The Power of Influence (Part 2)

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=50 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>The Power of Influence (Part 2)</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="132" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 35 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id428.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Power Of Influence 1"><U><B><IMG SRC="007151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id435.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Holy Spirit and Your Marriage"><U><B><IMG SRC="008151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="35" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="20" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="13"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="27"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> Previous/Next Sermon</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="www.stanbaker.org"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Biblical and Theological Studies"><U><B>Biblical and Theological Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church Ministry"><U><B>Church Ministry</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sermon Notes"><U>Sermon Notes</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Personal"><U><B>Personal</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org"><U>stan@stanbaker.org</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>The Power of Influence (part 2), </B><A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=Eph+5:1-21" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U><B>Ephesians 5:1-21</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>Berean Bible Church, January 25, 2004</B></div> <bR> <div>      "A small plane with a mind of its own took off by itself from a small rural California airport and flew for more than an hour before crashing in the woods east of the runway. The owner of the single-engine plane told the sheriff's deputies that he had started the engine, then left the cockpit to check beneath the hood. The plane, a two-seater built in 1946, broke free of its mooring and became airborne. It had less than 15 gallons of fuel and apparently flew in circles for about an hour before crashing. Aviation experts say this model has a long history of similar incidents, and it is susceptible to such mishaps because of its old-fashioned starting system that requires the pilot to open the throttle and then go to the front of the plane to crank the propeller." [Have a Good Day, March 2002].</div> <div>      Many Christians live life with a mind of their own. We take off by ourselves and live our lives without being under the guidance, the piloting of God, and we find ourselves running in circles, destined for a crash. And then we wonder what happened, and why God allowed us to end up in such a mess. We crash in our family lives, and in our moral lives; we end up destroying relationships with other people. We live life without joy and satisfaction. We live selfishly like many of the people around us, thinking that is the key to happiness, because after all, they look like they are having so much fun! And yet we find ourselves <I>wanting</I> more and more. We grow older and feel as though we are not making a difference, and we wonder, is the Christian life worth it? Many you have known for awhile that you need to experience personal change, and you want to your life to be piloted by God, but you keep struggling and struggling, and you are still living out-of-control in some areas of your life.</div> <div>      I want to talk to you today from Ephesians 5:1-21 about the difference maker in your life if you are a follower of Jesus Christ. Last time we saw from <A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=Eph+5:1-6" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U>vss. 1-6</U></A> that God provides the model, the example for our behavior. Be like God, love like Christ . . . (vss. 1-2). <I>God</I> is the model, not unbelievers.  Don't live in sexual immorality, impurity, unclean language, or greed, because those things are characteristic of the ungodly, unbelievers, those who are outside faith in Christ. People who habitually practice those things will experience the judgment of God. </div> <bR> <div> <B>I. The What: Live as God's people, as "children of light"  (</B><A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=Eph+5:7-14" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U><B>Ephesians 5:7-14</B></U></A><B>).</B></div> <div>      Believers are supposed to behave differently than unbelievers. This is because we are different! We are the people of God. We are light in the Lord; we are children of light (vs. 8). Light represents that which is good, righteous, and true, while darkness represents sin and evil (vs. 9). To be described as a "child of light"  is to suggest possessing the same character as the light, as a child shares in characteristics of their parents. </div> <div> A. Negative - Don't participate or share in the works of darkness with unbelievers. Those works are unfruitful (vss. 7, 11a).</div> <div> B. Positive -  Discover and practice what pleases the Lord. This is fruit-bearing (vss. 8-14). Expose sin. Call sin what it is - sin. Such exposure is primarily through  living out the light, and it can have a transforming effect (vss. 11-14). We expose evils deeds by living according to the light. Matthew 5:16 says, "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."</div> <bR> <div> <B>II. The How: By living under the influence of the Holy Spirit (</B><A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=Eph+5:15-21" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U><B>Ephesians 5:15-21</B></U></A><B>).</B></div> <div>      Continually be filled with, be controlled by, the Holy Spirit (vs. 18). This enables you to live appropriately in three main areas of life.</div> <div> A. The Spirit enables you to live wisely (vss. 15-17). </div> <div> 1. The Spirit helps us live carefully, understanding the will of the Lord. This is in contrast to drunkenness, which leads to recklessness, out-of-control behavior (vs. 18). Spiritually, many of us are walking carelessly, recklessly, bumbling around and bumping into stuff and tripping over objects in our path.  Most of us drive our cars a lot more carefully than we live our lives.</div> <div> 2. The Spirit helps us use time wisely. He helps us focus the use of our time, energy and resources. In the Super Bowl, as in any big game, if the score is close at the 2-minute warning, both teams will raise the level of focus and intensity. This is how we should be living, focusing our attention on serving Jesus Christ, because we have no idea how much time is left.</div> <div> B. The Spirit enables you to live a life of worship (vss. 19-20). Notice that worship both edifies (builds up) others and exalts God.</div> <div> C. The Spirit enables you to contribute to healthy relationships (vss. 19a, 21). Specifically, the text discusses relationships in the church, in the home (<A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=Eph+5:22-6:4" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U>5:22-6:4</U></A>), and on the job (<A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=Eph+6:5-9" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U>6:5-9</U></A>).</div> <bR> <div> How can we be continually controlled by the Spirit?</div> <div> 1. Ask for the help, the guidance, the influence of the Holy Spirit. Pray continuously in dependence. The Holy Spirit is the Helper Jesus said he would send (John 14). Galatians 5:25 says, "Since we live by the Spirit, let us <U>keep in step</U> with the Spirit." That is one step at a time, every day. And get up when you fall!</div> <div> 2. Maintain an attitude of submission, a willingness to follow and obey. Ask God to give you that attitude.</div> <div> 3. Confess sin immediately (any time he is not in control).</div> <div> 4. Stay exposed to God's Word - it is the main tool the Holy Spirit uses to shape and form us as followers of God.</div> <div> 5. Stay exposed to God's people in accountable, learning relationships. </div> <div> 6. Be vigilant to protect your mind and eyes from harmful influences.</div> <div>      In psychology, there are two laws. 1) The Law of Cognition - what we think about will affect how we feel and what we do. 2) The Law of Exposure - we think most about the influences we are exposed to. Ephesians 5:12 says that it is inappropriate to even discuss sinful acts, yet we can be exposed to them (sexual content and themes, unkindness, inappropriate language, violence, other anti-God themes) in our homes through TV, music, movies, the internet, etc. Judge your TV- and media-viewing habits by the standard of Ephesians 5. Make a small copy of vss. 3-4 and tape them to the back of your remote control, or better yet, over the buttons to remind you.  King David wrote in Psalm 101:1-3 (NLT) "I will sing of your love and justice. I will praise you, LORD, with songs.  I will be careful to live a blameless life-- when will you come to my aid? I will lead a life of integrity in my own home.  I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar. . ." </div> <bR> <div> <I>     Review</I>: The difference-maker in the success of your spiritual walk and spiritual growth is being "under the influence" of the Holy Spirit of God. We must live by the Spirit in order to live as children of light. What are you filling your mind with? Who are you being influenced by? Your answer makes all the difference in the world.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> copyright, 2004, Stanley Baker</div> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> </td> </tr></table></body>