Sermon Note.

Romans 1:9a

 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son;

True and acceptable service comes only from your spirit. Be it praise, worship, soul winning, or service in your units, including your giving to advance His kingdom on earth, it must come from your spirit. The earlier you develop your spirit man through the Word, prayers, and obedience to the Word of God, the faster your spirit comes alive with the Holy Spirit, and all your services in the kingdom, including praise and worship, become impactful.
It’s not from your body, no matter how much you get involved in physical exercise, nor from your mind. It is your spirit.
The service that will make an impact must come from your spirit, just as praising God with your body without your spirit will never attract His presence. John 4:24. God is a spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth.
The dancing of David in 2 Sam. 6:14-16, 20-22. Was a praise from his spirit that moved his renewed mind, which eventually mobilised his body. Our praise and worship must be from the inside out and not vice versa.
Praise and any other service in the kingdom are spiritual, and they must come from the same source.
At salvation, only your spirit was recreated 2Cor, 5:17. The new creation is your spirit. That is where the life of God is, and not your body and mind; hence, you see a Believer still struggling in some areas like anger, lying, etc but he or she has the life of God in him or her, but the mind is not renewed in the word of God. Rom. 12:2. Your mind must be trained to align with the new life in Christ. Your body also must be brought under control Rom.12:1. 1 Cor. 9:27.
Your spirit, being alive with God, helps to tame your body and align your mind with the word of God. Your spirit must take the lead at all times.
Praise that is not from within your spirit) cannot please God and cannot make an impact because we are called to live from within your spirit.
Growing in the Spirit and becoming alive with the Holy Spirit is the first step to doing anything meaningful in the kingdom. Whatever is done with your flesh has no eternal value.

HOW TO HAVE AN ACTIVE SPIRIT

1. New Birth. New birth is not like today’s edition of born again, where chronic drunkards, fornicators, murderers, liars, thieves claim to be born again in Christ. John 3:5,6&8.
   1 John 3:9 This is the proof of new birth in Christ. They don’t rejoice in sin or live in it, because there is a seed of righteousness in them. Sin is committed by error and not deliberately.
   You become saved by accepting
   Jesus Christ into your life and remain in Him no matter your challenges.