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Baptism In the Name / Body of Jesus Christ

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Baptism In the Name / Body of Jesus Christ

One of the jobs of the Holy Spirit is to baptize people into the Body of Christ. He does this when someone hears and believes the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Bible authors use a few phrases to describe this event; being born again, made a new creation, going from death to life in Christ, are made new, undergo a circumcision made without hands, washed in the blood of Christ, and probably a few more.

When the Holy Spirit baptized you into the body of Christ, you are sanctified (cleansed of sin), given a new heart, and are indwelt by God’s spirit. The Holy Spirit cleanses you with the blood of Christ, which leaves you in a spiritually holy state, able to house God’s spirit. This cleansing also places you in a right state before God, he gives you the gift of righteousness.

All of this happens when the Holy Spirit baptizes you in the name of Jesus Christ, which happens when you hear and believe the Gospel.

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A Practical Exercise in Cultivating the Fruits of the Spirit

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We hear lots of sermons on what we should do and believe but we also need practical instruction on how to cultivate the word of God for real life. This exercise and conversation will help you transform your responses so you choose the fruits of the spirit rather than the works of the flesh.

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Jesus Will Lift You Up When You Don't Bear the Fruits of the Spirit

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Jesus Will Lift You Up When You Don't Bear the Fruits of the Spirit

The Holy Spirit lives in you to bear fruit. He is seeking to form Christ in you so you’ll be a blessing to the people of the nations. God’s desire is to have a family that he leads from their hearts by his spirit. It’s an ingenious plan to bless the world through relationship. As we yield to him and allow him to shape our entire being, we transform into a global family that continues to increase God’s kingdom. The world needs a body of Christ that is fully yielded to the Holy Spirit. Be encouraged today as we focus on the good news of God’s spirit working in you today.

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A Powerful Exercise to Help You Hear God

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A Powerful Exercise to Help You Hear God

The Holy Spirit lives in you. He is continually speaking to you. You hear him better than you think. I know that because when you were born again, God placed his spirit in your and gave you a new heart that is tuned to his voice. You hear him all the time, you probably just overlook his voice because you’re expecting something more phenomenal. He is practical and makes it easy to follow him if your mind is in agreement with his instruction. Walk through this powerful exercise with us and gain a new confidence that you can truly hear God for yourself!

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The Holy Spirit Testifies of the Finished Work of Jesus

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The Holy Spirit Testifies of the Finished Work of Jesus

#1 in The Ministry of the Holy Spirit

The scripture says much about the Holy Spirit. Here are just a few. The Holy Spirit lives in you to teach, comfort, help, strengthen, lead, and convict you. He will give you power, remind you of Jesus' words, and pray for you and through you. He bears his fruit through you. He sets you free, seals you in God with Christ, guarantees salvation, bear witness about Jesus, gives utterance for tongues, and gives life to your physical body.

He knows God's thoughts for you, bears witness with your spirit that you are God's child. He washes you, sanctifies you, and justifies you. He makes you a minister of the new covenant, searches you, and blesses you.

He is your friend and counselor. He is called alongside you to help you in every situation. It is better that he is here with you than Jesus in the flesh. The Holy Spirit is God's very life source, living in you, to declare to you everything Jesus inherited for you in his glorification.

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Be Transparent Before God If You Want to Change

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Be Transparent Before God If You Want to Change

God has purified our spirits by the blood of Christ, and he has given us a new heart. But we must keep our hearts clear before the Lord. Not to be accepted, but to stay sensitive to His Lordship and leadership in our lives. Walk with us through Psalm 19 and discover the power of honesty before the Lord. He's on your side but we must be submitted to His precepts in our hearts. Discover the power of allowing God to test your heart.

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Be Honest with God and Yourself If You Want to Change

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Be Honest with God and Yourself If You Want to Change

Psalm 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; 24 And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in an everlasting way.

You must be honest with yourself if you want to consistently hear and follow God. God speaks the language of truth. His leading will always be rooted in truth. If there is any self-deception in your heart, you will miss God and blame Him for the troubles you brought on yourself. If we're not honest with ourselves we will not be submissive to God's truth when it arises in our hearts. We'll hold on to our justifications and excuses and reinforce the death in our lives. In this sermon we will journey together through allowing God to search our hearts and reveal to us areas where we are hindering his grace in our lives.

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The Secret to Living by Faith

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The Secret to Living by Faith

The just shall live by faith, but you must know that you are justified to approach God for grace confidently. When you believe you are justified, you'll live by faith. When you live by faith, you'll access grace. When you access to grace, you will live by his spirit and obey him from the heart. You must be convinced that you are justified through the blood of Christ so you will remain confident before God and not disqualify yourself from receiving from him.

Ephesians 3:12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.

Our faith is not in our faith, it’s in him. Living by faith is not living by the strength of my ability to believe. Living by faith is living persuaded of all that Jesus has accomplished on my behalf. If I am facing something in life that Jesus affected on the cross, I have the right to believe that what Jesus paid for should be the reality in my life rather than the temporary circumstance I may be facing.

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Be Bold and Confident When You Approach God

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Be Bold and Confident When You Approach God

God wants to help you when you are weak, but you must be bold enough to go to Him when you need help. Don’t allow the guilt and shame of failure to keep you from going to God. He already knows what you’re going through, and He already punished Jesus for your mistake.

You know we can go to Him for mercy after we sin, but do you know you can go to Him for grace before you fail? There’s even better news; you don’t just go to God for help in failure, continually asking for forgiveness; you can walk away changed. There is mercy to forgive and grace to help strengthen you, so you don’t repeat the same sin habits. That is the power of grace.

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What the Recent Killing of 8 People in Atlanta Area Spas Tells Us About Sin and Guilt

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What the Recent Killing of 8 People in Atlanta Area Spas Tells Us About Sin and Guilt

I’m heartbroken over these killings. The young man that murdered 8 people said he did it because he had a sex addiction and he was trying to eliminate the source of temptation.

This is an extreme example of the fruit of guilt and shame related to sin. If you do not process your guilt and get help from God, you will in some way destroy your life. Christ dealt with our guilt for our sin before God, but we must receive grace to help in time of need for us to process it.

I want you to know you don’t have to continually struggle with the guilt of sin. You can not only be forgiven but you can overcome those life-controlling issues that make you feel ashamed.

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