LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Ongoing Relationship with the Holy Spirit (Being Disciples)
Submitted to Dr. James Sulfridge
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
DSMN 500
Discipleship Ministries
By
Anthony Bean
Ongoing Relationship with the Holy Spirit (Being Disciples)
Walking by the Spirit
Biblical discipleship is defined as "walking by the Spirit" (Ga 5:16,25). The indwelling of
the Holy Spirit in believers is a reminder of an overwhelming blessing that they receive from
God. Out of his holy love, God radically gave himself to us. He made us his dwelling place to be
with us and to make us his own. Since we received such a great gift from God, he wants us to
live out his blessing in our daily lives. Galatians 5:25 says, "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep
in step with the Spirit." We Christians are encouraged to live by the Spirit, or in other words, to
keep in step with the Spirit. Even when we grasp a mere glimpse of the blessing we have in
Christ, we will yearn for more of it. The presence of God within ourselves always exhorts us to
walk by the Spirit. Yet as sinful human beings, we often don’t remember or even appreciate the
presence of God for and in us. For this reason, it is critical to ask: Am I aware of the great
blessing in my life? Do I live a life in accordance with God’s presence in me? What does it mean
to walk by the Spirit?
Walking by the Spirit implies that our Christian life is not driven by our strength, but by
the Spirit. Walking by the Spirit means living by the Spirit 24/7. That said, there should be no
moment when we don’t keep in step with the Spirit. This also means that there should be no
area in our lives where the Spirit is not respected. In this sense, walking by the Spirit is radical
and all-inclusive. It is the very opposite of going through the motions; rather, it is an intimate
relationship with the Spirit. We have to grow in fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately,
though we may often be involved in many activities in the name of God, while ignoring the
Spirit in our lives. This happens to us because we don’t pay attention to the presence of the
Spirit in us. If we ignore him or don’t welcome him, we cannot live a true Christian life. To live
as disciples of Jesus, we have to grow in fellowship with the Spirit and be sensitive to His
presence in everything we do. Instead of relying on our own strength and wisdom, we have to
be ready to talk to God and listen to his gentle whisper. Doing so requires obedience and
submission to the Spirit, which is only possible in a love relationship. Therefore, it is critical for
us to grow in relationship with the Holy Spirit. We must ask ourselves: How much room do I
allow for the Holy Spirit and his work to be done in my daily Christian life? Do I fall back on
myself or do I rely on the Holy Spirit who is present in me?
Living in the Freedom of Sons and Daughters
We received the Spirit of the Son only by the grace of God (Ro 8:15-16). “God sent the
Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father’” (Ga 4:5-6). Because of
our adoption to sonship, we can live in the freedom of children. Then, how can we live as sons
and daughters of God? This can only be possible when we have an unshakeable foundation of
Christian life and discipleship.
However, the unbelieving world is achievement-based. The worldly mindset measures
and recognizes people by their work or performance. We always have a desire to be recognized
for our hard work. Our natural attitude toward God is not that of sons who live in freedom. As
Christians, we are constantly tempted to see ourselves based on our performance. While our
church and ministry focuses on raising disciple-makers, we have a tendency to measure our
success by the number of disciples or how well we perform. Because our church strongly
emphasizes outreach, our worship service sometimes tends to become another evangelistic
event, rather than a time to focus on God and wholeheartedly worship him. Sometimes, people
feel that their worship is unworthy or insufficient because they do not invite anyone to the
service. Yet this kind of attitude often gets in the way of our spiritual maturity and is harmful to
a gospel-centered relationship. This attitude based on a weak filial relationship with God
eventually results in slavish fear.
Walking by the Spirit means to reject the world that dictates our identity based on our
achievement or social status. Walking by the Spirit means to claim our new identity in Christ.
When we walk by the Spirit, we can resist slavish fear or legalism. The Spirit leads us to Jesus’
cross that sets us free from a slave mentality. In this process, God pours out his love into our
hearts through the Spirit (Ro 5:5). The reality is that we are never sufficient before God based
on our achievements. But when we let the Spirit lead us, He testifies that we are God’s children
(Ro 8:16). We are filled with joy as sons and daughters of God –– not because of what we have
done, but solely because of what God has done for us. When we rely on the Spirit, we can trust
God with our hearts and lives.
The Holy Spirit and Growing in Holiness and Christlikeness
Walking by the Spirit means to live and grow in holiness. The Holy Spirit’s first concern
for believers is to lead them through faith in Christ into practical and personal holiness –– a
priority for believers. When we know the Spirit’s concern for us, we will pray “Lord, make me as
holy as possible that a saved sinner can be.” Holiness is a relational concept, not a moralistic or
individualistic concept. To be holy means to love God and to love one’s neighbors by obeying
the law of God.
The root of holiness lies in being crucified and resurrected together with Jesus Christ (Ro
6:5-7). Because we have now become God’s possession through Jesus, we are called to live a
holy life (Ro 12:1; 2Pe 3:11). When it comes to holy living, we are not in control; rather, the
Holy Spirit is the agent of our holiness (2Thess 2:13; 1Pe 1:2). Thus it is the Holy Spirit who
guides us and transforms us into the image of Christ. The Spirit uses various means such as the
Bible, prayer, reflection writing, fellowship, worship, and so on. As we struggle to live a biblical
lifestyle, we use different kinds of methods including Bible study, testimony writing and fervent
prayers. However, the bottom line is this: it is not through methods, but through the Holy Spirit
that we change and grow.
How can we overcome our sins? We experience conflict with sins, as described in
Galatians: “The flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the
flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want” (Ga
5:17). By our own strength, we cannot overcome the power of sin that rebels against God and
his law. Through our experiences, we learn how weak we are in terms of our spiritual battle
against sin that destroys our relationship with God and other people. Even Biblical knowledge,
fervent prayer, or fasting cannot not help us as long as we rely on our own strength and
actions. In the midst of our helplessness, we have a blessed assurance from God: We can
overcome the power of sin in the power of the Spirit (Ro 8:2).
By the Spirit, we can demolish all kinds of sinful deeds: "If you live according to the flesh,
you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live" (Ro
8:13). When we give the Spirit control of our struggles, the Spirit gives us the life of Christ. As
we keep in step with the Spirit, he leads us to “the blood of Christ, who through the eternal
Spirit offered himself unblemished to God” (Heb 9:14). When we come to the cross, Christ’s
blood shed on the cross “cleanses our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may
serve the living God.” As we depend on the Spirit in this way, we will not be held back by our
flesh, for “those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and
desires” (Ga 5:24). In the power of the Spirit, we experience union with Christ in his death and
resurrection. Only Jesus, the truth, sets us free (Jn 8:32; Ps 119:11).
The Spirit and growing in the image of Christ: The Holy Spirit’s main concern for
believers is to make us more Christlike (Ro 8:29). God’s purpose for us is summarized in the law
of God that expresses his holiness. The heart of holiness is the Spirit of love as expressed in the
New Testament (Mt 22:35-40; Ga 5:22; 1Co 13; 1Jn 3:16-18): to love God and to love our
neighbors. This is fully revealed in our Lord Jesus Christ, who lived a life of perfect obedience to
the law of God. So growing in the image of Christ means (1) to be fully devoted to God, love
him, and obey him, and (2) to love our neighbors as ourselves. This image of Christ becomes our
heart’s desire as we walk by the Spirit. However, we cannot change ourselves let alone others
by our own moralistic effort. The most difficult obstacle in our growth is our pride or
stubbornness. Still, the Spirit is so gentle that he patiently waits for us to give him room. To
keep in step with the Spirit, we must give him control. Then he will transform us into the image
of Christ step by step. God is constantly working in us through the Spirit, eradicating our bad
habits and forming Christlike habits in their place.
The Holy Spirit and Holy Scripture
As discussed above, walking by the Spirit involves obeying God’s words and growing in
holiness. The way of holiness is laid out in Scripture that in turn testifies about Christ. The word
of God plays a central role in the Spirit’s ministry, for the word of God is “the sword of the
Spirit” (Eph 6:17). Scripture is breathed-out by the Spirit of God (2Ti 3:16) and given for our
benefit, salvation, and growth. Therefore, it is critical for us to read the Bible and constantly
meditate on the word.
How can we understand the Word of God in Scripture? This question is central to our
church because we put our first priority on Bible study. Scripture cannot be opened by our
sound interpretation methods including inductive Bible study even though they are helpful.
Because we are blinded by our sins, and because only the Spirit knows the thoughts of God, we
need illumination by the Spirit (Mt 13:13-15; 1Co 2:9-13). Scripture opens for us only by the
Holy Spirit, who teaches and leads us into truth (Jn 16:13). Therefore, the Holy Spirit is the most
important guide in our Bible study. Even though we have to utilize sound methods and tools of
Bible study, the key to Scripture is in the hands of the Spirit. Knowing this, we pray: “Open my
eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law” (Ps 119:18).
To have a Bible study guided and inspired by the Spirit, we have to avoid two unbiblical
pitfalls: habitual/dogmatic attitude and mysticism. A habitual/dogmatic attitude may teach a
“Scripture alone” principle, while neglecting the necessity of the work of the Holy Spirit in
understanding and applying Scripture. Oftentimes, this attitude leads to a know-it-all mindset
before engaging in Bible study. It is closed-minded to new encounters with the Living Word in
the Bible, who is God himself. Another extreme is spiritualism which emphasizes the role of the
Spirit, but is not guided by Scripture and even speaks of new revelations that are not in line
with Scripture. It is necessary for us to avoid these two harmful extremes. If we study Scripture
without the Spirit, we will dry up. If we have the Spirit without Scripture, we will go astray. But
if we study Scripture depending on the Spirit, we will grow. A Spirit-filled Bible study will change
us, because the Holy Spirit transforms our hearts, enabling us to obey God's word
wholeheartedly (Jer 31:33; Ez 36:27).
Prayer and Worship in the Spirit
Concerning our walk with the Spirit, constant prayer is an essential aspect in depending
on the Holy Spirit. Praying continually is as central to discipleship as studying the Word of God.
Scripture commands us to “pray continually” (1Thess 5:17) and to “pray in the Spirit on all
occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Eph 6:18). Why is the Spirit important in
prayer? A biblical prayer is directed to God the Father through Christ in the Spirit. We are
encouraged when we know that “the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the
will of God” (Ro 8:27). Because we do not know what we ought to pray for, we need to pray,
“Lord, teach us to pray” (Lk 11:1). We absolutely need the Holy Spirit who intercedes for us and
guides our prayer. Prayer is not meant to dictate our agenda to God. Rather, it is about listening
to God and responding to him. When we pray depending on the Spirit, he leads us into an
intimate relationship with God the Father. When we are aware of the indwelling of the Spirit,
we can pray in the Spirit who leads us out of this world and lifts our prayers up to the Father in
the name of Jesus Christ. Because of the helping grace of the Spirit, prayer time is not a mere
struggle, but a sweet hour of fellowship with God, our Savior.
The Spirit makes true worshippers. “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the
Spirit and in truth” (Jn 4:24; cf. Php 3:3). A true worship is possible only in the power of the
Spirit who empowers us to participate in the incarnate Son’s communion with the Father. Christ
offered himself on our behalf to the Father through the eternal Spirit (Heb 9:14). Now, by his
Spirit, Christ draws us to participate in his intimate communion with the Father. Therefore, all
worship is a tremendous gift from God. There is a double movement of grace in worship: (1)
God’s movement toward humans: from God, through the Son, in the Spirit; (2) a human
movement toward God: to the Father, through the Son, in the Spirit. As we come to know God,
who in his infinite humility came to sinners, we can joyfully follow the Spirit who leads us
through the Son to God’s throne of grace. When we are aware of God’s gracious presence in
the Spirit, we can overcome all kinds of human distractions and become true worshipers.
To be Filled with the Spirit
Scripture commands believers to be filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18). God sacrificially
gave himself to us and indwells us. Now God wants us to live a life that his indwelling has made
possible. God wants us to embrace the fullness of his purpose for us by faith. In other words,
God wants us to be filled with the Spirit.
What are indications of fullness in the Spirit? The exercise of the gifts of the Spirit is
certainly an evidence of his work. But the chief evidence of the being filled with the Spirit is the
ripening of his fruit, not his gifts (Ga 5:22-23). All spiritual gifts are valuable and to be respected,
yet spiritual gifts don’t guarantee being Spirit-filled. Therefore, the Spirit’s fullness is mainly
displayed through our transformation into the image of Christ, because the Holy Spirit puts us
in a right relationship with both God and people (Eph 5:18-21).
When we take the command to be filled with the Spirit seriously, we have to ask: how
can we experience fullness of the Spirit that can quench the thirst of our soul? First of all, we
have to ask God. Our Lord promised: “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good
gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those
who ask him?” (Lk 11:13). Second of all, to be filled with the Spirit, we have to come to Jesus,
and believe in him (Jn 7:37-39). Jesus, crucified and risen, is the source of the living water, that
is, the Holy Spirit. “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me,
as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” Last of all, to be
filled with the Spirit, we must surrender everything to him. There are some areas of life in
which people want to remain in control. If we stubbornly insist on our control in those areas,
holding back from the Spirit, he is grieved. But when we allow enough room for the Spirit, when
we listen to Jesus’ word (Jn 15:10), we’ll be filled with the Spirit.
