Adventure in the Ascent
To the adventure in Him... This phrase has been a rallying cry for me and my circle of friends for years. We were designed for intimate relationship with God. Jesus made this possible through His sacrifice on the Cross. The veil was torn, and we were invited beyond. We were created for a grand adventure in which we come to Him in repentance, maintain intimacy, learn of Him, walk His path, and ascend the hill of the Lord. Let's ascend together and experience the adventure with God. There's more...
Adventure in the Ascent
ROMANS: No Condemnation, No Separation, Walking in The Spirit (Rom. 8)
“My dignity as Abba’s child is my most coherent sense of self.” -Brennan Manning
This chapter is regarded as one of the crown jewel chapters in the Bible, and there are three main things that I believe the Holy Spirit would highlight for us in this treasure chapter…
↠There is now there no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus! (v. 1)
↠It doesn’t say there is less condemnation, but there is no condemnation. Your standing before God has not just improved but it has been totally transformed!
↠No future guilt/charge (vs. 33-34)
↠But not everyone can say “there is no condemnation.” (John 3:36, 5:24)
↠There is also no separation from His love (vs. 35-39)
↠Another great part of the Good News- forgiven, free, and His love never stops
↠John 10:27- “neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”
↠We need a revelation of this type of love!
↠Be “rooted and grounded in His love” (Ephesians 3)- see the picture of establishment in His love here- rooted as a tree in it- then understanding the depths of it
↠“To separate”- to place space between/Eden Story/clothing/He desires nothing between us- that is the depths of His love. Are you mesmerized by HIs longing for no separation?
↠Life/Walking in the Spirit (vs. 5-11)
↠What is the secret, the method to walking rightly, what’s the key to constantly living in the understanding of no condemnation, no separation? Walking or living in the Spirit!
↠Christian living is supernatural living by the Spirit! It is to be characteristic of a believer to live by the Spirit. Paul presents two ways to live (Deut. 30:19).
↠These two paths, both have characteristics and consequences– John 10:10
↠Following our sinful nature brings death (corrosion, James 1:15)
↠Second- “be led by the Spirit unto LIFE!” Romans 8:6 says, “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
↠Abandon any hope of finding satisfaction in anything apart from Him. Put “those things to death” (Galatians 5:24- Nail them to the Cross!)
↠Living by the Spirit actually proves who we are! (vs. 14)
↠Children, continually being led, progression
↠Our response to that leading- crying “Abba, Father! (v. 15) an intimate form of addressing a Father. He’s not just a King, you’re not just a slave, you’re not just some sinner saved by grace, you are Abba’s child.
↠The foundation of my true self is “I am the one loved by the Father.” The practical side of that—Develop/maintain that awareness of our belovedness by time alone with God. He is calling us, wooing us away into deeper, daily devotion, come away!
↠Part of walking in the Spirit is hearing His voice. Our lives can be radically transformed by learning to hear HIs voice better (John 10:3-5) His sheep HEAR His voice, not should, or could, but HEAR…tune in/frequency (Ps. 46:10)