Who’s Leading Who?
Pastor Frankie Valencia
1 Corinthians 2:4-16 (TPT)
4 The message I preached and how I preached it was not an attempt to sway you with persuasive arguments but to prove to you the almighty power of God’s Holy Spirit. 5 For God intended that your faith not be established on man’s wisdom but by trusting in his almighty power.6 However, there is a wisdom that we continually speak of when we are among the spiritually mature.[f] It’s wisdom that didn’t originate in this present age, nor did it come from the rulers of this age who are in the process of being dethroned.[g]7 Instead, we[h] continually speak of this wonderful wisdom that comes from God, hidden before now in a mystery.[i] It is his secret plan, destined[j] before the ages, to bring us into glory.[k] 8 None of the rulers of this present world order understood it,[l]for if they had, they never would have crucified the Lord of shining glory.[m] 9 This is why the Scriptures say: Things never discovered or heard of before,
things beyond our ability to imagine[n]—
these are the many things God has in store
for all his lovers.[o]
10 But God now unveils these profound realities to us by the Spirit.[p] Yes, he has revealed to us his inmost heart and deepest mysteries through the Holy Spirit, who constantly explores all things. 11 After all, who can really see into a person’s heart and know his hidden impulses except for that person’s spirit? So it is with God. His thoughts and secrets are only fully understood by his Spirit, the Spirit of God.12 For we did not receive the spirit of this world system but the Spirit of God, so that we might come to understand and experience all that grace has lavished upon us. 13 And we[q] articulate these realities with the words imparted to us by the Spirit and not with the words taught by human wisdom. We join together Spirit-revealed truths with Spirit-revealed words.[r] 14 Someone living on an entirely human level[s] rejects[t] the revelations of God’s Spirit, for they make no sense to him. He can’t understand the revelations of the Spirit because they are only discovered by the illumination of the Spirit. 15 Those who live in the Spirit are able to carefully evaluate all things, and they are subject to the scrutiny of no one but God. 16 For Who has ever intimately known the mind of the Lord Yahweh[u] well enough to become his counselor?[v]Christ has, and we possess Christ’s perceptions.
Romans 8:1-9 (TPT)
8 So now the case is closed. There remains no accusing voice of condemnation against those who are joined in life-union with Jesus, the Anointed One.[a] 2 For the “law” of the Spirit of life flowing through the anointing of Jesus has liberated us[b]from the “law” of sin and death. 3 For God achieved what the law was unable to accomplish, because the law was limited by the weakness of human nature.[c]Yet God sent us his Son in human form to identify with human weakness. Clothed with humanity, God’s Son gave his body to be the sin-offering so that God could once and for all condemn the guilt and power of sin. 4 So now every righteous requirement of the law can be fulfilled through the Anointed One living his life in us. And we are free to live, not according to our flesh, but by the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit![d]5 Those who are motivated by the flesh only pursue what benefits themselves. But those who live by the impulses of the Holy Spirit are motivated to pursue spiritual realities.[e] 6 For the mind-set of the flesh is death, but the mind-set controlled by the Spirit finds life and peace.7 In fact, the mind-set focused on the flesh fights God’s plan and refuses to submit to his direction,[f] because it cannot! 8 For no matter how hard they try, God finds no pleasure with those who are controlled by the flesh. 9 But when the Spirit of Christ empowers your life,[g] you are not dominated by the flesh but by the Spirit. And if you are not joined to the Spirit of the Anointed One, you are not of him.
Romans 8:14-17 (TPT)
14 The mature children of God are those[a] who are moved by the impulses of the Holy Spirit. 15 And you did not receive the “spirit of religious duty,”[b] leading you back into the fear of never being good enough.[c] But you have received the “Spirit of full acceptance,”[d] enfolding you into the family of God. And you will never feel orphaned, for as he rises up within us, our spirits join him in saying the words of tender affection, “Beloved Father!”[e] 16 For the Holy Spirit makes God’s fatherhood real to us as he whispers into our innermost being, “You are God’s beloved child!”17 And since we are his true children, we qualify to share all his treasures, for indeed, we are heirs of God himself. And since we are joined to Christ, we also inherit all that he is and all that he has.[f] We will experience being co-glorified with him provided that we accept his sufferings[g] as our own.[h]