The Holy Spirit: Fire & River - Santosh Poonen - March 22, 2015
http://rlcfchurch.org/sermons/the-holy-spirit-fire-and-river River of Life Christian Fellowship 1306 N Lincoln Avenue Loveland, Colorado - 80537, USA
Summary
The speaker contrasts the temporary joys of worldly pursuits with the enduring joy found in dwelling in God's presence. He emphasizes that the Christian life is not just about initial forgiveness but a continuous, progressive journey of drawing closer to Christ. This process involves becoming more like Jesus step-by-step, which is the true, exciting reality of the believer's life.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
The narrow gate is just the start of the raceThe devil wants believers to think a one-time conversion experience is the end, leaving them defeated by the same sins for years instead of starting a race toward Christ-likeness.
The most exciting life on earthThe godly life beats any worldly ambition, offering the joy of dwelling in the presence of God rather than waiting until after death to experience Him.Proverbs 14:14
Trees bearing fruit from Genesis to RevelationScripture repeatedly uses the picture of trees and fruit, rooted in a river from God, from the Garden of Eden to the final chapter of Revelation.
The danger of the tree of the knowledge of good and evilBelievers still struggle because two trees operate in their lives, and eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil brings spiritual death and hypocrisy.
Living in crisis mode before GodA true believer must reach a point of desperation where they dare not take even a half bite out of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
John the Baptist and the PhariseesThe Pharisees tried to add repentance to their tree of the knowledge of good and evil without bearing the genuine fruit that comes from a self-denying life.Matthew 3:7
The hypocrisy of clipping plastic fruit onto a bad treeInstead of crucifying the flesh, religious people often manufacture good behavior and hang fake fruit on their old nature to look good to others.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit and fireJesus comes with a winnowing fork and unquenchable fire to thoroughly burn up the chaff and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
The flaming sword guarding the Tree of LifeJust as a flaming sword guarded the way to the tree of life in Eden, following Jesus requires taking up the cross and crucifying the self-life.
Rivers of living water from the innermost beingJesus promised that those who believe will experience rivers of living water flowing from within through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.John 7:37
Wading deeper into the river of GodIn Ezekiel's vision, the water goes from ankles to knees to loins, representing stages of trials where believers rely less on their own strength.Ezekiel 47:1
A river to swim in where you cannot touch the bottomGod intentionally brings believers to a place where they cannot touch the bottom with their feet, forcing them to stop wading and start swimming in His power.
Everything will live where the river goesWhere this river of God flows, every area of a believer's life experiences true eternal life, bringing thriving growth to every part of their being.
