Living By The Spirit

Our Flesh verses God's Spirit. 

Galatians 5:1-9 (NIV)

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 

3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 

4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 

5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.

6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? 

8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 

9 “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”

Galatians 5:13-21 (NIV)

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.17 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.  18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 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.

Anything that becomes the center of your life is an idol.  

Romans 7:19 (NLT)

19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.

The flesh produces bondage, doubt, religion, legalism.

The Spirit produces freedom, faith, relationship, grace.

The fruit of the Holy Spirit is produced by living by the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-26  (NKJV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. 

1.  Living by the Spirit requires me to see myself and my surroundings. 

Psalm 121:8  (NKJV)

8 The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.

God's Word is a light to help us see.  You can't go where you cannot see.

Psalm 119:105  (NKJV)

Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.

God's Word will always shine the light on my situation.  Light defeats darkness. 

2. Living by the Spirit requires me to listen.  

Isaiah 30:21  (NKJV)

21 Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,
“This is the way, walk in it,”
Whenever you turn to the right hand
Or whenever you turn to the left.

The Holy Spirit speaks to us. We can't respond to what we can't hear.  We must take the time to listen to God.

3.  Living by the Spirit requires me to follow His instructions.

James 1:22 (NLT)

22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

I am never alone.  The Spirit is always with me.

Chris Hodges, Church of the Highlands

https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/message/living-by-the-spirit