"Born of the Holy Spirit" - Santosh Poonen | Austin CFC | WoF 2024
Conference Theme: "Life in the Holy Spirit"
Summary
The speaker emphasizes that the ultimate goal of Christian teaching and preaching should be pointing people toward seeing Jesus Christ. He urges listeners to prioritize personal time spent seeking God, suggesting prayer should outweigh listening to sermons by a ratio of seven to one. The message concludes by focusing on the Holy Spirit's role as the 'another helper,' whose ministry is to glorify Jesus by revealing all things that belong to Him.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
Getting a glimpse of JesusThe speaker shares the story of A.B. Simpson, who traveled to hear D.L. Moody but instead got such a glimpse of Jesus that he needed nothing else, emphasizing that seeking Jesus must be our primary ambition.
The Holy Spirit as our helperJesus introduced the Holy Spirit as another helper who would do the work of taking everything that belongs to Jesus and disclosing it to us.
Is the Holy Spirit real to you?Just as the disciples knew Jesus as a real person, believers are called to know the Holy Spirit personally as someone who speaks, listens, and prays with us.
Life in the Spirit begins with being born againJust as physical life begins with birth, spiritual life begins when a person is born again, a vital reality even for people and children who grow up in church.
The human track versus the track of JesusEvery human is born on the track of Adam, driven by self-pleasing, but Jesus started a new track that alone is pleasing to God and inherits eternal life.
Nicodemus and the need to be born againNicodemus was a religious expert who had spent his life trying to please God, yet Jesus told him he had to be born of water and the spirit to enter the kingdom of God.
Honesty means turning on the lightsHonesty means stopping the pretense of a clean exterior, opening the doors of our heart, and letting God see the inner filth so He can clean it.
Repentance means a 180-degree turnTrue repentance involves a complete turnaround in our thinking and direction, away from the old life and toward God.
The proofs of repentance: restitution and forgivenessGenuine repentance produces practical fruit: making restitution for wrongs done to others and forgiving everyone who has ever wronged us.
Faith is knowing God is your DaddyFaith is simply believing that God is the all-powerful ruler of the universe who can do anything and that He is our personal Father.
Looking upward instead of downwardWhile those on the human track look downward at earthly things, those raised with Christ keep seeking the things above where Christ is seated.
