GOD’S ALL-SUFFICIENT RESOURCES FOR DEALING WITH STRESS

Lesson 9

The Sufficiency of the Holy Spirit

Our Sufficiency in Christ

TEXT:  Isa 26:1-4  

I. INTRODUCTION  

A. God has provided three all-sufficient resources for dealing with life:

1. His words

2. His Holy Spirit

3. His Son  

B. The point of this series has been to show that God, not the world, has provided the answers the world is searching for.  His answers alone will provide peace to the soul, mind, peace through the struggles of life.  The world’s “band-aid” solutions may treat the symptoms temporarily but God’s solutions will eternally heal the wounds.

II. PAUL PRAYS FOR OUR FULLNESS OF CHRIST’S POWER – Col 1:9-11  

A. Vs. 9 – Paul prays for and desires that Christians be filled with:

1. Knowledge

2. Wisdom

3. Spiritual understanding  

B. Vs. 11 – Paul tells that by being filled with these things we will be able to walk worthy of the Lord and thus be strengthened by HIS might and glorious power which will bring patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.

1. How many of us can say we have longsuffering with joyfulness?  

C. Col 2:1-7, 9-10 – We are in Christ and have access to His attributes

1. Vs. 3 – All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Him

2. Vs. 6-7 – Paul says we should walk with Him

a. That is great advice!  Why not walk with Him?  He has all the answers?

b. And what does this bring?  Establishment in the faith and thanksgiving!

3. Vs. 10 – We are complete IN Him!

a. When we are saved He is in us and we in Him

b. All fullness is in Him and we are in Him which means we have access to the fullness that is in Christ Jesus

III. MANY TRY TO SUBTRACT FROM THE FULLNESS IN CHRIST – Col 2:4, 8  

A. Even those included in the realm of “Christendom” who claim to love, trust and believe Him

1. Many will say that He is sufficient for salvation but you’re on your own from there

a. Therein enters psychology or philosophy  

B. Paul warns in vs. 8 of philosophy and vain deceit

1. 1 Tim 6:20  O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called

2. We should not let men spoil us by philosophy

a. Philosophy literally means the love of wisdom but it also is used to explain the search for reasons why things are

b. The world’s philosophy attempts to explain things without God in the equation

i. Thus their ideas are flawed from the start

ii. No Christian should pay any attention to a science that denies God’s involvement

c. Many Christians have been spoiled by philosophy but Paul warns us not to be

d. A Christian believes that Jesus can save his soul then why cannot this same Jesus help him through life’s trials?

3. Philosophy is of man and is the world’s wisdom

a. 1 Cor 1:20 …hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

IV. WE MUST STAY OUR MINDS TOWARD GOD – Isa 26:1-4  

A. Man’s mind is bent toward evil

1. Rom 8:7 The carnal mind is enmity against God

a. It is not natural for us to have a mind stayed toward God

b. You do not have to teach a child to imagine bad thoughts

2. We must turn our focus toward God to replace the evil thoughts  

B. The new birth gives us the capacity for higher thinking

1. 2 Cor 5:17 We are new creatures in Christ

a. The old man had an evil mind but old things are passed away

b. That old mind does not HAVE to control us anymore

2. 1 Cor 2:14-16 – We have the mind of Christ

a. What better mind to have if you are trying to fill your thoughts with God?

b. Before we were saved we only had the mind of man

c. Now we have the mind of Christ

3. The battle of the minds

a. Just because we have the mind of Christ does not mean our struggle is over

b. Now we have the ABILITY to focus our thoughts on God but we still must fight that carnal nature

i. But it is not a battle which we must face alone

ii. God’s all sufficient resources are there to help and guide us

4. Rom 8:6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

a. Those who only have the carnal mind will face death

b. Those who have crucified the carnal mind and put on the mind of Christ will not face that death but still may face of life devoid of true peace

i. Why do some Christians seem to have so little peace?

ii. It could be because they are allowing their carnal mind to be in control  

5. So how do we become spiritually minded?

a. How does a football coach become so football-minded?

b. How does one become so…

music-minded?

Money-minded?

Computer-minded?

c. They devote themselves entirely to those things by removing all other distractions—sometimes this even means losing their families.  And they do it for worldly things.

d. This is how we become spiritually minded

i. 2 Cor 10:3-5

ii. Meditate on the word

-  Jos 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

- Ps 4:4 Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

-   1Ti 4:15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

V. CONCLUSION  

A. God does not save us and then forget us

1. He makes us a part of His family and cares for us as His own children

2. He knows we have troubles and trials

3. But He has provided all that we need to make it through the hard times

a. He gave us His words in written form

b. He gave us His comforting Spirit

c. He gave us His Son Who is the fullness of all goodness

4. If we will focus our thoughts on Him, He will give us perfect peace