Living Contact With God (Lesson #1) Pg 1

Jn 15:1-10; I Jn 1:1-9 Living contact – Lifestyle of fellowship (eg) talking, listening & obeying God’s written Word. Note: Staying in & protecting your “fellowship with God” is the number one priority of the Christian life. Fellowship is the door to everything God has planned for us. Jer 29:11-13; Deut 4:29 The Word of God directs us into fellowship. (eg) Fruit of the spirit & answer to prayer. The blood of Jesus is the basis of fellowship. Heb 4:16; 10:19 (amp). Our sin is remitted not covered. 2 Cor 5:17 Relationship was established when you made Jesus Lord. Eph 2:8-10,13,19

• Fellowship must be maintained daily by spending time in His Word & Prayer than obeying Him.
• Knowledge without fellowship = religion (no life, no power, no fruit) 2 Tim 3:15 Without fellowship we will not have the power of God to put the things we know in to practice (eg) love, faith, healing, etc. (It’s not what we know but what we do that counts. Fellowship gives us the strength to do what we know) Everything we do in God’s kingdom must flow out of our fellowship with God. Don’t get so busy serving God that you have no time to fellowship with Him Luke 10:40-42 (amp) Intimacy with God produces supernatural strength & anointing in our lives, but no fellowship limits us to our own strength & abilities which will fail us. Isaiah 40:29-31; 2 Chron 26:5 Every believer must make time daily to commune with God in His word & prayer. Rearrange your schedule & activities – establish fellowship with God as highest priority We must draw near to God then He will draw near to us. Center you schedule around God and His plans, don’t try to fit God into your schedule. James 4:8 James 4:7-8, 10 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. —7

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.—-8

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.——10 To Humble ourselves... It simply means honoring God enough to find out what His Word says and than... doing it. When we fear the Lord, we seek to know His commandments. We spend time and effort learning how He wants us to live. In the process, if we realize that something in our lives is displeasing to Him, we don’t justify or ignore it; we make a change. Copeland, Gloria. Live Long, Finish Strong (p. 144). FaithWords. Kindle Edition.

It is up to us to take advantage of the Holy Spirit Ministry. First we must become conscious of the Holy Spirit living in us. Purpose to be sensitive to Him, become God inside minded. 1 Cor 3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 1 Cor 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. Acts 17:24 God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, “does not dwell in temples” made with hands.

Sensitivity to the indwelling H.S. will change what you think on, talk, act. More aware of His ability inside than your inability & lack. Eph 4:29-32 NLT Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.—29

And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.—-30

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. —-31

Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.—-32 2 Cor 6:14-18 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? —-15

And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.”—-17 Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.”——17

“I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.”——18 1 John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Holy Spirit – will comfort you, teach you, bring us into our inheritance.

Jn 14:16-17, 26; Jn 16:13; 1 Cor 1:9-12 In order to trust God you must develop a “lifestyle of fellowship”. God is not going to change your schedule you must change how you spend your time. Prov 3:5-6 3) Living contact (fellowship) gives you the ability to overcome. Luke 22:46 Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? RISE and PRAY, lest you enter into temptation.” Matt 26:40-41 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? WATCH and PRAY, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the FLESH is WEAK.” Rom 8:26-27 Likewise the Spirit also helps in OUR WEAKNESSES. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Jude 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,

Jesus has overcome therefore if we maintain union with Jesus we also will overcome. Jn 16:33; Ps 91:1; Jn 8:31-32 The devil is looking for believers who are lukewarm & lazy & out of balance. Don’t wait until trouble to develop close fellowship with God. 1 Peter 5:8-9 1 Peter 5:8-10 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. —-8

Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. —-9

But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.—10 Luke 21:34-35 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.—35 Passion Translation —-Guard Your Hearts “Be careful that you never allow your hearts to grow cold. Be careful that you are not caught off guard, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and the worries of this life, and that day will come upon you suddenly like a trap. Don’t let me come and find you drunk or living carelessly like everyone else. —-34

For that day will come as a shocking surprise to all. —35