Spirit, Not Self

Not the Lowest-Viewed Talk After All

Last week I predicted the talk might be the lowest-viewed message of the year — after all, its title was "It's Not About You." That was a little tongue-in-cheek, but the message has defied the odds. It's actually not the lowest-viewed talk in the history of Passion City Church.

I think that's because, even though it's hard for us to receive at first, it's a message that brings us life. And God wants to underscore that today: it's not about you. But make no mistake — God is for you.

To say it's not about you doesn't mean God doesn't love you. It doesn't mean God hasn't chosen you. It doesn't mean He didn't pursue you, value you, or have a purpose and destiny for you. He is so for you that He's recommending to us the very best there is.

An Algorithm World

This whole collection is built around one reality: we're living in an algorithm world.

• We're watching our screens more than we're listening to messages like this.
• We're on our screens more than we're reading our Bibles.
• We're on our screens more than we're in prayer, meditating on His Word, worshiping in the closet with the door closed.
• Most of us are being discipled by our screens more than by Jesus.

So God wants to break into that algorithm world and say, "Let Me recommend some things for you. Based on who I made you to be, let Me recommend what is best for you." The algorithm may say, "You might like this." But God knows what you actually need the most.

Two Paths: Self or the Spirit

Remember, Jesus is the one who said in the Sermon on the Mount, "You've heard it said... but I say to you." The world may have said one thing to you. The algorithm may be trying to convince you of a certain path. But Jesus is inviting you onto a different path.

Each of us today faces two choices. Last week, "it's not about you" was really just Jesus' invitation:

"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."

What did He mean by deny yourself? The self in us is always calling for us to be at the center — front and center, getting our way, doing what we want, satisfying the desires of the flesh. That's the path of self, and every one of us can choose it today.

But Jesus is inviting us onto a different path — the path of the Spirit. Leaving the path of self and joining God on the path of the Spirit. That's the gift He's offering us today.

Jesus Is Recommending the Holy Spirit

Today will feel a little more like a Bible study. We're going to look at several passages across the New Testament, and they all highlight one huge idea: Jesus is recommending the Holy Spirit.

Jesus is central to the story of God. Father, Son, and Spirit created the world — but they did it through the agency of Jesus. And as we'll see, the Holy Spirit is all about glorifying Jesus. Jesus is the means by which God put away our sin and offered us forgiveness and eternal life. At the end of the day, it is the name of Jesus that is magnified in eternity.

But that central Jesus is recommending the Holy Spirit to you today. He wants you to know that God is a community — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — and that the best thing you can do in this life is to partner with the Spirit of the living God. To abandon the pathway of self and join God on the pathway of the Holy Spirit.

"Another Advocate" — John 14

In the Gospels, Jesus is preparing His followers. His time on earth is coming to a close. He didn't come to dwell here forever; He came to fulfill a mission, and that mission is now at hand. But there's more to come.

"If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever — the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you." (John 14:15–17)

That's the most important part: He will be in you.

"All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." (John 14:25–26)

There's an unbroken connection between Jesus and the Spirit of God. They are linked not only as the community of God, but in their missions. The Spirit continually refreshes our minds to the truth, the words, and the person of Jesus Christ.

He Is a "Him," Not an "It"

Don't miss the pronouns. The world cannot accept him — not it.

Before we take another step, we all need to get on board with this: the Holy Spirit is a person, a personality, a Him — not a thing. We don't pray, "God, send Your Spirit and let it move among us." We say, "Holy Spirit, come and move among us."

This might sound elementary to some, but we're not all at stage 100 in our theology. And there are people in this room investigating Christianity — coming from a Hindu background, from all faiths, from no faith, walking in asking, "What is this all about?" So let me bring everyone on the journey:

The Holy Spirit of God is God. God is Father. God is Son, Jesus Christ. And God is Holy Spirit. All of them God, in one God. And the Holy Spirit is a person — someone we can have a relationship with.

"It Is for Your Good That I Am Going" — John 16

"Very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." (John 16:7)

Think about this. God in human flesh — who raised the dead, healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, touched the leper, walked on water, gave His life on the cross, and rose from the tomb — is saying, "If I go, it's even better for you than if I stay."

How can that be? Because of the role of the Advocate. While Jesus walked among the villages, He could only be in one place at a time — on the Sea of Galilee one day, on the hillside the next, but not both. Now He's saying the Spirit will not just be with you — He will live in you. That's the miracle that makes His going even greater.

When the Spirit comes, Jesus said, He will:

• Convict the world about sin — showing us where we need to repent.
• Convict us of righteousness — reminding us who we are in Christ and the standing we now have.
• Convict the world about judgment — because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

"When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth... He will glorify me." (John 16:13–14)

The Holy Spirit has many functions and gives many gifts, but at the forefront He leads people to truth — out of a cloudy, confusing, algorithmic world into all the truth. And notice: He doesn't come to say, "All eyes on the Holy Spirit." He comes to get all eyes on Jesus, all attention on Jesus, to make everything about Jesus.

What "Advocate" Really Means

Why does Jesus call Him the Advocate? That Greek word is parakletos — two words combined: to come alongside and to advocate for.

But this isn't about the Spirit merely being positioned near you. It's that He is functionally in you. The Advocate means four things:

1. Intercessor. One who defends and pleads your case. In the Roman world, if you were going to trial facing accusations, a parakletos would come and intercede for you. Before Almighty God, the Holy Spirit is advocating for you against all the condemnation the enemy wants to pour on your life — against any lie, any curse coming against you.

2. Helper. One who supplies what you lack and stands ready to aid. In any moment when I realize I don't have it, I can't do it, I'm shaky — I have an Advocate whose function is to help me when I can't help myself.

3. Comforter. One who brings peace in every situation. When Jesus was here, He could speak to the wind and the waves. But now the Spirit lives in you, and in every situation, every moment, every place, He can be peace in you in the storm.

4. Counselor. An advisor. At every fork in the road, I'm not left to my own wisdom. I can ask, "Holy Spirit, what would Jesus say? What would Jesus think? What would Jesus do?" He guides us into truth and gives wise direction.

The World Is Building Its Own "Advocate"

The algorithm and its cousins are working overtime to get you an advocate. Consider Elon Musk's Optimus — the Tesla robot. In fact, the self-driving cars are, in part, a stepping stone to that technology.

When I asked the machine how Optimus is meant to help, it told me in five seconds: it aims to be a general-purpose humanoid robot that can work in factories, help at home with chores, assist the elderly and people with disabilities, perform dangerous jobs, and eventually become an affordable personal assistant. Instead of driving a car through the world, the AI learns to navigate the world through a humanoid body — an advocate.

It's a great, positive-sounding name. I'm not really for or against Optimus. I'm just happy that I already have — sent from above, from the highest intelligence in the universe — God the Holy Spirit, an Advocate already on the scene, already living in me through Christ, to do what I cannot do on my own.

"Receive the Holy Spirit"

When Jesus was resurrected, He appeared to His people and said:

"Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."

There's a mission — but then listen to His words:

"And with that he breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit.'" (John 20:22)

That's the hinge point today. God coming into your algorithm world and saying, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

Yes, when we put our faith in Christ and are brought from death to life, the Spirit of God comes to live in us. But there's an actualization, an activation, that comes when we say: "I want You, Holy Spirit. I welcome You. I'm opening my mind, my heart, my spirit — everything I am — to You. I want to receive You into my life."

As Paul preached the gospel, he would then preach, "Receive the Holy Spirit." And people would ask, "Who is the Holy Spirit?" Some of you don't know who He is. Some of you have heard of Him, or are slightly acquainted. So hear this: He is the Advocate of God, the power of God, here to help us live out the Christian life. God is saying to you today — open your life and welcome Him in.

Why We Hesitate

To make that decision means to cancel the path of self and invite the path of the Spirit. And that may be why so many people sit in church without experiencing the Spirit's power — because they realize that living in Spirit-power means abandoning self-power.

It means embracing that it's not about me:

• Not about what I can do.
• Not about me managing life.
• Not about me making all the choices and decisions.
• Not about me deciding which option I think is best and amplifying the viewpoint I think is right.

It's about axing the path of self and willfully joining the pathway of the Spirit — which is full surrender to the control of God's Spirit in my life.

The Realm of the Spirit — Romans 8

Paul amplifies this for people who are born again:

"You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ." (Romans 8:9)

It's possible to sit in a church gathering, think you're a Christian, and never have experienced a born-again conversion where Jesus became Lord and the Spirit filled your life. It's possible to have the name and not the power — like those Paul described to Timothy who had "a form of godliness but denied its power."

"But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you." (Romans 8:10–11)

Take a moment and breathe this in: the same power that raised Christ from the dead lives in you.

We didn't use a thousand percent of TNT to raise Jesus and then hand out mere firecrackers to everyone else. No — the same power, the same dynamo that raised Jesus, lives in you. That's why Jesus was so excited to say, "I'm going away, but the Advocate is coming — and when He comes, you're going to get dynamite power inside of you."

Led by the Spirit, Children of God

"Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation — but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For 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. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God." (Romans 8:12–14)

Once the Holy Spirit becomes your Advocate — the one who intercedes, comforts, guides, and helps — He continually reminds you: you are a child of God. The world didn't remind me of that. The algorithm didn't. My parents didn't even remind me of that. But the Holy Spirit constantly says, "You are a child of God, grafted into a relationship with the God of the universe." And when that happens, life changes.

We Need Fruit, Not Just Language

What we need is not merely a message that makes us say, "I want the Holy Spirit, I welcome the Holy Spirit, I want to receive Him." What we need is a life where, if you follow me around, you'd know I'm walking by the Spirit — because the fruit of the Spirit is evident in my life.

A friend sent me a recent Lifeway research study. Gen Z churchgoers attend worship more often than any other generation — averaging 6.2 services a month. They're the most likely to join small groups, and among the most likely to serve, share their faith, memorize Scripture, and invite friends to church.

But researchers found a surprising disconnect. (And let me pause — I'm not an expert on Gen Z. I'm just reading the survey to see if we all find it helpful, not just Gen Z.)

• 52% said that when they have to choose between their own way and God's way, they usually choose their own.
• 43% said reading the Bible hasn't made a significant difference in how they live.

The person directing NextGen Ministries at Lifeway said: "My biggest concern for Gen Z is not that they are disconnected from church. Our research shows they are deeply involved. The greater concern is that they're not being deeply formed." This points to a discipleship challenge, not an attendance problem. Young Christians are showing up. The question is whether faith is shaping everyday life as much as it fills church calendars.

I don't think that's just a word for Gen Z. I think it's a word for me, for our Christian culture, for anyone who says, "I believe in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit, You are welcome here." — but who, if forced to choose between their own way and God's way, still chooses their own.

Jesus is saying today: I want to recommend a full surrender to the Holy Spirit of God, so that the Holy Spirit can fully express His richness in you.

Walk by the Spirit — Galatians 5

"So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For 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." (Galatians 5:16–17)

If you try to work your way out with one ski on each path, eventually you'll end up face-down in the lake. You have to make a decision.

"The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:19–21)

Why? Because they're proving they don't have the seal of the Holy Spirit that marks the children of God.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:22–25)

Nine amazing things we all need and want.

There Is No Switzerland

Here's the picture: we're all going to be a sponge. No one gets out of being a sponge. We're created to serve God — and if we don't serve God, we'll serve something else. We're created to be filled by the Holy Spirit — and if we're not filled by Him, we'll be filled by a different spirit. We're created for the fullness and freedom of surrendering to God — and if we don't fully surrender to God, we'll fully surrender to something less than God.

We don't have the option of neutrality. There is no Switzerland in the Christian faith. And you can see it by the way we live.

The person committed to the flesh — who immerses their thinking, attitudes, behavior, relationships, and consumption in the flesh, sucked in by the algorithm — when life squeezes them, the flesh comes out. You can talk your way around it all day, but everyone watching just sees, "That's what happens when you live according to the flesh."

But those who walk by the Spirit — who have surrendered, opened, and welcomed the full control of God's Spirit, immersing themselves in the ways, teaching, power, thoughts, and attitudes of God — when life presses them, it's not, "How did you do that?" It's, "I didn't do that. I just immersed my life in the Spirit of God, and when life came, the fruit of the Spirit is what came out."

You can talk all day about who you think you are. But when life comes and you don't even have time to think — what comes out of you? I'd say 99% of us want love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control to come out of our lives.

The Invitation

That's why Jesus said, "I'm recommending the Holy Spirit." And there's nothing weird about it. He's simply saying to anyone here today:

Receive the Holy Spirit.

Yes, you will have to say no to the path of self. But there will be so much life for you on the path of the Spirit of God.