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  BIRTH: SAVIOR; GROWTH: SPIRIT
  by Miles J. Stanford
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Summary: We receive life by faith in the Savior and grow in that life by
reliance on the Holy Spirit.

Topics: "Holy Spirit", "Faith Growth"
Scripture References: John 14:26, Romans 8:5, Romans 8:14, 1 Corinthians 2:10, 2 Corinthians 5:7, Galatians 5:16, Galatians 5:25, Ephesians 1:13, Hebrews 11:1, James 2:26

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DESCRIPTION
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Miles J. Stanford preaches on the importance of walking in the Spirit to
overcome the desires of the flesh. He emphasizes that while faith clears
us before God through the Cross, the growth ministry of the Holy Spirit
is needed to clear us from ourselves. By realizing our position in the
Father's presence through faith, we are drawn closer to Him without
depending on our senses. Faith allows us to claim our abundant title to
be near and happy with God, even when our natural conscience may suggest
otherwise. The preacher highlights that walking by sight takes us
outside of faith, and God desires us to continually rely on faith for
every moment, as it is the evidence of things unseen.

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CONTENT
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"Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh"
(Galatians 5:16).

We receive life by reliance upon the Savior; we grow in that life by
reliance upon the Spirit.

"Many think that because of faith they are cleared of everything before
God through the Cross, and therefore by faith they are clear of
everything in themselves. But that is the error of 'holiness by faith.'
The objective (position) is that we are clear before the Father; the
subjective (condition) is that we are cleared from ourselves by the
growth ministry of the Holy Spirit."

"As you by faith in the positional facts realize that you are in the
Father's presence, you will not try to depend upon any sense of His
presence. You know His presence because you know that your position in
the Christian life is a life of faith in the facts-nothing else. That
the Father forces you to live by faith so as to draw you into His
presence-not you, by sense, trying to draw Him into yours."

"We are, naturally, suspicious of any offer to make us happy in God.
Because our moral sense, our natural conscience, tells us of our having
lost all right even to His ordinary blessings. But in the Word of our
Father, faith reads our abundant title to be near to Him and happy with
Him, though natural conscience and our sense of the fitness of things
would have it otherwise. Faith feeds where the moral sensibilities of
the natural mind would count it presuming even to tread." -J.G.B.

"The moment we walk by sight we are outside of faith. The Father would
never have us outside of faith; hence, even in answering faith, He so
answers it that we need it again the next moment, even while we are
enjoying the results of it." -J.B.S.

"Faith is. . . the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1).

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/miles-j-stanford/birth-savior-growth-spirit/
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