Walking by the Spirit
Galations 5:16-26
Walk by the Spirit
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Here Paul gets right to the point! The Spirit and the flesh are opposites, they are opposed to each other.
If you live by the flesh which includes (but not limited to):
1. Sexual Immorality
2. Impurity
3. Sensuality
4. Idolatry
5. Sorcery
6. Enmity
7. Strife
8. Jealousy
9. Fits of anger
10. Rivalries
11. Dissensions
12. Divisions
13. Envy
14. Drunkenness
15. Orgies
Paul says that if you do these things, You "will not inherit the Kingdom of God."
It is a good thing Paul doesn't end there!!!
He also tells us what it is to live in the Spirit of God, and the evidence is the Fruit:
1. Love
2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Patience
5. Kindness
6. Goodness
7. Faithfulness
8. Gentleness
9. Self-control
So, what is more evident in your life? The desires and passions of the flesh or the fruits of the Spirit?
One thing to keep in mind also, is that no one is perfect! We all fall back into the flesh at times, but what is the trend in your life? What is done more? Is there a pattern moving from one to the other?
Have you as Paul says in vs. 24 "Crucified the flesh"?
Back to Romans, Paul says in 8:9 "You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him." And in 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
If you have accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, He has given you His Spirit and that Spirit is working in you to produce the Good Fruits. Let the Spirit work, Crucify the flesh and it's desires and live in "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." You have been set free in Christ Jesus to do this!
Ephesians 6:23-24
"Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible."
In Christ,
Dave
Walk by the Spirit
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Here Paul gets right to the point! The Spirit and the flesh are opposites, they are opposed to each other.
If you live by the flesh which includes (but not limited to):
1. Sexual Immorality
2. Impurity
3. Sensuality
4. Idolatry
5. Sorcery
6. Enmity
7. Strife
8. Jealousy
9. Fits of anger
10. Rivalries
11. Dissensions
12. Divisions
13. Envy
14. Drunkenness
15. Orgies
Paul says that if you do these things, You "will not inherit the Kingdom of God."
It is a good thing Paul doesn't end there!!!
He also tells us what it is to live in the Spirit of God, and the evidence is the Fruit:
1. Love
2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Patience
5. Kindness
6. Goodness
7. Faithfulness
8. Gentleness
9. Self-control
So, what is more evident in your life? The desires and passions of the flesh or the fruits of the Spirit?
One thing to keep in mind also, is that no one is perfect! We all fall back into the flesh at times, but what is the trend in your life? What is done more? Is there a pattern moving from one to the other?
Have you as Paul says in vs. 24 "Crucified the flesh"?
Back to Romans, Paul says in 8:9 "You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him." And in 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
If you have accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, He has given you His Spirit and that Spirit is working in you to produce the Good Fruits. Let the Spirit work, Crucify the flesh and it's desires and live in "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." You have been set free in Christ Jesus to do this!
Ephesians 6:23-24
"Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible."
In Christ,
Dave
posted by Mark 1:17 at 6:53 AM
1 Comments:
I was reading my buddy's blog yesterday, for the first time--so I was looking through all his old posts. He did an article on Walking in the Spirit, too.
He made a point, that in Galatians 5:22, there is only 1 fruit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentelness, self control. He said that really walking in the Spirit should be evidenced by greater amounts of each of these qualities in our lives, and not just one or two.
Jesus said that a tree is known by its fruit. One tree doesn't bear nine different kinds of fruit, and neither do we.
Interesting point.
(his blog is www.hiddeninplainsight.blogspot.com, I think...)
God bless
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