The main idea of Pastor Austin's message 'S.O.S' was the critical need for us to submit our souls to the Spirit's leading rather than being guided by our flesh. He explained that our soul, which includes our mind, will, and emotions, often operates contrary to God's design. Pastor Austin emphasized that salvation is an internal transformation that should manifest outwardly, contrasting God's work from the inside out with the enemy's approach from the outside in. The sermon encouraged us to be vigilant about what influences we allow into our lives and to practice obedience and discipline to keep our emotions and flesh in check.
Romans 8:5-8, Psalm 23, Joshua 24:15, Ephesians 3:20, Matthew 16:24, James 1:2, Galatians 2:20, Matthew 5:28, Hebrews 13:4, Ephesians 5:18, Matthew 12:34, James 3:10-12, Matthew 18:8-9, 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
In what ways can we guard our 'gates' (eyes and ears) to prevent negative influences?
How does obedience and discipline help us to live by the Spirit rather than the flesh?
What does it mean to you to 'pick up your cross and follow' Jesus in the context of this sermon?
In Pastor Austin's sermon 'S.O.S' at Echo Church, he delved into the struggle between living according to the flesh and living by the Spirit. He used the analogy of a fake cop story to illustrate how our minds can be deceived. Pastor Austin explained the concept of Spirit, Soul, and Body, emphasizing that while our body is physical and not eternal, our soul consists of our mind, will, and emotions, and our spirit is what is reborn in Christ. He highlighted the problem of the discrepancy between how God intended us to operate and our actual behavior, especially after becoming Christians. The sermon stressed the importance of daily choosing the Spirit over the flesh and the necessity of submitting our souls to God's will to bear fruit and shine light in a dark world.
Let's commit to being Spirit-led by submitting our emotions and desires to God's Word, even when it's challenging.
Guard your heart by being mindful of what you watch and listen to, and focus on filling your life with God's truth.