Life In Gear

1. Life In Gear Studies On the “Christ-In-You” Life By Dr. Ray Henry Dr. John Hilbun Rev. Charles Culpepper

3. Introduction-Life In Gear • Victorious Christian Life has been called by various names: • The Deeper Life • The Abundant Life • The Higher Life • The Exchanged Life • The Abiding Life • The Triumphant Life • The Liberating Life • The Flowing Life-Rivers of Living Water • The Victorious Life • The Life that Wins • The Normal Christian Life • Life In Gear • *See List of Books on the Victorious Christian Life

4. This “Life In Gear” Is For All Christians • See Quote: Ron Dunn “The victorious life is not a superior brand of Christianity reserved for the elite of the elect. It is the normal for every Christian…Too many Christians are struggling for victory has already been won. It was won 2000 years age.”

5. Outline- “Life In Gear” • Introduction to Life In Gear • Misconceptions- What Is Christianity? • Purpose of Existence-Glory of God • Failure to Achieve Our Purpose • Turning Failures into Victory • Dead End Roads to Christian Living • Substitutes for Christian Fruit • Brokenness and Failure-Preparation for Victory • Pathways to Victory • The Way Of Death-Reckoning • The Way Of Life • The Way Of Appropriation • The Way Faith • The Way of Recognition-Who Am I?

6. Introduction- “Life In Gear” • I have used the example of a car in gear to describe the Christian life. • It is a life that runs smoothly and gets to our destination without the grinding of the impotence of the old man in trying to live the Christian life. • It is a life that operates “in sync with God.” • It is a life that flows from God as it’s source of total adequacy and strength.

7. Introduction- “Life In Gear”Part 2 • It is a life that knows how to let God work through us as His containers and vessels. • It is a spontaneous life of Christ in you that is full of joy and peace and excitement in routine living. • It is a life that sees lasting fruit in its final operation. • It is a life that releases people to reach their God given purpose in this life-His Glory. • It is a life that recognizes our unity with Christ and who we really are in Him in this world.

8. OUR PURPOSE: THE GLORY OF GOD-Part 1 • The Glory of God is seen in Nature • His excellence is seen in the detailed workmanship and operation of nature.

9. OUR PURPOSE: THE GLORY OF GOD-Part 2 The Glory of God is seen perfectly in the life of Jesus. God’s character was fully, completely revealed to us in the person of Jesus Christ. Read Hebrews1:3

10. OUR PURPOSE: THE GLORY OF GOD-Part 3 Mankind has substituted many things to worship rather than to give glory to God. Rom.1:20-23

11. OUR PURPOSE: THE GLORY OF GOD-Part 4 • God is a person and can only adequately express Himself through persons. • Man exists for the sole purpose of allowing God to express Himself -His Glory through him.

12. A MYSTERY • Man within himself has absolutely nopower or ability to express God’s nature. • We all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. See Romans 3:23 • The flesh in all of it’s futile attempts does not display the glory of God. • Example: Church History- The Crusades and corruption in monasteries, etc. • The good flesh is just as corrupt as the bad flesh. Two parts of the old nature that must die so Christ can live through us.

13. The Big Question? HOW?

14. Lesson 2- Life In Gear Studies On the “Christ-In-You” Life By Dr. Ray Henry Dr. John Hilbun Rev. Charles Culpepper

15. MISCONCEPTIONS:WHAT IS CHRITIANITY? • Some see as it as just ANOTHER RELIGION among themany in world. Never seeing the uniqueness of the Living Christ. • They throw Christianity into the religious arena and say it is on the same level.

16. MISCONCEPTIONS:WHAT IS CHRITIANITY? 2. Some see it as merely a FIREESCAPE. • Just an Eternal Insurance Policy. • A License for loose living. • A Place in Heaven… “pie in the sky by and by.” • Christianity is more than just a way to die……. It is THE WAYto live. It is “Life in Gear” with God and yourself and others.

17. MISCONCEPTIONS:WHAT IS CHRISTIANITY? 3. Many see Christianity as LAWS AND RULES. • They have their lists of DO’s and DON’TS. • Their denomination has its own Pharisaical interpretations of what is right and wrong. • The truth is we are to be different than the world in attitudes and conduct. But how? (See I Pet.1:15-16; Rom.12:1-2;Gal.5:1-25;I John 2:9-11;15-17)

18. THE TRUTH DISTORTED • Christianity is not Christian Legalism: Attempting to live up to God’s standard by one’s own efforts or lists of duties in themselves. 2. Christianity is not Christian Humanism: It is not mere morality it means more- godliness. • We have a lot of Dedicated Failure in our churches. We obey certain religious lists but are not holy or godly or living for His Glory. • The “letter of the law kills”…II Cor.3:6 • Christianity is not a list of “oughts” Gal.3:1-5 • Christianity is walking in the Spirit and fulfilling the law of Christ. Gal.5:5-6;16;23-24 and Gal.6:2

19. TRUE CHRISTIANITY Christianity is not what we do for God, it is what God does for us in His Grace. ALL CREATION EXISTS TO REVEAL THE GLORY OF GOD GLORY: THE EXPRESSION OF GOD’S ATTRIBUTES AND CHARACTER

20. THE SECRET REVEALED TRUE CHRISTIANITY IS.. Christ For You CHRIST IN YOU CHRIST AS YOU LIVING THROUGH YOU IN EVERY SITUATION EVERY MOMENT EVERY DAY OF YOU LIFE. “Christ in you the hope of glory.” Col.1:27 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but CHRIST LIVETH IN ME, AND THE LIFE I NOW LIVE IN THE FLESH I LIVE BY FAITH IN THE SON OF GOD,WHO LOVED ME AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME.” Gal.2:20

21. Dead End Roads To Christian Living – Pt.1 • ROLLER COASTER ROAD -Trusting in Feelings and Experiences • Man is made up of body, soul, spirit • The Body is the natural senses of touch, taste, see, sound, smell. Most are living by the senses alone. If it feels good do it. • The Soul Level is the will (I decide); Mind (I think); emotions (I feel). 1.Prov.16:25 There is a way that seems right.. 2.Isa.55:8 “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.” • I promise to do better • I don’t feel close to God here… • We have a tendency to depend more on feelings than on faith. (Rom.1:17; II Cor. 5:7;Heb.11:1,6) • Faith depends on truth, not feelings.

22. Dead End RoadsTo Christian Living- Pt.2 • ABNEGATION AVENUE- It is trying to live by self-denial alone. • If I quit certain things I will be a better Christian • The habits deleted in themselves do not produce Christ-like qualities • The Pharisees did not do a lot of things. Their respect for Sabbath laws was commendable, but did not bring them closer to living for the Glory of God. • God called them “vipers” and “whited sepulchers”. (See Matt.23:27-28) • We are not do certain things under the conviction of the Holy Spirit and by following the principles of exaltation, expediency, edification of others. • But we are to operate by a different power.

23. Dead End RoadsTo Christian Living- Pt. 3 • DEDICATION DRIVE-It is the dedication and re-dedication of the flesh. • The Flesh cannot please God • We try harder to be like Jesus, but we fail time and again. Read Bible more; pray more; etc. • This why Romans 7 is sandwiched between two victory chapters. We can’t do what we would and should even though we are greatly committed to being followers of Jesus Christ. Rom.7:16-17 • Paul calls his own self-directed attempts to please God as a “wretched man” • The Law of Sin and Evil are keeps man who wants to do right from reaching His Goal. • You cannot improve the flesh with the flesh, it must be replaced. • Christ in us, Christ as us, keeps His law through us so that the “righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us…” • “So we walk by a new inner recognition of the Spirit, not by the recognition of that old self-effort.” N.Grubb

24. Dead End RoadsTo Christian Living- Pt. 4 • EDUCATION EXPRESSWAY-More and more training, seminars, books, etc. • We have the best discipleship courses anyone would ever want. • Most serve a defined purpose. They fill us with more information on a prescribed subject. • The information highway of the internet gives us access to enormous amounts of materials.

25. Dead End RoadsTo Christian Living- Pt. 4 EDUCATION EXPRESSWAY • More courses, information, books, and manuals do not provide the answer to victorious Christian Living. • Biblical diplomas and degrees and certificates of completion do not live the Christ-filled life. • More training does not in itself produce more power to live a life that brings glory of God. • The information must lead us to faith and the right answer- CHRIST IN YOU. • Even with more training, we have no power to put in practice. Zech.4:6

26. God Sees The Flesh Hopeless • “The flesh is corrupt to the uttermost, and there is no other way for it except death.” • “The work of the Lord Jesus does not changeour flesh. God’s power cannot change our flesh… That which is born of flesh is flesh…The only solution is death.” • “The first step toward victory is to realize we are not able…Once you become unable, He becomes able. Herein lies the principle ofvictory.” Watchman Nee- THE OVERCOMING LIFE (Living Stream Ministry)

27. Other Substitutes ForVictorious Christian Living • SUCCESS- Wm. Carey had no convert for the first seven yrs. In India. • SENSATIONALISM - Flashy preachers may have a on bigger crowd. Ii is an inordinate focus on the spectacular. The sensational is not always lasting fruit. (Theme park) • SACRED WORK AS OPPOSED TO SECULAR- It is not the type of service that produces fruit, it is the sap of the vine. • SIMULATION OR IMITATION– The Christian life is not straining to duplicate in his own the life of Jesus (WWJD). No it is letting Christ live spontaneously through us. • From Chapter 7 “Things that sometimes pass for fruit” ABIDING IN CHRIST by John Rosscup (Talbot Seminary,CA)

29. Lesson 3- Life In Gear Studies On the “Christ-In-You” Life By Dr. Ray Henry Dr. John Hilbun Rev. Charles Culpepper

30. Review of Lessons 1 & 2 • The Victorious Christian life is for all Christians • Life In Gear is a life in sync with God. It is the spontaneous flowing of Christ-life living through a Christian. • Our Purpose – The Glory of God • The Big Question? How? • Misconceptions-Christianity is not a fire escape or laws and religious rules • Christianity is Christ for you; Christ in You; and Christ as you-living and working through your form.

31. Review of Lessons 1 & 2 Dead End Roads to Christian Living A. ROLLER COASTER ROAD- (Feelings and experiences) B. ABNEGATION AVENUE- (Self-denial and quitting certain tings) C. DEDICATION DRIVE (Even dedicated flesh cannot please God) D. EDUCATION EXPRESSWAY (More courses, diplomas and information does not live the Christian life)

32. Lesson 3The Keys To Entering the Christ-life FAILURES AND BROKENESS

33. Turning Failures into Victory • God purposes failures • God purposes allows us to have knocks out the props of erroneous Christian Living • God can turn our “inkblots” into masterpieces. • But we must come to “wit’s end corner” whereby we realize there is more-much more to Christian Living.

34. Wit’s End Corner • Testimony: Jack Taylor- “I was sick and tired of being of being sick and tired. My misery began to worsen. I prayed more and worked harder…Frantically evading self-discovery. I sought more success in buildings, budgets and baptism, too often our “holy trinity” for success…Doubts, depression and discouragement and despair were my constant companions…I was at wit’s corner.”

35. Brokenness and Failure:Preparation for Victory • By nature most men hold a higher estimate of themselves than God does. Proverbs 16:2 “All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes, but the Lord weigheth the spirits.” (motives) I Cor.3:13-14 “Every man’s work will be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, it will be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide…he will receive a reward.” • Jesus says that the person who recognizes his need, his spiritual poverty, will find God’s kingdom. Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God.” • God can only help needy people who know they need help. Matthew 9:12 “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.” • The basic ingredient for growth is need. God creates needs and failures in our lives.

36. Brokenness and Failure:Preparation for Victory • Failure is purposed by God to destroy all confidence in the flesh. • II Cor.3:5 “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God” • II Cor. 4:7-10 “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the Excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair. Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.” • II Cor.12:7,9-10 “ lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of revelations, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me…Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” • Phil.3:3 “we are the circumcision, which worship God in Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh.”

37. Brokenness and Failure:Preparation for Victory- Pt.2 • Quote: J.B.Stoney- “The soul never imbibes the truth in living power but as it requires it.” • Quote: W. Nee- “The first thing for which He sets us here is to create hunger in others. No true work will ever begin withouta sense of need being created. We cannot inject that into others…That hunger is to be created, and that hunger can be created only through those who carry the impressions of God.” • Quote: J.N. Darby- “He makes Himself know to us through our needs; necessity finds Him out.” • “All too often believers are exhorted and even pressured to grow before there is an acute awareness of need, before there is true spiritual hunger.” -Miles Stanford, Chap.5, THE COMPLETE GREEN LETTERS

38. Brokenness and Failure:Preparation for Victory- Pt.3 • Brokenness involves the shattering ofour estimate ofourselves so that we come to see ourselves as God sees us and agree with him. Ps.51:17 • Brokenness and Failure produces: • A disgust with our own self-righteousness and self-confidence. Rom.7:24 • Aloving abandonment of self and total dependency upon Christ. II Cor.12:9

39. Testimony: Failure In Christian Living • Testimony: Charles Trumbull- “There were great fluctuations in my spiritual life, in my conscious closeness of fellowship with God. Sometimes I would be in the heights spiritually; sometimes I would be in the depths….Second, there was a conscious lack spiritually in my life in the matter of besetting sins. I was not fighting a winning battle. Third, there was a conscious lack in the matter of a dynamic, convincing spiritual power that would work miracle changes in other men’s lives. I was doing personal work-the hardest kind of all; But I wasn’t seeing results. ” • The Life That Wins- Charles Trumbull (CLC)

40. Testimony: Failure In Christian Living • Testimony: Charles Trumbull- “There were great fluctuations in my spiritual life, in my conscious closeness of fellowship with God. Sometimes I would be in the heights spiritually; sometimes I would be in the depths….Second, there was a conscious lack spiritually in my life in the matter of besetting sins. I was not fighting a winning battle. Third, there was a conscious lack in the matter of a dynamic, convincing spiritual power that would work miracle changes in other men’s lives. I was doing personal work-the hardest kind of all; But I wasn’t seeing results. ” • The Life That Wins- Charles Trumbull (CLC)

41. Testimony: Failure In Christian Living • Testimony: J. Hudson Taylor- “My position becomes more and more responsible...but I have continually too mourn that I follow at such a distance and learn so slowly to imitate my precious Master. I never knew how bad of heart I had. Often I am tempted to think that one so full of sin cannot be a child of God.” • -Letter to his mother when 37yrs old on Mission Field • THEY FOUND THE SECRET – Raymond Edman (Zondervan Publications)

42. Testimony: Failure In Christian Living • Testimony: W. Ian Thomas – “Thus by the age of nineteen, I had been reduced to a state of complete exhaustion spiritually, until I felt there was no point going on….There was no point in going to Africa as a missionary, but I was prepared to go to Africa and be just as uselessthere as I was already in England…Then one night in November I got down on my knees and wept sheer despair. “Oh God I know that I am saved and love Jesus…With all my heart I wanted to serve Thee. I have tried to my uttermost and I am a hopeless failure. I am not going to be a missionary. It is useless to continue like this. I hate this double life. THEY FOUND THE SECRET by Raymond Edman

43. TESTIMONY:FAILUREPREPARATION FOR VICTORY • “The reason our Father creates and allows needs in our lives is to turn us from all that is outside of Christ, centering us in Him alone. • “Not I, but Christ.” • “Without the bitter experience of their own inadequacy and poverty they are quite unfitted to bear the burden of spiritual ministry…Our personal, heart-breaking failure in every phase of our Christian life is our Father’s preparation for His success on our behalf. This negative processing of His finally brings us into His positive promise of Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

44. Lesson 4- Life In GearThe Way of Death-Reckoning Studies On the “Christ-In-You” Life By Dr. Ray Henry Dr. John Hilbun Rev. Charles Culpepper

45. Review of Lessons 1 & 2 • The Victorious Christian life is for all Christians • Life In Gear is a life in sync with God. It is the spontaneous flowing of Christ living through a Christian. • Our Purpose – The Glory of God • The Big Question? How? • Misconceptions-Christianity is not a fire escape or laws and religious rules • Christianity is Christ for you; Christ in You; and Christ as you-living through your form.

46. Review of Lessons 1 & 2 Dead End Roads to Christian Living A. ROLLER COASTER ROAD- (Feelings and experiences) B. ABNEGATION AVENUE- (Self-denial and quitting certain tings) C. DEDICATION DRIVE (Even dedicated flesh cannot please God) D. EDUCATION EXPRESSWAY (More courses, diplomas and information does not live the Christian life)

47. Review of Lesson 3 • God purposes failure • God shatters our self confidence in the old man • God leads us to abandon self and depend totally on self

48. REVIEW OF LESSON 3 • Testimonies of Brokenness & Failure: • Jack Taylor-Pastor & VP of Southern Baptist Convention • Charles Trumbull-Editor of Sunday Times • J. Hudson Taylor-Founder of China Inland Mission • Major Ian Thomas-Caperway Ministries

49. Review Lesson 3Testimony: Failure In Christian Living • Testimony: Charles Trumbull- “There were great fluctuations in my spiritual life, in my conscious closeness of fellowship with God. Sometimes I would be in the heights spiritually; sometimes I would be in the depths….Second, there was a conscious lack spiritually in my life in the matter of besetting sins. I was not fighting a winning battle. Third, there was a conscious lack in the matter of a dynamic, convincing spiritual power that would work miracle changes in other men’s lives. I was doing personal work-the hardest kind of all; But I wasn’t seeing results. ” • The Life That Wins- Charles Trumbull (CLC)

50. Lesson 4- Pathways To VictoryThe Way Of Death-Reckoning The Principle or Axiom* The Way of Death deals with A Believer’s Identification with Christ in His Death, Burial and Resurrection. Understanding how to apply the cross and our co-crucifixion with Christ gives us the means of entering into the victorious Christian life. *A principle is a law of nature (or the method) by which a thing operates. -M. Stanford *Axiom-An established principle or statement (usually found in logic or math) that needs no proof.