, huh? Great summary!

Posted by: Janna at April 8, 2006 05:23 PM

Can I just say... when she said this point... "Nothing that sin can give us is worth what it takes from us." My eyes just opened really big and I wrote it down and placed a lot of stars around it.

It is so true, and it really convicted me!

Posted by: GiBee at April 9, 2006 09:04 AM

"you have to have a pouring out (essentially confession), a pouring in (asking the Lord to fill me with Himself), and a pouring forth (going about living the Spirit-filled life)."

Wasn't this so great how Beth explained this!! Thanks so posting it!

I also totally agree with you about living without the Spirit filling us daily - "It's rockier, emptier, more trying, more hectic. And far less fulfilling."

What amazes me is how I continutally shoose this inferior life, vs allowing God to fill and renew me daily. Crazy isn't it? I too am so grateful for how this study is forcing me to get in deep with with word daily.

Posted by: Anonymous at April 9, 2006 01:05 PM

"you have to have a pouring out (essentially confession), a pouring in (asking the Lord to fill me with Himself), and a pouring forth (going about living the Spirit-filled life)."

Wasn't this so great how Beth explained this!! Thanks so posting it!

I also totally agree with you about living without the Spirit filling us daily - "It's rockier, emptier, more trying, more hectic. And far less fulfilling."

Posted by: Janice at April 9, 2006 01:06 PM

Rachel, this is a realy good summary and your two points are also ones that stood out to me. I think I may keep telling myself the first point you made when under any and all temptation. :)

Posted by: Lauren at April 9, 2006 06:40 PM

Wasn't this week fantastic! I loved ALL of the "pouring" - each one was so meaningful and "practical".

Thank you for sharing your thoughts - it's such a blessing to read how the Lord is reaching each of us right where we're at!

Posted by: Blair at April 9, 2006 10:01 PM

Wonderful post. I long to be full of the Holy Spirit. It is great to learn just how to do that!!

Posted by: Faith at April 9, 2006 10:47 PM

I enjoyed reading this, Rach. Looking forward to your other entries!

I'm also glad to hear that you like the workbook. Maybe I'll check it out.

Posted by: Kristen at April 10, 2006 06:51 AM

Oh yes, the daily Bible reading. I am lacking that. I should do it more often than just reading my devotions. Think for myself about Scripture than having someone else think for me.:( Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

Posted by: eph2810 at April 10, 2006 01:34 PM

"Nothing that sin can give us is worth what it takes from us." That spoke to me, too! Great summary....and I must tell you, I am loving your self-portraits, too! I know - has nothing to do with LBY! Have a blessed week!

Posted by: Patricia at April 10, 2006 05:33 PM

"getting-in-the-Word-every-day thing is doing me a world of good"

...me too, me too.

Posted by: flipflop at April 11, 2006 06:21 AM

I missed your Monday Positives post. I hope all is well!

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