Bible Study - Set Apart (3) - But Not Alone - 1 Corinthians 2:6-16 - July 29, 2023
Bible Study – Set Apart (3) – But Not
Alone – July 29, 2023
This is lesson three (3) in our series
entitled “Set Apart a Life Lived for GOD.”
When were you set apart? The answer is
in the scripture. Can you find it?
Our scripture is 1 Corinthians 2:6-16:
The Holy Spirit helps us know how to
live Holy lives.
The Apostle Paul is revealing to the
Christians in Corinth how to live the completed, effective Christian life upon
earth while they wait to go to Heaven. This is also true for all who have asked
JESUS to forgive them for their sins and for JESUS to come into their lives.
When a person becomes a completed
Spirit-born Christian, he/she is equipped with the Holy Spirit and equipped
with special gifts to continue to live effectively for GOD upon earth.
Why do Spirit-born Christians need to
be gifted with special Spiritual gifts? To serve GOD more effectively upon
earth as they minister to others.
Ephesians 6:12 - 12 For our struggle is not against
flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the
authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against
evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.
We know
that Satan wars against all Holy Spirit Born people. Why and how? Satan knows
when Spirit-born people become committed to GOD and JESUS, their desire is to
listen and respond to GOD’S message. Satan does not want them to respond to
GOD’S calling. So, Satan uses every distraction that he knows will lead a
Spirit-born person astray or to delay.
Folks,
the tide has turned and we are on GOD’S path for the second coming of JESUS. We
will witness the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as we have never seen before.
The working of the Holy Spirit will be discredited as some new manmade device.
Satan has the leaders of our world distracted by amazing technology, “Smart devices.” These devices are useful
and do amazing things but they are time and mind robbers.
I have observed in the last few months
when I open my computer, I am inundated with eye catching news and word and
pictures which I want to follow and read. After a period of time, I find that I
have wasted time. Time is a gift from GOD to be used wisely. Satan is a time
robber for people – put off, you can do this later or you can study scripture
later because you have too much to do.
Satan’s desire is to keep people from
reading, listening to or applying GOD’S Word to the issues they encounter in
life.
As Spirit-born people, GOD’S desire is
to teach and develop in them to trust in the leading of the Holy Spirit. The
Holy Spirit is our teacher and protecter.
Let’s read 1
Corinthians 2:1-9:
2 When I came to you,
brothers and sisters, announcing the mystery[a] of God to you, I did
not come with brilliance of speech or wisdom. 2 I
decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I
came to you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 My
speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom[b] but with a
demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your
faith might not be based on human wisdom but on God’s power.
Human wisdom can be
explained but GOD’S wisdom and power, outside of GOD cannot be explained.
Spiritual Wisdom
6 We do, however, speak a
wisdom among the mature, but not a wisdom of this age, or of the
rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 On
the contrary, we speak God’s hidden wisdom in a mystery, a wisdom God
predestined before the ages for our glory. 8 None
of the rulers of this age knew this wisdom, because if they had known it, they
would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But
as it is written,
What no eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no human heart has conceived—
God has prepared these things for those who love him.[c]
The best is yet to come as we, who have been Spirit-born will see.
In the last few months, I have seen a change in the working of the Holy
Spirit in my life. GOD’S Word tells us to test the spirits to see if they are
from GOD. GOD tells us to test spirits to determine whether or not they are
from GOD. How does GOD do this in us? Read on ---
10 Now God has revealed these
things to us by the Spirit, since the Spirit searches everything, even the
depths of God. 11 For
who knows a person’s thoughts[d] except his
spirit within him? In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God
except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have not
received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who comes from
God, so that we may understand what has been freely given to us by God. 13 We
also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in
those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people.[e] 14 But the person without the Spirit[f] does not receive
what comes from God’s Spirit, because it is foolishness to him; he/she is
not able to understand it since it is evaluated[g] spiritually. 15 The spiritual person, however, can
evaluate[h] everything, and yet
he himself cannot be evaluated by anyone. 16 For
who has known the Lord’s mind,
that he may instruct him?[i]
But we have the mind of
Christ.
Satan’s desire is for you to
call this nonsense. When that thought enters your mind, rebuke it and call upon
the name of JESUS to show you the truth and to confirm that truth.
Keep in mind what we read
in Ephesians 6:12 - 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and
blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic
powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.
The rulers, authorities, cosmic powers, spiritual forces want
to control your life and lead you to confusion and destruction. In the name of JESUS,
I command them to be gone and for GOD to reveal truth to you and reveal to you
the deception these forces use to deceive you. How do you escape.
Ask JESUS to come into your life and ask HIM forgive you for
your sins and to become the LORD of your life and continue to reveal truth and
dispel the false. Ask JESUS to equip you with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit so
that you can separate truth froms error.
Folks, a new day has
arrived. No longer will Satan disguise himself as truth but he will be exposed
for that he is a deceiver and liar. If you are a Spirit-born Christian ask GOD
to deliver you from Satan’s lies and deception and to fill you with GOD’S Holy
Spirit and then thank HIM as HE reveals truth to you.
Let’s read 1
Corinthians 2:10-13:
10 Now God has revealed these
things to us by the Spirit, since the Spirit searches everything, even the
depths of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts[d] except his
spirit within him? In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God
except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have not
received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we
may understand what has been freely given to us by God. 13 We
also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those
taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people.[e
Who knows your thoughts? You do! When
a person has been Spirit-born, the Holy Spirit who is the third person of the
Trinity, is GOD and lives within each Spirit-born person. How about that!!!
Let’s read 1
Corinthians 2:14-16:
14 But
the person without the Spirit[f] does not receive what comes from God’s Spirit, because it is
foolishness to him; he is not able to understand it since it is evaluated[g] spiritually. 15 The
spiritual person, however, can evaluate[h] everything, and yet he himself cannot be evaluated by anyone. 16 For
who has known the Lord’s mind,
that he may instruct him?[i]
But we have the mind of Christ.
Guess who does NOT want you to know that? Satan, who JESUS defeated upon
the cross. The victory has been won by JESUS because of the resurrection of
JESUS from the physically death to be eternally alive. Physical death was
defeated by JESUS.
All who are Spiritually born into GOD’S Family have changed their
permanent eternal address from Hell to Heaven. Eternal life is a gift from GOD.
When was this decided? Let’s read Ephesians 1:3-23:
3 Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has
blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. 4 For
he chose us in him (set us apart), before the foundation of the world, to be
holy and blameless in love before him.[c] 5 He predestined us to be
adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good
pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of his
glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the
forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8 that
he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding.[d] 9 He made known to us the
mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in
Christ 10 as a plan for the right time[e]—to bring everything together in Christ, both
things in heaven and things on earth in him.
11 In him we have also received an inheritance,[f] because we were predestined according to the
plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his
will, 12 so that we who had already put our
hope in Christ might bring praise to his glory.
13 In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy
Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your
salvation, and when you believed. 14 The Holy Spirit
is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of
the possession, to the praise of his glory.
Prayer for Spiritual
Insight
15 This is why, since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and
your love for all the saints, 16 I never stop
giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. 17 I
pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father,[g] would give you the Spirit[h] of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of
him. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be
enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his
calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the
saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness
of his power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his
strength.
God’s Power in Christ
20 He exercised this power in Christ by raising him from the dead and
seating him at his right hand in the heavens— 21 far above every
ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given,[i] not
only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he
subjected everything under his feet[j] and appointed him[k] as head over everything for the church, 23 which
is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in
every way.
Did you find the scripture revealing to you when GOD set you apart?
To GOD Be the Glory – Great Things HE has done!
A NEW DAY HAS COME – REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT!
Blessings!!!
1 Corinthians 5:9:
Isaiah 29:14:
Isaiah 65:17
Isaiah 66:22
Acts 3:17
Isaiah 65:17: “For I
will create new heavens and a new earth;
the past events will not be remembered or come to mind.
Isaiah 66:22: “For
just as the new heavens and the new earth,
which I will make,
will remain before me”—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
“so your offspring and your name will remain.