Chapter Nine - Supernaturalized
by Dane C Ortlund
Supernaturalized
It is natural that our lives proceed out of our own resources and to ask God to add his blessing. This is backwards.
This final chapter relects on the only way to make the previous 8 work in your life: keeping in step with the indwelling Spirit.
Father ordained salvation
Son accomplishes salvation
Spirit applies salvation
The spirit gives life, turning theory into power. It is how God is in us. We are not alone, we are supernaturalized.
The New Age
Jesus died and resurrected began a new creation. He fulfilled the Old Testament already. The New Testament states this.
The piece that is paired with the coming of Jesus is the pouring out of the spirit. The descent of the Holy Spirit marked the launch of the new age.
The new age didn’t eradicate the old age but overlaid it. That is why there is still sin in our hearts. It is when Jesus returns that the old age will be removed.
There is no sin in us that is more powerful than the Holy Spirit. With the Holy Spirit there is nothing we can’t beat.
Three Kinds of Men
Do we need the spirit to live a moral life? No but we do if we want to live a supernatural one.
We need the spirit to be different on the inside. The outside doesn’t matter if it is not a reflection of the inside.
C.S. Lewis described three kinds of men.
Those who live purely for themselves
Those who acknowledge some sort of code that is above them
Those who for them life is “to live Is Christ”. They reject self obediently
The only way to move from 2 to 3 is with the Holy Spirit. To grow is no adding Christ to your life but collapsing into Christ as your life.
It is impossible to do this on your own. It is only at that point of recognition that we throw up our hands in the air and our hearts are open and fertile for the supernaturalizing power of the Holy Spirit.
Redirecting Our Gaze
Inner change takes place by the Holy Spirit making Christ wonderful to us. He fixes our gaze on Jesus.
A Foretase of Heaven
Without the empowering Spirit all your ministry and efforts and evangelizing and attempts to kill sin will be in vain.
As we walk with the Spirit we will be a small walking portrait of heaven to those around us. Mistakes will happen, but for longer stretches of your day we will begin to operate out of God’s resources.
Conclusion
Look to Christ!
